If you are new to video slots online this FAQ will clear up some of the most common questions you might have about how to play slots, what various game terms mean, and how the different slots bonuses work.
Q. What is a video slot? Are they different from physical slots machines?
A video slot is just an online version of a traditional slot machine. If you have ever popped some coins in and spun the reels on a slot machine in Vegas or at the bar, then you already know how slot games work.
Video slots are exactly the same. The aim is to match symbols across winning paylines.
Q. What are the main differences between the thousands of slots online?
Some things to look out for when picking a slot game to play are the number of paylines (ways to win), the minimum and maximum cost per spin, and the extra features the video slot in questions has.
With regards extra features, some common ones are pick ‘em bonus rounds where you will pick symbols for hidden instant cash prizes, and free spins bonus rounds, often with multipliers to make any wins bigger.
Q. What is the meaning of ‘coins’ in slot games?
The cost of each spin is denominated in coins in most online slot machines. You decide the value of the coins before you spin. You can normally alter this somewhere along the bottom bar of the game or elsewhere on the screen. This coin value, combined with the number of active paylines, determines the total value of the bet. If you find that confusing, try playing with a free spins bonus before betting for real money and have a fiddle with the various slot game settings.
Either way, the total bet value is almost always available on the game screen before you click spin.
Q. How does a free spins bonus round work?
Free spins rounds are triggered by getting a pre-set combination of symbols on the reels. This combination will vary from game to game, but you can always find out by looking at the game information screen available in almost all games.
When a free spins round is triggered, you play for a set number of spins free of charge. Anything you win will be added to your total balance, and in some slots anything you win will be multiplied. We have seen plenty of slots where wins during free spins rounds are multiplied by as much as x5.
Q. Are there any effective strategies? Can slots be beaten?
Slots are totally a game of luck, and if you think of it from a perspective of trying to win slots by gaming the system, then no, you will not be able to do this.
However, there are some common sense slots tips which if followed, can definitely lead to more frequent wins. Don’t blow your entire bankroll on a few high-value spins, do bet bigger when you can sense a winning streak (something all experienced slots players know), and definitely do play slot games with progressive jackpots. If you’re going to play, it might as well be for the chance to win millions.
Also, pick games with a high RTP percentage. This means the overall return to player over a long enough timeline. Great slots pay back in and around 96-97%. Anything less than this is worth avoiding, and the higher the better. You can usually find this information out either within the game itself, or by asking the casino support team. If they can’t provide it, it’s probably best to avoid that casino altogether.
Q. How do you win slots jackpots?
Again, this will vary from game to game, but the most common way is to get five high-value symbols across the reels. For example, in Jackpot Giant, a hugely popular progressive jackpot slot from Playtech, you win the biggest jackpot by getting five ‘wild’ symbols across a payline.
Q. What is a progressive jackpot and how are these won?
Progressive jackpot slots offer some of the biggest prizes online, since the jackpots are pooled from multiple interlinked machines and the longer nobody wins, the bigger the jackpot gets.
You can win progressive jackpots in a variety of ways. In some games you simply need to get five symbols across a winning payline, while in other there will be some sort of bonus round. For example, in Mega Moolah by Microgaming, you will enter a bonus wheel round which plays like Wheel of Fortune. You spin it, and you have the opportunity to win one of four progressive jackpots.
Progressive jackpots can be massive beyond belief. Tens of millions have been won on a single spin by many lucky players since online slot games first became available.
Q. What are slots bonuses and how are they redeemed?
Slots bonuses come in different shapes and forms, but the most common type is the free spins bonus.
As is probably obvious from the name, these bonuses allow you to spin for free. They can be given when you first register as a new player at an online casino, or as a loyalty bonus for regular play, or as part of an ongoing promotion at a slots casino.
There are two types of free spins casino bonus. No deposit bonuses require nothing other than registration and are designed to let you try a casino for free. Deposit bonus free spins come after you make a deposit at a casino and play with that cash.
Q. What are the key game terms related to slots?
We recommend checking out our slots glossary here. Bookmark it and refer back to it as needed. You will find all of the game terms related to slots covered there with simple, easy to understand explanations and examples.
Q. What are the best slot games online?
There are literally tens of thousands of online video slots. Pinpointing the absolute best will depend on player preference. What we can tell you is there are certain well-known companies which have stellar reputations for creating world-class games. Look out for Playtech slots, Microgaming slots, and NetEnt slots for the best of the best.
