Slots are among the most played casino games in the world. The simplicity of slots rules, wide selection of different game themes, and possibility to win big jackpots, make online slots perfect for all types of players, from novices to hardcore gamblers.
When it comes to picking a particular slot, apart from various available themes, players can choose between 3 reel and 5 reel games as well as the number of available pay lines (anywhere from 1 to 50).
Regardless of what type of game you go for, slots game rules are quite similar for most machines.
Games Slots Rules: How to Play Slots explained in 3 minutes
Top 5 Casinos for Online Slots Players
When looking for an online casino that will serve you the best, there are a few things a slots player needs to be mindful of.
Most importantly, if you have a slots game you prefer, you need to make sure that the online casino of your choosing offers that particular game.
There are numerous slots manufacturers, like Microgaming or NetEnt, and not all casinos host the games from all the manufacturers.
A good first deposit bonus should also play a crucial role in your choice as it provides significant advantage for slots players.
Having all these factors in mind, we have come up with the selection of top five casinos that should meet the needs of most slots players.
Casino Comparison for Video Slots
| 1. Place |  | 100% up to £400 T&Cs Apply, 18+ | 10,0 / 10 | More Info |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2. Place |  | Up to £1500 welcome package T&Cs Apply, 18+ | 10,0 / 10 | More Info |
| 3. Place |  | 200% Up To £50 T&Cs Apply, 18+ | 9,0 / 10 | More Info |
| 4. Place |  | 100% up to £100 + Extra Spins T&Cs Apply, 18+ | 9,0 / 10 | More Info |
| 5. Place |  | 100% up to £200 T&Cs Apply, 18+ | 9,0 / 10 | More Info |
How to Play Slots
Basic Game Mechanics Explained
The very first thing you need to do to start is pick up a slot to play on.
You can find more information about what slots to pick and why in our slots strategy section, but everything else being equal. If you are completely new to slots, you can simply pick the one you fancy the most.
Even if it is not the machine which is the most likely to pay you, differences are usually not that big, and you also want to have as much fun as possible while playing.
Once you have made up your mind, check out the game info to see how many paylines there are. Greater the number of paylines, greater the minimum bet, but your chance to hit big also increases.
This is important to understand for anyone looking to learn slots: the machine payments are made according to combinations of symbols on these lines and your basic bet is the bet per line.
That number is then multiplied by the number of lines you decide to play (up to the maximum available).
The next thing to look for is the pay table. This is a graphic explaining how much is every particular combination of symbols worth.
Slot games often have a lot of symbols divided into a few pay categories, which could be described as:
Learn to play slots: the basis
- Basic symbols – very common but combinations pay relatively low amounts;
- High value symbols – rarer, but also more valuable;
- Bonus symbols and scatters – these symbols, in different combos, trigger bonus games, free spins, etc;
Although you are not required to know any of these combinations to be able to play (the game handles all calculations and payouts), it is far more exciting to play when you know what combo you need to get for the big win or to trigger a bonus round.
When you have familiarized yourself with the game environment and payouts, you can go ahead and select the number of lines you want to play as well as the amount to bet per line.
The money you bring to the slot will usually be displayed as a number of credits, with every credit having a certain monetary value.
Per default, one credit is usually worth $0.01, but you can change this value easily if you would rather have every credit worth $0.05, $0.10, etc.
For example, if you brought $20 to a particular slot, with the value of one credit set at $0.01, you would begin with 2.000 credits.
If the slot has 20 paylines and you decide to bet 2 credits per line, every spin would cost you 40 credits (or $0.40).
Slots Rules
Bonus Games, Jackpots and More
Once you have understood the slots rules for beginners, you are ready to play, as it is quite easy to make a big mistake when playing slots.
One thing to be mindful of is to always check the bet amount and credit value before your first spin, as sometimes these can get messed up and you might end up betting way more on a spins than you initially intended.
However, to really understand differences between various slots rules, you should be aware of what to expect before even making your first spin on a new game.
Bonus Games
Path to Big Wins
Depending on what slots you prefer to play, there may be various ways for you to win.
Connecting a big payline is always exciting, but it is triggering the bonus when the fun begins.
You will usually only find these features on 5 reel video slots, while most 3 reel slots are pretty straightforward and the pay table is pretty straightforward.
Bonus games on videos slots can be very funny, exciting, and quite imaginative.
Slots manufacturers know that players are not only after the money, but also want to have good time and enjoy themselves while playing, so you will run into all sorts of mini-games to keep you entertained.
Free games with multipliers
Many online slots will have particular combinations which will trigger a certain number of free spins, usually with a special multiplier.
Most often, free spins are triggered when three special symbols, known as scatters, appear anywhere on the board, but sometimes three bonus symbols on any payline can serve as a trigger as well.
The multiplier can range anywhere from 2x to 10x (or even more), so all regular payouts are multiplied with the bonus number, which means you can win a lot of money during free spins.
This is one of the reasons you should always play all the lines available, as explained in our slots tips & tricks section, since you do not want to miss on any value once you are lucky enough to trigger free spins.
Various bonus games
Video slots, thanks to advancements in technology, have come to offer players a wide selection of funny and interesting bonus games.
While there are too many individual variations to mention them all here, these games will usually challenge you to do things like open boxes, make your way through the map to reach the final destination, etc.
Apart from bringing additional element of fun to the table, these bonus games can also pay you quite handsomely, and potential payouts increase as you move through the levels.
Jackpots
Many online slots offer progressive jackpots and sometimes potential winnings are really impressive.
Make sure to read particular game slots rules before you start, however, as there may be a minimum bet required to make you eligible for the jackpot payout.
If you are wondering how to play slots when there is a jackpot involved, apart from the possible minimum bet requirement, nothing changes.
You still play the game and win according to the available pay table. The game mechanic does not change for progressive slots.
Picking the Right Bonus
For slots
Once you have learned how to play slots and know all important rules, you need to find the fitting bonus to boost your first experience.
We have a selection of the best available offers on our casino bonus comparison page so feel free to check it out and see if there is anything to your liking.
It will not take you long to learn slots as you will pick up a lot of stuff as you play. That is why you should not be afraid to find a bonus that seems appealing to you and make a small deposit to try a few games out.
Who knows, you might even strike a gold on your very first attempt.
Conclusion
Online Slots Are Fun And Easy to Play
Slots are one of the funniest and most exciting casino games. These slots rules for beginners should help you make your first steps, making sure you know what to expect and what you need to do to start playing.
Overall, most games are quite intuitive and self-explanatory, so you should not have any problems finding your way around.
If there is anything you find confusing in this text, make sure to visit our slots terms page, where we have covered the majority of common phrases and expressions from the world of online slots.
Whatever it is that you are uncertain about, it should be explained and defined there.