For most of the history of online slots, the rules were simple: spin the reels, hope to land three Scatters, and trigger the bonus round. It could take twenty minutes or it could take two hours, depending on luck and patience. That waiting game was part of the culture.
What Is Feature Bonus Buy in Online Slots?
But in the last decade, slot developers introduced something new — the Feature Buy. Instead of hoping the Scatters line up, players can pay a fixed price and jump straight into the bonus round. It has become one of the most talked-about features in modern gambling, dividing players between those who love the shortcut and those who see it as an expensive gimmick.
In the UK, Feature Buy slots are now common at bet365 Games, LeoVegas, Betfred, and The VIC Online Casino. LeoVegas even claims to offer 189 slots with Bonus Buy options, though that number varies depending on the studios licensed at any given moment.
A Short History of Bonus Buy Slot Feature
The concept first emerged in Australia and Scandinavia around the early 2010s. Studios like Big Time Gaming and ELK Studios experimented with letting players pay for immediate access to bonus features. By the mid-2010s, the mechanic was spreading across Europe, especially in high-volatility slots where waiting for a bonus could feel endless.
By 2018, Bonus Buy had become a selling point in itself. UK operators were slower to adopt it because of regulatory concerns — the UK Gambling Commission worried that paying for bonuses might encourage riskier play. Today, Feature Buy is widely available in the UK, but always with clear warnings: it’s optional, expensive, and doesn’t improve your long-term odds.
How It Works in Practice
Feature Buy is simple in design but heavy in price. The slot multiplies your current stake — usually by 50× to 500×, sometimes even more — and charges that as the cost of entry.
- A 20p stake at 100× means a £20 Feature Buy.
- A £1 stake at 200× becomes £200.
- Some Nolimit City slots, like Fire in the Hole 2, set the ceiling at 1,000×, meaning £200 even on the lowest stake.
It’s worth stressing: the RTP (Return to Player) does not change. Whether you spin naturally or pay to buy the feature, the game is still designed to return the same percentage over time. What changes is the variance — you’re paying upfront for a high-risk, high-reward spin cycle.
Why Players Use It
For many, it’s about time. Triggering a bonus naturally can take dozens, even hundreds, of spins. Feature Buy skips the queue. Streamers on Twitch and YouTube also helped popularise it, since paying for bonuses keeps content fast-moving and dramatic.
For regular players, the appeal is mixed. On one hand, the excitement of diving into the heart of the game is undeniable. On the other, the cost is steep, and the outcomes are often anticlimactic. Spending £50 to win back £7 is not unusual.
Five Slots That Offer Bonus Buy Feature
Fire in the Hole 2 – Nolimit City
Set in a collapsing mine shaft, Fire in the Hole 2 is infamous for its explosive volatility. Feature Buys range from 60× for the basic spins to 1,000× for Lucky Wagon Spins, one of the highest buy prices on the UK market. At 20p minimum stake, that’s £200 upfront — and many players have watched it vanish in a few spins. Still, for high-rollers chasing huge multipliers, it’s a cult favourite.
Big Bad Wolf: Pigs of Steel – Quickspin
Quickspin’s revival of the fairy tale is gentler on the bankroll. The Feature Buy costs around 90×, making it one of the more affordable options. The bonus plays out with huff-and-puff mechanics as wolves blow down houses for multipliers. Casual players tend to gravitate toward titles like this because the cost feels less punishing than Nolimit’s extremes.
Katmandu Gold – ELK Studios
Katmandu Gold is an adventure-themed slot where the reels expand vertically with every avalanche win. It offers two buy-in tiers: a 100× stake buy for the standard bonus and a 500× “Super Bonus” with stacked Wilds guaranteed at the start. On a 20p stake, the regular buy costs £20; the super buy, a daunting £100.
Goat Getter – Push Gaming
In this quirky slot, goats gather coins and add them to your balance. The Feature Buy offers two versions: a 100× buy for the standard round and a 250× buy with extra goat symbols. It illustrates the two-tier approach many developers now take — cheaper entry or premium access with boosted odds.
Moon of Fortune: Hold the Jackpot – Wazdan
Wazdan’s glowing moon-themed game includes sticky respins and jackpot prizes. The Feature Buy lets you access the “Hold the Jackpot” bonus for 75× your stake, or a premium version at 300×. The choice reflects your appetite for risk: smaller upfront cost versus a pricier gamble with bigger potential.
Casinos and Catalogues
- bet365 Games: A curated set of Feature Buy titles from Pragmatic, Nolimit, and ELK.
- LeoVegas: Marketed as having “189 Bonus Buy slots,” though the real count is often lower once you filter by country and licence.
- Betfred: Strong Pragmatic Play presence with Big Bass and Gates of Olympus.
- The VIC Online: A smaller catalogue but with niche Nolimit City and Push Gaming titles that aren’t always visible at bigger brands.
The Debate
For players: Feature Buy offers control and immediacy. If you don’t want to grind for an hour, you can pay to see the bonus in action.
For critics: It risks turning slots into premium-priced entertainment, where casual players burn through bankrolls quickly. Regulators continue to monitor how often Feature Buys are used and whether they contribute to harmful play.
For developers: It has become a standard tool. Many new launches are designed with Bonus Buy as a selling point from day one.
A Risk Worth Taking?
Feature Buy is not a hack or shortcut — it doesn’t bend the maths. It’s a fast-forward button, letting you skip the dull bits at a steep price. For some, it keeps slots fun and prevents long dry spells. For others, it’s a trap that drains money too quickly.
The reality lies somewhere in between. It’s a tool, not a guarantee. Whether it improves your experience depends on your budget, your patience, and your appetite for risk.
Top 15 UK-Available Slots with Bonus Buy (Feature Buy)
Each of these titles offers a Bonus Buy feature (depending on the casino), allowing instant access to the bonus round — though availability and pricing may vary per operator.
- Moon of Fortune: Hold the Jackpot – Wazdan (“Hold the Jackpot” buy available)
- Extra Chilli Megaways – Big Time Gaming (Bonuses available via mobile apps)
- White Rabbit Megaways – Big Time Gaming (available at many gambling sites)
- Fire in the Hole 2 – Nolimit City (UK availability through specialist lobbies)
- San Quentin xWays – Nolimit City (feature buy options present in some online casinos)
- Mental – Nolimit City
- Money Train 3 – Relax Gaming (Buy Bonus widely available)
- Dead Riders Trail – Relax Gaming (UK-listed versions support buy-ins)
- RIP City – Hacksaw Gaming
- Wanted Dead or a Wild – Hacksaw Gaming
- The Dog House Megaways – Pragmatic Play (Bonus Buy offered at many sites)
- Sugar Rush – Pragmatic Play (Bonus Buy visible in applicable regions)
- Power of Thor Megaways – Pragmatic Play (often features in buy menus)
- Katmandu Gold – ELK Studios (X-iter buy menu)
- Big Bad Wolf: Pigs of Steel – Quickspin (cancellable version includes buy)
