Since the dawn of time, slots have been an integral part of gambling. They have been a popular casino game option for players for a long time and it’s easy to see why. For starters they all feature easy gameplay.
Over time, slots also have also had interesting themes and extra features that enhance gameplay. In this guide, we take you to the basics, and take you through how to play slots. We’ll not only go over how to play slot games, but we’ll also touch on the types of slots, common additional features, and more. Well, let’s begin!
Types of online slots
Let’s start this guide on how to play slots by first getting to understand the types of online slots.
Classic slots
Classic slots are pretty much the most basic type of slots. They are usually characterized by having a simple gameplay and limited paylines. Most classic slots you’ll come across have a 3×5 grid and few bet ways, as little as even one payline.
Progressive jackpot slots
The main characteristic of progressive slots is that they have a jackpot prize that keeps on increasing until a player finally hits the jackpot and wins.
Megaways slots
Unlike classic slots, Megaways slots are more flexible with a high number of paylines, going as high as over 200,000. In most cases, Megaways slots utilize cascading reels. So, when you land a winning combination in a Megaways slot, the cascading reels cause the winning symbols to disappear paving way for new symbols to appear. This enables bettors to potentially land more than one winning combination in one spin.
Hold and win slots
Next up, we have Hold and Win slot games. These are basically slots with the Hold and Win feature. When playing a slot with this feature, and you have at least six value symbols (like multiplier symbols), the Hold and Win feature is activated. This enables these value symbols to “hold” their position in the reels, increasing your chances of landing a winning combination with these value symbols, which means better returns.
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Best Slots Providers
There are a number of games providers on the slot scene, and some are more popular than others. You’ll probably find that over time, you start to notice the same names crop up if you favor certain game types.
We have a few favorites, and we’ve shared what we consider to be the best slots providers below.
Evolution
Evolution is one of the big names in slots gaming. They are known for a huge list of high-quality games and offer way more than just slots, offering live gaming software too. This provider has been around since 2006, meaning they’ve had plenty of time to perfect their graphics, themes and features – making them the giants they are today.
NetEnt
NetEnt launched in 1996, making it one of the older games developers out there. They’re known for creating exciting slot games with high RTPs and interesting features. NetEnt mostly develops games with medium to high volatility and fun themes, which makes them a favorite developer amongst gamers.
Hacksaw Gaming
Hacksaw Gaming offer clean aesthetics and easy-to-understand slots. After launching in 2017 and starting out with a keen interest in creating scratch cards, they soon started developing the popular slots they’re known for today such as Le Pharoah and many more.
3 Oaks Gaming
While 3 Oaks Gaming haven’t been around as long as some of the other top names on this list, their 2021 launch was a success and they’re highly regarded in the gaming world. Their games boast exciting color schemes and interesting features. Despite being relatively late to join the scene, they’ve managed to rack up over 80 popular titles in their portfolio.
Nolimit City
Nolimit City stands out in the industry for their darker-themed games. While a lot of games providers gravitate towards vibrant colors and chipper themes, NoLimit city has leaned the opposite way – which has gone in their favor. Expect to see dark, gothic and a little bit creep game themes, with names like Dead Canary and Kenneth Must Die.
Top 10 Best Slots
Now we’ve covered the top providers to look out for, it’s time to talk games. Below is a list of what we consider the best slot games you can play right now.
Immortal Romance
Immortal Romance is a high RTP slot with a gothic theme from Microgaming that features four characters that have their role in the bonus round. Each gives you a different number of free spins and features that trigger various multipliers.
The RTP is a pleasing 96.86% and the volatility is medium, meaning you can often end up with some frequent and steady wins. The maximum multiplier for this game is 6000x, which is pretty exciting.
Starburst
Starburst is a common favorite that makes it on to lots of these types of lists. It’s an easy-to-understand slot, brought to you by NetEnt and one of the things gamers love about it is its high RTP of 96.09%. This RTP, paired with a low volatility, means you’re likely to have regular wins. The max multiplier is 250x, which is decent for a low volatility slot.
Cleopatra
This Egyptian-themed game is brought to you by IGT, and they’ve clearly put in a lot of effort to add exciting features. Look out for wild and scatter symbols during gameplay to trigger special features.
The RTP is a cool 95.7% and the slot has medium volatility, but what really stands out is that it’s known to have a max multiplier of 10,000x.
Money Train
The game design of Money Train has used the nice touch of setting the reels in a train carriage, solidifying the theme of an old westerns style train setting. Relax Gaming has created a highly volatile slot with an RTP of 96.2% and a max multiplier of 20,000x.
Money Train has great gaming features including wilds, scatters and bonus rounds, which keeps gameplay feeling fresh and unpredictable.
Le Pharoah
Le Pharoah follows a familiar Hacksaw Gaming character to ancient Egypt for some high volatility slot fun. Alongside high volatility, the game also boasts a high RTP of 96.18% with a high max multiplier of 15,000x your stake.
The game setup is a 5×6 grid, with 19 paylines and lots of chances to unlock bonus rounds by landing scatter symbols. Three scatters will get you onto the normal bonus, while 4 will trigger the super bonus. Look out for sticky winning symbols and a re-drops which is a pretty exciting feature.
Pirate Bonanza
Backseat Gaming has made a fun pirate-themed slot with jewels, treasure maps, compasses and many more fun symbols associated with pirates. It’s pleasing to look at and exciting to play, with high RTP of 96.31% and a medium-high volatility.
There are plenty of features to trigger during gameplay on Pirate Bonanza, giving you plenty of different ways to multiply your wins. The max multiplier for this game is 10,000x, which is not too shabby.
Lucky Penny
This colorful Irish leprechaun-themed game from 3 Oaks Gaming has plenty to offer in the fun stakes. With wild and scatter symbols to watch out for and a max multiplier of 20,000x your stake, there’s plenty to attract you to this slot.
Lucky Penny also boasts a strong RTP of 95.64% and is considered a high volatility slot meaning you might sometimes have to wait between wins, but those wins might be a little higher.
Mooncake Riches Hold and Win
Mooncake Riches Hold and Win has an Asian theme running through it, featuring symbols such as Chinese dragons and a mystical moon. It’s a hold and win style slot, so you’ll see hold and win features alongside free spins, sticky symbols and multipliers.
The max multiplier is a whopping 25,000x. It also has an RTP of 93.36% and is considered to be a high volatility slot, making gameplay very exciting. Kalamba Games have really created a hit with this one.
Emerald Brewer
Another Irish-themed slot makes the list, as Emerald Brewer from EvoPlay brings plenty to the table in terms of entertainment. The game features free spins, magic spins, wilds and multipliers.
This high volatility game has a high RTP of 96.04% and a max multiplier of 6000x, which keeps things interesting.
Dead Canary
NoLimit City is known for its dark themes, and their creation Dead Canary doesn’t stray from their style. The game is set down a mineshaft (which is where the name ties in) and has plenty of features to keep players engaged.
Expect to see free spins, different types of wilds and scatters on this high volatility slot. The RTP is 96.02% and the maximum multiplier is listed at a massive 65,000x.
Terms to keep when it comes to playing slots
There are a couple of terms used when playing slots, or just in regards to slots in general that’s it’s important you know. Let’s quickly take a look at them, shall we?
RTP (Return-to-player percentage)
An RTP represents a theoretical value of what a slot is expected to return to players over a prolonged period of time. Note that a higher RTP value does not automatically guarantee that you’ll win more. It is simply an indication of how much players would be expected to see returned if a slot was played over a long period of time.
Volatility
What does volatility mean in slots? You may ask. Volatility is basically the frequency of potential payouts when playing a slot game. So, a slot with high volatility means it has less frequent but bigger payouts, while those with low volatility have frequent but smaller payouts.
Features to look out for when playing slots
Usually, online slots have several features/add-ons that enhance one’s gameplay. They include:
These are symbols with values attached to them. These values represented the number of times your final payout will be multiplied
These are often referred to as substitute symbols as they match other regular symbols to form a winning combination. So, if you land 3 or 4 wild symbols on a reel, they’ll match the other symbols on a reel, enabling you to land a winning combination
This is a bonus features that when activated, allows bettors to take spins in the slot game, well for free
This feature enables players to skip ahead into a bonus round when playing slots rather than waiting for nature to take its course. However, this feature comes at a cost
As their name suggests, scatter symbols don’t have to be in a payline to activate other features, like free spins
Step-by-step guide on how to play slot machines online
Now that we’ve looked at pretty all we need to know about slots, let’s now go through how to play this game.
- Step one:
Select a slot game to play. You can choose based on the theme or type
- Step two:
Place your bet per spin. You’ll now have to decide how much you’d like to wager per spin
- Step three:
Take a spin. Now, it’s time to spin the slot’s reels. Usually, an online slot will have a button that activates the reels
- Step four:
Once the slot stops spinning, check if you have a winning combination, or if you’ve landed any special features
Tips on how to play slots online
Let’s now get into the
tips for playing slot machines
online.
1. Begin by understanding a slot game’s paytable
Usually, a slot game’s different symbols have different values and potential payouts. So, it’s crucial that you first begin by understanding a slot game’s paytable before playing. That way, you’ll be in the know of what you stand to win when you hit a winning combination with a set of particular matching symbols.
Another crucial tip while playing online slots, is to find out about a slot game’s additional features beforehand.
As we explained earlier in this guide, each feature has its way of enhancing your gameplay.
3. Pay attention to the slot’s RTP and volatility
It’s also important to pay attention to a slot game’s RTP and volatility. That way, you’ll know your potential payouts over time and how frequently you’ll win.
We didn’t mention this earlier, but a slot’s RTP in most cases is directly connected to its volatility. So, the higher a slot’s RTP, the lower the volatility, and vice versa. Therefore, a slot game with 97% RTP will have frequent but smaller payouts while a 94% RTP slot will have less but bigger payouts. However, it’s important to note that this is not always the case and these values are theoretical only.
Another great tip for playing slots online, particularly at online casinos, is to take advantage of the offers on the site. There are several offers a casino site may offer, enabling you to play slots practically for free. A good example are
casino free spins with no deposit
required.
So, claim as many offers as you can, enabling you to play your favorite slots without digging into your bankroll.
5. Don’t be shy to explore different slot themes
One of the highlights of playing slots is that each game has a different theme, or a unique twist to a particular theme. So, don’t be shy to play slots with different themes as it’ll make your slot gaming experience more fun.
6. Pay attention to your bankroll
While playing slots, also pay attention to your bankroll. Try and set a budget on how much of betting funds you want to use on slots, and stick to it. You can also go as far as setting a wager limit per spin.
After all, the last thing you’d do is to misuse your funds, and end up getting frustrated.
One more thing when it comes to bankroll management: Avoid chasing losses as it’ll most likely deplete your bankroll, which will leave you frustrated.
Here’s a recap of what we’ve discussed about online slots.
| Types of slots | - Classic slots
- Progressive jackpot slots
- Hold and Win slots
- Megaways slots
|
| Relevant terms in slot games | - RTP- the average payout over time
- Volatility- the frequency of payouts
|
| Features in slot games | - Free spins
- Multiplier symbols
- Wild symbols
- Scatter symbols
- Bonus buy feature
|
Conclusion: Playing slots online made easy
We’ve come to the end of this guide on how to play slots online. You can agree that this is an easy game to play, that’s also fun and diverse in options. We hope this guide has explained all you need to know about slot games. Once again, remember to keep in mind the tips we’ve discussed for an enhanced gaming experience.
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How to play slots- FAQs
🎰 What kinds of slots are available online?
As we mentioned in this guide, there are several types of slots. Some of them include classic slots, progressive jackpot slots, and megaways slots.
💡 How do I increase my chances of winning on slot machines?
While there isn’t a sure way to increase your chances of winning when playing slots, there are tips, like knowing the game’s paytable and taking advantage of the special features that boost your overall gaming experience though.
🏆 What’s the easiest slot to win?
There isn’t a particular slot that’s easy to win. You just have to find a slot type and features that work for you best.
