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Online slots guide

Read our Ultimate Online Slots Guide and Learn How to Improve Your Chance to Win at Online Slots

Millions of people around the world enjoy playing at online casinos. No other casino game enjoys the same amount of popularity as online slots do. Although the game has basically stayed the same after it was created in the end of the 19th century it is still a gamblers true favourite.

Online slots are one of the biggest and most well-known category of games. Some people tend to think that this is the easiest game category – simply click the button and see if stroke of luck befalls you. However,  players can benefit from knowing a bit more about a slot game and its features. Here is where our online slots guide comes in handy.

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– For more reviews visit our Online Casino Reviews page.

– If you want to dig deeper, then see below and read about the terminology and strategies to increase your winning potential.

Our online slots guide shows the anatomy of slots

In order to display the results of a spin slots still use reels. There are usually either 3 or 5 wheels in a slot game. The fact that the results are generated randomly by computers haven`t changed that. The same thing applies for the math. Although the basics are the same, modern online slot games do have a lot more features, bonuses and mind-blowing graphics. Something the machine versions could never have had.

Use our online slots guide as a RNG explainer

Random Number Generator or the RNG is one thing that all fair slots have in common. This is what makes the reels stop in a random position and decides if and how much you win during a spin. Basically, it guarantees that a certain game will always give the same result with the same number.

How does RNG make it random?

  1. At first in generates a random number
  2. After that the slots algorithm calculates at which point the reels should stop
  3. The reels stop and the games mathematical algorithm calculates the winning based on the reels` positions
  4. The results are shown to the player

When it comes to slots, everything is determined by pure luck. The result of one spin does not take into account the previous one and is 100% independent. It`s as flipping a coin – you can`t alter the results no matter what you do.

Myth Buster Tip: The results of a single spin are never influenced by previous winnings or losses. Nor are they influenced by the ones to come. They results can`t be predicted as some people believe.

By now you are probably wondering how do these RNG-s work. Well let`s make it clear then. They are hardware devices. Basically, like computers but their only job is to generate random numbers. How do they do that? Well, they use electromagnetic noise. It can be easily explained by using an old television set as an example. Just take a picture of an old tv that does not have a signal. What do you get? A series of dots painted black and white. The black means 0 and the white means 1. Count them and you get your random number.

If you didn`t understand the above, then don`t worry. You are not in an any position of disadvantage if you don`t know how RNG-s work. The only thing you should understand is the fact that RNG-s make online slots fair.

random number generator for gambling

An example of a RNG.

How do online casinos make a profit?

The fact that slot games are fair doesn`t mean that casinos don`t make money off them. Of course, they do. It is written into the algorithm of slots that they pay out less than people put into them. In the long term. This doesn`t mean that you can`t win in slots. Of course, you can. But if you play thousands of spins then you will probably lose. Even if you don`t then someone else will and casinos still show a profit. So pay attention and read our online slot guide carefully.

Online slots have designed so that Theoretical Return to Player or the RTP is smaller than what you put in. Let`s imagine that you have 100€ in your casino wallet and you decide to make 100 spins with it in a popular slot game. Before you start grinding you check out the slot games information tab where it shows that the RTP of this particular slot is 98,5%. Cool, so what you ask? Well, this means that in the long run when you make 100 spins of 1€, you will end up with 98,5€. This is how casinos make their profit.

Casinoorc.com Tip: Choose a slot game with the highest possible RTP and you get more for your money in the long term.

Our online slots guide reveals myths about slots

This is our favorite topic. There is nothing more entertaining than different myths of gambling.

“Slots don`t pay out after a big hit and they pay more when there hasn`t been a big win a long time”.

As we explained above, each and every spin is totally random. It does not care if a jackpot was hit during the last one or not. It is just as likely to hit that jackpot as what when it fell during the last spin. Just the jackpot itself will probably be a lot smaller ;).

“Online slots have programmed to have hot and cold streaks”.

Well…NO, they are not. You see how the main theme aligns with the previous ones. The superstitions of gamblers are all related to some kind of a higher power that does not let them win. And many of them come from a previous experience of an individual spreaded among gamblers as long as they become myths.

“You can`t do anything to increase your chances of winning in slots”.

Wrong! Pick a slot with a higher RTP and you will lose less in the long term. Thus have a greater chance of winning. Isn`t our online slots guide useful to read?

How does a spin of a slot game take place?

The casino usually don`t make their own slot games. The games are developed by game providers who are totally different companies. These companies sell the rights of their games to operators who can then add these games to their portfolio. That is why you can play your favourite slot in many casinos.

If you like slots you have probably heard of Starburst. The famous slot game was developed by Netent and has become a household name for slot lovers. Why? Well no one really knows. The game itself is rather simple and doesn`t have a lot of special features but there is something that players love. Many have tried to copy it but with little success.

The way a slot game operates is as follows:

  1. After the game is launched by a player a gaming session is started by the casino.
  2. Your Internet browser then starts interacting with game servers, not with the online casino you are playing in.
  3. The RNG is also provided by the developer company.
  4. The only thing the casino does is confirming your bets and collecting data about your results from the provider.

Guide to online slots terminology

Common Online Slot Terms
Online slots are easy to play but they do have a variety of specified terminology that some people don’t know. Online slot games become more and more popular, so below you can find a list of the most common slot machine terms.

  • Blank
    Blanks are spaces between the various icons. These make it tougher for players to hit successful groupings.
  • Bonus
    Bonuses are all the features within a slot game, excluding the basic payline mechanic.
  • Bonus Round
    Bonus Round is a separate activity from normal play. It is a special feature offering players the chance to increase their winnings. The credits and free spins you can win in this round are added to your totals.
  • Coin Size
    Coin size is the value of the placed bet.
  • Credit meter
    Credit meter is a display on the screen of an online slot game which tells you the number of game credits one has left at any point of time.
  • Comps
    These are the rewards given to online slot players. Comps may include free meals, holiday tickets etc.
  • Jackpot
    Jackpot is the largest possible pay-out.
  • Onesies
    It’s a slang commonly used for players who play one coin at a time
  • Pay table
    It is a term used to refer to the table that displays all the potential pay-outs in a specific online slot game. It is wise to check out the pay table as a first step before you begin playing any slot.
  • Payline
    To win, you need to land matching symbols on a pay line. It’s normal for different slot games to have different numbers of pay lines, ranging from 1 to 100.
  • Reels
    The term refers to horizontal columns that are an integral part of slot games. Each slot has an odd number of reels 3, 5 or 7. Player makes their wager, press the spin button and the reels turn independently. After the reels come to a stop, it will be revealed if the player has won or lost.
  • Scatter Symbol
    Scatter symbols work in many ways. The scatter symbol is basically a key to unlocking various fun bonus features designed within a slot game. Unlike symbols that have to be lined up on a pay line to win anything, the scatter just has to appear on the reels to open up free spins or other bonuses.

So what should we take from all of this information from our online slots guide?

Well the most important thing is that if you end up losing a lot then the casino nor the provider is never the one responsible. It is just bad luck because games like Starburst  can never be tweaked or hacked. If it is fair you want then with these games it is basically guaranteed. Whether or not a casino pays you out is another thing. That is why we urge you to use our list of casino reviews, where you can filter casinos by their credibility rating. Using this for finding an online casino, is the best way to put yourself in the safest possible position to collect your winnings after a big hit.

Volatility and RTP of online slots

Theoretical Return to Player (RTP) and volatility or variance are the 2 most important characteristics of an online slot game. These mathematical numbers show you how much you get paid and how often.

Theoretical Return to Player

RTP means how much money you will get back in the long term. What does it mean? Well it means that if you made 100 spins with a bet of 1€ and the RTP of a slot game is 98% then you get back 98€ after the spins have been completed. Of course this applies in theory. In practice you might be having a hot streak and win with your 100 spins. In order for the long run to play out one must make millions of spins and only then the RTP will show its real results.

Volatility/Variance

Here our online slots guide shows the strategy of winning.

Volatility shows you how often you win. Games with higher volatility have higher variance. So in these games you will hit winning combinations in fewer times but when you do hit then the win is bigger.

Leaving lottery aside, slots are the most volatile gambling types there are. That is why their jackpots are also the biggest. If you like playing high volatile games, then our online slots guide gives you a couple of tricks you could use in order to increase the variance of slot games.

  1. You can change the paylines to minimum. That will set your bet for a single payline to maximum so the wins will be bigger but happen less frequently.
  2. If a slot game allows, then you can use the double up button after the win. This does not alter the games RTP but will raise the variance.

All time 10 best online slots to play

Welcome to our list of the 10 most popular online slots games! Below you can find a brief guide to online slots that you should try at least once.

Starburst

starburst

Probably the most popular online slot in the world! 

As mentioned in previous chapter in our online slot guide, Starburst is one of the most popular online slots of all time. Starburst has a classic feel with stunning graphics. Its` features give you chances of huge pay-outs. Fair RTP of over 96% and generous jackpots ensure frequent wins for slot players.

Gonzo’s Quest

gonzos_quest

Get ready for big wins!

If you were to ask experienced players what are five of the best slots of all time, we would bet that most of them would name Gonzo’s Quest by NetEnt among those five. Gonzo’s Quest is a journey of discovery to find the lost city of Eldorado. The game’s key symbols are all inspired by Mayan legend. The 20-pay line slot carries an RTP of 96.00%

Wild Toro 2

online_slots

Wild Toro 2 is a cartoonish bullfighting-themed slot.

Wild Toro is a popular name in the Elk Studios collection. The first original version of the game became an instant hit. It has a fun theme, great visuals and beneficial bonus rounds. So, the designers have treated us with a new version to this slot game. It has become a new top online & mobile slot from 2022.

Sevens and Fruits

online_slots_seven_and_fruits

The reels are dominated by Sevens and Fruits.

The slots game is a very classic online slot. It provides a fair game-play with the minimum of fuss. There’s nothing particularly special about this the game. There are no massive thrills, but neither does it bring any spills and it has a high RTP of just under 96%.

Sunny Fruits: Hold and Win

fruits_online_slots

The Sun and the Fruits make it fun!

The slots game is an exciting fruit-themed slot from Playson.  What makes the game unique is the fact that it combines the classic fruit theme with the hold-and-win mechanism. It takes place across 5 reels, 3 rows and 10 paylines. The design is rather straightforward, nothing fancy. The RTP is set at 95.05%, which is a little bit less than the average online slots.

Action Joker

action_joker

A classic theme with fruits and other similar symbols.

This is a very classic simple slot game, where action is based on the thrill of five reels. It has colourful symbols and simple bonuses and is highly entertaining and friendly to all types of players. Action Joker’s RTP is 95.2%.

Roaring Forties

roaring_forties

This one has all you need!

Again, it’s a simple classic slot of the type we’ve mentioned before, with few features and an easy design. It has a retro feel and has an RTP of just under 95.5%.

Xtra Hot

xtra_hot

A fiery online slot!

Xtra Hot is a video slot game from Novomatic that is a perfect combination of a classic fruity slot and a modern slot. Xtra Hot is designed to resemble a classic slot machine. It is more of an old-school-style slots. Xtra Hot is simple enough with good return of money. It has RTP of 95.24%

Tarzan

tarzan

A very well crafted game, to play.

Microgaming has developed online casino games since the start of the internet and it seems that they know exactly what they are doing. Tarzan is a cartoonish slot and its’ multiple bonus features bump up one’s earnings on every spin. The jungle theme and antics of Tarzan are an excellent fit for an online slot adaption. It is a great slot to try out at least once with a RTP of 96,48%.

Goblin’s Cave

Coblins_Cave-Game

 The game is super fun!

Goblins Cave is a treasure-themed three-reel online slot with plenty of exciting twists with a RTP 96 %.

We hope this article was enough for you to learn the basics of online slots. If you wish to dig any further, then please read our Online Casino Guide.