
Slot machines have been immensely popular ever since they were first introduced in the 19th century. From the mechanical one-armed bandits, over the iconic Las Vegas slots, to modern video slots, they have been synonymous with casinos worldwide. Today, slots are responsible for a huge chunk of online casinos’ revenue, up to 70% in some cases. Players enjoy them because they are easy to play and don’t require memorizing complicated strategies like poker or blackjack. You can log in and play a few quick spins anytime. The other reason is accessibility. The rise of mobile technologies allowed us to play them even on our commute or lunch break. Over time, a set of do’s and don’ts have developed that can’t guarantee you a jackpot, will increase your chances of winning and having fun playing.
- Use Free Spins
Free spins are a type of bonus online casinos give to their players. They are easy to obtain, and often don’t even require registration or a deposit. Free spins are an excellent way to try out a game before actually spending money on it. This allows you to test it and see whether you like it. One limitation of free spins is that you can’t withdraw any winning, but you can use them to prolong your play. Depending on a casino, some free spins are limited to one or several games, while others are universal and can be used on any online slot casino offers. Once you are certain that you like the game, you can go ahead and wager real money on it.
- Don’t Miss Out on Jackpots
Some slots offer jackpots worth millions, like the famous Mega Moolah. It is a progressive slot machine and they have been very popular lately. The current record for the biggest jackpot is $21 million, paid out in 2018. However, many of them have bet limitations. To be eligible for a jackpot, you have to bet a maximum number of coins. If you only bet one or two, you can’t win the main prize. Usually, in the four-tier progressive slot, levels are called bronze, silver, gold, and platinum, or some similar names. Only playing the top tier will give you a chance at a jackpot. You can still win regular spins with lower bets, but if you dream about a life-changing jackpot, you need to bet big.
- Don’t Fall for Scams
The Internet is filled with scammers offering guaranteed ways of winning on slots. These solutions most often come in a form of an app or a system that is sure to make the users rich overnight. The first clue just how fake these are is that the people who sell them aren’t using them. If they worked, it would be logical that these people would have made their fortunes already and were enjoying early retirement on some tropical island, instead of peddling them online. There are numerous stories of people who fell for their tricks and paid good money for a bottle of snake oil. Don’t be one of them.
- Complex Game Offer Lower Odds
The general rule is that the more complex a slot is, the lower the odds of winning are. Various bonus rounds, multipliers, additional symbols, and more reels seemingly increase your chances of winning, but that is just a delusion on the players’ part. The truth is that all of that lowers your odds, as you have to get lucky several times in a row. Not to mention that all those complexities lose their appeal fairly quickly, especially with inexperienced players. A simple three-reel slot with a single-line bet will offer a better experience and a chance to enjoy a straightforward game. Of course, this largely boils down to a personal preference, but for new players, we would recommend starting with simple slots and working their way up towards more complex games.
Don’t Count on Certain Wins
With the advent of RTR (Return to Player) percentages, many players feel entitled to winning. Once they don’t get them, they get disappointed and that ruins their experience at the online slots. While it is true that RTR guarantees that a certain percentage of all bets will be given back to players (usually 94% to 96%). It is important to remember the time frame. The RTR is calculated over the lifespan of the game, which can be a long time. So, the true RTR can vary drastically over any give time period. In other words, RTR doesn’t guarantee that you will be the one to reap the benefits. It may easily be the next player who play the same slot, or a previous one. If you go into a game certain that you will win, and you don’t, chances are that you will resent it so much that you will never want to play it again.
- Learn When to Stop
Perhaps the most important tip we can offer you is to learn when to quit for the day. The most common mistake slot players make is stubbornly playing spin after spin even when their luck is clearly absent. This can lead to losses that quickly become unacceptable. Before you know it, you will blow through your entire deposits and left wishing you have stopped playing hours before. Waiting for that one spin that will let you recuperate all your previous losses happens only in movies. A good way to prevent this is to set a limit on how much money you can lose before calling it quits. Some casinos even have this as an option, as a measure to combat gambling addiction and promote responsible gambling. If your casino has it, use it. Set an amount you are comfortable losing before starting a session and stick to it, no matter what.