What Casinos Don't Want You to Know About Slots
Online slots are digital versions of the beloved one-armed bandits you’ll find in land-based casinos. Because they’re computerized, these online slots come with extra features that you won’t find in their physical counterparts.
You’ll get to enjoy goodies such as Wilds, Scatters, Free Spins, or even Bonus Games.
Online slots work just as you’d expect them to:
You place your bet, click the “Spin” button and watch as the reels rotate. After they stop, you will be awarded the respective wins. Online slots are so popular in fact that nowadays, they make up a major part of casino games.
For some more secrets and tips for online slots, just keep reading!
Types of Online Slots
If you want to understand slot machines, you will first have to know what types there are. There are several genres of digital slots you can play, each with its own particularities. Let’s check them out!
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Classic Slots
The classic slots usually have 3 reels and are more simple. They’re perfect for beginners, as they’re quite easy to learn and play. The only rule they have is that you have to land three similar symbols to make a win.
However, that could also be seen as a disadvantage - the fewer reels you have, the fewer winning combinations you’ll be able to make. Some of the best classic slots you can find come from developers such as Yggdrasil Gaming or Crazy Tooth Studio.
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Video Slots
Video slots are the most common type of them all. They feature 5 reels or more and come with extra goodies - special symbols, free spins, or different mini-games.
Since technology has evolved so much, these slots now offer incredible graphics, realistic animations, and beautiful ambiance sounds. The main advantage of video slots is their number of reels - the more you have, the higher your chances to make a winning combination.
Some of the best video slot studios are Quickspin or NetEnt.
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Progressive Slots
Progressive slots are also known as progressive jackpots. Part of every bet you make will go to a collective jackpot. This means that every player contributes to increasing this jackpot.
Progressive slots wins have the potential to be life-changing. For example, Games Global’s Mega Moolah awarded a huge €18,915,872.81 jackpot in 2018.
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Virtual Reality Slots
The advance of technology allowed for some new developments in slots. One of the most important is the addition of VR. These slots allow you to get fully immersed in the environment and aim to offer the authentic experience you’d be getting in any land-based casino.
Sadly, not many developers are offering these experiences, meaning you will probably not find them at every online casino.
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Mobile Slots
Mobile slots aren’t a category but they’re worth mentioning. Practically, any type of slot mentioned above that can be played on a mobile device can be considered a mobile slot. Many online casinos even have dedicated apps for their mobile players.
Online Slots Features
As we previously mentioned, online slots have the advantage of offering more special features. Let’s check out the most important ones!
| Feature Name | Description |
|---|---|
| Paylines are the possible winning combinations that will award payouts. | |
| Coins are the bets you’ll be making on a specific slot. | |
| The Return to Player value is the average payout to gamblers. | |
| The frequency with which a slot gives out winning combinations. | |
| Symbols that replace other icons on the reels. | |
| The symbols needed to trigger free spins or bonus rounds. | |
| Free Spins are triggered by landing a certain number of Scatters. | |
| Bonus Games are usually mini-games that award different prizes (instant cash, multipliers, or free spins). | |
| Bonuses usually come with multipliers attached that will give you even more wins. |
House Edge and Volatility Explained
Whether you’ve been playing slots for a long time or just getting into them, you’ve probably come across the terms RTP and volatility. The important secrets to playing slots are being aware of what these terms mean and how they influence your gameplay.
RTP (Return to Player)
RTP (or Return to Player) represents the number of winnings a slot will award a player over an extended period. The RTP is usually a percentage.
EXAMPLE
When you play a slot with a 97% RTP, you can expect to get $97 for every $100 you bet on it. The RTP helps players get a better idea of how much they’re going to lose if they choose a certain slot.
However, you must understand that the RTP number is hard to calculate. The number of spins needed to accurately determine the Return to Player is in the millions.
Naturally, you can’t expect a specific result over a short session of a couple of spins.
Volatility
Volatility (or variance, in some cases) is associated with the risk level of a slot. This feature determines how often and how much you’re going to win from a certain slot. Volatility influences your total winnings over a short time and is associated with the RTP.
There are a few levels of volatility in slots, as follow:
| Volatility Type | Win Size | Frequency of Wins | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low | Small | Often | Risk is low, so is the reward. |
| Medium | Average | Average | Risk is average, so is the reward. |
| High | Big | Rare | Risk is high, so is the reward. |
Hot and Cold Slots - Real or Myth?
One of the popular slot machine myths out there refers to the “hot and cold” slots. A “hot” slot is known for being on a paying spree, awarding wins left and right, giving one big win after another. A “cold” slot is known for rarely awarding any wins, no matter how solid your betting strategy is.
But is any of this true?
Well, no.
You can never predict the outcome of any spin, especially when you’re playing online slots. That’s because they all use RNG (Random Number Generator) software, which ensures the results are truly random.
On top of that, before being able to release and monetize their slots, a developer must obtain a license. This means that an independent third party will test their games for fairness and randomness.
BE AWARE
Whenever you read tips for online slots that include chasing “hot” slots, just know that it’s a myth. There is no way slots could be rigged like that unless you’re playing at a shady casino.
Progressive Jackpots Facts
Many casinos offer progressive jackpots. These are loved and played by many gamblers, as they offer the possibility of life-changing wins for a relatively small bet. Progressive jackpots tend to range between thousands to hundreds of thousands and even millions of dollars.
However, there are a few things you should keep in mind before betting on a progressive slot:
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Bet max. If you want to qualify for the jackpot win, you will have to bet the maximum amount. This could be a downside for those gamblers who don’t want to spend much on a slot. And because progressives are usually high volatility, you risk losing a lot of money in a short amount of time, without really making any wins.
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You can play smaller progressives. Not every progressive jackpot is the same. If you want a bigger chance to win a jackpot, you could give smaller progressives a try. Sure, the jackpot is smaller but at least your chances to win it are bigger.
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Casinos don’t take a cut. Contrary to popular belief, casinos will pay 100% of the jackpot, should a player win. Sure, they make more money from progressives but that’s thanks to the number of bets and players making them. However, depending on your country of residence, you might have to pay taxes on your winnings.
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The winning odds are low. Because some jackpots can be life-changing, it only makes sense they wouldn’t hit very often. The odds of winning are sometimes so low in fact that millions of players will never get a jackpot in their life.
Can You Hit the Jackpot Easier in Slot Tournaments?
Slot tournaments have grown in popularity as of late. As the name suggests, players engage in slot tournaments against each other to win different rewards.
The final prize depends on how many players are registered at the tournament at a given time. Sometimes, you might have to pay an entrance fee so just make sure you read the rules.
Now, onto the main subject. Can you hit the jackpot easier during tournaments? In short, no. Unless the developers themselves announce that the odds change for the tournament, they will stay the same.
Autoplay Feature Myth
The Autoplay feature allows players to set a certain number of automatic spins. The reels will keep spinning on their own until this feature ends or the player hits certain loss or win limits. Some gamblers believe that using this feature will lower their chances of winning.
That’s false. How you spin the wheel doesn’t influence your payout. That’s because every spin is 100% random and there’s no way you can predict or influence the outcome. Again, every slot uses RNG technology, which makes it truly random and fair.
Autoplay Feature Could Be Removed
Starting with October 31, 2021, the UK Gambling Commission issued a decision that affects all online gambling providers. To be exact, they will have to remove several features from their slots, one of them being the Autoplay feature.
IMPORTANT
The decision to remove Autoplay from slots comes as an extra measure taken to ensure responsible play. Some gamblers can lose track of time while using this feature, meaning they are at risk of exceeding their budget.
6 Mistakes to Avoid When Spinning the Reels
Your experience with slots should be fun and relaxing. If you find yourself frustrated or bored, you could be making one of the following 6 mistakes:
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You’re not activating all the pay lines. Some slots will allow you to customize the number of active paylines. When you don’t have all the pay lines active, you’ll spend most of your gaming time worrying about landing a winning combo on an inactive line.
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You’re playing only one type of slot. There are plenty of online slots out there and every type comes with its advantages and disadvantages. If you find yourself frustrated that you don’t hit many wins, you should try looking into slots with a higher RTP, for example.
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You play too much. It’s easy to lose yourself to slots, especially when you land some good wins. For your sake, you should take plenty of breaks from slots. Sure, you can spend a good couple of hours spinning the reels but if you play too much, it will just not be fun anymore.
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You’re not reading the rules. Playing slots isn’t as easy as just clicking the “Spin” button. Every slot comes with special symbols and features that are triggered in different ways.
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You play without bonuses. One of the best online slots tips we can give you is to play slots with casino bonuses. While these bonuses won’t help you lose less, they will give you a bigger bankroll you can play with. This means you get more chances to win and have fun.
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Your wagers are too big. There could be situations where you’re betting too much on every spin. This could lead to you burning through your budget faster than you should. Try playing slot machines that cost less than $1 per spin.
Our Conclusion
All in all, we hope this page has helped put some myths to rest. When playing, keep in mind that these are just myths that have no seed of truth in them.
You cannot predict or influence the outcome of slots in any way, mainly because to the RNG technology used.
So the next time you’re playing a slot, don’t think about whether it’s “hot” or “cold”, but think about how much fun you’ll have when you land that great win!