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Beginners Guide to Playing Online Slots |
Traditional mechanical or electro-mechanical slot machines have been around since the late 1800s. The first machines consisted of no more than twenty symbols on three reels and a single pay-line.
They were considered precious commodity when they first came out, being the first prototype built manually, and only available to local gambling parlors.
If you are interested in the history of traditional slots, you are invited to read our interesting article about
the slot machines history. Enjoy!
They were considered precious commodity when they first came out, being the first prototype built manually, and only available to local gambling parlors.
If you are interested in the history of traditional slots, you are invited to read our interesting article about
the slot machines history. Enjoy!
Slots at the traditional casino
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Nowadays, if you walk into any casino you will see the countless rows of slot machines practically sitting on top of one another.
The selection of slot machine types is just as impressive, ranging from nickel and quarter slots to multiple whole dollar slots as much as $100 per spin. On the right picture: Traditional slots machines at Caesars Palace Casino in Las Vegas, where you can play from 1¢ to $500 on your choice of traditional reel-type slot machines or video reels machines. |
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There are also slots with vast amounts of pay-lines and reels, and others with only a few, similar to the first prototype of the slot machine. The mentioned Caesars Palace casino (and some other land-based casinos) use the so-called "Slot Finder" feature to help players search by slot name, type or denomination and find all visitor's favorite games, easily and fast.
There are many players who believe that slot machines give you the worst average odds of winning in a casino. This is simply not the truth. There is also one myth about slot machines when played at the traditional casino that a particular machine that just gave a big payout will not do so again for a long time. This is simply not the truth.
You should understand that every spin is completely random and we are unable to predict the next spin outcome.
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However, this is the truth that the slot machines played at the traditional casinos will reward you for playing the maximum number of coins, especially when you are playing at a progressive slot machine.
Whether you're playing for fun or aiming for millions, traditional casinos welcome you. However, it's smarter to play slots at online casinos nowadays, due to higher pay-out ratio offered.
On the left picture: The traditional 3-reel slot machines at the land-based casino. |
Playing slots at the online casino
In similar fashion, online slot machines come in many varieties and with special promotions the online casinos use to market them with. Before picking an online casino, a slot gambler should always determine what kind of slot machine they want to play.
One should consider the payout structure of the game itself, as well as any promotions for depositing at the online casino.
How we are going to start our adventure with online slots?
One should consider the payout structure of the game itself, as well as any promotions for depositing at the online casino.
How we are going to start our adventure with online slots?
Please determine your slots gambling budget
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When deciding on what payout structure is best for you, firstly you should determine what your overall gambling bankroll is.
In other words, determine how much money you can afford and are willing to lose right now at this moment. Next break the bankroll down into gambling sessions. If you would like to gamble once a week in a balanced and healthy way, divide the bankroll up into the weekly amounts. Also, please plan on when you would be able to replenish your bankroll in a responsible manner. |
For example, if you want to gamble once a week and have allotted yourself $500 for the entire month, break your five gambling sessions down so that you will wager no more than $100 per weekly session.
At the end of the month, whether you have lost every penny of your bankroll or won a few jackpots, you should be able to replenish/and or not increase your monthly allotment in the same amount as you started the previous month without stressing your cash-flow.
At the end of the month, whether you have lost every penny of your bankroll or won a few jackpots, you should be able to replenish/and or not increase your monthly allotment in the same amount as you started the previous month without stressing your cash-flow.
If you are up very high in profit at the end of the month, then and only then might you increase your bankroll for the new month.
Please do not ever increase your wagers or loss limits while in the middle of a gambling session implementing a pre-budgeted bankroll. For that matter, do the same calculations with your winnings. Once you hit a certain mark, stop betting for the day.
Although this isn't recommended for all games, like blackjack for instance, it is highly recommended for online slot players, who are more susceptible to chance than other casino games.
Please do not ever increase your wagers or loss limits while in the middle of a gambling session implementing a pre-budgeted bankroll. For that matter, do the same calculations with your winnings. Once you hit a certain mark, stop betting for the day.
Although this isn't recommended for all games, like blackjack for instance, it is highly recommended for online slot players, who are more susceptible to chance than other casino games.
Please organize your slots gambling session
Now that you know how much you can afford to lose in the each gambling session, please determine how much you can afford to lose in every spin.
For example, if you would like your gambling session to be one hour at a minimum, and you spin the reel four times per minute that means you spin the reel 240 times per hour.
If your gambling session limit is $100, divide that by 120 and you get 50 cents. That means you should bet no more than 50 cents per spin to meet your target goals.
For example, if you would like your gambling session to be one hour at a minimum, and you spin the reel four times per minute that means you spin the reel 240 times per hour.
If your gambling session limit is $100, divide that by 120 and you get 50 cents. That means you should bet no more than 50 cents per spin to meet your target goals.
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Of course, the calculations shown above are for example only. You should set up your own unique slots session money management system that suit your gaming preferences.
On the left picture: "Dance of the Masai", African theme 5-reel online slots game. At the bottom of every online slots game, you will find the possibility to choose how many pay-lines you wish to play and how much money/coins, you wish to bet per line. This is very important to set up this two mentioned values correctly to stay within your session budget. |
Please determine your playing goal
Every slots player have different goals.
For example, one player play slots for fun, enjoying thrilling game while drinking some beers.
She/he set up to play only one or very few pay-lines and bet the minimum amount of money per pay-line, in order to play longer for less.
Another player play slots seriously, having bigger budget and looking to win some extra money. She/he set up to play 20 pay-lines and bet 20 cents/coins per line, in order to increase chances for some winning spins. However, in this scenario player is going to spend more money while playing.
For example, one player play slots for fun, enjoying thrilling game while drinking some beers.
She/he set up to play only one or very few pay-lines and bet the minimum amount of money per pay-line, in order to play longer for less.
Another player play slots seriously, having bigger budget and looking to win some extra money. She/he set up to play 20 pay-lines and bet 20 cents/coins per line, in order to increase chances for some winning spins. However, in this scenario player is going to spend more money while playing.
The basic types of online slots
You will notice funny names of online slots games when visiting online casino. Some of them are really funny names like Crusade of Fortune, Thrill Spin, Mystery At The Mansion or Robin Hood - Shifting Riches, to name a few.
However, before you start trying out different slot machines, familiarize yourself with the different basic types available in an online casino.
However, before you start trying out different slot machines, familiarize yourself with the different basic types available in an online casino.
3 Reel Slots
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Some players still love the easy-going 3-reel slots (because they have three reels) perhaps because this online slots replicate the traditional slots machines available in the land-based casinos.
The simplest version of this online slots come with a single pay-line or three pay-lines running across three horizontal rows. |
However, we usually see now the 3-reel slots with five pay-lines that run horizontally and two pay-lines run diagonally across three rows of symbols. On the left picture above: "Irish Gold", the example of 3-reel 5-pay-lines online slots game.
The majority of players play this slots for fun. The 3-reel slots have lower wagering requirements usually and winnings are also lower, compared to the other basic types of online slots.
We strongly recommend playing 3-reel online slots for novice players and for people that do not want to spend a lot of money for gambling.
The majority of players play this slots for fun. The 3-reel slots have lower wagering requirements usually and winnings are also lower, compared to the other basic types of online slots.
We strongly recommend playing 3-reel online slots for novice players and for people that do not want to spend a lot of money for gambling.
Video Slots
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Video Slots is a common name for 5-Reel Online Slots that are also known as Multi-Line Slots, because they offer many pay-lines.
Video slots are the majority of the online slots available at the online casinos nowadays and have more paying combinations than 3-reel slots. On the left picture: "Lucky Witch", example of 5-reel 15-lines online slots game. |
The main advantage of video slots is the increased number of pay-lines starting from four pay-lines up to 40 (or even more). In fact, some modern video slots allow you to flexibly choose the number of pay-lines that could be smoothly changed with every spin.
Please correctly set up the number of pay-lines and the amount of money you wish to bet per line. Otherwise, you will discover wagering more money per spin than you planned.
Video slots are really piece of art nowadays that use unique and fantasy graphics, in-play animations, HD background music, and offer many bonus games and free spins give-away.
Please correctly set up the number of pay-lines and the amount of money you wish to bet per line. Otherwise, you will discover wagering more money per spin than you planned.
Video slots are really piece of art nowadays that use unique and fantasy graphics, in-play animations, HD background music, and offer many bonus games and free spins give-away.
Progressive Jackpot Slots
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The progressive slot machine is popular with many avid online slot players. The jackpots are usually in the six figure range, and offer big earnings even on smaller, more frequent winning combos.
On the left picture: Jackpot Poker, the example of progressive jackpot online slots game that use poker card symbols and is very similar to video poker game. |
If you have been perusing online casinos, it is likely you have seen some of the same games with jackpots that seem to be steadily growing. Well, that's because they are. The reason they grow so fast and so big is that progressive games consist of a network of players, often spanning several betting locations.
Every time a bet is made, a certain portion is put into one mass progressive jackpot. And, at the rate the internet reaches so many people at once, there are usually thousands of players on any given progressive slot machine at any given time. That accounts for a whole lot of money to be won.
If you are novice slots player, we recommend that you stay away from the progressive jackpot online machines, until you get some experience and get accustomed with online slots, at all. Please start your journey from the mentioned 3-reel slots and (after some time) jump to video slots. Slowly, you become king of slots!
Every time a bet is made, a certain portion is put into one mass progressive jackpot. And, at the rate the internet reaches so many people at once, there are usually thousands of players on any given progressive slot machine at any given time. That accounts for a whole lot of money to be won.
If you are novice slots player, we recommend that you stay away from the progressive jackpot online machines, until you get some experience and get accustomed with online slots, at all. Please start your journey from the mentioned 3-reel slots and (after some time) jump to video slots. Slowly, you become king of slots!
3D Slots
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3D slots are new development in our slots world. Basically, this is the same game like video slots. However, graphics and animations used in the game are offering 3D effect.
The symbols appear to come out from the TV screen and the animations are unbelievably realistic. On the left picture: Lucky Pirates, the example of 3D online slots game. |
Time will show whether players switch to 3D games or other technology will replace video slots.
The final tips for beginners to slots
- Please stop looking for golden strategy that could make you rich "overnight". Slots are games of chance that are powered by Random Number Generator. It means that every spin is unique one and have nothing to do with the previous spins. You simply need some luck to win!
- It is smart to play slots at online casinos. The reason is simply, online slots offer payout percentage ratio somewhere between 98 to 99%, much higher than at traditional land-based casinos.
- Please do not be afraid to take some time to get accustomed with the particular slots game. It is not shame to play in demo (practise) mode. Play and learn the game, and have fun!
- As mentioned earlier on this page, please implement some kinds of money management and do not gamble all your money in one gaming session. Play responsible and smart way!
- Please read our another article Tips for playing slots smart way. You will find there more advice and tips for online slots players. Enjoy!
Where to play online slots?
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There are many online casinos and online gambling venues that attract slots enthusiasts.
We have done some home-work and could recommend some reputable and quality sites that offer a variety of excellent online slots, for novice and advance players. Please click the link below to visit our special page with some recommendations for you. |