Many industries have transitioned online in the past two decades. One of those industries is gaming, which has become very attractive for business and players alike.
Players want to be entertained and enjoy the experience as they would in a brick and mortar casino. Businesses have been trying to provide this experience by offering the same games found in a casino, with some additional advantages.
Slot machines are very popular in every casino. This is why the best online casinos always have a large selection of popular online slots. Playing slots is very enjoyable and presents a lot of opportunities to win and make money.
But to increase your success, you need to know everything about the game. That is what you’re going to learn about in this post.
The Best Casinos to Play Online Slots in 2024:
| Rank | Casino | Bonus | Rating | Visit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |   | Welcome Bonus 100% up to ?7,000 + 120 Free Spins | CLAIM BONUS20Bet Casino Review | |
| 2 |   | Welcome 7 day lucky bonus UP TO 888!! (No Deposit Needed) + Welcome bonus up to 120% | CLAIM BONUSPHSwerte Casino Review | |
| 3 |   | 100% Bonus Up To ?18,000 | CLAIM BONUS22BET Casino Review | |
| 4 |   | Welcome Bonus 300% | CLAIM BONUSJiliko Casino Review | |
| 5 |   | First Deposit Bonus 200% up to ?888 | CLAIM BONUSMega Casino World Review | |
| 6 |   | Welcome Bonus up to ?230,000 + 275 Free Spins | CLAIM BONUSGG.BET Casino Review | |
| 7 |   | Welcome Bonus 100% + No Deposit ?100 Free Bet | CLAIM BONUSBETSO88 Casino Review | |
| 8 |   | Welcome Bonus 300% up to ?500 | CLAIM BONUSSuperAce88 Casino Review | |
| 9 |   | 300% First Deposit Bonus | CLAIM BONUSOtsoBet Casino Review | |
| 10 |   | Welcome Bonus up to ?100,000 + 200 Free Spins | CLAIM BONUSBons Casino Review |
What Are Slot Machines and Games?
Every slot machine is based on reels, which have various symbols on them. The reels spin vertically and come to a halt, randomly displaying the printed symbols in a horizontal line. A win occurs when the symbols on all three reels match horizontally after a spin. This is referred to as a payline.
Slot machines have been around for more than a century since the first slot machine was created in 1895. Demand for them grew quickly and they were installed in most bars and saloons in the US. Since then, they have become more advanced and continue to be enhanced.
To get the reels spinning, the first generation of slot machines had a lever that spun the reels. But as electronics became more popular in the 1980s, slots also adopted the technology.
These second-generation machines used a random number generator (RNG) to create random reel slot positions. Microprocessors would then be used later on that allowed software to determine which symbols would be displayed.
Up to this point, slots were still mechanical and displayed physical symbols. Video slot machines changed the game because they displayed digital symbols on a screen. With video slots, developers had more flexibility in design, payouts, and structure.
How Online Slots Differ from Classic Slots
Slots have changed a lot over the past century, and there are some major differences:
Multiple Reels – Today’s classic slot machines found in brick and mortar casinos consists of just three reels. Online slots can have any number of reels the developer wants, but the most common are 3, 4, and 5.
Different Paylines – Video slots are not restricted to a horizontal payline as there can be many different outcomes. Different paylines produce different bonuses, jackpots, and payouts allowing players to earn even when the symbols do not match.
Casino Offers – No one ever got free money to play slots in Vegas or Macau, but this is what happens at online casinos. These offers give you a chance to make money even without putting in any of your own.
Convenience – You can play online slots at any time and anywhere you are as long as you have an internet connection.
Variety – Land-based casinos are limited to offer only what can be fitted inside the casino. Players’ choices are thus limited, unlike the case in online casinos where there can be hundreds of different games at the same platform.
| Rank | Casino | Bonus | Rating | Visit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |   | Welcome Bonus ?100 | CLAIM BONUSMilyon88 Casino Review |
Types of Slot Games
Slots are all games that involve spinning reels. From this basic structure, several variations have come up, each with different structures.
Classic Reel Slots
These slot games are based on the classic slot machines found in land-based casinos. The game could have either 3 or 5 reels, but to win, the symbols must match in a horizontal line.
A significant difference is that the symbols can vary greatly from the simple playing card symbols found in the earliest slot machines. Now, the symbols can be based on any theme and design the developer wants.
Classic slot games are the easiest to play because you don’t need to learn any complicated rules. Anyone can play the games and stand a chance to win.
Progressive Slots
There is nothing different in the way progressive slots are played from classic slots. Where the two differ is in the structure of the payout. Classic slot games have a specific prize for when a player successfully matches all the symbols – the jackpot. This amount does not change until someone wins the entire prize.
With progressive slots, though, the prize increased until there is a win. Every wager placed by a player is added to the jackpot, so it will keep increasing until someone wins. Individual progressive slot games are all connected regardless of the casino you use to play with.
Such games are popular because the progressive jackpot is usually very large and the bet can be very little. That means you may win a huge jackpot with just a few cents on the line.
Multi-Payline Slots
Video slots are almost always based on 5 reels, and there are many paylines in any game. Some games can have as much as a hundred paylines, and thus thousands of ways to win.
Payouts will vary in each payline, which presents the casinos with numerous forms of rewards. For most paylines, the rewards will be minimal or in the form of bonuses, but there is still an ultimate jackpot.
The main advantage to multi-payline slots is that you can make some of your bet back even if you don’t win the jackpot. With so many options and permutations, you don’t have to wait for the jackpot to make some money.
Fruit Machines
For the most part, fruit machines are very similar to classic reel slots. Instead of card symbols, they use pictures of fruit, and the player wins when the fruits match on all 3 reels.
However, there are some features unique to fruit machines such as nudges and holds. A ‘nudge’ is where the player can move a single reel while a ‘hold’ is when the player keeps one reel in place as the rest spin.
Multi Spin Slots
This is a variation of online slots developed by Playtech. Rather than playing on one slot machine, there are 5 machines that are based on the same rules as classic reel slots. Each machine is referred to as a ‘line’.
On the first spin, only the bottom ‘line’ spins and stops. The player is then free to hold any symbol on the first machine, and that symbol will be replicated on the rest of the machines. Then the player spins again, but the held symbol will be held on all machines. Afterwards, payout is calculated independently for each machine.
Players love these games because the payout is higher and the chances of winning are also quite high.
Vegas Slots
They work the same as classic reel slots, but their design is modeled after the classic slot machines in Vegas casinos. As such, these online slots will be of high-quality graphics and generate huge rewards.
High Roller
Wagers in such games are required to be higher than other slot games, but so is the jackpot. High roller slots can have any structure, provided that the minimum bet required is quite high.
How To Play Slots Online
Slot machines are so popular because they are easy to play and do not have any rules. All you need to know about how to play and win slots online is that you have to push the ‘Spin’ button and hope that the symbols on the screen match. There are many different games, though, and you must choose the ones with greater winning odds.
Slots Glossary
When you visit the website of an online casino, there are certain terms you are likely to encounter. These are some of them:
Payline – It is a virtual line that determines the winning combination on any slot machine. Classic slots use a horizontal payline while multi-payline slots can have diagonals, zigzags, and any other shape the designer wishes.
Payout Percentage or Return to Player (RTP) – It refers to the amount of money a machine will pay its players over time. For example, if a machine has a 75% payout, it means that 75% of all the bet money will be paid out. That is not to be confused with the winnings any one player will make on the machine.
Hit Frequency – This is the likelihood that a slot machine will produce a winning combination over time.
Loose and tight – A machine is regarded as loose if it has a high hit frequency and/or RTP. A tight machine will therefore have a low hit frequency and low RTP.
Variance – When a slot’s variance is low, it means that players can regularly make small wins and just a few big wins. High variance is where the machine rarely produces any wins, but when it does the reward is huge.
How To Select The Best Slot Games To Play
Choosing which slot game you want to play should come down to three considerations:
Types of Games Available
Online slots have different games each with different rules as discussed above. As a player, you should only select a game you’re comfortable with and understand its rules.
How Much You Can Risk
Loose games are more favourabe when you don’t have a huge bankroll because you get some of our money bac quickly to keep you in the game. But if you have a lot to spend, tight games would be better because you can win a lot of money and make back accumulated losses.
Bonuses and Promotions
Online casinos always try to give players more chances to play and win in the form of bonuses and promotions. A company that offers lucrative bonuses frequently should be preferred because these perks can create a huge advantage for the player.
| Rank | Casino | Bonus | Rating | Visit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |   | First Deposit Bonus 100% up to ?6000 + 100 FS | CLAIM BONUSHellSpin Casino Review |
Game Developers Producing the Best Slot Games
Because online slot games are so popular, there are many game developers making these games. A developer is responsible for creating the software that guides RTP and hit frequency. As a result, it is the developer that determines if the game is truly fair.
For instance, Mega Moolah is created by Microgaming and has a payout percentage of 95%. Meanwhile, Mega Fortune by NetEnt has a payout of 96.6%. Both of these are progressive slots, but you can see that there is a difference in payouts.
Other popular game developers include:
- Betsoft
- Reel Time Gaming (RTG)
- Playtech
- Play’n Go
- NexGen Gaming
Quality of games also depends on the game developers. Online casinos only provide the interface to play games, but they are hosted on the developer’s server. A good developer will create a game with excellent graphics and ensure that the games run smoothly.
What’s the House Edge When Playing Online Slots?
The house edge will determine how much money the casino makes from its slot games. You can identify the house edge from the payout percentage, which will usually be indicated on the website.
For example, if a casino offers a payout of 75%, that is the amount it will give back to players. The remaining 25% will be kept by the casino and represents the house edge.
Bonuses And Promotions You Can Find Playing Online Slots
Casino bonuses offer players a chance to increase their bankroll for free. From these free bonuses, a player can then play various slot games and win actual money. To receive casino bonuses, research and find out which platforms offer the highest bonuses.
Such bonuses come in different forms, but the most common types are:
Welcome Bonus
After signing up and making a deposit, you will often receive a percentage of the amount as a welcome bonus. It is usually 100% of the deposit amount, which means you essentially double your bankroll for free.
Free Spins
These allow you to play any slot games without putting up any actual money. However, free spins are meant only for slot games and no other casino games.
Deposit Bonus
For every deposit you make, the casino will give you a percentage of it extra as a bonus. This bonus is often limited to the first few deposits.
No Deposit Bonuses
A no deposit bonus is something you get simply by signing up for an account without having to make any cash deposit. It is perhaps the most lucrative bonus because it is essentially free money.
High Roller/VIP Bonus
Big spenders will always enjoy more perks just as they do in land-based casinos.
Should You Play Slot Games with Real Money?
Unlike physical casinos that never allow free play, online casinos can do so. Most platforms will even allow several free spins each day to their clients. Some of these may even generate real profits depending on the conditions.
Playing games for free sounds like a very good deal, but it’s not how you want to go every time. For one, there is no thrill when you don’t have any money on the line. It is the risk of losing or winning money at a slot machine that makes the game so appealing.
Besides, even when you win while playing for free, the rewards will be a lot lower. Wins born out of bonuses and free spins have conditions attached that reduce the winnings. But while betting with real money, all your winnings are yours to keep.
When you get such bonuses, we recommend using the free spins, points and free cash to play tight games, especially progressive slots. Such games have a huge payout and low hit frequency. So long as you’re not risking any of your money, this is the way to go.
That being said, most of your plays will be made using real money. To make money, it is important to understand how different games work. So long as you’re smart about your plays, you stand to win a lot of money playing slots with real money.
For example, we recommend using your own cash to play loose games. Your chances of losing will be low because of the high RTP with the chance of winning big. Stick to such slots so you can keep playing for longer and increase your chances of winning.
| Rank | Casino | Bonus | Rating | Visit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | | 300% First Deposit Bonus | CLAIM BONUSOtsoBet Casino Review |
Playing Online Slots on Mobile
Most people play online slots on mobile compared to desktops nowadays. Game developers thus ensure their games are compatible with mobile devices. In fact, some online casinos will even create a mobile app to make mobile gaming even more efficient.
To be sure, look through the casino’s website to find out if it provides a mobile app. Alternatively, check the developer’s website to know if the game is optimized for mobile.
How to Win More at Slot Games
For the most part, slot games are about luck. That being said, follow these tips to increase your winning chances:
- Stick to high RTP games – the house edge is lower for these games
- Make sure the platform is regulated – gaming regulators ensure the software is fair
- Make use of bonuses – use freely earned money to make more
Conclusion
Online slots have remained popular for over a century because they are fun and easy to play. With the right approach, these games yield significant wins. Don’t assume that winning at slots is always just about luck. Sometimes having a great strategy and having done the research in order to select the best online casino games can bring you over the edge and generate lots of cash.
We hope you now know how to go about selecting the right games for you so that you can become a better player at the slot machines, whether they be on land or online.
FAQ
As long as the casino is regulated, it should be trustworthy. However, the gaming regulator also needs to be highly regarded such as the UK Gambling Commission.
Yes. Many online casinos will offer free spins as a means to test the platform. More free spins will be available as you keep playing.
Stick to small bets and play regularly. Making huge bets is unlikely to yield returns and you end up going broke quickly.
First, the casino should be regulated to build trust. Second, it should offer the games you want to play. Third, there ought to be many bonuses to enjoy for free.
Yes. The biggest win was earned by Jon Heywood, who received over $20 million from playing Mega Moolah.
All slot machines should be the same provided the same software is used. Furthermore, every player faces the same odds on each spin, so there is no ‘winning slot machine’.
| Rank | Casino | Bonus | Rating | Visit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |   | Welcome Bonus 100% up to 3000? | CLAIM BONUSPesobet Casino Review |