Why are slots so popular?
Well, playing slots online is simple. The result from each spin is random so there is no element of skill, it’s pure luck. Casino games like blackjack and roulette cannot vary due to the nature of how the game works – with slots, slot providers can change the number of reels, paylines, graphics, animations, theme, bonus features and so much more. This adds excitement as well as giving casino players 1,000s of slots to choose from.
How do you play online slots?
Online slots are very popular because they are easy to play – there’s no skill involved. All you need to do is spin away and hopefully you’ll win. In our detailed reviews, you will read terms such as reels, paylines, wilds, scatters, bonus features, minimum and maximum stakes and return to player % amongst others. Here’s what they briefly mean:
- Reels: this is the number of columns on show – normally online slots have either 3 or 5 with newer slots having 5. Innovation has led to some slots have dozens of reels with more than 1 reel set.
- Paylines: this tells you how many ways to win from each slot. Some slots have just the 1 payline (a classic fruit machine) with MegaWays slots having over half a million (Holy Diver MegaWays).
- Min/Max Stake: this is the minimum and maximum amount it will cost you per spin. You need to choose your stake size (the amount you bet per spin) before playing – its important you play at a stake level you can afford and are comfortable with. If you are new to online slots, start at minimum stakes so you don’t blow your whole bankroll quickly.
- Autoplay: this allows you to spin the slot automatically for a pre-determined number of spins.
- Bonus features: these are extras some slots offer. The most common is free spins where you get a certain amount of free spins.
How do you win playing online slots?
Winning at online slots requires you to form winning combinations – you can do this by getting matching symbols adjacent reels normally. For a standard 5 reel slot, you will normally need to get matching symbols on 3 or more reels. The more valuable the symbols in the winning combinations, the bigger your payout.
Most slots require winning combinations to be formed started from reel 1- this means you need to get matching symbols on reels 1, 2, 3 for a 3 of a kind win. Some slots offer win both ways technology meaning you can get wins with matching symbols beginning from reel 5.
With innovation in slots technology, you now have win all ways slots where matching symbols can appear on any reel position to give you a win. Big Time Gaming’s MegaWays engine has blown the slots market wide open as you can form wins on over half a million paylines.
Are slot machines rigged?
The short answer is no – that’s if you play slots that are regulated and licensed. We only list online slots from reputable providers that have various operating licensed and deploy random number generators. This ensures fairness and transparency. Online slots have a house edge – on average it’s about 95%. For every £100 you stake, you will win back £95 (on average. That gives the online casino a £5 (5%) advantage. You may be a lucky player that wins £1,000s from 1 spin but others will lose to make that win. Across the cycle of a month for example, an online slot will make 5% - who wins and who loses though is random.
What is RTP in slots (Return to Player)?
RTP is Return to Player % - this is the % given back to slots players from a certain slot. As mentioned above, slots have house edge – in land-based casinos the RTP can be as low as 60% whilst it’s about 95% on average for online slots. For £100 you wager on average, you would get back £60 (for 60% RTP) for a land-based slot -playing online (for 95% RTP) would give you £95 back – this is why online slots are better to play that an actual casino. A reason for this is due to the lower overheads for online operations.
What online slots have the best payouts?
As mentioned above, the average RTP% is 95% for online slots – they do vary from as low as 91% up to 99% in some cases. The online slots with the highest Return to Player % include Thunderkick’s 1429 Uncharted Seas (98.6%), NetEnt’s Blood Suckers (98%) and Quickspin’s Big Bad Wolf (97.34%)
What is slots variance?
Slots variance is the risk involved from an online slot game – you’ll hear the term ‘high variance slot’ or ‘low variance slot’ for example. Slot variance is also known as slot volatility. The variance of a slot will affect the gameplay as well as your potential payouts as it contributes to the frequency of winning combinations. Here are definitions of a low, medium and high variance slot:
- High variance slots: high risk, high reward slots where wins are scarce but can be huge. Experienced players tend to favour high variance slots as they are chasing that big life-changing win/payout. Example: NetEnt’s Dead or Alive II
- Medium variance slots: medium risk, medium reward games where top payouts can be of a decent amount and wins are fairly frequent. These are well-balanced slots offering a fine line between gameplay and potential payouts. Example: IGT’s Ghostbusters Plus
- Low variance slots: low risk, low reward slot games that give lots of frequent wins of a smaller size typically. You can win big in these games but it’s highly unlikely. These are best if you are new to playing slots online or are looking to play for a longer period of time. Example: NetEnt’s Starburst.
How do I pick a good online slot?
Despite us reviewing 1,000s of slots, we have our favourites – truth be told, a lot of this comes down to personal opinion. You may be a seasoned player that is looking for a huge win so you play volatile slots (like Bonanza) or you may have played slots in arcades when growing up (so you may prefer low variance games like Rainbow Riches). With so many themes available, you can play superhero slots, ancient Egyptian themes slots, Greek mythology themed slots etc – the possibilities and options and unlimited really.
What is the most popular online slot?
There’s a lot of debate about this in the online slots world – 3 of the
most popular slots ever originate from land-based casinos (IGT’s Cleopatra, Novomatic’s Book of Ra Deluxe and WMS’ Zeus). However, when it comes to online slots, NetEnt’s Starburst or Play ‘N Go’s Book of Dead normally come out on top. All providers don’t share their details so it’s impossible to tell.
Where can I play online slots?
Simply put, online slots can be played at online casinos – we have an Online Casinos section with accredited and
trusted online casinos we’ve played at personally. You can play there safely with no problems at all – many slots are available at most online casinos so picking the right online casino is equally important as finding the slots you love.
Can I play online slots for fun?
Yes! Playing slots for free is important for many reasons:
- Playing slots for free can help you understand how the online slot looks and feels
- Playing for fun gives you the chance to try the bonus features and how much you can win from them
- Playing in demo mode allows you to feel comfortable so you can test the slot without hesitation
- Playing a free play version allows you to see how volatile a slot is and whether it’s for you or not
- It gives you a chance to see if you like the actual slot game
If you are from any country apart from the United Kingdom, free slots will load up when you visit an individual online slot review. If you are in the UK, the Gambling Commission requires players to verify their identity and age in order to play slots online for free or real money. Since this regulation was passed, online casinos and portals such as Online-Slot.co.uk need to conduct age verification checks to ensure the players are of legal age to play (18+). On Online-Slot.co.uk, we use VeriMe to verify your age – simply enter your UK mobile number and reply to the text message. It’s that simple. If you’re outside of the UK, this isn’t required.
Can I play online slots on mobile?
Most slots nowadays are created using HTML5 technology which means that online slots can played on mobile devices – including iOS and Android. Slot games are also available to play on tablet devices as these use the same technology as smartphones. Some slot providers like ELK Studios create ‘mobile first slots’ meaning they cater to players playing online slots on their mobile and tablet devices primarily. With more of us glued to our handheld devices, the trend for mobile slots will just grow meaning better looking slots that fit into smaller screens. Some online slots are available on desktop devices only (i.e. laptops or PCs) but slot providers making them access to mobile devices if they are popular.
What is a progressive jackpot slot?
A progressive jackpot slot is an online slot that comes with a jackpot that rises the more players that play it. Every time you play a progressive jackpot slot, a tiny percentage of all stakes will then feed the jackpot and increasing it. The more players that play, the bigger the jackpot will go. Some of the most popular online slots offer progressive jackpots such as Mega Moolah by Microgaming which paid out €18.9 million in September 2018! Another one to try is
NetEnt’s Mega Fortune which has paid up to €17.8 million before.
You will also find groups of slots with the same progressive jackpots – if you take the DC Comics or Age of the Gods series from Playtech, they have 4 progressive jackpots each whilst offering branded content and superb bonus features. Then you have other types of jackpot slots with jackpots being paid out daily, weekly or when they reach a certain amount.
Finally, there are local progressive jackpot slots – these are slots that offer progressive jackpots at a particular online casino or online casino group. Blueprint Gaming’s Jackpot King network has many slots but each progressive jackpot is ‘local’ to each casino – this is why the amounts vary from online casino to online casino.
What is a wild symbol?
You will hear the term ‘wild’ or ‘wild symbol’ a lot when it comes to online slots. Wilds are like jokers in a deck of cards – they replace or substitute for normal symbols to help your comprise winning combinations. If you were to get 2 matching symbols on reels 1 and 2 as well as a wild symbol on reel 3, the wild would act as the matching symbols to give you a 3 of a kind winning combination.
Wilds have evolved in recent years with many types of wild symbols now featuring in online slots – here’s some of the most popular wilds you can see:
- Expanding wilds – wilds expand to take over reels fully
- Spreading wilds – wilds spread to other reels/positions
- Multiplier wilds – wilds come with multipliers that multiply your wins
- Stacked wilds – wilds are stacked to cover more positions
- Sticky wilds – wilds can become sticky or locked to remain in position
- Duplicating wilds – wilds can even duplicate/replicate for more wilds on the reels
- Colossal wilds – wilds are bigger in size and can be 2x2, 3x3 or even 4x4 in size
What is a scatter symbol?
Another popular type of symbol found in an online slot is the scatter symbol. Scatters are used to unlock bonus features generally with 3 or more usually need to trigger a free spins feature. Scatter symbols normally pay a stake multiplier prize for more free spins awarded the more scatters you get simultaneously on the reels.
