Online slots are easily on the most popular online casino games in the world of internet gambling. Players of all types, from small-timers to high rollers, simply love to play slots for real money. It is the mix of fun, excitement, and possibility of a big payday that makes these games so appealing.
Slots have made a smooth transition from the brick & mortar casinos to the online operators. First there were classic slots. These were very simple and straightforward: there was a single line that a player could either hit or miss. With time, slots developed into very elaborate and complex variations found today under the common heading video slots. These video slots proved perfect for those looking to play online slots, as they provided great graphics, pleasant audio experience, and many interesting features.
Casino Comparison
For Online Slots
When choosing a place to play online casino slots, players need to pay attention to several key factors. One of the most important is the bonus availability. Bonuses are the single most important thing for slots players as they can help you bridge the gap and reduce the inherent house edge.
While we took a detailed look into different available promotions in our casino bonus comparison section, here’s the summary of the best online casinos for slots players. The casinos mentioned below are the ones leading the way in many of the most important areas.
Casino comparison for video slots
| 1. Place |  | 100% up to £400 T&Cs Apply, 18+ | 10,0 / 10 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2. Place |  | Up to £1500 welcome package T&Cs Apply, 18+ | 10,0 / 10 |
| 3. Place |  | 200% Up To £50 T&Cs Apply, 18+ | 9,0 / 10 |
| 4. Place |  | 100% up to £100 + Extra Spins T&Cs Apply, 18+ | 9,0 / 10 |
| 5. Place |  | 100% up to £200 T&Cs Apply, 18+ | 9,0 / 10 |
Play Slots Online
From Casino Halls to Virtual Environment
Slots for real money were introduced to casinos in the United States during the late 19th century. Initially based on the game of poker, the first slot machine garnered such popularity with players that people wasted no time coming up with ideas for new and improved versions.
The first slot machine proved to be somewhat impractical as it contained far too many possible winning combinations to make it pay every single one of these combinations automatically. That’s when Charles Fey came up with a device that contained three reels and five different symbols on each reel. This was the predecessor of the mega popular three-reel classic slots which took casinos by storm later during the 20th century.
This first classic slot machine was named Liberty Bell because three bells on the payline offered the biggest payout. The concept simply caught on and from that point onwards, it spread all over the world, with different places coming up with their own variations of basically the same game.
Bringing Slots Online
The popularity of slots with all types of gamblers obviously did not go unnoticed by the casinos. They came to realization that they could use modern technologies to bring online slots to the players instead of forcing them to leave their homes and make their way to the casinos.
Once online casino slots started to make their mark, there was no stopping them. Players were simply crazy about them, especially since they could enjoy hundreds of different games and switch between them with a simple click of the mouse. All that was required to get in action were an internet connection and a credit card. The simplicity, availability, and possibility of a big win introduced with progressive slots were more than enough to make playing slots online into a favorite pastime of millions across the globe
Slots for Real Money
Everything You Need to Know
The reason for the popularity of online casino slots probably resides with the fact that they are very simple to play. The rules are pretty straightforward and the influence a player can have on the outcome of any particular spin is non-existent.
With online casinos having a fixed return from their slots games, ranging anywhere from 1% to 10%+, these machines are not only favored by the players. Operators love them as well as they require very little effort to maintain and people are easily attracted to them.
However, as simple as slots online may be, it is still advisable to familiarize yourself with any game before you jump into action. This article will provide you with some necessary basics to help you get started. If you are looking to play slots, you’ve come to the right place.
Slots Rules
Playing the Game
If you picked the very first slot from any online casino out there and jumped straight into action, it would be very hard to make any big mistakes. Slot machines have been created in such a way as to be simple to use and very enjoyable. That said, you will enjoy the games much more if you know exactly what to keep an eye on.
Paylines
All slots work on the same basic principle of paylines. Depending on the slot type in question, it could be paying anything from a single line (some classic slots) to 243 lines (so-called all-pays slots).
The amount a player is paid on any particular payline is determined by different combinations of symbols. Since these will be different for any slot you pick, the very first thing you need to do before starting to play is check the pay table. The pay-table describes different combinations and tells you how much you can expect to get paid for hitting these combinations. The amounts are usually expressed in credits.
Credits or coins are nominal values used to determine the bet sizes and payouts. For example, on a coin size of £0.01, the amount of £10 would give you a total of 1.000 credits to play with. These credits are used to place bets on different lines and determine the amount a player wants to bet per line.
Although every slot has different symbols, they are mainly divided into three large groups:
- Ordinary or common symbols,
- Higher paying symbols and Wilds, and
- Scatters & bonus symbols
Ordinary symbols, as the name suggests, appear frequently and pay relatively low in relation to player’s bet. When you play slots for real money, you will unavoidably see many of these symbols appear everywhere on the reels, but they will not get you paid the way you’d like it.
Higher paying symbols are what you are looking for. Among these symbols, there is usually one that pays more than all the others. If you happen to get five of these, preferably on multiple lines, you will see a significant boost to your bankroll. Wilds are basically symbols that stand in to substitute any other symbols and can help connect the lines. Often, a combination of five Wilds on a payline will be the biggest possible single payout.
Scatters and bonus symbols are special symbols. Two or more scatters, depending on the slot, will trigger a payout regardless of where they appear on the reels. Scatters don’t need to be on the payline to pay the player – they simply need to show up anywhere. These symbols will often trigger the free spins feature, which is the equivalent of the Holy Grail for those playing online slots for real money.
Bonus symbols, when appearing on a payline, will usually trigger special bonus games of all sorts. With development of video slots, these bonus games have become more advanced and much more entertaining. Discovering various bonus features is probably one of the biggest draws for slots players these days.
- Figuring out bets (lowest, highest, number of lines)
- Checking out the pay table to know what to expect
- Understanding how free spins and bonus features work and how much you can expect them to pay you
Slots Strategy
Lowering Casino’s Edge
In a vacuum, slots are losing proposition. There is an inherent casino edge that can never be completely removed when you play online slots, so you are basically paying for the entertainment and, of course, your chance to get lucky.
Because of this, many players out there will tell you that all slots strategies are fake and there is nothing you, as a player, can do to improve your chances. From a very basic point of view, this statement might be correct but the truth is there are numerous strategies that can be applied to diminish this inherent edge and give yourself the best chances of winning.
Perhaps one of the most important strategies to apply when you decide to play slots online is bonus hunting. In the world of online casinos, bonuses are one of those rare things that give players somewhat better odds and help them in what is otherwise an uphill battle. When looking for a decent bonus to take advantage of, there are a few things to keep in mind:
- Don’t fixate on the sheer amount, it is usually not that relevant
- Look for casinos with relatively low playthrough requirements
- Always make sure that you fully understand all the rules, requirements, and restrictions
Novice players are often misguided when they see huge number on their screens. A bonus of £2.000 may seem like a great offer, but if it has 50x playthrough attached to it, your chances of actually ending with some profit are very slim. Think about it, you will need to make £100.000 in bets to meet the requirements and release the funds and chances of doing that before going bust are not in your favor.
On the other hand, a £100 bonus with a 25x playthrough is much more reasonable. Placing £2.500 in wagers is a much more realistic goal and although the sum is much smaller, you need to be thinking about it in terms of percentages and expectations. If you start with a clear losing expectation, you can hardly hope for good things coming your way.
Low playthrough requirements are, thus, the thing to look for when you play slots for real money and want to use a bonus offer. The only situation when this is not the case is when you are playing purely for fun and don’t care too much either way: you are just looking for excitement.
Finally, always make sure to know exactly what you may and may not do when playing with a bonus. Online casinos are usually very strict with their rules and breaking any terms could easily cause you to lose the entire bonus and any related winnings. Some of the most common things to be careful about are:
- Trying to cash out too early (before meeting the playthrough)
- Placing minimum risk bets (playing both red & black on roulette, for example)
- Placing bets that represent too big percentage of your bonus
Knowing all relevant rules when you play slots online is one of the key components to your success. Bonuses are nice insofar they represent a free boost to your bankroll, but they don’t come without restrictions and limitations.
Online Slots Tips & Tricks
Quick Advice to Keep You Safe
If you lack time to check out slots strategies in detail, then some quick tips and tricks can save you from losing too much or help you play better than you would otherwise. Most of these tips are short and very easy to remember, so you will not have hard time recalling them when you need them the most. For example:
- There is no way for a player to change the outcome of any particular spin
- Keeping close tabs on your bankroll is very important
- Playing long sessions can be very dangerous
- Play only the slots you can afford
First thing first, you need to be aware that you can, in no way, change the outcome of a particular spin. Pressing the Stop button, touching the screen, or shouting at the machine will do nothing besides making you upset. On its own, this will not affect the game, but it could lead to making some bad judgment calls and that can be very dangerous.
Always know where your bankroll’s at. Make sure you are not playing beyond your means and make sure not to play for too long. Fatigue can lead to some poor choices and poor choices, in turn, can cause the money to disappear rapidly. Always take breaks and do all you can to keep your head clear. Take a walk, do something else for a while, whatever works for you but don’t get stuck in an endless slots session.
When you play slots online, there is always a vast selection of games. With that in mind, you should always find the slots which appeal to you but which you can afford. This choice is closely connected to your bankroll management as you should never be playing the game that you only have enough money to cover a few dozen spins on.
Bankroll management in slots
Look after the pennies and the pounds will come
Before you head out and hit the slots, it’s super important that you know how to manage your bankroll efficiently. And while it might seem as simple as setting a budget and sticking with it — which is always a great idea — there’s often much more to it than that. In our dedicated bankroll management guide you can find everything you need to know and more about how to look after your slots funds.
Find the best offers by bonus hunting
It’s a lot easier than you think
Never heard of bonus hunting? You’ll be surprised when we say it’s simply hunting… for the best bonuses. But of course, like everything else in the world of casino, there’s a certain knack to it that the casino experts want to keep secret. In our no-holds guide we take you through the very best casino bonus hunting tips and tricks to ensure you stay ahead of the game.
- Land the best new customer offers/li>
- Learn how to find casinos you can trust
- Know when to move on
So whether you’re new to the world of casino, or you’re just on the hunt for the best bonuses, check out our bonus hunting guide.
Variable Betting Strategy
Mix things up for steady results
By adopting a variable betting strategy you aim to stretch out your funds further by mixing up the value of your spins. The idea here is that, instead of using a fixed sum (e.g. £1 x 100 spins) you can play a large number of smaller bets and then a few larger ones to really go for the big money. Check out our variable betting strategy for more information and learn how to implement this rather handy way of playing the slots.
Set your win limits
Know exactly when to walk away
Setting a budget is always a given, but setting a win limit is not something everybody thinks about — especially when you’re winning. After all, when you’re bagging the cash it’s easy to think that the ride will never end. Sadly though, you’re playing against the percentages (or RTP) and not against Lady Luck. For that reason we advise you set a solid win limit. To learn how to implement this and more check out our guide.
Slots Terms
Learning the Lingo
Becoming acquainted with slots terms may not help you win more but it should make playing easier and selecting the slots to play on much less of an effort. It may not seem so at first, but knowing some key terms can be vital when deciding what slot may be the best for you.
For example, you should definitely know the difference between 3 reel and 5 reel slots, understand what “bonus features” are, and how “cashback” works. Terms like “hold percentage”, “scatter”, and “max bet” can also come in very handy.
Overall, knowing the lingo will make your search through our online casino comparison section much easier.
Conclusion
Play on Best Casinos for Online Slots
This detailed online slots review should help you create a better picture of what these games are all about and what you should be on the lookout for every time you decide to play slots. Always make sure to understand how a particular slots work, how much money you will need to play it, and what kind of special features and games it offers.
While there aren’t that many effective slots strategies, there certainly are a few that you can utilize to help you decrease the casino edge because there are more factors involved than a hold percentage. Always take advantage of slots tips & tricks mentioned here and play only on casinos that offer the best bonuses.
Finally, make sure to learn at least some of the glossary, as this will help you find your way around.