Slots

There are few games that draw players into a casino in the way that slots do. You only need the briefest of looks at any online casino to appreciate the range of games that are on offer to get an idea of their popularity.

They come into their own due to the ability to win massive sums of money for a very small initial bet. It’s common to see jackpot games worth tens of millions won from spins costing just a few pence. The popularity of the games is undeniable, but this article will highlight how to play them and what you need to look for, plus some hints and tips.

Slot Example

Pretty much every bonus at an online casino can be used to play slots, but don’t let that fool you into thinking all slot bonuses are the same. We’ve put on our investigating hat to compile a list of the very best low playthrough online casino bonuses for slot players.

{module Casino Slot Bonus List}

How to play slots

To win when playing slots you will need to create a winning combination of symbols from any one spin. The complexity of the games these days means that these could come in the form of images or even your more classic card symbols. Generally, the more of the same symbol or a combination of linked symbols you manage to land on the reels will increase the amount that you win.

The way they fall can also affect things.

Step 1 – Choose your theme and stake

Slots Selection The range of slots is simply staggering and as a punter, it’s possible to choose the theme of your slot as a place to start. These themes can be different on every site but cover areas like branded games (Marvel, TV shows, Movies etc.), Jungle, Aztec, Comedy, Sport, Jackpot or anything else that they may have thought of.

The next thing you need to do is choose the amount that you want to play for per spin. Everyone is going to have different budgets for this, so make sure that you are on a game that covers the bets that you want to make.

What you will likely find is that games can range from as low as 1p per spin right up to £100 and more within the same game, so there’s lots of scope.

Step 2 – Choose the number of paylines

Slots Payline Example You bet per line, and sometimes you will be able to choose how many combinations of lines you want to play for. Betting 1p per line on a full set of 25 paylines will, therefore, cost 25p per spin. Sometimes, however, paylines are fixed so you have to bet on all of them.

Traditionally you would have a slot with only a single payline running across the centre of the reels, and the symbols that land on this line would be payline.

These days games can have upwards of 100 paylines per game, increasing the chances of winning and the combination of symbols that you can include.

Step 3 – Understand what each symbol represents

Slot Paytable example The symbols for each slot will indicate the prize point. The rarer the symbols the more successful you might be, so it’s important to know what each type means.

This is especially important in slots where you are able to hold certain reels and spin the remainder.

Each game will come with a set of instructions that highlights the payout for each symbol and the combinations that are going to give you the biggest rewards. This is also known as the paytable.

Step 4 – Use free play where possible

Slot Demo Example Many of the latest slots now come with a free to play demo version of the game.

This means that you aren’t playing with real money, but you can still access all the features and payouts as if it were real. In effect, you get to practice using the slot before you stake real money.

This becomes especially important for feature games within the slots that may actually require you to apply some strategy or knowledge to win the bigger prizes.

Step 5 – Start spinning

Slot in Action It’s now time to start spinning and playing for real. Make sure that for each spin you make the stake and the paylines that you want to play for are correct.

This will not change on its own or reset between spins, but it’s easy to miss-click and increase or even decrease your stake with little to no effort.

There may also be an autoplay button where you can set a certain number of spins to activate without you doing anything.

Hints and tips

It’s impossible to apply any real strategy to slots as they are powered by Random Number Generators so you’ll never be able to work out the sequence that symbols and results will occur in. However, we do have some tips with which you can try to create a positive difference to your bankroll.

Find low house edge games

Slot RTP Each slot will come with a payout percentage attached that is set by either the casino or the software provider for that game. These can range from anywhere between 80% and 98%; in the industry, this is called the Return To Player (or simply the RTP).

Ideally, you want to find games that offer the largest RTP percentage, as these games will pay out more frequently, although they won’t necessarily pay out the bigger prizes if that’s what you are after.

Caution when playing progressive games

Slot Progressive Example Progressive slots usually come with massive jackpots attached, often potentially worth millions of pounds for just one spin. But you need to realise that the chances of hitting this jackpot are very, very slim.

The games themselves often have a very poor RTP percentage making them generally bad value, so outside of winning the pot you are unlikely to make much headway.

Therefore, unless you are going after a big prize and aren’t too bothered about having to lose (potentially a lot) before you win big, these games should be avoided.

There is plenty of choice from all game genre’s outside of jackpots so you won’t be missing out much. While branded games do often come with jackpots attached, for example, there are plenty of them that don’t.

Take your time

Slots Slow Down Slot machines are renowned for being one of the fastest paced games in the industry. You can literally plough through hundreds of hands per hour and within a very short space of time burn through a boatload of money, even if you playing for relatively low stakes.

Slow down, take your time and enjoy the process. Try to avoid auto-play unless you have a reason not to, as this maximizes your hand per hour and could send you broke before you’ve even got started.

This is supposed to be enjoyable, after all.

Know that you are the underdog

Slots Underdog Slots are designed to be favourable to the casino, hence the reason why games carry a certain house edge percentage.

Over the long term, you can’t beat slot machines, they are programmed not to lose more than they win, but in the short term you can be successful.

Gamble only with money that you can afford to lose and then any winnings will come as welcome bonus.

Slot Features

In this next section, we’ll take a look at the different types of feature you may come across when playing an online slot.

Some of these features are very common and can be found in many games, these include things like free bets and bonus rounds. Others are more unique – such as sticky wins and even reverse paylines.

We will use a 3D game called The Slotfather II as an example where we can.

Slots The Slotfather II

Wild Symbols

A wil Slots Wild Example d symbol is, as the name suggests, a bit of a wildcard. It can substitute for other symbols and help create bigger wins.

Normally wilds will only substitute for regular symbols and not for special ones like scatters or bonus symbols that could trigger a bonus round or feature, but there are a small number of slots where the wilds can help start the bonus.

One or two base the entire slot around the wild or incorporate a number of different wild’s, but these are the exception to the rule.

Scatter Symbols

Slots Scatter Example As the name suggests, a scatter symbol is one that doesn’t need to be on a regular payline to trigger a payout.

Normally you need to land three or more, with the payout increasing the more scatters you achieve on the screen.

Scatter symbols are also often the trigger for bonus rounds or free spins, so they are a very welcome sight.

Free Spins

One of the most common features you’ll find in a slot is free spins. Here you’ll receive a set number of free spins – normally at the same stake that you were playing for – which are triggered by getting a specific combination of symbols on the reels.

Often these are based on the scatters, with three or more triggering the free spins; but sometimes it will be based on other criteria. Particularly with themed games, you may find that the free spins are given for getting a combination of special symbols on specific reels, and sometimes they might be given randomly.

Free spins are often just given on the regular base game, but sometimes additional features will apply such as a win multiplier or extra wilds, and in some games you are able to retrigger the free spins from the free spins themselves, meaning that it could go on indefinitely in theory.

With the increase of achievements in casino games, you can also get free spins in some slots for completing tasks – such as filling the paytable or going x number of paid spins without a win.

Bonus Rounds

Slots Bonus Example The term bonus round is a bit vague as there are so many different things that fall into this category. They are normally triggered by landing a specific set of symbols, but what happens after that is going to depend on the slot.

There’s a vast array of different types of bonus rounds, ranging from special versions of the regular slot game through to ‘pick your win’ bonuses and even elaborate mini games based on the theme of the slot.

Now and again you might find the round is story based or even slightly interactive.

Sticky Wins

Jack Hammer vs Evil Dr Wuten, one of the latest slots from software provider NetEnt, is a good example here. What makes this slot unique are the sticky wins. This is when winning symbols are held and unrelated symbols are re-spun, leading to bigger and better wins.

When three or more symbols line up on a payline the game enters the sticky win feature. The reels are re-spun (at no further cost) but the winning symbols stay in place. If the spin improves the win, the reels are re-spun again and this continues until the win no longer improves.

There is also a free spin feature that awards between 10 and 30 free spins at a 3x multiplier. The free spins are triggered when 5 or more free spin symbols appear anywhere on the screen. To make the free spins more attainable, three or more free spin symbols start the sticky win feature – giving you the opportunity to add symbols.

3D-Slots

Slots 3D There have been a couple of attempts to bring 3D graphics to the world of online slots, with the most notable early attempt being ‘Magical Forest’ which was created by the now defunct Sheriff Gaming.

We don’t think the two things were related, however, as other developers are also exploring this avenue with much success.

This doesn’t add anything to gameplay necessarily but visually it obviously has the potential to benefit the player.

Casual & Unusual Slots

If you’re looking for a slot with a bit of a difference, our list of non-standard slots might be right up your alley. We’ve been on the hunt for unusual slot-like games and have found them based on Tetris, Rubik’s Cube and Jenga.

Bejeweled

First up is Bejeweled, which is a similar concept to the game of the same name that many of you will have played on mobile devices.

Jewels are placed on a grid and prizes are awarded wherever three or more jewels line up.

These winning jewels are removed from the game and new jewels fall into their place, potentially resulting in additional wins.

Jewel Quest

Jewel Quest is similar to Bejeweled but takes it one step further.

In this game the jewels are placed onto maps of various shapes and sizes. Like Bejeweled, a win occurs when three or more jewels of the same type line up on the horizontal or vertical axis. The winning combinations are removed and new jewels are added to the map.

Squares beneath the winning jewels turn gold and once the entire map has been turned gold a completion bonus is awarded. You then have the option of staying on the same map or advancing to the next one.

In total there are 5 maps, each with a different layout and size. The bonus awarded for completing the map increases with map difficulty.

Slot Blox

Slot Blox is a homage to the much loved game of Tetris.

The game features falling blocks in various Tetris-like shapes, with wins being awarded for completing lines. Completing a line removes it from the game, which ends when the blocks reach the top of the screen. If a line is completed using a magic block, ten free games are awarded at a multiplier of 2x.

Cubis

Cubis is all about cubes (who’d have thunk it).

The slot uses three walls of a cube, all made up of individual cubes. If three or more cubes of the same colour line up horizontally or vertically they result in a win and are removed from the game. New cubes are added and further wins are possible.

To liven things up there are wild multiplier blocks which can be used in combination with each other for some very big wins. In addition to the wilds there are Bomb Blocks which remove non-winning blocks in specific patterns or blow the whole cube up, essentially resulting in a free game.

Rubik’s Slot

Whilst we’re on the subject of cubes, next up we have Rubik’s Slot which is based on the Rubik’s Cube.

During play, the cube is rearranged and winnings are paid depending on how many complete lines and faces you have made.

A bonus round is achieved by (randomly) lighting all 6 letters of the word “Rubik’s”. The bonus round awards free games that use multiple cubes – up to 9 instead of the regular single cube.

Jenga

This slot is based on the popular wooden block stacking game of the same name.

Coloured blocks are used and a win is triggered when there are three blocks of the same colour on a line. Blocks of the same colour which touch the winning blocks are included in the win and increase the payout.

Winning blocks are removed and one new block is added to the top of the stack for every winning combination. A free game is awarded if you manage to make the tower topple.

There are a number of feature blocks to make the game more interesting – a magic block transforms the colour of surrounding blocks and a layer bomb blows away layers and adds new blocks to the top of the tower.

Slot Bonuses