What is a bonus hunt?

A bonus hunt is about collecting a series of bonuses across different slots, then opening them one by one to see how much they pay out together. It's a way to turn an ordinary session into something with a clear beginning, a build-up and a finale. Streamers made it popular, but most people who do bonus hunts are regular players who simply find it more fun than opening one bonus at a time.

A hunt has two phases: the collection phase, where you build your list, and the opening phase, where you play out each bonus. The tension sits in between, because once the collection is done you know exactly how much each bonus has to return on average for you to go plus.

The collection phase

First you decide on a starting balance, i.e. how much you're willing to spend, say €100. Then you work through slots and secure a bonus in each one. That can happen in two ways: either you trigger the bonus through normal play, or you buy it directly via the game's bonus buy. For each bonus you note which slot it is and what stake you're playing.

The result is a list, your bonus hunt list. That's exactly what the tool on this site is built for: you search for slots, set the stake, and watch the cost and key numbers update while you build.

The break-even average: the hunt's most important number

As soon as the list is done, one number governs everything: the break-even average. It's the average win each bonus must return for you to get back exactly what you put in. The formula is simple:

A concrete example. You collect 20 bonuses and spend €200 in total. Break-even is then 200 ÷ 20 = €10 per bonus. If you play an average stake of €0.40, that works out to an average of 25× per bonus. Open them and beat €10 on average and you go plus; come in under and you go minus. Simple, and brutally honest.

The best part is that you see this directly in the list builder, and while you open, a running average shows you whether you're above or below that line at all times.

Bonus buy: buy or trigger?

Most modern slots let you buy the bonus directly for a multiple of the stake, often 100× but sometimes up to 600×. The upside is speed: you don't have to sit and wait for the bonus to trigger. The downside is the cost, and the fact that the buy cost is what drives up your break-even average.

• Buy when you want to build a long list quickly, or hunt a specific bonus.
• Trigger when the slot has no buy, or when you want to keep the average down and have the patience.

Keep in mind that a bonus buy doesn't shift the odds in your favor. With an RTP of 96%, the expected outcome of a 100× buy is roughly 96× back. You're paying to skip the wait, not for a better chance.

The opening phase

Now for the fun part. You open the bonuses one by one and note the win. A running average shows whether you're above or below break-even, and at the end you see the verdict: did the hunt go plus or minus, which bonus was best, and how close to the line you landed. The result can be summed up in a shareable card that's easy to send to your friends.

Can you make money from it?

Individual hunts can absolutely go plus, sometimes by a lot. But over many hunts the casino always has a mathematical edge, that's what an RTP below 100% means. A bonus hunt is entertainment with a built-in cost, much like going to the movies or a concert. Treat it that way: set a budget you're comfortable losing, and stop when it's gone.

Frequently asked questions

What does break-even mean in a bonus hunt?

The average win each bonus must return for you to get your stake back. Total cost divided by the number of bonuses.

Do you have to buy the bonus?

No, you can trigger it through normal play. A bonus buy is just a faster way to collect.

How many bonuses should a hunt have?

There's no rule. Anything from 5 to 50 works. More bonuses smooth out the variance but require a larger bankroll.