Bonus buy slots have become rather important in the world of players looking to bypass the base game grind and go straight into accessing high-potential bonus rounds. This approach is not about the frequency of wins, but instead the pursuit of big multipliers and being at peace with the inherently high volatility as part of the plan. 

The cost of entry for these features certainly requires some level of risk-reward analysis, where you look at the potential against the increased per-spin cost. For players managing bankroll while exploring high-stakes features, a £5 minimum deposit casino UK can certainly be a strategic entry point. Ultimately, it allows one to engage more with high-volatility slots without a big initial outlay, allowing players to test the waters and understand the game’s mechanics in a live environment.

Money Rain 4 (Relax Gaming)

Relax Gaming’s Money Rain 4 is often considered to be the pinnacle of the bonus buy genre. It may have something to do with its eye-watering 150,000x max win potential… 

At the core of this potential lies the Money Cart bonus round. This is where the reel set transforms to accommodate only special symbols. The value accumulation is then driven by a broad set of these symbols, with Persistent collectors, which gather all visible values on every spin, and Persistent shapeshifters, which then adopt different feature sets. Yes, it’s confusing at first, but these are key to escalating payouts, and the dynamic between these symbols and standard multipliers is what creates a very complicated but high-variance game. 

Dead or Alive 2 (Netent)

NetEnt’s Dead or Alive 2 is perhaps the other benchmark for high-multiplier slots due to its brilliantly executed free spin options. The game has three distinct volatility levels within its bonus rounds, and this structure soon becomes clear. The High Noon Saloon feature is the most potent as it includes the classic sticky wilds with 2x and 3x multipliers. Landing multiple wild symbols on each reel can lead to a multiplier effect that exponentially increases the payout, targeting the marketed 111,111x max win. The Train Heist feature offers a lower-volatility alternative with an increasing multiplier for every wild landed, while the Old Saloon provides a mid-variance option with standard sticky wilds. 

Ultimately, the best thing about this game is that it allows players to tailor their bonus round strategy based on their risk appetite. It’s a level of depth that maintains its relevance among expert players and keeps them coming back.

Tombstone R.I.P. (Nolimit City)

Tombstone R.I.P. from Nolimit City is known for its brutal volatility and a max win potential that certainly commands both respect and attention. The game’s engine is built around a complex system of wild symbols that manipulate the reels in some pretty unique ways. The Hang ‘Em High and Boothill free spin rounds are where the multiplier potential is fully unleashed. In the Boothill free spins, a cowboy symbol on the last reel turns all instances of that symbol wild, and a random multiplier between 5x and 999x is applied to a random symbol for each spin. This, combined with the xNudge wilds that increase a multiplier with each nudge, creates a stacking of multiplicative effects that can lead to astronomical payouts. In the end, for most players, it justifies its extreme variance rating.

Apollo Pays (Big Time Gaming)

Apollo Pays from Big Time Gaming uses the well-known Megaways engine but adds in an all-important twist with its “win-and-respin” mechanic. Following any winning combination, the winning symbols are held in place, and a respin is awarded. If the win is improved by at least two symbols, another respin occurs. This continues, on and on, until the win is no longer improved. During the free spins round, the mechanic is boosted by an unlimited win multiplier that increases by 1x with every respin. This creates a sort of synergy where a single spin can trigger a long sequence of respins, each one escalating the overall multiplier. With up to 117,649 ways to win and a 116,030x max win potential, the game’s certainly appealing to those looking for big wins.

Punk Rocker (Nolimit City)

Nolimit City’s Punk Rocker uses the previously mentioned xWays and xNudge mechanics to create an unpredictable reel set. The xWays symbols expand the number of winning ways, up to 46,656, by revealing 2-4 matching symbols within a single position. During the Anarchy and Civil War free spin features, jumping wilds are also introduced. These wilds move to different positions on each spin, and so when combined with the all-important xNudge feature, which adds a multiplier to the wild, they create eyebrow-raising payout opportunities. 

Multiplying the fun

Bonus buy slots offer a relatively direct, albeit high-risk, path to the most potent phases of a game. The titles above are a good selection of classics that encompass this design philosophy, though each has its own unique combination of mechanics to generate the sheer potential.