Spin value

Spin value: the stake behind a free spin

When a casino credits promotional free spins (bonus), each spin is locked to one stake. Open the game with spins waiting and the stake selector is usually greyed out at that amount. If the offer says 10p per spin, every spin bets 10p across the whole game, and wins are paid at that level from the paytable.

This is different from the coin value or total bet you choose when playing with your own money. On a 10-line game, a 10p spin value means a total bet of 10p, not 10p per line.

How to work out an offer's face value

Face value is the total amount the spins would cost if you bought them as normal spins. It is the fairest way to compare offers with different spin counts.

Ladbrokes' full £50 depends on claiming each day's batch from the inbox before 23:59; missing three days leaves 350 spins and £35 of face value. All three pay spin winnings without wagering, so the face value is not reduced by playthrough.

From spin value to expected value

Face value is what the spins are staked at; expected value is what they are likely to return on average. Each spin returns, over the long run, its stake multiplied by the game's RTP.

1. Find the face value: spins × spin value.
2. Find the RTP in the eligible game's help screen at that casino, since some games run several versions.
3. Multiply: face value × RTP = expected return.
4. If winnings carry wagering, subtract the expected cost of playing them through: winnings × wagering multiple × house edge.
5. Check for any cap on spin winnings in the full terms.

Worked example: PlayOJO's 80 spins at 10p on Big Bass Bonanza have a face value of £8. At the game's published 96.71% RTP, the expected return is about £7.74, paid as cash because there's no wagering. If a casino ran a hypothetical lower version at 94.5%, the figure would be about £7.56. The how to work out free spins value guide covers more cases, including wagered spins.

Expected value is an average across many players. Most sets of 80 spins return less than £7.74; a few return far more after a good feature, which pulls the average up.

Why spin value matters more than spin count

Headline numbers can mislead. 200 spins at 5p and 100 spins at 10p both have a £10 face value. 50 spins at 20p would match them too. What changes is the spread of outcomes: smaller spins give more chances at small wins, while larger ones give fewer chances but bigger individual payouts.

Spin value also caps what a single spin can do. On a game with a 2,100× max win, a 10p spin can never pay more than £210. That is worth knowing before you picture what a set of spins might return. For context on how often features land, see feature frequency.

Comparing spin value with what you put in

A last useful check is face value per pound of qualifying outlay. Coral gives £10 of spins for a £10 qualifying stake, PlayOJO £8 for a £10 deposit, and Ladbrokes up to £50 for a £10 stake if every daily batch is claimed. Remember that the qualifying stake is itself gambled, with its own house edge, so the spins are an addition to money you are spending, not a refund of it.

Spin offers with a published spin value

Ladbrokes, Coral and PlayOJO each state a 10p spin value for new customers aged 18+, with no wagering on spin winnings. Ladbrokes and Coral need £10 staked on slots after a deposit and PlayOJO a £10 first deposit; selected games, claim windows, expiry and payment exclusions apply, so read the terms first.

18+. Gambling should be entertainment that costs money, not a way to make it. Set a deposit limit before you play: how to set limits. Free, confidential help: National Gambling Helpline 0808 8020 133.