Bonus buy RTP 2026: does buying the bonus pay back more?
Bonus buys allow you to pay for the feature directly. The question everyone asks is whether that pays back more than spinning. The game's own rules answer this.
In the slots checked here, a buy pays back within a few tenths of a point of the base game, sometimes a little more, sometimes a little less. The version the casino runs moves every buy by up to 4 points.
By Owen Sheridan · Updated
Does a bonus buy have better RTP?
Not much and not always. Hacksaw lists the RTP for each buy in the game's info screen, under BONUS BUY. In the top version of Wanted Dead or a Wild, the base game pays 96.38%.
The buys for The Great Train Robbery, Duel at Dawn and Dead Man's Hand pay 96.27%, 96.33% and 96.43% respectively. Two of them pay less than spinning, and one pays more.
Pragmatic Play's Gates of Olympus takes this a step further. The rules state the same figure for the base game and the ante bet, as well as the bought free spins. In the top version, all three pay 96.50%.
So buying a feature does not really improve the RTP. On average, you get the same, in fewer, larger, more consolidated chunks.
Bonus buy RTP follows the casino's version
Each RTP version of a slot comes with its own buy figures, and this is where the real difference lies. Of the ten casinos we review, six run the top version of Wanted. Glorion, TonyBet and Rakebit run the second, while Kings Game runs the third.
| Version (base game) | Great Train Robbery | Duel at Dawn | Dead Man's Hand |
|---|---|---|---|
| 96.38% | 96.27% | 96.33% | 96.43% |
| 94.55% | 94.49% | 94.33% | 94.59% |
| 92.33% | 92.58% | 92.35% | 92.49% |
Duel at Dawn: 96.33% at Bitz, 92.35% at Kings Game
Same game, same buy, same price. The buy at Kings Game returns 4 points less because the casino runs the third of Hacksaw's four versions. What casinos have the top version? See bonus buy casinos ranked by buy RTP.
Bonus buy RTP in Pragmatic Play slots
Pragmatic Play does it more simply. Its rules put one figure for the base game, the ante bet and bought free spins, and all three are tied to the same version.
Gates of Olympus: 96.50% at Winna, 94.50% at 22bet
At Winna the game, the ante bet and bought free spins are all 96.50%. At 22bet all three are 94.50%, the lowest of the three versions.
Same game, same free spins, 2 points less return for every euro spent buying them at 22bet.
All Pragmatic versions checked at 10 casinos: Pragmatic Play casinos.
What bonus buy RTP means in euros
Buys are expensive per click. In Wanted, a Dead Man's Hand at a €1 bet costs €400. Twenty-five of them add up to €10,000.
The casino keeps an average of €357 at the top version and €751 at the 92.33% version with Dead Man's Hand buys over €10,000. The choice of buy within a version changes this by approximately €16.
So the casino is more important than the buy. Choose the casino that runs the top version, then pick the buy that suits your bankroll.
Same arithmetic is true for normal play: slot RTP versions explained.
Dead Man's Hand: average kept on €10,000 of buys
- 96.43% · top version€357.00
- 94.59% · second version€541.00
- 92.49% · third version€751.00
Averages over many buys. One buy can return many times its price, or just a small part of it.
Bonus buy RTP is the same; the swings are not
The RTP of a buy is close to the game's, but the way it pays is very different. You pay a large sum for one feature, and the feature can return a fraction of it or many times it.
Hacksaw Gaming rates the volatility of buys in the buy menu. The Great Train Robbery is a medium buy for 80 times the bet. Duel at Dawn is a very high buy for 200 times the bet, and Dead Man's Hand is a high buy for 400 times the bet.
Buys mean a session is even less likely to return close to the RTP than normal spins. Count your budget in buys: at a €2 bet, €800 is five rounds of Duel at Dawn.
Why a session moves away from the figure: theoretical vs actual RTP.
How volatility and RTP differ: RTP vs volatility.
Bonus buys while wagering a casino bonus
The majority of bonuses limit your bet to €1 to €5. A buy for a feature is 80 to 400 times the bet, so it almost always breaks the bet cap.
Some terms say it outright. In TonyBet's bonus terms, purchased game features, including bonus rounds, count towards the €5 bet cap.
Breaking the cap can mean the bonus is forfeited, as well as all winnings from it. Use buys with cash only, or finish the bonus first.
- TonyBet bonus terms 1.14
- Purchasing any game features, including respins, adds to your bet amount.
- TonyBet bonus terms 3.6
- The €5 maximum bet includes bonus rounds purchased within the game.
How to check a bonus buy's RTP before you pay
The buy menu gives price and volatility. The RTP is in the rules, one menu away, for each buy.
- Hacksaw games
Menu, then INFO. Scroll to BONUS BUY. Each feature has a line that reads "The RTP when buying".
- Pragmatic Play games
Push i, and go to the RTP page. The number for the bought free spins is next to the game's number.
- Compare with the top version
If the base game is below the studio's top version, then the buys are also below it.
Bonus buy RTP FAQ
Does a bonus buy have a better RTP than spinning?
Not really. In the top version of Wanted Dead or a Wild, buys pay 96.27% to 96.43%, and the base game pays 96.38%. In Gates of Olympus, bought free spins and the base game pay the same.
Is bonus buy RTP the same at every casino?
No. It follows the version the casino runs. Duel at Dawn pays 96.33% at Bitz and 92.35% at Kings Game.
Which bonus buy has the highest RTP?
In Wanted Dead or a Wild, Dead Man's Hand: 96.43% in the top version. Buys are a fraction of a percent apart.
Where can I see the RTP of a bonus buy?
In the rules. Hacksaw lists each buy under BONUS BUY in the INFO screen, and Pragmatic Play puts bought free spins on the RTP page.
Can I buy bonuses while using a casino bonus?
Usually not without breaking the maximum bet. TonyBet's terms count bought features towards its €5 limit.
Are bonus buys worth it?
On average they pay back the same as spinning, in fewer but larger wins. They suit a high bankroll that can absorb long losing streaks, at a casino that runs the top version.