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Slots guide
Considered to be the most popular of all online casino products, these are also some of the most exciting for players as well. There are literally thousands of different online slots available in the online gambling industry, with some casino sites having well over 1,000 for players.
These now make the cornerstone of an online casino, with many offering players great welcome bonuses and promotions that include free spins on certain slot games, which can be found in the terms and conditions.
Online casino slots are attractive because there is so much variety available now both in terms of theme, style, and also the more technical elements as well such as differing slot volatility and return-to-player (RTP) percentages.
In the world of online casino, it can be easy to get too distracted by the more visual elements of the slot itself, though those players who are in the know often choose slot games based on the technical factors. Some of these slot games might not be the most visually attractive, though if the statistics are favorable, they can provide substantial benefits and significantly increase your chances of winning.
When you first play an online slot, one of the best things to do is play them via demo mode, as opposed to using real money. This will enable you to get the feel of a particular slot and provide you with a way to become accustomed.
While slots are completely random, because they have a random number generator (RNG), there is still a chance to win a substantial amount of money, especially if you play the right type of slot, that suits your preferences as a player.
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Different types of online slots
There are so many online slot machine games that you can choose from, each of which often falls into a certain category.
For example, you have the more traditional favorites, which are often labeled 'classic slots' and as such have usually been around for a considerable amount of time; this is often an indicator of them being good.
Also, another theme that you will find which has become more and more common is one that references slots based around historical periods such as Ancient Egypt and Ancient Greece; this is one theme that many software providers have had a lot of luck with and it appears that this is one genre that goes down well with slot players, as does the mythology genre.
In addition to this, slot machine games that are based around movies and television series also get a substantial amount of attention, because players often identify with their favorite. This is definitely the case for such titles as Game of Thrones, Lara Croft, and Gladiator, with each of them offering an interesting insight into how they appear from a slot machine standpoint.
Jackpots
Jackpot slots have soared in popularity since they were made available online and it is easy to understand why when you consider the huge amounts of money that can be won. Also known as progressive jackpots, these payout in different amounts, ranging anywhere from five figures to eight figures.
There are certain online casinos that offer a substantial amount of jackpot slots and these are all interlinked, which means players can be playing the same progressive jackpot slot, but from different casino sites.
One of the best things to do when choosing a progressive jackpot slot, is to find one that has a low volatility rate, because this means that the payouts are more frequent, for less amounts. If you are playing to win the big prize, this can be a good way of maintaining a steady bankroll.
Some software providers are more notable than others for jackpot slots and indeed NetEnt and also Microgaming tend to be the ones that have the biggest and indeed, record payouts for winnings, with some exceeding $10 million.
Paylines in online slots
Every slot differs in terms of the paylines that are available. A payline, which is also known as a betting line is a series of symbols that determines a win. Originally, slot machines would only have one payline, though especially since the start of the online casino industry, software providers have found a way to substantially increase this and, as a result, the most common amount is between 25 and 30.
When a software provider starts to think about how a slot will be developed and designed, the number of paylines that it will have is usually one of the first considerations, because each payline leads to the different kinds of prizes such as payout amounts, bonus rounds and free spins.
In order to keep more control over your bankroll, which is especially important for beginners, one of the best things to do is choose slots that have between one and five paylines.
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Return-To-Player rates in Online Slots
In online slots, the return-to-player (RTP), is presented as a numerical percentage and relates to the amount that you can expect to win.
For example, if you wager $100, you can expect to get back $98 on average if the RTP is 98 percent, if you play the online slot for a set period of time. Again though, this is worked out based on a number of spins over time, so it is highly unlikely that this would be reflected based on wagering $100 in 30 minutes. It is more representative over a longer period of time.
Every online slot differs in terms of the RTP rates and they can range from low 90s to high 90s in relation to the percentages on offer. More experienced online slot players often pay great attention to the RTP rate, because they will have a set budget in mind, particularly if they are playing a progressive jackpot slot and are prepared to be patient. In this case, for them, bankroll is key and determining the average they will need to wager every set amount of minutes.
Slot Volatility in Online Slots
Similar to the RTP rate, this is another factor that more experienced slot players take into account, because slot volatility will have an influence on the level of risk that they can apply. A slot with a high volatility rate means that players can expect to be paid out small amounts frequently, while those that have a low volatility rate will pay out bigger amounts on a less frequent basis on average.
These are represented as a percentage and a low volatility rate is usually low 90s and a high volatility rate in the high 90s with the latter often being great for progressive jackpot players (s0, similar to RTP).
Free Spins in Online Slots
In online slots, a free spin is seen as one of the best features during gameplay for a player, because they can significantly increase a player's bankroll, as well as leading to a substantial payout. In order to land free spins, each slot will usually have requirements in terms of what you need to do to be allocated them.
It could mean lining up a certain amount of particular symbols that lead to a certain number of free spins and as you progress through the levels, these can increase for each achievement. Essentially, free spins are a great way of earning free money and payouts can be substantial.
This is especially the case, if you get free spin multipliers, which can be as much as 10x for some slots and as a result, be even more lucrative.
Symbols
These play a huge part in the world of online slots and they are usually associated to the different themes. For example, if it is a slot that is associated to Greek mythology, you might recognise such images as the Greek God, Zeus.
It is often the case, that symbols play an important part in terms of attracting players because of how they are presented on screen. Software providers invest a lot of time into how these are designed and the colors alone can help to play a part in keeping players interested.
There are some symbols that are assigned a much higher value than others and because of this, can lead to more lucrative bonus rounds that give the player more free spins.
Slots FAQs
Why are online slots so popular?
Slot machines have had a lot of interest in them for a long time; you only have to look at resorts like Las Vegas to realise this. However, in the online casino industry, they have become the most sought after product.
The number of software providers in the industry alone is a good marker for this and the amount of games that you can find now at online casinos is remarkable, with many continuing to be created every year.
Plus, the possibilities that are now available, due to the online platform means that there is even more innovation that can be applied to these. Over the last decade as well, the availability of mobile devices and also the improvement that has gone into them, means that software providers essentially focus on making sure that they are as good as they can be for mobile players.
Some online casinos even offer mobile-only bonuses that can be applied to certain games, which further adds to their overall popularity.
What are the best online slots to play?
There isn't necessarily a right answer to this, because everyone has their own preferences and tastes. With so many available now, across many different themes and genres, players are spoiled for choice and it is very rare to find a very good online casino that doesn't have at least 100 slots available, at the minimum. If you are new to the industry, you cannot go wrong with slots that are developed by software providers that have a good reputation in the industry such as NetEnt or Microgaming, while a lot of slots also have a demo mode available.
What's the best time to play slots?
When you play online, it can be tricky to determine when the best time to play slots is, especially if you are looking to maximise your chance of winning. However, for progressive jackpot slots, this can be easier, especially if you have been monitoring certain ones throughout the day and you see that the jackpot hasn't been won yet. Especially if it is required to pay out by a certain time.
What are the best free online slots?
The vast majority of online slots now have a demo mode available, which means that you can play for free until you get used to how they work. This can be a good way to ease yourself into the online slot experience.
