Online slots are a favourite among casino players, which could be due to the winning opportunities, while their rules are quite easy to learn, even for players with no previous experience.
Due to their immense popularity, slots have become somewhat of a staple in both land-based and online casinos. As a matter of fact, they constitute a considerable part of the gaming collections of all well-known online casinos in the industry.
Hundreds of enticing slots are available online, and each game boasts a unique theme and features. There is something to meet all interests and preferences. With so many options to choose from, the only difficulty lies in deciding which online slot to try first.
Types of Online Slots
When it comes to slots, online gambling operators offer even greater diversity than brick-and-mortar casinos. Each game has its own unique characteristics, including regular and special symbols, bonus games, and a paytable. Some slots go hand in hand with life-changing progressive jackpots, while others offer a variety of special features such as bonus spins and multipliers that are awarded whenever players succeed in hitting a specific combination of symbols on the reels.
The fantastic graphics, animations and sound effects further add to the entertainment value of online slots. The convenience of playing online is not to be underestimated, either. Slots can be divided into several basic categories that will be discussed in further detail below.
Classic Slots
Players who prefer simplicity over excess should give classic slots a try. Such games come the closest to the original slot machines that were first introduced in land-based casinos. Classic slots contain three reels and, in most cases, feature only one horizontal payline, which stretches across the reels.
However, some 3-reel slots that are available online might feature three, five or, occasionally, even more paylines. For instance, Microgaming’s classic slot Break Da Bank features three reels with five different paylines. Another example would be Playtech’s slot Chinese Kitchen, where players are presented with three reels with eight different paylines.
Classic slots often feature fruits like cherries, lemons and oranges as symbols on the reels. Other symbols may include bars, lucky sevens or bells. Normally, such simplified slots lack extra features, but on rare occasions some 3-reel slots might include bonus rounds and even wild and scatter symbols.
The simplified design works to the advantage of inexperienced slot players. However, 3-reel slots generally offer a more limited number of betting options and are preferred predominantly by players with tighter budgets. The betting range is often restricted to two or three different coin values.
Multi-Payline Slots
Occasionally, slots with multiple paylines feature more than three reels. While such games have greater entertainment value, multi-line online slots are a bit more complicated, which might make them slightly confusing for inexperienced casino players.
Most of the time, the number of paylines ranges between nine and one hundred. With games of this breed, the paylines are not only horizontal; they can be vertical, diagonal, zigzagging or V-shaped. Slots with multiple paylines make it possible for more than one winning combination to appear simultaneously. Also, there is a much wider range of symbols that are typically related to the slot’s theme or story.
The number of betting options available is greater, as players often get to choose how many of the paylines to activate. In most cases, the minimum coin value is only £0.01, while the upper limit rarely exceeds £1.00 per active line.
Slots with multiple paylines are suitable for both risk-averse and more daring players. If your budget is tight, it is advisable to spread your total bet amount over all available paylines instead of wagering a higher amount on a few lines. This will not only add some extra excitement to the game but will increase your chances of hitting a winning combination.
Slots with Bonus Games
Slots that contain bonus games and special features are exceedingly popular among gambling aficionados. Usually, slots of this type incorporate a bonus game that is activated whenever specific symbols or combinations of symbols appear on an active payline. Oftentimes, the bonus game aligns with the overall theme and story of the slot.
When the bonus game is activated, players are required to perform a specific action. Sometimes this involves collecting points in order to earn an additional prize, or choosing from several objects. With some bonus games, players need to select one of five treasure chests that appear on the screen, and each chest corresponds to a specific amount of money.
Rules and Basics
Slot Types
Choosing Online Slots
Line Number and Multiplier
Classic Online Slots
But bonus symbols do not necessarily unlock a mini game. Some symbols can trigger a predetermined number of free spins, which players are not required to pay for. Many advanced slots make it possible for players to “retrigger” the bonus game, or in other words, to launch it all over again. The “retriggering” feature enjoys tremendous popularity among slot fans because it often results in more substantial wins. Sometimes the free spins can also be retriggered whenever the same combination of symbols that triggered them already appears again during the round of bonus spins.
Bonus slots also contain other useful features like multipliers, scatter, and wild symbols. These symbols significantly increase players’ chances of making a bigger profit. Wild symbols act as substitutes for a missing symbol that is required for the completion of a winning combination. Scatter symbols are hugely popular among players because whenever they appear on the reels, a bonus game or a round of free spins is activated.
3D Slots
Some software providers, like NetEnt and Betsoft, have added a profusion of 3D slots to their portfolios. Many players tend to favour 3D slots, which is attributable to their superb graphics, great animations, enhanced sound effects and interesting features. However, playing 3D slots online requires a stable Internet connection if you wish to enjoy your gaming session to the fullest.
The range of themes in these games is truly impressive, which promises that they can live up to the expectations of even the choosiest players. Some were inspired by popular films like Terminator and Bridesmaids, while others feature all-time-favourite characters from well-known comic series.
Players may also notice that some 3D slots have more complex storylines and require them to unlock different levels in order to progress through the story. An example would be NetEnt’s Aliens 3D slot (based on the popular blockbuster), where players are presented with the opportunity to complete three different levels – the Search, the Encounter and the Hive.
Similarly to standard video slots, 3D slots are figuratively bursting at the seams with great features. Players can benefit from rounds of free spins, wild and scatter symbols, as well as multipliers designed to make their experience more rewarding.
One key feature of 3D slots is cross-compatibility. Slots that fall into the 3D category can be played on both desktop and mobile devices without any trouble, which is why they are so hugely popular among players. Also, the screens of such mobile devices have a much higher pixel density, which renders the graphics of 3D slots clearer and more pleasing to the eye.
Leading software suppliers like NetEnt have developed 3D slots that run smoothly on smartphones and tablets powered by Windows, iOS and Android, thus providing players with an ultimate experience at all times.
Progressive Slots
Players are likely to find this type of slot in all established online casinos. As the name suggests, such slots have a massive progressive jackpot attached to them, which grows incrementally. A small portion of all players’ bets goes towards the overall pot. When one lucky player wins the life-changing prize, the jackpot starts accumulating all over again from a predetermined amount, called the seed.
Some progressive jackpots are linked only to an individual slot at a single casino. Others are shared between several online gambling operators that utilise the same software.
In essence, there are three types of progressive jackpots: standalone, linked and wide-area.
As far as standalone progressive jackpots go, gambling enthusiasts need to know that they are not tied to other slots and instead are linked to a single game. What this means is that the jackpot will increase only when players place stakes on that particular slot.
Yet the same does not apply to linked jackpots, because in such cases multiple games are joined together. What should be noted, however, is that such games do not necessarily have to be found in the same casino as, on some occasions, they might be spread out across multiple gambling venues operated by the same company.
It is important to note that the jackpot will increase each time players place bets on that particular game. No matter the casino you are playing at, if you happen to hit the jackpot, its value will be returned to its starting point and will begin building up all over again.
It goes without saying that wide-area progressive jackpots are the most alluring ones because they escalate to huge amounts in almost no time.
Gambling enthusiasts can also stumble upon slots that go hand in hand with the so-called flat jackpots. As can be expected from their name, the prizes awarded by such games do not rise and instead remain the same at all times.
It is worth mentioning that progressive slots offer fewer regular wins in order to balance out the potential of someone winning the massive prize. However, this plays a role only in the long term, so your bankroll will not dwindle as quickly as you may think.
All progressive slots share a common feature, called a jackpot meter, which allows players to keep track of the sum that has accumulated at any given moment. This can be rather useful, since players can easily figure out when it is best to join the game.
However, there is one important thing to consider before you decide to give progressive slots a try. Please note that you are required to play with the maximum bet amount if you wish to qualify for the massive prize. If you fail to bet the maximum amount and hit the combination that triggers the jackpot, your payout will be much smaller.
Despite this requirement, progressive slots are well worth your time. In 2015, Microgaming’s Mega Moolah progressive slot even made it to the Guinness World Records when one lucky player triggered the mind-blowing prize of €17,879,645 (or £13,209,300).
Slots that Offer Unconventional Payout Structure and Gameplay
To stay relevant, game-making studios should be rather imaginative and create slots that are instant attention-grabbers. This is exactly the case with the up-and-coming software developer Crazy Tooth Studios, which made its foray into the industry a decade ago.
Obviously, the provider does its best to push boundaries and twist the gameplay and win lines players are well used to seeing in most present-day slots. This becomes evident from its fresh video slot The Incredible Balloon Machine, which allows players to put the unique WiNCREASE™ functionality through its paces. This is by no means an ordinary slot, and players should not expect to see symbols appearing on the reels to complete winning combos. Instead, slot buffs will be required to inflate a balloon using a special machine and should be quick enough to collect the offered prize before the balloon pops.
NetEnt is also looking to grab the attention of players, and back in 2020 the company introduced its INFINIREELS™ mechanic. It was used for the first time in Gods of Gold: INFINIREELS™, which takes players on a wild reel adventure in the Kingdom of Mesopotamia. As they start spinning the reels, players will be presented with a 3×3 reel set-up, but the best thing is that this configuration will change, as the number of reels can grow infinitely.
The play area will be extended whenever a winning combo is formed, and when matching icons emerge together, a new reel will appear on the right-hand side of the game engine, which will hopefully lead to some truly handsome prizes.
Yggdrasil is a game-making studio looking to steal the limelight, and back in 2020 it presented slots that rely on the fresh Splitz and GigaBlox mechanics. In keeping with its intention to present unique slots, the creator unveiled the brand-new Splitz mechanic, thanks to which the winning potential of the games is significantly increased, as is player engagement. Thanks to this mechanic, the winning opportunities these games offer are staggering: when a mystery symbol lands on the reels, it will reveal between three and nine symbols of the same kind.
Temple Stacks is the first game to rely on this novel mechanic, and the provider has announced that more such games will be rolled out soon.
As for the GigaBlox mechanic, it was presented with the aim of replicating the success of the Splitz functionality, and it was used for the first time in Lucky Neko Gigablox™. What is unique about this Asian-themed slot is that its reel size keeps changing with every new game round.
Slot Types Based on the Number of the Reels
Another popular way in which slots are classified is by the number of their reels. The options are plentiful, as gambling aficionados can presently choose from a profusion of classic 3-reel slots, 5-reel games, and many other formats.
Although slots that feature only three reels were the most ubiquitous until recently, 5-reel slots now prevail. Unlike 3-reel slots that are equipped with a single payline or, at most, three paylines, 5-reel slots provide players with multiple winning opportunities, as typically the number of their paylines ranges between nine and well over 1,000.
Slots that have 6 or even 7 reels are not uncommon either. Although such games are not as widely available, especially when compared to 5-reel slots, they have started to pick up steam mainly because they offer a greater number of winning combinations.
Megaways Slots
As far as fan-favourite slot types go, Megaways slots should not be omitted. In essence, such games were rolled out for the first time by Big Time Gaming and quickly enjoyed roaring success. The key feature of these games is that they provide a significantly greater number of ways to win thanks to a random reel modifier.
The role of this random reel modifier is straightforward, as it makes it possible for more icons to pop up on the reels whenever they are set in motion. It goes without saying that this translates into a greater number of winning opportunities, which undoubtedly works to the advantage of players.
Interestingly enough, the first such slot was Dragon Born, but the launch of Bonanza proved to be a game-changer.
Most of the time, these slots have a total of six reels, and up to seven icons can land on each reel.
Winning on such games differs slightly from winning on ordinary slots, because players do not need to land identical icons on a payline to receive a payout. Instead, while playing a Megaways slot, a payout is awarded when matching symbols appear on neighbouring reels, from the leftmost to the rightmost one. Something vital slot lovers should remember is that with such games, the placement and size of the icons on the reels are of no importance in terms of winning.
What further adds to the thrill Megaways slots deliver is that, most of the time, they come with plentiful special features, such as free spins and win multipliers.
High Payout Slots
Slots can also be classified according to their return-to-player rate, or RTP. This rate indicates how much the particular slot will pay back to players, and its value is expressed as a percentage in the paytable of the specific slot. Gambling enthusiasts should know, however, that the RTP of slots indicates not what amount will be paid back per single wager or during one playing session, but over the long run, after hundreds of stakes are placed.
As it turns out, the RTP of slots found in brick-and-mortar casinos is somewhere between 80% and 90%. Yet this is not the case with slots found online, because the RTP of most of them exceeds the 90% mark.
Hunting out a slot with an RTP that exceeds 95% is unlikely to prove challenging, because such games exist in abundance.
Depending on their payback percentage, slots can also be classified as loose, medium or tight. Loose slots often deliver a payback that exceeds 95%. It goes without saying that this is exactly the slot type most gambling aficionados tend to flock to.
In fact, this can be easily explained, because the higher the RTP of a slot is, the smaller the casino advantage will be. For the sake of simplicity, let’s say that the RTP of slots is a reversed house edge. So, if we assume that the slot you have chosen has an RTP of 96.1%, this should indicate that the edge the house will gain over you while you are betting on it will be 3.9%.
Tight slots stand on the opposite end of the spectrum, because they eat up players’ bankrolls but do not hand out prizes that frequently. Yet regulations have introduced a lower limit on the RTP of games.
That being said, sometimes paying attention to the RTP of a game might not be enough, and instead checking how the chosen slot compares to other slots might turn out to be the best approach.
Slots by Their Payout Rate
Many gambling enthusiasts, experienced ones included, fall prey to the misconception that slots are either cold or hot. In spite of the fact that the implementation of Random Number Generators explains why this idea is completely mistaken, many slot lovers still base their decision about which game to bet on after checking whether the slot has provided frequent wins or has not paid out recently.
As you might expect, hot slots are the ones that pay out rather consistently, which is why they attract greater attention. Cold slots, on the other hand, have not paid out for some time, and many players start betting on them in the hope of landing a windfall.
Still, the belief that slots alternate between hot and cold streaks cannot be further from the truth, which is why it is not a good idea to base your choices on that notion.
Types of Slots Bonus Games
It turns out that the creators of gaming content who focus on designing slots are exceptionally imaginative not only when it comes to the themes of the games they introduce, but also regarding their bonus games.
In an attempt to push their boundaries beyond the ordinary and make the experience of players even more thrilling, software providers equip their games with different bonus features that can prove both exciting and rewarding.
With some slots, gambling enthusiasts will be presented with the top prize at random, and only after they have managed to unlock the game’s bonus round. While unlocking the bonus round of some slots guarantees that players will receive a payout, there are also games in which players might be empty-handed when the bonus game ends.
The activation of these bonus rounds takes place as soon as a specific combination of symbols lands on the reels at the same time. It is important to note that, depending on the game, a specific number of special symbols might be needed to enter its bonus rounds. In other cases, however, the bonus rounds will be triggered only if the special symbols show up on chosen reels.
As already mentioned, free spins are one of the most ubiquitous types of bonus rounds. In most instances free spins are awarded when a specific number of scatter symbols land together in the main game.
What is vital to remember is that when gambling aficionados receive their batch of free spins, they will not have the opportunity to alter the bet value or to switch more reels on or off. It is hardly a coincidence that free spins are among the fan-favourite bonus features, because quite often they come with win multipliers that can dramatically boost players’ winnings.
While looking for a slot to bet on, casino enthusiasts might also stumble upon titles that come with spin-the-wheel bonus features. With such games, players will be prompted to set in motion a wheel that has multiple sectors, each promising different prizes. Oftentimes, the rewards players can lay their hands on include free spins, win multipliers or even cash prizes.
Bonus games that contain a skill element have also gained popularity among players. What should be noted about such games, however, is that proper hand-eye coordination is needed to bag a prize. This is exactly the reason why many players draw a parallel between such bonus rounds and video games.
If you are not a total novice in wagering on slots, there is a good chance that you have already stumbled upon titles that come with pick-and-match bonus features. As you might expect, during these bonus rounds, players will be required to pick and reveal different hidden items, and a prize is awarded only after matching two items that are alike.
Oftentimes, the items players need to pick from are hidden within treasure chests, but this is not necessarily the case. Still, the main reason why these bonus rounds continue to turn heads is that they can prove highly profitable.
Finally, many slots come with the so-called pick-to-win bonus rounds. This time, gambling aficionados will be required to select different symbols so that they can reveal the prize hidden behind them. The way in which such bonus games are triggered varies, as they might start at random or after a specific set of symbols appears on the reels. Whatever the case, such bonus rounds can be exceptionally gripping and rewarding.