Your Ultimate Guide to Playing Slots Online 2023

In this comprehensive online slots guide, we cover everything you need to know about playing slots online. The guide also includes tips and tricks for boosting your winning odds, a couple of different winning strategies, and the best online casinos for playing slots.

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Overview

Nobody can deny the fact that the global online gambling industry is dominated by slot machines. The popularity of slots has been growing at a rapid pace and it shows no signs of slowing down. As new online casinos join the iGaming industry, new slot games are introduced almost on a daily basis. Today, the range of slot games you get to play online is truly tremendous with many different online slot gaming types.

Slot providers also incorporate more advanced and innovative technologies to make their slot games bigger and better in every sense. Online slots have grown from small classic niche games to one of the most exciting online casino gaming categories with various gaming options. Slot games have also come a long way since those retro three-reeled games we still enjoy.

What makes slot games so popular is the fact that slots are very simple, yet extremely entertaining. When playing slot machines at land-based casinos, you start your gaming sessions by putting a coin in, you pull the handle located on the side of the slot machine, and you play. No complex rules or challenging winning strategies are involved.

The best slot developers in the industry are constantly looking for new ways to make their slot games more appealing. Thanks to amazing technological advancements, slot games have never been so rewarding and entertaining at the same time.

What also boosts the entertainment value of slots is the company’s creative side. With slot games covering loads of different themes, everyone can find a game to enjoy. Slots can be very cute and bright or very dark and sinister. Slots cover themes such as music, history, nature, and basically everything else. Companies involved in the iGaming community also develop awesome branded slot games inspired by popular movies, movie characters, television shows, and musicians.

Besides the tremendous range of themes, slot games are also known for incorporating impressive audio and visual effects which make the whole iGaming adventure way more interesting. Slots also come packed with special in-game bonuses, including winning multipliers, free spins, re-spins, and progressive jackpots.

As new slot games are introduced, players get to enjoy bigger and better winning possibilities. Thanks to new technologies, games are also becoming more interactive almost like video games when special in-game bonuses are included.

In this comprehensive guide on playing slots online, we briefly cover the history of online slots, we include information about different slot types, tips and tricks to boost your winning odds, and everything else you need to know before you hop on your online slots gaming adventure.

With so many different games accessible online, you may have a hard time finding the game that suits your gaming preferences best. Thankfully, we got you covered. In one of the sections down below, we explain how you choose the best game to match your preferences and budget. Once you are done with our guide, you are more than ready to start playing.

Pros & Cons

Pros
Substantial winnings
Awesome in-game bonus rounds
Amazing variety of different games to play
Cons
Winnings can be infrequent
Slots can be addictive

Briefly About the History of Slot Games

Before we examine different slot categories, rules, and everything else, let’s briefly discuss the history of slot games. Unlike most other popular casino games which originated in Europe, slot machines were invented in the USA. Charles Fey crafted the very first slot machine and the game was called Liberty Bell. The machine was packed with different symbols, including as liberty bell. It was packed with three reels. Other symbols included were diamonds, spades, and hearts. What is interesting to note is that the very first slot machine Liberty Bell is located in Reno, Nevada.

Ten years after Charles Fey crafted Liberty Bell, several other individuals and companies introduced their versions of slot machines. One of the industry’s pioneers was also Herbart Mills. He is the one who introduced fruity slot games.

Thanks to amazing advancements in technology, the whole slot machine industry expanded with new exciting games. When discussing the history of slot machines, we also mention the very first electronic slot game crafted by Bally back in 1963. The game was called Money Honey. Several years later in 1974, the very first video slot game was introduced by Walt Freely. The game was called Fortune Coin.

Slot games become extremely popular right before the start of the 21st century, especially in the United Kingdom, Australia, and the United States. Thanks to the rise of online casinos, slot machines became globally available to everyone with the Internet. Today, online slots have no competition in terms of their popularity among online casino players.

New slot games that appear on the scene are innovative, visually impressive, and very rewarding. Innovative slot games also boast 243 and way more paylines, impressive technologies, and equally impressive audiovisual effects.


Important Terms to Know

Whichever slot game you play, there are some important terms to learn. Knowing these does not affect your winning odds but you should still familiarize yourself with them.

  • Bonus Feature: As mentioned at the beginning, slot games come packed with different bonus features, including wild symbols, free spins, and even mini bonus games.
  • Bet: Your bet or wager is the amount of coins (credits) you put at stake.
  • Gamble Mode: Some slot games feature Gamble Modes and these are very simple mini rounds thanks to which you can double or triple your winnings by playing a simple guessing game.
  • Free Spins: Most in-game Free Spins bonuses get you between 15 and 20 extra spins. Free spins bonuses are usually triggered by collecting scatter symbols.
  • Scatter Symbols: Collecting scatter symbols usually triggers a bonus round of some kind, in most cases free spins bonuses.
  • Jackpot: Jackpots are the biggest payouts available.
  • Max Bet: When betting at the max bet, you place the highest accepted quantity of coins in a single spin.
  • Progressive Jackpots: Some slot games feature progressive jackpots and the amount of these rewards grows with all real money wager players make.
  • Wilds: Wild symbols with their replacing powers help you land more winning combinations.
  • Reels: Reels form slots’ gaming grid. Reels are packed with different symbols you want to match in a certain combination to get a payout.
  • Paylines: Paylines also form slots’ gaming grid and this is where you land symbols. The number of paylines included depends on which game you play. Some slots have three or five paylines, while others boast hundreds of paylines.
  • Winning Combos: Some games feature hundreds of different winning combos, some only a couple.

Playing Slot Games - Rules

This leads us to the rules of online slots, and the rules are very simple. Slot machines played online and at land-based casinos are the simplest games around. While the rules are simple, in-game bonuses and special features add to your gaming sessions. The best part, playing online slots presents numerous different winning opportunities, and knowing the rules can help boost your winning odds.

While all slot games appear very similar, every game of this kind is unique. Slots also come in a variety of forms, but the four main slot categories are featured down below.

  • Progressive Slots: Progressive slot games are attached to progressive jackpots and the value of progressive jackpots keeps rising as players invest their money. The value keeps rising until someone wins the jackpot.
  • 3-Reeled Slots: Classic three-reeled slots are also very popular both online and offline. In three-reeled slots, you usually come across gaming grids with up to five paylines.
  • Multiline Slots: Multiline slot games usually feature over twenty-five paylines and higher payouts. At the same time, the risk involved is higher.
  • 5-Reeled Slots: These are the most commonly played slot games. Most modern five-reeled slots are packed with different bonuses, including replacing wilds, bonus scatters, and free spins.

Slot Games Winning Strategies

While all casino games are games of luck, the luck element in slots is more prominent. With this being said, there is no winning strategy you could use to have winning spins at all times. At the same time, there are simple strategies and tips you can use to boost your winning odds in the long run and these are featured down below.

Choose Games That Have Bonus Symbols

When you play slot games online, you want to choose those games that have a variety of bonus symbols. As you know, different bonus symbols trigger different bonus rounds and you want to be able to benefit from these in-game bonuses.

Choose High RTP Slots

Another great strategy when playing slot games is to always choose high RTP slots and these are games with RTP rates of at least 95%.

Set Your Budget

Slot games are very entertaining and easy to play. Slot games due to their nature can also be very addictive and this is why you want to set your budget and stick to it. We also recommend you focus more on playing standard instead of slot games attached to progressive jackpots. And if you play a slot game with a progressive jackpot, never chase your losses.

Play One Game

Also, you want to focus on one game at a time. Depending on your preferences, you get to choose between lower and higher volatility slots. If you want more frequent smaller wins, play low volatility slots. If you are aiming for bigger but less frequent wins, play higher volatility games.

Tips to Follow

We have a couple of handy tips for you to follow if you want to be playing online slots like a pro.

How to Start Playing Online Slots?

Below you will find our step-by-step guide on getting started with online slots. Follow the steps featured down below and you will be playing your favorite slot games online in no time.

1 Find Your Game

Before you start playing for real money, you want to invest some time into looking at different slot games. Also, consider playing games for free to find the game that suits your gaming preferences and bankroll best.

2 Check the Paytable

Once you have found the slot game that you want to play, you should familiarize yourself with the game’s rules and paytable. Make sure you understand how the game works and which winning combos bring the biggest payouts.

3 Find a Reputable Casino

The next step is to find a reputable, licensed online casino. If you are not sure where and how to start, check out our selection of the best online casinos for playing slots. Choose a casino from our list and proceed to make an account.

4 Fund Your Account

Once you have completed your registration process, you are ready to fund your account. The process is very simple. You go to your Cashier, click on the Deposit tab, pick one deposit method, enter the amount you want to deposit and confirm your transaction.

5 Play Your Game

Once you have funded your account, you are ready to play for real money. Start the game you want to play, place your wager, and click on the Spin button.

Dictionary

Here is our handy online slots glossary for you if you want to familiarize yourself with all the most important and widely used terms.

Slots Dictionary

Different Types of Slots

Now, we take a look at the most popular slot categories. As you know, slots have evolved over the years to come in many different shapes and sizes and slot games featured down below are accessible online.

Fruit Slot Games

Fruit or pub slot games follow all of the standard gaming rules. As suggested, these games are packed with fruity symbols and usually do not feature in-game bonuses.

Video Slots

Video slots are usually packed with five reels and include in-game bonuses. They are graphically rich and feature awesome background audio effects. Like classic games, video slots are accessible in free mode at most online casinos.

Classic Slots

Classic slots are the simplest slot games around. They are most similar to fruit machines due to their fruity symbols. Classic slots are also similar to popular Vegas-style slot games.

Pachinko Games

Pachinko games are very unique as they combine the best of slot games with pinball games. Pachinko gaming sessions are very fun as hundreds of tiny pinball balls are in the game.

5-Reeled Slots

The iGaming industry is packed with different five-reeled slots. These slot games feature a great variety of different themes, as well as, many exciting in-game bonuses.

3-Reeled Slots

Three-reeled slots also feature different themes but the vast majority of these games have traditional fruity themes. Most three-reeled slots feature between one and three paylines.

Interactive Slots

Interactive slots come with unique gaming grids packed with multi-reels and multi-paylines which are crafted in a more unique format when compared to other slot games. Interactive slots rely on more modern technologies to offer more immersive gaming experiences.

Progressive Slots

Progressive slot games are attached to growing progressive jackpots and these jackpot prizes grow with every new real money wager. To have a shot at winning a staggering progressive jackpot prize, you have to bet at the maximum stake.

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FAQ

Yes, slot games featured at licensed, reputable online casinos are safe since licensed casinos must comply with rigorous safety and security rules and regulations.

Getting started with online slots is very easy. You first find a reputable online casino, head to its slots gaming lobby, find the game you want to play, place your bet, and you are playing.

Yes, most online casinos offer free/demo play modes on slot games. Some casinos even offer you the opportunity to play slot games in free mode even if you are not a registered player.

Yes, modern slot games crafted using HTML5 technology can be enjoyed on a wide range of mobile devices, including iOS and Android tablets and smartphones.

No, your winning odds are not influenced by these or other factors. Every outcome is completely random provided that the RNG software in use has been audited.

No, it is impossible to predict the outcome of your gaming sessions. However, you can expect more frequent smaller wins when you play a low volatility game, and less frequent bigger wins when playing a high volatility game.

No, your winning odds when playing online slots are not affected by the speed of gaming sessions. As we mentioned before, online slots are powered by RNG software that ensures random results.

When playing most slot games, landing three matching symbols on the same payline gets you a profit.

Yes, most online casinos offer generous bonuses and promotions usable on slot games, including match deposit and free spins bonuses.

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