How to play slots

In general, slot machines give winnings when a certain number of symbols appear simultaneously on a payline. It is usually from three identical symbols upwards that trigger wins. Sometimes these symbols just need to be on the reels at the same time to trigger wins. Other times, they must appear on horizontal, vertical, diagonal or other lines.

The different symbols trigger different sizes of winnings. The more symbols of the same kind appear on the reels, the bigger potential prize can be won at the same time. Often there are also different bonus/scatter symbols which can give your extra winning chances.

Most slot machines are built around the same principles, but anyway they all are not the same. There is a wide variation in the number of features. There can be differences in everything from the number of symbols to the number of paylines, reels etc. Let’s have a closer look at them and try to find out how to play slots and win! Get top know-hows for beginners in our guide!

How to Play Slot Machines and Win: Casino Slots Tips

Slots are fun, and there seems to be nothing complicated about them, but experience and knowledge of their types and rules is an important factor in the outcome of your gambling session. There is no strategy that will raise your chances of winning a jackpot, of course, but if you ask the slots “pros” how you can win more at slots, they will have some tips and helpful information for you.

Learn to Win, to Lose and to Budget Your Money

We’ve all heard that slot results depend on the number that a computer chip called a random number generator generates the moment you pull the handle of a machine or press a button while playing online. However, some people don’t quite understand what completely random means. The fact that slot machines have a payout percentage and the casino has to return most of the money to the players does not mean that large payouts are being paid or that sums of money accumulate over certain periods of time for a particular game.

There is no such “progressive” feature in the random number generator, so two big jackpot wins can be achieved in a short time, while the same machine can hardly pay anything in a few days. This is why when you are down! So how to play slots and win? You should stop instead of chasing your losses and believing that you will surely win.

Casino slots tips and tricks - Bet only what you can afford to lose

This is an important rule of responsible gambling. Take control of your spending and remember the randomness of the game: up and down. Set a budget for a part of your winnings that you want to play with and keep or withdraw the rest. Quitting with a small profit is a good result.

For this reason, it is recommended to play free slots to practice a little and get a feel of the game before investing your money. Plus, you can compare games and their features to decide which one you like best.

Start with fruit machines that have not so many paylines and then switch to other types with more win ways to bet on. Try different games and bets to see what works best for you. Play progressive slots or jackpot games, but do not make this jackpot your main focus, as you will most likely miss all the fun of the game. There are other things to like too, such as themes and graphics, music, actions, a wide variety of games and their bonus features.

What to Consider before Starting to Play Slots

Slots are often considered to be the easiest casino games to play. Many people are sure that slot machines do not require special skills, experience and strategy. They are as primitive as putting money in a machine, pulling a handle, or pressing a button and waiting. This is not the case because while you cannot change the combinations of symbols you receive, you are responsible for your own actions and behavior.

First of all, you need to know how slot machines work, as well as have a good understanding of the rules, symbols and payout schedule in a particular game – do not play a game that you do not understand because this is the fastest way to lose money. With so many types to choose from, this task can be quite confusing. You can play slots for fun almost in every online casino. Playing for free will help you understand which games will bring you the most profit and which ones are more convenient for you, as well as introduce you to symbols, their combinations, bonus rounds and other features. Thus, you can determine which slot machines you like personally and what exactly you like most about these machines: jackpots, payouts, or bonuses.

Another thing that can be confusing is game speed . Slots are designed to run faster and faster these days, but this can be a problem for some players, especially if they are just starting to learn how to play. If you are not satisfied with the speed of your chosen game, you can change the speed settings in the “Options” section.

Online slots come in many versions and types . They have a different number of paylines, coins and coin denominations to bet on each line. The best advice from experienced gamblers is to bet on all paylines, rather than just a few if you want to maximize your winnings. Some games require a max bet to win the jackpot; others do not. If you are not ready to bet that much, just switch to another game or keep looking for one that suits your budget and preferences.

Setting a gambling budget is important, but in reality, it is harder to control it and not exceed your limits. The most important thing is to learn not to chase losses. Don’t think that slots that didn’t pay for a long time will give a large payout soon; this is just a myth. A long losing streak is likely to turn into an even longer losing streak if you don’t stop and take a break. You can always try later and remember that you are playing slots primarily for fun and experience, not to win the jackpot.

Play Slots Online For Money

Card and table games are not your only option for making money. Slot machines are well suited for this purpose too. However, RTP and house edge rules are also valid for slot games. In fact, you should be more careful this time, because each slot machine has a different payback value. Don’t get fooled by graphics or bonuses: Payback values are what determines whether you win or lose. For this reason, always check these values from the paytable screen before you start playing. The ideal RTP rate for slot machines is 95% and above. In this regard, other recommendations we can give.

Choose Simple Games

Contrary to popular belief, you have a better chance of winning in simple slot machines without bonus rounds and special symbols. These machines are also called “fruit slots”. Their number of symbols and lines is much fewer. Some even have only one line. This is actually an advantage because the minimum bet amount is very low. The betting limits in slot machines are determined by the number of lines. On machines with few lines, the bets will be lower, so you can play longer with a fixed budget. So, your chances of winning also increase. If you are playing to earn money on a limited budget, choose classic slots.

Video Slots Are Fine Too, But …

As a rule, you have a better chance of winning on video slot machines. Because there are at least 10 pay lines (and much more) in these games. As a result, the likelihood of winning combinations increases. Video slot machines have higher payout frequencies too. However, as we have mentioned above, betting limits increase as the number of lines increases. In other words, you need to allocate more budget for video slot machines and the playing time will decrease for the same reason. If you do not have budget constraints, video slot games are the better choice to make money.

Progressive Jackpots Are Not That Good

We know you want to win millions of dollars with a single spin, but it’s not that easy. The reason why the prizes of progressive jackpot games are high is that thousands of people play at the same time. Each bet is deposited in a pool. This is why the amount of the prize is constantly increasing. Only one person can win among tens of thousands of players and others will only feed the pool. Progressive jackpot games have very low RTP rates, and their betting limits are very high. Moreover, in order to activate the jackpot prize, you are always asked to play with the maximum bet amounts. In short, if you are not extremely lucky, you will not be able to win in progressive jackpot games. Professional gamblers never play on these machines. For casual gamers, the classic and video slots will be a much more affordable choice. Progressive jackpot games are known as “tourist traps” and therefore, not preferred by those who play to make a profit.

Forget Myths and Tactics

There is no tactic you can apply in slot games. These are purely luck-based games, and even programmers cannot predict what the result of the RNG (random number generator) software will be. There is no validity of superstitious beliefs such as a machine is “getting warmer”, some machines pay more often than others, and some betting values increase the chances of winning. The only thing you need to win in these games is luck. Unlike card/table games, there are no strategies or systems you can use.

Online Slot Machines Basics

Are you a newbie to slots? You are in the right place! Let us explain how slot machines work. Next time you play, you won’t be shooting in the dark with your newfound knowledge. Let us begin!

Reels and Rows and Paylines

Reels – The reels in slots indicate the number of symbols that can be displayed simultaneously vertically. The most common games are with 3 and 5 reels. The advantage of the 3 types of reels is that they are easier to win, but the payouts are often lower. The 5 reel variants have more winning combinations and higher payouts but are also more difficult to win.

Many modern machines can have slow, medium or high spin speeds. In addition, many slots have a stop button that gives the player some control and allows him to decide when to prevent the reels from spinning.

Rows – these in slot machines are horizontal. Some have only 1 line, some have 3, and some even have 5.

Paylines – For simplicity, paylines are the number of lines available in each slot machine that result in winning combinations and, therefore payouts. Don’t get to know how online casino slot machines work and how many winning combinations they have, as the number ranges from 1 to 100 winning combinations or paylines.

Paylines can be vertical, horizontal, or even zigzag, depending on the slot machine you are playing. For example, the Wizard of Oz game has 30 paylines that you can activate. As long as you get the correct symbols, these paylines don’t have to be next to each other in order to win.

Start Spinning

In short, you must have a specific number of the same symbols on paylines. These paylines are special patterns on which symbols should land for the winning combination. Usually, players must land three or more same icons to win a prize. Each symbol combination has a specific prize attached to it.

For example:

  • Three lemons = $5
  • Three grapes = $10
  • Three lucky sevens = Jackpot!

Today, online slots do not just have one pay line. Some have hundreds and even thousands!

Terminologies

Now let us move on to the different terms and what they mean. We will also take a look at the different buttons and features.

  • Balance – this is the amount of money or credits you have in your account.
  • Lines Bet – this is the amount of money you are betting on a line. It means you are wagering that the same symbols will land on this pattern.
  • Bet/Win – this is an expression of how much you are betting over the amount you are winning. So if the bet/win is $5/$5,000, it means you are betting $5 for a chance to win $5,000.
  • Paytable – This table shows the amount of money you can win according to the number of icons you landed in specific locations.
  • Spin – this is a button that you click to start the gameplay.
  • BetMax – clicking this button means you are betting the maximum amount of money on each line, and you are betting on all the lines.
  • Wild – a wild is a symbol that replaces other symbols except for a few. Let us say that you need three cherries, but you landed only two. The third one is a wild symbol. The slot machine will automatically think that the wild is a cherry, thereby constituting a winning combo.
  • Payouts – this is the amount of money that is paid to you.
  • Return – also called return-to-player or RTP, is the amount of money that the machine will pay to all the players over a long period of time. If the RTP is 97%, it means that for every $100 bet on the slot machine, it will pay $97 to different players over time, and it will only take $3 as the profit.
  • Payline patterns – these are the positions of the symbols that constitute a win. The patterns vary and may require at least three icons on adjacent reels before the machine considers it a win.
  • Scatter – this is a symbol that will pay prizes regardless of their positions. On average, you must land at least three scatter symbols anywhere on the slot machine grid to get a prize.

How Can I Play High and Low Stakes Slots?

There is an obvious trade-off here. If you know how to play high stakes slots, you will always wager more money than the low stakes, and the chances of winning on the high stakes slot machine are also less than the chances of winning on the low stakes types.

The obvious difference, of course, is that high-stakes slots also have much higher payouts than low-stakes slots. The odds of winning on the high-stakes slot machine are lower, but on the other hand, if you win, the payout will be much higher.

real money slots

Slot Features

Autoplay option – Most modern slots have an autoplay function, which is an alternative to the spin button. As soon as you activate the autoplay, the device spins several times and shows you the results each time. Once the reels stop spinning, they will automatically move to the next rotation. This is a fully automated way to find out how slot machines work in a casino.

Bonus Rounds – Bonus rounds are usually small mini-games that can be unlocked with a specific combination of symbols.

Some bonus games are completely random, while others require a skill. Many games require you to place a higher or even maximum wager in order to access the bonus games.

Free Spins – This term is pretty self-explanatory. Free spins mean that you receive a certain combination of symbols that allows you to make an extra round without wagering more money.

Multiplier Symbols – No matter how you use these symbols in slot machines, the amount of money won will be multiplied. For example, if you have a winning combination that pays out $10 and you have a 2x multiplier symbol, you win $20.

Buy a Pay – This is a type of customization that allows the player to choose which symbols to activate. Each bet activates the next set of symbols, such as cherries, sevens, bells or any other existing symbol. To activate all the symbols, you need to place the maximum bet as each additional coin unlocks the next set of symbols.

Because of this, it is possible to get a winning combination for the jackpot but not win (jackpot symbols require a maximum bet, so if you have not bet enough coins, the jackpot symbols will not be unlocked).

At the Beginning of the Game

The first step is to determine the amount you want to wager per spin. Now, this amount may be as little as 1 cent for penny slots, but for others it is usually around 5 cents. Also, the maximum stake can reach thousands of dollars. It’s up to you to decide how much to bet.

The second step after choosing the bet amount is to choose how many paylines to activate. As mentioned earlier, some machines can only have 3 paylines, and some can have up to 50 paylines. Some slots have fixed paylines, while others can be adjustable. Please note that your original bet will be multiplied by the paylines you have activated. So, if you wager 5 coins and activate 20 paylines, your stake will be 100 coins per spin.

How do casino slot machines work with your bets? Of course, the more you bet, the higher the risk, but also the higher the payout if you win, not to mention the fact that many slot machines force you to bet the maximum in order to have a chance at the jackpot. Once these two steps are completed, simply spin the reel and watch the symbols flash until they turn into a winning or losing combination.

Video Slots

How to Use Strategies to Play Slot Machines

The only strategy we can suggest is to always wager the maximum amount, as this is the only way to win jackpots and receive bonuses. Otherwise, there is nothing. Most of the slots are completely random, and the combinations are generated randomly. So there is no strategy. This is all luck and, therefore, there is no real way to beat slot machines.

The 4 games listed below are by far the most popular online slots, and there are many winners too!

The Wizard of Oz – The Wizard of Oz slot has 5 reels and 30 paylines. The slot is popular and has good gameplay. One of the special bonuses is the Good Witch Glinda feature, which replaces several symbols with wild symbols. The odds of winning are pretty high, but the payouts are generally pretty low.

House of Fun is a popular game among gamblers. It has 5 reels and 30 paylines with bets ranging from 2 cents to a dollar. You can bet on 1 line or a maximum of 5, and the maximum payout is 4500 credits. One of the drawbacks of this game is the lack of bonuses.

Quick Hit – these slots have a standard 5×3 layout and 30 paylines. Quick Hit has a variety of bonuses such as multipliers, wilds and scatter symbols, making them quite popular. The RTP rate is around 90 percent.

Wheel of Fortune . The Wheel of Fortune is perhaps the most popular of all slot machines. It has 5 reels and 20 paylines with a maximum payout of 8000 coins. You can place bets from 1 cent to $10 and activate up to 20 paylines. Wheel of Fortune has several bonuses, including free spins or wilds. To win the jackpot, you must wager the maximum amount.

Choosing a Casino

After choosing between these game types, you should now choose an online casino. There are thousands of online casinos on the Internet, and each claims to be the best. So it’s hard to pick an online casino, especially for beginners. You can make it easier by following our recommendations below.

  • Security First. All online casinos have to use an electronic gaming license, and not every license is worth the same. The United Kingdom Gambling Commission and the Malta Gambling Authority are considered the most respectful and prestigious licenses. Choose from casinos that use these licenses and make sure every page of the website is encrypted with SSL.
  • Evaluate Bonuses. Bonus offers are good, but each one has heavy terms & conditions. You may be asked to make a deposit of thousands of dollars to withdraw the bonus you get. Pay attention to the terms of use, not the numbers and ratios offered.
  • Read Reviews & Comments. The easiest way to get honest information about an online casino is to read professional reviews and current members’ comments. Choose casinos that managed to get positive scores from both.

If you do not want to deal with all of these, you can visit our online casino review pages as always. Almost every week we review a new casino and give it an objective score. Thanks to our “Player’s Choice” feature, you also have the chance to see the real members’ comments. If Slotozilla recommends, you can count on that casino.

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