Bonus Buy Slot RTP Explained

RTP is the number that decides whether a bonus buy is fair, and it's widely misunderstood. Here's what feature-buy RTP means and how to read it.

What is bonus buy slot RTP?

RTP (return to player) is the long-run percentage a slot pays back. Bonus buy slots publish a separate feature-buy RTP for bought features, and it almost always sits within half a percent of the base-game RTP — sometimes marginally higher, occasionally a touch lower.

Why it matters

The key takeaway: buying the bonus does not meaningfully change your long-run return. A game with a 96% base RTP and a 96.2% feature-buy RTP returns about the same whether you buy or spin. Anyone selling the buy as a way to "beat" a slot is wrong.

How to use the number

• Check the game's info screen for both the base and feature-buy RTP before you buy.
• Prefer titles with a published feature-buy RTP at or above the base — a handful are slightly higher.
• Remember RTP is a long-run average; any single buy can pay nothing or pay big.

Offshore reality

Most Dragon Gaming and Betsoft buy titles at the casinos I review publish RTPs in the mid-90s percent range. That's standard; what varies more is volatility, which decides how the return is distributed.