When you’re offered free play by casinos, you can’t just go and collect it as cash. You must first play through it, usually once (officially known as a playthrough requirement of 1x). The casinos don’t always make it easy to know when you’re done, however:
I don’t understand how to turn Free Play into money you can cash out. When spinning how do you know when you’re no longer on free play?
Carla
Depending on the casino and the system, free play can work one of two ways:
- You download the amount of free play you wish to use into the machine. The balance reflects your free play and any cash all together in one balance. Should you wish to move on, you may or may not be able to put your unplayed free play back on the card.
- You activate your free play to use on a machine. You are rebated the amount of your bet at the conclusion of each spin. Should you wish to move on before completing your free play, you simply end your carded session, and the remaining free play will await you on the next machine.
It’s that first variation that can prove more complicated. Since the amount you win and any money you put in the machine is mixed with the free play balance, it’s not always clear when you’ve completed using your free play.
We think this is to some degree by design – if you lose track, or just keep going, you’re likely going to keep making bets that are going to let the casino claw that money back over time. But there’s a few ways you can stay on top of where you are.
Here’s some tips for better tracking where you are in converting your free play.
Do the Math
The most basic thing you can do is calculate how many spins you can get off your free play, and simply count your spins. For instance, if you have $50 in free play, and you’re doing $1 a spin, once you complete 50 spins, whatever is left on the credit meter is yours to keep, whether to play on or cash out.
Most of us carry smartphones nowadays, so if doing the mental math isn’t an exciting prospect, you can simply divide the amount of free play by the per spin amount, and it will confirm how many spins to complete. And if you don’t want to have to mentally keep track of how many spins you’re on, there’s counter apps that can help you with this as well.
Check the Players Card Info
Now, you may not always have to do the math. We’ve seen at multiple casinos that even when you download the balance, sometimes it will keep track of your remaining free play balance on the players card screen. This is how it works, for instance, at Yaamava’ Casino, where it will show you how much is left of your free play right on the screen.
If you’re in a casino that offers this feature, it’s not particularly common, but it is out there at leat in some casinos.
Certain Slots Will Tell You
Some newer slots, particularly some made by AGS, will offer a visual indication you’ve still got free play in the machine. In the case of AGS, it turns the balance numbers red. If it’s still red, you’ve still got free play. If you like their games, playing them can offer assistance when that feature is present and available.
If All Else Fails, Cash Out
Lost track of your spins? Not on a machine with a helping hand? You can always hit cash out (leave your card in the machine as you do so). Whatever is cash will print on a ticket, while whatever is free play will remain behind in the machine. That will give you an accounting of how much free play you have left.
Just be sure to double check that credit balance, as we’ve seen and heard stories of people leaving credits behind because they didn’t double check.
Takeaway
With these tricks you can be a bit more confident about how much more you need to play to convert your free play. Sure, you may wish to continue playing if you’re having fun, but if you’re not, or just want to move on, it will allow you to be more precise as to where things are in the process.
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