Slot machines are probably the most popular games to play in a land-based casino. It’s easy because all you need to do is put in some coins, hit the play button, and see if you’ll win. Today, people can play slots even in the comfort of their own homes, via online slots. It means that you no longer need to put a coin into a shaky machine that has painted glass bulbs and spin the handle to see if you’ll win.
Today, there are a lot of best slots to play online, and they are a whole new level from the traditional slot machines in casinos. They feature high-tech graphics, exciting sounds, and many different ways to win. If you’ve never played in an online slot yet, then you are certainly missing out. If you want to try playing online slots but you don’t have any idea how to start, you’re in the right place. We are going to give you a guide to online slots.
The Basic Terms You Need to Know
When playing slots online, you might encounter new words or terms that are usually used in the game. To help you understand, here are some of them:
- Bonus Rounds: Many online slots have bonus rounds that are activated during the game. These bonus rounds are mini-games that can give you a chance to win bonus points and as well as more money.
- Free Spins: Free spins are obtained when you land on a certain set of symbols while playing. You can get additional free spins, and this is a time when you don’t need to bet anything anymore, aside from the maximum bet of your previous spin.
- Paylines: Many online slots today have different paylines or the number of lines on the machine. You can bet on one line, some lines, or all of the lines. The more paylines you bet on the more chances of winning.
- Paytable: The paytable is viewable on your computer, tablet, or mobile online slot interface. There, you’ll see the individual symbols’ worth and as well as the payouts for landing certain sequences.
- Scatter Symbols: The scatter is another exciting feature in online slots. It is usually found on video slots, and it can multiply the award of your current total bet when you win.
- Wild Symbols: You can substitute a wild for any other symbol in the game without the scatter.
- RTP: This stands for Return to Player, which is the percentage that shows how much of the money bet on a slot is paid back to a player. Many online slots have an RTP of more than 90%, while some can be as high as 95% to 97%. The higher the RTP, the more chances of winning.
Different Types of Online Slots
You can also find different slot variations online. Here are some of the ones you might encounter when you play:
- Traditional Slots: These slots feature 3 reels and 1 payline, just like the usual slot machines you can find in land-based casinos. This type of online slot is a timeless classic that never goes out of style.
- Free Slots: When you play on free slots, you won’t be spending any real money on them. They are usually offered for beginners or new members so that you can test out the slot if it’s right for you before playing with real money.
- 5-Reel Slots: This is just like the traditional slot machine, but it has 2 extra reels, which add excitement to the game. It also offers a higher chance of winning.
- Multi-Line Slots: Multi-line slots are those that can be 3 or 5 reels, but include multiple paylines. They can be horizontal, vertical, or crisscross. Most of the time, multi-line slots offer more than 20 ways to win.
- Progressive Slots: This is an online slot variation that revolves around a progressive jackpot. It means that the jackpot of this slot grows every time a player places a bet. It’s not easy to win the jackpot, but it will happen at some point. And the payouts for progressive slots are huge.
Choosing an Online Slot Machine
One of the major parts of playing online slots is knowing different machines, like what we shared above, and deciding which ones you want to play. Learning and choosing might take some time, and you really need to utilize the free play modes that each of them offers. Most online casino sites allow members to play free on selected slots. When choosing online slots, here are some of the important things that you need to consider:
- The look and feel of the slot machine and if it’s exciting to play.
- If the maximum bet on the slot meets your budget.
- Bonus rounds where you can expand your winnings.
- The number of reels and paylines that you want on an online slot.
- The maximum jackpot versus the max bet. See if it’s a good value.
- The number of medium payouts.
Aside from these important things, there are also other factors to consider after narrowing down your choices. After finding an online slot that you enjoy, there are other steps you need to take before you start playing online slots for real money.
You also need to find out the payout percentage on the slots in which you are interested. To know about it, you can go to review sites to see other players’ comments. You can also visit the manufacturer’s site, or sometimes it’s in the online casino information itself. It’s best to pick a slot machine with a payout percentage of 95% or higher. Some might even offer 97% up to 100%, which is even better.
Tips on Playing Online Slots
Some of those who regularly play online slot machines might have developed their own methods of play and as well as rituals to increase their chances of winning. If these can help you enjoy playing, then engage in them. To help you start, here are a few tips we can recommend when playing online slots:
- Always stay focused on the game.
- Try to track how much money you are winning, losing, and spending.
- When you’ve lost what you’ve come to spend, it’s time to stop playing.
- When you’ve won a considerable amount of money, it’s time to stop playing.
- Keep in mind that you can lose all bonus winnings if you play the double-up game in the bonus.
- Remember that playing online slots should mainly be for fun and not for earning money to pay your monthly rent or car payment.
These are some of the important things we can share for online slots beginners. Knowing different slot machines before playing will help you further understand any choices that might be given to you. Once you get the hang of playing online slots, be sure to stick to your budget and have fun.