Online slots are the most popular games to play at online casinos, and in 2021 the global online casino market was valued at $57.54 billion. Playing slots is a straightforward way to get into online gaming and is one of the simplest ways to play.
Tips on How to Play Online Slot Games
Land-based casinos and the physical slot machines have always been popular, and slot games have featured in online casinos since the first ones became available in the 1990s.
Thousands of online slot games are available now and there is no sign that the growth is declining – according to research, the global gaming industry has a revenue forecast of $153.6 billion by 2030.
The future of online slot games will come with the innovation in technology – artificial intelligence, augmented reality, and even virtual reality will all play a part in creating immersive and exciting gaming experiences.
Getting Started with Slots
Slots are a popular way to play because despite what some people will tell you, there is no real skill needed to win. The winning combinations are generated randomly, so all you need to do is decide how much to bet and press the button.
Knowing your way around a slot machine can be intimidating, all the bright colours and flashy symbols are noisy and confusing – but there are a few things to look out for.
- The Paytable: This is the hub of information about the game. Here you will find out about the cost of the minimum bet, where the paylines are, and what symbols you should be looking out for. This will also include anything like wild symbolsor scatter symbols.
- Paylines: This is where the symbols need to line up for you to win. Some paylines are simple and straight, while other slot games have multiple paylines.
- Jackpots: This is the total amount you could win on the slot game. Smaller jackpot games do tend to pay out more often, but a larger jackpot is a big draw if you have some more money to spend.
- Autoplay: In some games, you can set a number of spins to be completed after one press, so you can just watch the reels instead of constantly pressing buttons.
- Wild Symbols: These can replace any other symbol on the game, which can lead to some impressive cascades and wins
- Scatter Symbols: These are usually special symbols that when combined can earn you free spins or entry into a bonus game.
- Random Number Generator: Slots are built on a RNG algorithm that is regularly assessed for true randomness – which means that you have a random chance of winning.
How to Play
When you are finding the right slot game to play, always make sure that the online casino is regulated and licensed. Reputable casinos will have encryption and safety built in, which protects you and your money.
The game you choose is also important. Some people choose their games based on the theme, or on the jackpot. More complex games might offer more winning combinations, but learning how they work can be complicated, so you might want to start with something a bit simpler.
Once you have chosen your game, decide how much you want to place. Some games have a minimum amount, and you will want to start small so that you can work out the way the game will play.
Online casinos offer penny slots, and there are often opportunities to play without money too. Make sure that you keep an eye on the bet you are playing; each spin will cost the same unless you change it.
Once you have done decided how much to play – just spin! The slot game will use the built-in RNGto decide where the symbols will land, and if you get the right combination in the right place, then you win.
Other Things to Look Out For
Online casinos want you to play with them, so there are different things that they will offer a new player. Free spins and deposit matching are two of the methods that they use, so while you are choosing the online casino you want to use, look out for new player bonuses.
Many online casinos also offer VIP or membership services for loyalty too.
Another thing to look out for in online slots is the RTP rate. The Return to Player rate is shown as a percentage and describes how often players tend to win on the game – which is something that is much easier to assess in an online casino. You can expect to find online casinos that have slot game RTP rates of 95% and more.
Most games offer bonus rounds. These can be a set number of free spins, or a completely different game that you can win entry to by hitting specific symbols (scatter symbols). These bonus games can lead to an increased jackpot.
Cascading slots add extra excitement, as do the games that feature bulging reels and multiple paylines. Sometimes you can press ‘spin’ and symbols flash, move, disappear, and reappear in multiple diverse ways.
Feeling lucky? Online casinos sometimes run slot tournaments, and these are great fun. Players need to spin between certain dates with the aim of racking up the largest winnings. To get involved you must pay an entry fee (known as a buy-in) and for the more experienced slot player they can prove very lucrative.
Getting into online slots is a fun and exciting way to start playing at an online casino and there are so many games to choose from you will be spoiled for choice!