Why Do Players Love Slots?

  • Slots incorporate audio visual special effects built around a theme that creates an immersive gaming experience.
  • You do not have to master complicated strategies in order to maximise gains from slots, so it is great for players that do not want to stress their brains.
  • Though the RTP is on the lower side, the payout ratios are much higher as compared to other casino games. You even have progressive slots that pay millions with each hit.
  • Most important for bonus users is the fact that slots almost always contribute 100% to wagering requirements. Other popular casino games, like blackjack and roulette, have such low contributions that it is not worth wagering bonuses on these games.

Elements of Online Slots

The slot machines of today do not have mechanical components, but are entirely a product of simulation through software. The final symbols on the reels are determined through a random number generator that has gone through rigorous tests for fairness.
  • Number of Reels: Vertical columns displaying the symbols are the reels. Each reel spins independently when the slot machine is activated. Most online slots have three or five reels, though you will find a few with six and seven reels as well.
  • Number of Paylines: Paylines are specified lines that zigzag across the reels. You need to land like symbols in the paylines in order to win. Generally slot games with larger number of paylines are less volatile, which means that they will hit more frequently but pay lower amounts per win on an average. Some of the older slot games allow you to select the number of paylines. In this case you should always go for maximum.
  • Wild Symbols: These symbols can be used for any other symbol to complete a winning combination. Contemporary slot machines have interesting wild symbols like stacked wilds and expanding wilds. You can sometimes expect more innovative ones like sticky wilds and walking wilds.
  • Scatter Symbols: These symbols break the monotony because they do not follow the usual payline win rules. You get paid if the right number of scatter symbols appear anywhere on the reels. Scatter symbols are also often used to trigger some special slots features.
  • Free Spins: When this feature is triggered you will be allotted a number of free spins. No amount will be deducted from your balance for these spins, but the winnings will be credited. Free spins usually include other attractive features that make the game play more exciting. You could be awarded a multiplier that would enhance all payouts or additional wild symbols on the reels for more frequent and bigger wins.
  • Bonus Games: When this feature is triggered the reels disappear from the screen and you are taken to a setting that has something to do with the theme. By far the most common bonus game is picking objects from those displayed. Sometimes you pick more than one or keep picking till a boogie is revealed. Bonus games can also be structured as wheels of fortune and virtual races.
  • Auto Spins: Manually clicking the Spin button after each spin can get boring and irritating, especially if you are planning a long slots session. Let the Auto Spins feature come to your rescue. You can activate the reels for a predetermined number of spins without any manual intervention in between. In some slots the spins will continue till the feature is deactivated. All the auto spins will necessarily be at the same bet.

Types of Online Slots

Classic Slots

  • These are 3-reels slots modelled after the earliest electromechanical machines.
  • They will usually have 1, 3 or 5 paylines.
  • The bulk of the symbols are taken from the old land slot machines and include various fruits, 7s, bells, stars and bars. Some slots developers do deliver classic slots based on themes.
  • Most players of classic slots prefer fast paced action and therefore very few of these slots have bonus features or free spins features.
  • You should bet with maximum coins because that activates a more rewarding payout table.

Video Slots

  • The defining characteristic of video slots is that they have five reels. Some games developers have released video slots with six and seven reels as well.
  • All video slots are built around interesting themes, some of the popular ones being pirates, fantasy, sports and music. The symbols, the graphics outside the reels and the bonus features are all integrated with the theme.
  • A trend in the past few years is branded slots, which are licensed products using copyrighted content from movies, TV shows, pop music and more.
  • The number of paylines varies considerably in video slots. Some video slots do not have defined paylines but allow wins in all possible combinations. These are known as All Pays slots. Another interesting development is the use of clusters instead of paylines.
  • Slots developers have devised different types of features to make their slot games different, interesting and exciting. The more important ones have been discussed in the earlier section.

Progressive Slots

  • A portion of each bet is added to the jackpot payout, which keeps increasing. When the jackpot is hit the winner takes home the amount and the ticker is reset to its base level.
  • Usually playing with maximum bet is required to hit a progressive jackpot.
  • The jackpots range from a few thousands to several millions.
  • Progressive slots can be hit in a number of ways that include aligning symbols on a payline, through bonus games or randomly after any spin.
  • Multi-level progressive slots have a number of different jackpots of varying amounts running independently in the same game. Usually it the biggest one that is of interest.
  • Progressive networks have a number of different slots connected to the same jackpot. When any of the connected games is played at any online casino the jackpot amount increases. The progressive jackpot can be hit from any of the connected games and is reset in all the slots after being hit.