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How to Play Casino Slot Machines

How to Play Casino Slot Machines

Written by: Filip Gromovic Reviewed by: Nashon Khamala

Read time: 15 minutes

Known for their dancing reels, animated symbols and randomized payouts, slots are the most popular real money games in both land-based and online casinos. These special machines are available in different variants, each with unique characteristics and payout potential. Currently, there are thousands of distinct online selections that you can bet on. The great thing about most of them is that you do not need to place big bets to play. Also, there are certain types with jackpots that can win you more than 5,000x of your original stake.

Understanding the Mechanics and How They Work

To know how to use slot machines, you need to understand their mechanics and how each feature works. A standard title has the following functionalities:

Reels: These are the vertical columns with different symbols.
Symbols: The varying icons or images in the reels are called symbols. Landing matching symbols on a payline will trigger payouts. Some symbols pay higher than others, and you can find out the worth of each one on the paytable page.
Paylines: Paylines, betways or winlines are special lines on the reels that trigger win combinations or payouts. When matching symbols land on a payline, you win the spin. Some titles have fixed lines while others allow you to choose how many lines you want to make active before spinning.
Bet: The Bet menu allows you to determine how much you want to wager to play slot game.
Spin: The spin button may be represented by the word Spin, Play or a relevant icon. Tapping it spins the reels. Once the reels stop, all matching symbols appearing on active paylines will trigger wins.
Bonus Feature: Many selections have nice bonus symbols and special features that increase a player’s chances of winning. To activate these features, you often need to land certain sequences.
Paytable: There is the paytable window to find all the information you need to understand your chosen title better. In this window, you will see how well each symbol pays, the number of paylines available and how every feature works.

The Random Number Generator (RNG) is the technology behind the randomized outcome of slot games. Every time you spin the reels, the RNG model becomes active, sorting out thousands of sequences within seconds before choosing one. If a selected sequence aligns with a win combination, such will show on your screen and you receive the relevant payout.

So the RNG is the metric that creates a randomized balance when you play slots in casino. However, its outcome is slightly influenced by a title specific RTP rates, volatility and win hit.

All Types of Slots

In recent years, software developers have become ever more creative, designing innovative machines with special characteristics and features. Currently, there are many variants that players may explore. Some have big bonus features, while others offer steady, standout wins. Before you choose to play slot game, it is important to know the different types and determine your favorite.

Classic Titles

Tradition or classic variants are known for their 3-reel presentations, handful of symbols, straightforward sequences and limited bonus features. These titles are more about the spinning experience and the fun that comes with it, of course, they can deliver nice payouts too. They are the ideal choice if you like the first generation of machines or you are on a budget. Improvised classics are also now being designed, many with nice features that can create good winning sequences when you play slots in casino.

Progressive Jackpots

Progressive jackpots are bonus-packed video slots with special money pots that grow steadily. Without the money pot, these selections are great titles on their own, with super engaging graphics, great music and big reward symbols. The money pots or jackpots are like an extra feature that players can take advantage of to win massive amounts.

Here is how these selections function. Whenever a player places a bet, the system takes a small percentage and adds it to the money pot. The more different players spin the reels, the larger the pot becomes until it randomly drops on a lucky member account. A pot can be worth hundreds of thousands to over a million when it drops.

Progressive jackpots are undoubtedly a legitimate reason to learn how to play slot machine for wins. A single pot drop could be life-changing.

Multi-Paylines

Multi-payline machines are variants with many pay lines, most of which are modern/video titles. Many classic selections also have more than a single pay line, but are still a bit limited. Modern types barely hold back, boasting a combination of horizontal, vertical, diagonal and zigzag winlines. Then, there are megaways, which have hundreds to thousands of lines. While the number of lines in a title does not always guarantee a win, it does improve your chances, especially when its RTP and win rates are quite high.

RTP Comparison Chart for Different Slot Types

Preparing to Play Slots in Casino

Before playing slots with real money, you need to be prepared. It is very important to have a thorough understanding of what you intend to achieve with these games and how to do so. We provide a starting guide on how to prepare for the reels.

Set a Budget

Once you have decided to start gambling, it is important to determine how much you are willing to spend. You must have a reliable source of income and decide how much you are willing to spend from it on titles. You may set up a weekly or monthly betting max and follow it through. This move is known as bankroll management. Some casinos have an automatic bankroll management system that helps you keep to a budget.

Choosing the Ideal Slot

The next step is to choose the game that works for you. Like we mentioned before, there are classic and modern video versions. The video variants are further broken into cluster pays, megaways, fixed and progressive jackpots and many more. Check up different quality titles, many of which are available on our platform and confirm their mechanics. Look out for their RTP rates, volatility, win hits, and bonus features. Eventually, decide on one or several to bet on.

Understanding Paytables

Do well to check the paytable of any title you pick. If you really want to know how to use slot machines to your advantage, you must study their paytables. The information in the paytable window describes how a game’s regular and bonus symbols work as well as all its features. It also holds detailed information on RTP rates and volatility, two important metrics that highlight how your experience will likely turn out over time.

How To Play Slots

Once you have an ideal of the kind of game you like, the next step is to start playing. We provide a complete step-by-step guide on how to kick off your first session on the reels.

Step-By-Step Instruction

Find a casino that has the game or machines you love. We recommend that you check our platform to see brands with thousands of online machines and generous bonuses:

After picking a brand, it is important to create a player account. To set up an account, you typically need to provide your name, birth date, gender, mobile number, email and home address. Verify your profile afterward.
Fund your account with a valid payment method. A good platform must have many banking methods, like e-wallets, crypto, payment cards and online vouchers.
Go to the Slots page and launch your preferred title.
Typically, you will see all the major icons at the bottom or sides of your game’s screen. Firstly, use the Bet icon to set your wager and take a quick look at the paytable. If the paylines are not fixed, then determine how many you want to activate.
Use the relevant icon to spin the reels and wait for the outcome. You could also use the Autospin feature to set off multiple consecutive spins.
If you hit a winning combination after a spin, the money will be added to your real balance.

Great Betting Strategies

It is one thing to bet and another to actually win. With the right strategies you can improve your chances of winning or, at the very least, keep losses to the minimum when you play slots in casino. One top strategy to have in mind is to not accept misconceptions or myths.

There are many unfounded rumors about tricks that can help you win on the reels. We shall mention most of them in the course of this guide. Do not trust these myths as they do not have a factual basis and may lead to disappointments.

Having a solid bankroll management skill and playing rewarding selections will see you win massively too. Ultimately it is important to keep a clear head and never bet beyond your capability. Always start with small wagers and only increase occasionally.

Maximizing Bonus Symbols and Special Features

Bonus features and symbols are very helpful and can improve your win frequency and payout sizes. We always recommend that readers play slot game machines with wilds, scatters, free spins features and other nice bonuses. Going for progressive jackpots also presents you with the opportunity to land that major payout. The next spin may just give you that highly desired boom.

Some top features to consider in a selection include cascade/tumble/avalanche, multipliers, expanding characters, mystery symbols and bonus buy.

Winning Tips and Strategies

With the right tips and strategies, you can maximize your chances at the reels and even make profits when you play slots in casino. Our researchers have played different machines over the years and know all the different ways to win and end up with a positive bankroll. We highlight these tips in the subheading below.

Opt for High RTP Games

While there are thousands of machines out there, we always recommend you play the one that has a very high RTP. The RTP is short for Return to Player percentage, which lets players know how well a particular game pays. If a selection has a 98% RTP, it means that it pays back 98% of all bets that it receives and only keeps 2% for the house. The 98% is what players who land winning combinations receive as winnings.

The higher a title’s RTP, the more rewarding it is and that is why we encourage you to settle for those with great numbers. Typically, a selection with 95% RTP or more is considered a good choice when you play slots in casino.

Make the Most of Bonuses

Casino bonuses are very helpful for online gambling because they allow you to play games for free with the possibility of winning real cash. Play slots in casino sites hosting great bonuses. Free spins is the most common type, allowing benefactors to spin online machines for wins. Always choose FS that work on rewarding designs.

Cash rewards and special wager freebies are other quality promos to look out for in top platforms. These gifts are great for slots and also work on table games, making them a great pick for those who like roulette, blackjack, baccarat and poker.

Settle for promos with fair terms and conditions so that you can maximize them better. The ideal incentive should have small wagering requirements, big bet and win caps, long validity windows and easy activation requirements.

Manage Your Money

You need to have a budget and stick to your decision to better manage your money to play slot game. Use your casino’s responsible gambling resources to set max betting and deposit caps to control your money better. Try to set up a monthly spending limit and share the amount into small halves, each dedicated to a session. That way, you can gamble healthily without overspending.

Taking a Break When Necessary

Sometimes you may have an excellent session on the reels, while at other times, it may not turn out so great. Whenever you experience the latter, it is always a great idea to take a break. That is really how to play slot machine and end up on the winning side over time. Consistently spinning the reels while having a bad day is definitely not a great strategy. You should never attempt to chase losses as that will likely lead to more losses. The best step to take when you have a poor run is to stop your session and get some fresh air. You will have your chance to hit a nice run at a later time.

What Does RTP Mean in Slots

If you are seeing this for the first time, you are probably wondering, «What does RTP mean in slots?».

Slot Machine Myths and Misconceptions

Relying on factual strategies can help you at the reels. Myths and misconceptions do the opposite and we can confirm that there are so many out there that are considered true. You do not want to rely on misconceptions when gambling on online machines as they can leave you losing money instead of increasing your chances of making a profit. We shall highlight some popular misconceptions that have now become mainstream.

Popular Misconceptions

If you want to know how to play casino slot machines and earn real wins, here are some specific myths to avoid:

Myth: Believing that a machine that has not paid out wins after a couple of spins will soon give out a big win.

Facts: Slot outcomes are majorly randomized because of the RNG technology. So each spin result is totally independent of the previous ones.

Myth: The next progressive jackpot often takes time to drop after a recent win.

Facts: Progressive pots drop randomly and it is possible for one person to hit two in consecutive spins if they are lucky enough. The entire sequence is randomized.

Myth: Using the Autoplay menu to set off consecutive spins decreases your chances of winning.

Facts: The Autoplay/Autospin button is an efficient design to set off multiple spins to play slot game. It does not negatively affect a title’s RTP, win hit or RNG.

Facts About Hot and Due Machines

You may have heard about hot and cold slots before. These common terms make reference to the belief that certain titles pay better. Hot picks are supposed better players, while cold titles are not so favorable.

Now, there are indeed selections that pay easily on the reels because of their high RTP and superb win hit rates. In contrast, there are those with standard or even low RTPs. Software developers are smart and often balance out these discrepancies. Designs that pay easily often offer small-sized wins because of their low variance. The supposed cold titles, on the other hand, are high-variance options that offer big payouts. So there aren’t really hot or cold selections in reality.

Due slots is a fallacy that a machine that has not paid wins following several wins is due for a big payout. As we mentioned already, this claim is not factual because these selections work with the RNG model, which ensures all outcomes are randomized.

Online Vs. Land-Based Casino Slots

We should mention that there are online and land-based machines. The major difference between the two is that online versions are available in digital brands while physical types can be played at local pubs or tribal casinos.

If you want to know how to use slot machines, it is important to know the difference between the online and land-based types:

There are more online designs than there are land-based types.
Both types of machines have classic and bonus versions, including progressive jackpots.
Many land-based games have been adapted to online versions, giving digital users the chance to spin them for wins. Those who gamble in pubs barely enjoy such privileges.
Online casinos are much more accessible compared to land-based platforms, and this also directly affects the accessibility of their machines.