How to Play Penny Slots
Written by: Filip Gromovic Reviewed by: Nashon Khamala
Read time: 11 minutes
One of the complaints we often get about slot machines is how the price per spin is rising, especially on newer games. Well, that is because you have not tried a penny slot. These titles are designed to solve this problem and give players the chance to enjoy their sessions for longer on the slimmest possible budgets.
As their name suggests, these machines accept one cent per spin. This makes them the go-to games for recreational gamblers whose primary interest is having fun rather than hitting the jackpot. Although their numbers are diminishing, you will still find a few online and in traditional casino houses.
Penny Slots are low-stake games designed for fans who have very low appetite for risks. For as little as one cent, you can spin for a chance to win real money. With the rise of cryptocurrencies, there are even machines that allow you to spin for a fraction of a penny. Their origin goes back to the mechanical slots where gamblers need to toss in coins to play for a chance to win meager payouts.
How Penny Slots Work
The working mechanism of these games is no different from every other spinning reel gambling game. The only advantage—perhaps for recreational gamblers—is that the bet size is smaller. This means that with a small budget, they can still enjoy hours of gameplay without always watching their bankroll.
Just because they are called penny slots doesn’t mean players cannot win huge on them. The truth is that when playing penny slots, gamblers can bump up their bets but are not mandated to do so. Just as you already know, the size of your payout is directly related to the size of your bets in slot games because a win is simply a multiplication of your bet by the number highlighted on the paytable.
Penny Slot Mechanics
The mechanics of the game are no different from the traditional spinning games. The odds of winning are about the same, too. The only real difference is the wagering requirement, which provides a new guide on how to play penny slots. Besides that, they also use a random number generator to determine the winning combination—especially in the online versions. This software ensures that every spin is independent of the previous and that every win is purely on chance rather than skills.
Paylines and Betting
Some variations of this game allow punters to choose the number of paylines they want to bet on. The arrangement can be horizontal, vertical, zigzag, diagonal, heart and so on depending on the title you are playing. Your bet size will swell as you unlock more lines. For example, if the cost of spin per line is $0.01, when you activate 10 paylines your bet size will increase to $0.10. However, doing so also increases your chances of winning.
Return to Player
RTP is simply the amount the house will return to players as winnings. For example, if a game has 96% RTP, it means theoretically that the machine will return $96 as winnings to punters for every $100 bet on the title. While penny slot players are usually not in it to make money, it still makes sense to search for games with high RTP, especially if you will be playing for a long term.
Slot Volatility Explained
The volatility of a spinning reel title determines how frequently players should expect wins and the size of the wins. Casino games with high volatility mean players should expect less frequent big wins, while a title with low volatility tells you that wins can be more frequent but smaller in size. At the center of there is the medium volatility option. This is an important factor to consider when picking penny slots.
Strategies for Playing Penny Slots
To win money on penny slots, you must develop a strategy. Without a good strategy, you will simply be moving in circles like a circus team—and you could become an object of fun. Scratch that! But you do need an approach, and the first is making sure that you activate all the paylines so that you are not leaving money on the table. The second is playing the maximum bet when your bankroll allows it. That way, you will be getting the most out of your wins. In some titles, spinning at the maximum bet also qualifies you for a progressive jackpot.
Bankroll Management
Maintaining a healthy gambling session is determined by how well you manage your bankroll. Betting the minimum per spin is often a strategy that can help you build your bankroll before you can go all in on bigger bets. To ensure that you are not overtaken by an adrenaline rush during your playing sessions, set a budget for every round and stick to it. The worst thing you can do to your bankroll is to chase losses. Never do that! For example, if you have set a budget of $50 for a session, once you have exhausted it, stop and walk away.
Choosing the Right Slot Machine
What may be the right machine for one player may be the wrong one for another. In other words, this is a subjective topic with an answer that is strictly based on intent and preference. For example, one gambler may be drawn to a title because of the graphics and sounds, while another may choose a different game because of the special bonus that gives them the chance to try and win big. Regardless, we always advise our readers to focus on what really matters, which includes the number of paylines, RTP, and volatility.
Maximizing Bonuses and Promotions
There is a serious competition to attract fans, and online casinos run regular promotions and toss offers at potential gamblers to attract and keep them on their platforms. This includes welcome and deposit bonuses. Some of these promotions can give your bankroll a boost, although they often have a wagering requirement before you can withdraw them. So, if you regularly make deposits, why not leverage the casino’s promo code to get something more? Games with bonus rounds often offer free spins which also gives gamblers the opportunity to win real money by playing for free. Therefore, always keep your eyes peeled for bonuses and promotions.
Top Penny Slot Games
The vast number of penny slot games that allow you to play for cents per spin will surprise you—including popular options like Book of Dead, Golden Colts and Blaze of Ra. For anyone asking how to play penny slot machines, we always recommend gambling online because that is where you will find a variety of games. This is particularly important if you live in high traffic areas where the traditional casinos are always crowded, and you may need to wait for a long time to have your turn. The second category of gamblers that will benefit from online play are those who live in regions where gambling is allowed, but brick-and-mortar casinos are hard to come by.
Most Popular Penny Slots
While there are hundreds of penny slots out there, they are not created equal. Some are more loved by punters than others because of reasons pertaining to their theme, RTP, volatility, bonus rounds and free spins, or allowing the lowest cent per payline bets. Below are the top five most popular Penny Slots with the most competitive RTP and their themes.
| Name of game | Theme | RTP (%) |
| Wild Wheel Big Money | Gameshow | 96.98 |
| Divine Fortune | Mythology | 96.59 |
| Golden Colts | Wild West | 96.55 |
| Gold King | Mythology | 96.53 |
| Pirate’s Charm | Pirate | 96.49 |
Game Themes and Features
As you can see from the table above, the different popular penny slots we highlighted all have different themes. Therefore, whatever your preference may be, you can be assured that you will find it on the list. In terms of features, you can expect to see wilds, scatters, bonus rounds, and free spins in some of the games. For example, Wild Wheel has one of the best bonuses in the industry. Landing three wilds will activate the Wheel of Fortune Bonus Game. The experience can differ sharply as you move from one title to another.
Tips for Winning on Penny Slots
When it comes to strategies for playing penny, you must bear in mind that the moment you press the spin button, the outcome is out of your hands. Therefore, the best you can do is to control the factors that are still within your grasp. For example, if you are in it to make money, unlocking all the paylines on the machine will increase your winning odds. Also, as we mentioned earlier, the bigger your bet, the bigger the size of your win. Other tips that can enhance your winning on slots that accept cents per spin include:
- Choosing the machine with the best RTP.
- Learning how to effectively manage your bankroll.
- Know when to stake the maximum and when to stick to one cent per spin.
- Researching the volatility of the game you plan to invest in.
- Choosing games with the best bonus rounds.
- Picking games that offer free spins.
- Playing in casinos that offer regular bonuses.
Basic Strategies
Regarding how to win at penny slots, the most basic strategy is to keep playing. You will have good days and bad days, but by sticking to the tips we mentioned above, you can cut your losses and ensure that you have more good days. The first thing you should do on getting to any game is to devour every detail on the paytable like a hungry shark snacking on prey. Enjoying machines with progressive jackpots can be your key to massive payouts—although huge wins are rare on penny slots.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
The most common mistake that we see frequently is players who think that because they have been on a losing streak, their next push of the button must be a win. Believing this is the fastest way to empty your bankroll. It is always important to have a budget and stick to it. Slots make use of RNGs where the outcome of the next spin is independent of the previous, which means there is no guarantee that the next spin will be a win even though the ten previous ones didn’t produce a positive outcome. Also, increasing your bet size doesn’t guarantee anything for the same reason we mentioned above.
Advantages of Penny Slots
The most obvious advantage of penny slots over regular ones is the low barrier of entry. The low wager requirement means that inexperienced punters can casually play on the machines and use them as tools to learn how reel games work. We consider it a better learning tool than free slots. Why? Because they give budding gamblers the chance to learn everything about spinning games, including deposits and withdrawals, which free versions don’t offer. Unlike free versions too, they know something is at stake—even though not too much—and this can help them to build the discipline that is crucial when they transition to the big league.
Opting to play cent per reel games online also gives you the added advantage of being able to enjoy your favorite title even while on the move—as long as you have internet access. Playing in online casinos also brings the flexibility of overcoming geographic restrictions. It eliminates the need to drive long hours just to find a brick-and-mortar gambling house. The huge competition between online casinos also gives you the chance to lash onto mouthwatering bonuses and promotions. The best part is that you can do all these while keeping your activity private.
If you are highly social and crave interactions, it will also interest you to know that penny slots are the cream and butter of traditional gambling houses. You would hardly walk into a reputable casino without finding these games as an option on their roster.
Casinos Where You Can Try Penny Slots
Responsible Gambling
Even as you try to win money on penny slots, it is important to keep your activities in check so that they don’t negatively impact your daily life and social interactions. We cannot emphasize the importance of having a budget and sticking to it enough. In addition to that, use tools that restrict the amount you can deposit in a week or the amount you can spend per session. Reputable casinos take their players’ well-being seriously and usually provide these tools. Perhaps, this is another point you should add to your checklist when picking a casino you will be collaborating long-term with.
Filip Gromovic is a senior slots reviewer here at FreeSlots99 with over five years of experience evaluating the latest drops in the world of iGaming.
Being a slot fan himself, Filip approaches slot ratings just the way we like it – professionally, but also from a player’s standpoint.
That enables him to give his unbiased take on the slot’s features, gameplay and design, while only recommending top-tier releases to our readers.
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Having served FreeSlots99 for more than 5 years as a senior content editor and reviewer, Nashon Khamala has extensive knowledge in game slots and iGaming.
His membership in the Editorial Freelancers Association helps him deliver content that reaches both editorial excellence standards and an engaging information level.
By using his expertise in slots games combined with player-focused analysis, Nashon delivers a professional evaluation of slot features and player experiences in his reviews.
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