Online casinos make most of their money from their slot machines, so it makes sense that they would want to entice new players to try these first. That’s why so many offer free spins as a sign-up bonus. Some slots are also available with a free play mode, allowing people to play the game completely for free – although you won’t win any real money either.
Free plays can be useful to try out a new slot and see whether it’s right for you. It can also help players feel more confident in their skills – like knowing how many lines to play and when to hold reels. But practising at slots isn’t the same as practising at other games; it doesn’t make it more likely for you to do well, because slots games are entirely random. However, if you want to make the most from your online slot experience, try following some of these top tips.
Not All Slots Are The Same
This is a big mistake that novice slot players make. Different slots don’t just have different themes and stylings, they also have different ways of playing. Make sure you read the slot specifications or check out a review, so you know you’re playing one that matches your preferred style.
RTP – This is the Return To Player value of a slot – basically, how much of your total bets you should expect to be returned to you over the duration of a game. Slots with an RTP of 96% or over are considered ‘loose’ slots and pay out more often. The lower an online slot’s RTP, the less likely you are to get a payout.
Volatility – This stat explains how often an online slot pays out winnings, and how large they are. Slots with low volatility pay out frequent, smaller amounts, whereas slots with high volatility typically pay larger winnings, but much less often. If you’re aiming to take home the top prizes, you need to pick a slot with the high volatility you’re looking for, otherwise you’ll just end up unhappy and frustrated.
Pay Table – Each online slot will display its pay table, usually under the ‘help’ section. The pay table tells you how much each line of symbols is worth, so if you get a chance to freeze any in place, you can target the more profitable ones.
Manage Your Money
Before you start playing, make sure you know what you can afford to lose, and don’t go over it, always have a budget. Bear in mind that high volatility slots will take more of your money before paying out, so if you’re playing with a small bankroll, you might run out before hitting a winning combination.
Maximise your Chances
Slots pay out on a multiplier system, for example, 3x your stake. They will also let you change how much you bet each time, so you are in complete control of how much you wager, and how much you could win.
Each slot will give you a choice of how many lines to play, and how many coins to bet. Increasing the number of lines costs more, but it also increases your chances of making a winning match, as the game will check multiple positions.
To get the most out of your online slots, you should always play with maximum lines and maximum bet amounts. This will guarantee you the best chances to hit a jackpot, activate bonus features, and not miss out on any winning combinations.
Don’t Count on Luck
As already mentioned, slot games are completely random. Just because one hasn’t paid out for a while, doesn’t mean it’s due – similarly, there’s no need to stop because you’ve had a win, it has no effect on whether the next spin is also a winner or not.
One type of slot where people are particularly prone to this kind of thinking is the progressive jackpot slot. Because the jackpot is always growing, it’s tempting to think that a larger jackpot means it has to pay out soon…but that’s not what it means at all. A progressive jackpot is as likely to pay out at £1 as it is £100,000 – the difference is that there will be a lot more people playing when the jackpot is high than when it’s low.
In Summary
Online slots can be a lot of fun and provide players with entertainment as well as giving them a chance to win some money. While there isn’t really any skill involved in playing the games themselves, there is skill needed to make sure you pick the right machine for your play style and bank roll. Follow these top tips to make sure you get the most out of your online slots, and most importantly, have fun.