How to choose the right slot machine?

Slots are growing popular online quickly, and the supply is growing with them. New slots are being made all the time, and a great many different providers release them. Some slots have a classic theme reminiscent of the machines standing in physical casinos, while others are far more elaborate and visually distinctive.

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Fundamentally slots are similar, and yet at the same time very different. The right slot is chosen according to each person's own needs, which are highly individual. But if you don't know how to pick the right slot, this piece goes through the main things to look at. 

Slots — the key facts

Slots are probably the most popular casino games, particularly where casinos online are concerned. We'll go briefly through what these games are, what types of slot there are and how slots work. 

What are slots?

Slots are a type of casino game which, unlike games such as blackjack or poker, differ in that the chances of winning are decided by chance. Slots run on a system of lines and reels, where the player's aim is to spin up a set of matching symbols or a matching row of them. 

Slots have grown very sophisticated, mind. There are a great many variations, and every slot has its own maths. So to understand exactly how slots work you need to read each individual slot's key terms and main rules.

Types of slot

Slots come in a great many types, and casinos online usually group them into categories along those lines so players can more easily find the ones that interest them. Several main types stand out — classic slots, Megaways slots, bonus-buy slots, slots available from age 18 and so on. 

Slots are also grouped by theme: you'll find special categories for Christmas, Valentine's Day, Halloween and the like. Slots are grouped by RTP too — the higher the RTP, the better your chances of a win on that slot.

How do slots work?

Slots work on the random number generation (RNG) principle. It ensures every spin of a slot is entirely random and independent of the spin before. Slots can deliver small wins or large ones, depending on the combination a player manages to spin up. 

Slots have a preset percentage set aside for winnings. That percentage is called the RTP, so players who want better odds are always advised to choose the games with the higher RTP. 

Choosing a slot

Slots vary enormously, so there's no single criterion for picking the one you want. But players should look at factors such as RTP, a slot's volatility, its bonus features, and the minimum and maximum stakes. And if it matters to you, don't overlook the slot's theme and design either. 

RTP

Every slot has its own RTP percentage. The higher it is, the better a player's chances of winning. For that reason, any player looking not simply to pass the time enjoyably but to win money is advised to look at the games with the highest RTP. 

Such games are usually easy enough to find, since casinos online normally have a separate game category for slots with a higher RTP. Slots counted as high-RTP are those whose RTP percentage reaches 96.

Slot volatility

Slots have different volatility. They're sorted into low, medium and high volatility levels. The risk level shows how often wins come and how large they're likely to be. 

Low-volatility games make it more likely you'll spin up a win, but the wins are usually smaller; in medium-volatility games wins come less often but vary in size. High-volatility games, meanwhile, pay out fairly rarely but for more, so players who want to spin up large sums often go for high-volatility titles.

Bonus features and special symbols

Most slots have special symbols. Usually you need to spin up three of them, though on some slots the number is higher. Spinning up the special symbols earns a player extra free spins, where bigger wins or other valuable prizes are within reach. 

Bonus-buy features have grown very popular of late, letting you pay a set fee to buy the bonus spins outright rather than waiting to spin up the special symbols. The feature is hugely popular, so if you're impatient and don't want to wait for the special symbols, games with a bonus-buy option are well worth considering.

Minimum and maximum stakes

Slots have different minimum and maximum stakes. Some have very low minimums, starting from as little as a cent, though usually the minimum is 10 or 20 euro cents. As for the maximum, it can run to a hundred or even several hundred euros, depending on the particular game and provider. 

It's worth noting that some casinos cap maximum slot stakes themselves, wary of the risk that players spinning for very large sums will land striking wins. When choosing a slot, decide what size of stake you're planning and then check that the slot you're considering actually lets you spin for that amount. 

Theme and design — do they matter?

Slots come with different themes and designs. Fundamentally all slots are somewhat alike, but some players enjoy particular themes with distinctive music and high-quality graphics. None of that improves your chances of winning, but it can deepen your engagement and improve the playing experience. 

Whether these factors matter is for each player to decide, but if you want distinctive games with an interesting, unusual story behind them, it really is worth choosing a slot whose theme and design appeal to you. 

The most popular slot providers

Slots are hugely popular, so a great many companies make them. Below we describe several whose slots have been especially popular in recent years. 

Pragmatic Play

This provider's slots are probably the most popular in the world. Pragmatic Play is known for a very wide game selection, from classic machines to modern titles with all sorts of features. Pragmatic Play made its name with bonus-buy slots, having been among the first to offer the feature. Especially popular Pragmatic Play slots include Gates of Olympus, Sweet Bonanza, The Dog House and others.

Play'n GO

Another hugely popular slot provider, known for very creative themes and high RTP ratings. These games have an absorbing feel to them, so players who go for Play'n GO titles usually stay with them for a long time. Play'n GO's calling cards are slots such as Book of Dead and Reactoonz. 

Novomatic

Players who have been playing slots for years will know Novomatic's games very well, as it's one of the longest-established slot providers in the gambling industry. Most Novomatic games are marked by simplicity and a retro style, and they're hugely popular in Europe. Novomatic's best-known slot series is probably the Book of Ra games, of which the provider has made a fair few.

NetEnt

This provider's games were especially popular a few years ago. Although NetEnt has slipped out of the front rank lately, it still has a very large fan base worldwide. NetEnt slots stand out for distinctive graphics, high-quality animation and interesting features. Well-known NetEnt games include Starburst, Gonzo's Quest and Dead or Alive. 

Tips and strategies for playing slots

Slots are not only a chance to win money but an activity carrying the risk of losing your own. For that reason slots have to be played responsibly. It isn't just a matter of picking the slot or slots you want, but of managing your slots budget carefully. Keep a close eye, too, on whether slots are drawing you in too far. 

If you can't stop playing a particular slot, we'd recommend switching to another, and if you see a bigger problem, it's worth taking a break from gambling altogether. 

New players are advised to start with simpler slots, since they're more straightforward. Once you've fully got to grips with how simple slots work, you can move on to more complex ones. The main thing is to understand properly how a slot works, since that will let you play more responsibly. 

Where can you play slots online?

Slots are very widely available online. A great many casino online operators offer them. If variety is what you're after, you'll want to choose the casinos with the largest slot selection. 

Check that the slot provider you're interested in really is at the casino you've picked. Check too whether it supports VPN use, since that opens up even more games. When choosing where to play slots online, weigh up factors such as casino bonuses — in South Africa, for instance, online casino games aren't licensed at all, so slots can only be played with bonuses at offshore online casinos. 

If you're planning to play for large sums, check what maximum slot spins the particular casino accepts. You should also note the deposit and withdrawal limits, since casinos with a relatively low monthly or weekly payout limit can take quite a long time to pay out a large win. 

Summary

Slots are growing steadily more popular, and that means a far larger supply. Slots are similar in how they work, but at the same time they have different features, so there's no single formula for picking the one that suits you best. Bear in mind that different types of slot exist, so give some thought to which type suits you. 

You also need to consider factors such as RTP, a slot's volatility, its bonus features, and the minimum and maximum stakes. If you're the kind of player who gets more out of slots with a distinctive theme and design, then choose exactly those. A great many different providers make slots. 

The best known are providers such as Pragmatic Play and Play'n GO. It's important to choose not only your slots carefully but to approach the playing itself responsibly. And when choosing the online casino where you'll play slots, weigh up factors such as the game selection and the features on offer.