Casinos

Online slots are the most popular type of casino games. There are thousands of slots in online casinos, with many more being launched almost every day.

If you’re not familiar with how these one-armed bandits work, this is a perfect article to start from.

In this online slot guide, we’ll cover some of the basics that every slot player should know before joining their first online casino.

We’ll cover the following things:

  • How to play online slots
  • The legality of online slots;
  • Tips & tricks for playing online slots.

Read on.

Slots are the easiest type of casino games. Being entirely games of skill, they don’t require you to learn the rules. Still, we’ll explain how a typical online slots round works to help you understand slots better.

  1. Select an online slot — Pick an online casino, open an account, make a deposit and choose an online slot you like.
  2. Pick the wagering amount — Before spinning the reel, choose how much you want to bet. The more you bet, the bigger your potential reward will be.
  3. Spin the reels — Select the spin button and wait for the reels to stop. If you make a winning combination on one of the paylines, you’ll receive a reward.

As you can see, playing slots is easy. However, to understand what’s happening on the reels, you should learn more about slot-related concepts. So, we’re going to cover them as well in this guide to online slots.

  • Reels — Reels contain symbols which need to align once the reels stop to make a paying combination;
  • Paylines — Every slot uses imaginary lines on the grid where winning combinations are formed. In other words, if symbols align on one of the paylines, you’ll receive a prize;
  • RTP — Return to Player indicates the theoretical return of the invested money. Check out our detailed guide to RTP;
  • Wilds — Wild symbols can substitute any other symbol on the reels to help you make a valid combo;
  • Scatters — Scatters don’t need to be aligned to reward you. They can be scattered around the grid, and you just need to land enough of them. Scatters often start the bonus round;
  • Bonus round — Online slots sometimes award lucky players with a bonus round that consists of free spins.

Whether online slots are legal in your country mainly depends on the online gambling law that’s currently active. Most countries don’t even have such a legislative framework, meaning that online slots fall into the grey gambling area. In such states, you’re free to join offshore online casinos and play games that way.

We wanted to bring the legal aspect closer to our readers. That’s why we covered online gambling laws in Canada and New Zealand for now, so feel free to check them out if you’re from one of these two countries.

As already stated, online slots rely mainly on the element of chance. Therefore, your success depends on your luck. That’s why there aren’t any strategy-related pieces of advice you can read about slots.

However, there are plenty of tips & tricks that may help you understand the game better and learn how to approach it.

One Essential Tip Every Slot Player Should Know

One of the most important online slots winning strategies is to manage your bankroll properly. In other words, you should always set aside a small amount that you’ll always be ready to say goodbye to. Think of it as expenses for playing slots.

If you’re lucky enough to win more money than you have started with, then great! However, if you lose all your money, the worst thing you can do is start chasing loses. Instead, you should stop playing slots and come back once you have a fresh bankroll.

Tips like this may seem like something you’re already aware of, but it’s essential to talk about them, as some players tend to get carried away and lose a lot of money when playing slots. This leads to a gambling problem, which you definitely want to avoid.

If you’re ready for more tricks for playing slots, make sure to check out our article on slot tips. We took a dip dive there to help you understand all the pitfalls of online slots gambling.

Are online slots rigged?

As long as you’re playing them in a reputable and licensed online casino, they are most likely not rigged. So, try to stay away from suspiciously-looking online gambling platforms.

Are online slots legal?

This mainly depends on your country of residence, as countries have different laws about online gambling.

Are slots complicated?

Not at all. In fact, they are the easiest online gambling game. Just make a bet, spin the reels, and wait for the outcome!

Can I improve my chances in slots?

Unfortunately, online slots are games of chance, so you cannot really affect the outcome.

What’s the best slot for me?

There are thousands of slots out there inspired by all kinds of themes. First, ask yourself what themes attract you the most? What movies do you like to watch? What games do you like to play? What’s your favourite genre of music? By answering these questions, you’ll be able to find a slot that suits your taste.