Our Guide to Online Slot Sites
Online casinos are now more concerned than ever about providing an optimal experience for slots players, combining a range of different games with slots-specific bonuses and other cool features specifically aimed at slots players.
What Makes for a Good Online Slots Site
We only recommend slots sites that meet our strict benchmark criteria. Whether that’s because of the sheer number of games they carry, because they offer a wide range of slot game varieties, they have the most up-to-date games from the leading developers, or simply because they offer good bonus contributions on slots games, we review each slots site in-depth so you’re not forced to learn from your mistakes.
Wide Range of Games: The bigger the selection, the better. Access to slots sites with a wide variety of slot games and variations means there’s more for you to play, so you won’t get bored with what’s on offer. Bonus marks go to sites that make it easy for you to navigate their collection by filtering for jackpot type, number of paylines and other criteria.
Up-to-date Game Catalogue: The big game developers like Microgaming casino and NetEnt Casinos are releasing new slots games all the time. We look for casinos that regularly update their games with the latest releases, so you can enjoy a relevant, up-to-date range of different slots.
Good Bonus Contributions: When you’ve accepted a bonus, meeting the playthrough requirements is essential to getting your hands on your winnings. We choose sites that offer a fair bonus contribution from slots play, which often accounts for 100% of your playthrough requirements, so you get the best deal on your bonus.
Trustworthy, Safe Slots Sites: Above all, the sites we recommend must be trustworthy and safe for players, offering an honest, level playing field. You can never be too careful when dealing with online casinos. After all, you’re relying on them to take good care of your money and pay your full winnings in a timely manner. We always make sure that any site earns our trust first before we share it with you.
Different Types of Online Slots
With slots an ever-popular choice at online casinos, operators are expanding their horizons to include a wider range of games. There are a number of different types of online slots you’ll encounter, each with their own unique elements.
Three-Reel Slots – Slots games that are set across 3 reels. Generally, you’re aiming to line up three matching symbols across the reels, with fewer possible paylines making for a simpler game. Ideal for quick spinning and fast wins
Five-Reel Slots – Slots games set across 5 reels are among the most common you’ll find. There may be anything from fewer than a dozen to several hundred paylines in play, depending on the game itself and the size of your bet with each spin. Most progressive slots are 5-reel slots, as with the majority of the big-name video slots games from developers like Microgaming and NetEnt. Playright feature reviews of some of the most popular video slots including Game of Thrones, Starburst, Gonzo’s Quest
Progressive Slots – These are the big guns of the slots world. Progressive slots combine jackpots over multiple different players and different sessions, with each spin contributing to a centralised jackpot. This allows progressive slots to offer jackpots running into the millions – prizes that anyone could win on a single spin.One of the biggest progressive slots is Mega Moolah operated by Microgaming which has jackpots often running at over $6,000,ooo
Mega Slots – Mega slots games are often even bigger than standard progressive slots, sometimes with several progressive prize funds building up at the same time. That’s a recipe for more opportunities to win and bigger prizes when you do strike it lucky.
Fruit Machine/AWP Slots – More akin to the fruit machine you’ll find in the corner of your local bar, AWP-style slots channel the origins of physical slot machines into the world of online slots. A great option for the traditionalists, or for those who know what it takes to win on an old-style fruity.
5 Tips for Playing Online Slots for Real Money
1. Always Bet Maximum Coin Size: Betting with the maximum coin size can give you an advantage in some instances, increasing the likelihood of your next spin winning the jackpot. It’s also the best way to be sure you’re maximising your winnings from every paying spin.
2. Play Within Your Bankroll: Don’t get too carried away, particularly with common features like ‘auto spin’. Set your limit within your bankroll and stick to it. If you win, great. If not, at least you’ve not bet with money you can’t afford to lose.
3. Beware of ‘Gamble’ Features: Some slots games offer up the chance to gamble on a “double or nothing”, or sometimes even “4x or nothing” basis on each winning spin. We typically don’t recommend you use the Gamble feature. Just bank your win from the spin instead, especially if you’ve won a decent amount. It’s simply not worth the additional risk.
4.Check and Compare RTP Percentages: Different slots games are set at different RTP percentages, determining the percentage of all takings paid out to players. So a game with an RTP of 97% is significantly better value for money than a game with an RTP of 87%, meaning you’ll win more money, more often with the higher RTP game. Almost every decent online casino publishes this data, which is determined by the independent agency, eCogra.
5. Use Free Spins To Trial New Games: When you’re offered free spins, use them to try out new games without risking your bankroll before you start playing for money. If you don’t have any free spins for a particular game, playing in demo mode is a good analogue, still giving you the freedom to learn the ropes before you put any of your own money on the line.
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Playing Online Slots for Free – Where and How to Play Slots Online for Fun
Of course, not everyone wants to play online slots for real money – some prefer to play online slots for fun, or to try out new games risk-free before deciding to put their money at stake. Fortunately, there are a number of ways you can enjoy the same high quality real money slots games from the leading game developers without risking any actual money.
Free Spins Bonuses: Free spin bonuses are our favourite way of playing slots for fun. Here, you get the best of both worlds – there’s no risk to you, but all the upside. Anything you win from these free spins is yours to keep, subject to the usual wagering requirements and other conditions. Free spins will usually be limited to certain games and aren’t always available, but when you do come across a recommended free spins bonus it can be a great way to play with no risk and the potential for some cash reward.
Free Play and Demo Games: If you’re looking to play for fun and you don’t have free spins at your disposal, you can still enjoy slot games in free play mode, or in demo mode. Most casinos that offer online slots offer both real and free play modes for you to choose from. At most, you might have to open an account (but not deposit any money). While you won’t win anything other than some virtual money with a free play slot, you certainly won’t lose anything either. This is the ideal way to try out new games, or to test out different features before deciding you want to play for real prizes and put your money on the line.