Jackpots, megaways and more – understanding different slots
As anybody who’s ever been to Vegas before knows, slots games come in several shapes and sizes, such as:
- Classic slots and fruit machines.
- Megaways and cascading reels.
- Jackpot and video slots.
So, naturally, shaping up on what all these are and what makes them tick is the obvious first step in figuring out how to pick a slot machine that’s right for you.
With that in mind, here’s a quickfire genre by genre comparison:
| Type of slot game |
What are they? |
Who are they best for? |
Popular game examples |
| Classic slots |
Traditional slots tend to be three to five reel fruit machines, where the aim of the game is simply to match symbols in a line to win. |
Beginners, first timers and nostalgists. |
777 Coins, Lion Coins and Rainbow Reels. |
| Megaways |
Megaways are faster paced slot games with variable win lines and much more dynamic reels. Volatility tends to be cranked up here, too. |
Thrill seekers and more experienced players. |
Aztec Gems Megaways, Book of Cats Megaways and Buffalo King Megaways. |
| Video slots |
Video slots serve up sharper, snazzier graphics than your average games. Many come with five or more reels, and offer various combo powered in-game bonus rounds. |
Pretty much everybody… once you know the basics, of course. |
Starburst, Da Vinci Diamonds and Book of Dead. |
| Jackpots |
Jackpot games are all about big potential prizes – some of which swell in size progressively the more a game is played. |
High rollers. |
Mega Moolah, Mega Fortune and Juicy Sevens Jackpot. |
Now, we’re fully aware that our readers visit our site from all over the world. So, whether you’re looking for low limit or beginner friendly
free slots in Canada, high volatility megaways up for grabs in the UK, or jackpot games available in ireland, we’ve set up our banner links on this page to automatically display top rated casinos that offer all sorts of online slots games in your area.
And naturally, any site you see pointed out here has been vetted by our experts to ensure that:
- It’s licensed and legal where you live.
- Slots, megaways, jackpots and other exciting games are offered.
- Random Number Generators (RNG) are used to ensure fair, completely randomized game outcomes.
Pros and cons of playing slots at our favorite online casinos
Pros and Cons
- Licensed in your area
- RNG powered games offered
- Tons of slots to choose from
- Bonuses available on sign up
- Game options can feel overwhelming
How to pick a slot machine – considerations when comparing games
Now you’re all clued up on the different types of slots you’re gonna stumble across at top casino sites, let’s look at how you can narrow down the slot games we reckon you’ll enjoy most.
If you came here for help with how to pick a winning slot machine at the casino sites highlighted in our banners, we’re afraid we can’t make any promises here, for the simple reason that there’s never any guarantee of winning anything at all when playing at casino games online.
That said, by thinking carefully about the following factors when deciding which games to play, we’re confident you’ll have an absolute blast with every single spin.
RTP percentages
Return to Player or “RTP” numbers, which you’ll see displayed alongside different slot games, denote the percentage of your wagers that said games will potentially return back to you over time. So, looking out for games posting higher numbers – preferably of 96% or more – makes up a big part of how to pick a slot machine for many players.
As already mentioned, there’s never any guarantee of winning anything, of course. But sticking to high RTP slots is certainly always a wise strategy.
Game volatility levels
A huge part of how to pick a slot machine in a casino ultimately revolves around your ability to accurately select games that are suitable for players of your experience level.
For obvious reasons,
low volatility slot machines
make the most sense while you’re still learning the ropes. While graduating to faster paced video slots and feature packed megaways gets more appealing the longer you’ve been playing.
The good news? All the sites highlighted in our banners on this page offer a mix of all sorts of different slots to suit gamers from all walks of life.
In-game bonus rounds and features
Another important side of how to pick a slot machine you’ll definitely enjoy playing centers on understanding the various in-game features that different slot games have to offer, and which ones might align best with your individual tastes. For example, many games out there offer:
- Wilds
– which are special symbols that you can substitute for others to line up winning combos.
- Scatters
– which tend to trigger fast paced free spins and bonus rounds.
- Multipliers
– which offer boosted max win potential when activated.
Generally, it’s higher volatility slot games, like Aztec Cats Megaways and Wanted Dead or A Wild, to name just a few examples, that are best known for offering these kinds of more dynamic features. But of course, breakneck pacing and complicated bonus rounds aren’t for everybody – and we’d always advise sticking to simpler slots when you’re just starting out.
Meanwhile, a few other things worth considering when weighing up how to pick a slot machine that’ll gel well with you, include:
- Compatibility with promotions
– some casino bonuses might not always be usable as free spins on slots games, so it’s important to double check.
- Max win potential
– which you’ll find listed alongside any games you’re comparing, with higher multiplier numbers being best, for obvious reasons.
Many of the brands highlighted in our banners on this page will allow you to play
slots with no deposit
bonuses from sign up. While others offer low deposit bonuses that serve up free spins on selected slots when you deposit as little as $5 to $10 USD or your local currency equivalent.
So, be sure to compare different sites’ bonuses using our reviews and guides when deciding where to play.
How to pick a slot machine – why where you play matters
No guide on how to pick a slot machine would be complete without an honorable mention of the importance of
where
you play – which we’d argue is just as important as which individual slot games you decide to start spinning.
Why? Well, before you even start thinking about how to pick a good slot machine, you’re going to want to find an online casino that’s worth playing with in the first place, right? Like those highlighted in our on page banners here, for example.
As far as we’re concerned, top casino sites should tick all the right boxes in the following categories:
Licensing and reputation
All the brands linked in our on page banners in today’s guide, are:
- Licensed in your area.
- Well established in the industry.
- Supportive when it comes to their responsible gambling and customer service options.
And naturally, any sites you go shopping around for elsewhere should be, too. In most regions, you can only play at real money casinos that hold a recognized license with your local regulator, like the UK Gambling Commission, for example. So, be sure to keep this in mind.
Game breadth and range
While fruit machines are heaps of fun, our experiences putting together today’s guide on how to pick a slot machine made us realize that the best online casinos out there tend to offer a lot more than just reels games and one armed bandits.
So, if like us, you value variety, try looking out for casinos that also serve up:
- Blackjack and roulette games.
- Baccarat and poker tables.
- Live dealer casino experiences.
Standout software
Whether you’re into slots, megaways, jackpots or live dealer games, software can really make or break a casino in our view.
So, when thinking about how to pick a slot machine, we’d suggest prioritizing sites whose games have been sourced from reputable software brands that everybody’s heard of. We’re talking about major names here, like:
- Pragmatic Play.
- NetEnt.
- Hacksaw Gaming.
- And more.
All of whom are well known for offering fast loading games that utilize trusted Random Number Generator (RNG) technology behind the scenes.
Trusted payment options
Top rated casinos should always support reputable payment options and offer fair and transparent deposit and withdrawal terms.
Before you even consider how to pick a slot machine that’s right for you, then, make sure any online casinos on your shortlist offer:
💸 Speedy Deposits and Withdrawals
Speedy deposits and withdrawals – think instant deposits, and ideally cash outs that take 72 hours or less.
💳 Support for Multiple Payment Options
Support for both debit cards and e-wallets – it’s good to have multiple options to choose from, as deposit/withdrawal times vary between methods.
📜 Transparent Payment T&Cs
Transparent payment T&Cs – particularly regarding things like fees, payment processing times, bonus compatibility and wagering requirements.
Dependable customer support
If you’re playing at a well established casino that has the right games, software and payment options in place, it’s
probably
unlikely you’ll run into too many issues when playing.
But just on the off chance, it’s good to stick to using casino sites like those mentioned in our banners here, that offer:
- 24/7 live chat.
- Easy to reach email support.
- Localized telephone hotlines or responsive social media DM options.
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How to pick a slot machine – a step by step guide
Once your mind’s made up on
where
you want to play, it’s of course time to register an account with your preferred brand, and then start digging around for slots that offer all the essential features we outlined earlier, including:
- A game volatility level that works for you.
- Competitive RTP.
- Exciting in game bonus rounds.
- Solid max win potential.
So, one step at a time, here’s how to create a new player account with your next favorite casino, and how to pick a slot machine that fits the bill on all the above fronts after you’ve registered:
- Click our site banner for your preferred brand – which will take you to their official homepage for your region.
- Tap “Sign Up” or “Register” – which will kick start the general sign up process.
- Enter your details – think name, address, DOB, email and the like.
- Verify yourself – typically via a one-time verification link, with personal ID checks also often required at the point of registration.
- Fund your account – keeping in mind that minimum deposit requirements may apply to any slots friendly bonuses advertised.
- Search for suitable slots games – top brands like those displayed in my banners offer ample filters and on site search engines to help you with this.
- Launch an exciting looking slot game – remembering to start out small when playing.
- Withdraw your winnings – not forgetting here that wagering requirements must be satisfied first if you’ve been playing with a bonus.
Some popular slots offered by top rated casinos
Before we bid you farewell for today, allow us to quickly introduce you to some popular slots that tend to be common among many of the casino sites we frequently list in our promotional banners here.
Naturally, game selections vary from site to site and region to region. But we’re big fans of the following slots games – which we’d say are well worth keeping an eye out for when considering how to pick your next slot machine and online casino:
| Example slot game |
RTP |
Volatility |
Developer |
Where to find it |
| Starburst |
96.1% |
Low. |
NetEnt |
Check our banners for the best slots sites in your area. |
| Wanted Dead or A Wild |
96.38% |
Very high. |
Hacksaw Gaming |
Check our banners for the best slots sites in your area. |
| Buffalo King Megaways |
96.52% |
Medium high. |
Pragmatic Play |
Check our banners for the best slots sites in your area. |
Final takeaway – find top slots at our favorite online casinos today
As we’ve seen, the process involved in how to pick a slot machine is actually more straightforward than it first appears. Particularly once you’ve built up a sound understanding of the different types of slots games out there and have familiarized yourself with what sorts of features typically characterize the best ones.
Right now, some of our favorite slots are Starburst, Wanted Dead or A Wild and Buffalo King Megaways. But of course, only you can decide what kind of volatility level, RTP and in-game bonus rounds work best for you.
On this page, we’ve highlighted top rated casino sites that offer slots games, epic bonuses and a whole lot more to players in your area. And you can register with any one of these brands in minutes by following the steps we outlined above.
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How to pick a slot machine FAQ
🎰 Which slot machines are best for beginners?
If you’re a relative newcomer to slots, we think it makes sense to start out playing low volatility, traditional reels games like 777 Coins and Starburst – both of which you’ll find available at some of the top rated casinos highlighted in our site banners.
🤑 How do I pick a winning slot machine?
Of course, there’s never any guarantee you’ll win anything when playing online slots games. But you can ensure you’ll have a whale of a time playing if you pick out games that have higher than average RTP percentages, suitable volatility for your experience level, and a game theme that aligns nicely with your own personal gaming tastes.
💰 Which slots games have the best multipliers?
Multipliers of anywhere up to 5,000x and more are common among high volatility,
high stake slots
like Gates of Olympus, Big Bass Splash and Hands of Anubis. So, be sure to stay on the lookout for these exciting games when comparing the slots up for grabs with our favorite online casinos of the minute.
