Slot machines or video slots occupy a large part of the game selection in almost every online casino. Video slots come in hundreds, maybe thousands of variations.
But what exactly are video slots, how do they work and how can you win? You can read all that and much more about the most popular online casino games, video slots, on this page.
Video slots are the online versions of slot machines as you know them from the casino, arcade, pub or snack bar. Slot machine, fruit machine, one-armed bandit, they all have the same name.
Online versions of these slot machines have been around since 1995 and are called slots or video games. The main difference is that with video slots there are more animations to be seen and the slots look a lot more modern than the slot machines of old.
Moreover, the payout percentage on video slots is almost always higher than the slots in land-based casinos and gaming halls. These slots in fact often have a payout percentage between 80% and 92%. Online video slots have an average RTP (Return to Player), or payout percentage of 95%, which is much higher.
Random Number Generator
The outcome of a video slot is determined by a Random Number Generator. These are programs or computer hardware that generate a random number by means of an algorithm. This number determines the outcome of every spin on the video slot. The Random Number Generators are regularly checked and are also virtually impossible to hack.
Most online casinos do not release their games in-house but use software providers to do so. The casino is the provider of the slots, but has no influence on the course of the game.At each spin you connect to the central server of the software provider and not the casino.
The spin puts the Random Number Generator to work, which determines whether and how much you win. You don’t notice anything of this, you only see the animations on your chosen slot and any winnings are added to your account.
Since slots come in hundreds of themes and almost every slot offers something unique, these games are extremely popular in every casino. There are many different winning features, soundtracks and animations so there is a great video slot for every type of player.
How to play video slots?
One of the reasons slots are so popular is that they are so easy to play. Even if you don’t know how to win on a slot, you will see for yourself if you win or not. There are several ways to win at slots. Still, the goal is to find several of the same symbols in a certain order or close together.
Classic slots often have three reels and three rows so that there is a grid of nine squares. Winning is then done by finding combinations of three of the same symbols on a payline. These winning lines often run from left to right but also diagonally. It is also possible that other combinations are winning or that the winning lines run slightly differently. Each slot has an information screen where you can see the winning combinations and the game rules.
Betting
Before you start playing video slots, it is important that you decide on your bet. Again the betting options may differ per slot. For example you often have the possibility to set a value per payline and also to choose on how many paylines you play. If you play with € 0.10 per payline and you play every spin on five paylines, then you bet € 0.50 per spin.
There are also slots that don’t let you bet per payline but require a fixed bet per spin. Another betting option is to set a bet level. These act as multipliers on your bet. Suppose you are playing with € 0.25 per spin and level (betting level) 1, then you are betting € 0.25 per spin. If you choose level 2 with the same bet, each spin will cost you 2* € 0.25 = € 0.50,
Playing on a video slot
After determining your bet you can get to work. The most important button is the Spin button. Spin stands for spin. By clicking on this button you put the slot to work and the reels start spinning with your chosen bet. As soon as you have a winning combination of symbols on one of the chosen paylines, you win.
A video slot machine or progressive jackpot slots have different symbols, each of which appears more or less often on the reels. This means that you win more with a combination of “rare” symbols than with a combination of common characters. The higher your bet is, the more you win, of course. However, placing more bets means that your balance can go down hard.
With the Spin button you repeat your bet and set the slot in motion. You don’t have to set your bet each time, this happens automatically. However, you do have the option to adjust your bet per spin. You can also let the slot run automatically. You do this with the autoplay function. This option ensures that you do not have to click “spin” every time and that the reels will spin again after each spin. This feature also often allows you to stop when you’ve won or lost a certain amount.
Winning on a slot
Because there are so many different slots, there are also many different possibilities of winning. Each slot has different features, bonus games and symbols. It is therefore impossible to explain exactly how you can win at a video slot. However, there is a general rule you can follow. Most slots pay out when you have three of the same symbols on a payline. Sometimes you win with two of the same symbols, while other slots require four. It all depends on the rules of the game. Play some of the best video slots online:
- Casino Rewards 20 Years Celebration
- Casino Rewards Treasure Quest
- Casino Rewards Midnight Assassin
- Casino Rewards Hyper Strike
- Casino Rewards Roar Of Thunder
- Casino Rewards VIP Slot
- Casino Rewards Millionaires Club
- Casino Rewards Immortal Creatures
There are also slots that don’t work with fixed paylines. With these you can win, for example, if multiple symbols are criss-crossed on the slot. These kind of slots are called Win All Ways. The Megaways series from Big Time Gaming is a good example of this.
By the way, you don’t only win with three or more of the exact same symbols, there are also other characters that can give you a hand with this. These are “wild” symbols. If you encounter these on the slot, they will help you make a winning combination. This is because a wild symbol can transform into another symbol. Suppose you have a seven on the first reel and the third reel, with a wild in between.
This wild counts as seven and you have a winning combination of three sevens. It’s not for nothing that a wild symbol is the favorite symbol for many players. The only exception is that wild symbols cannot become bonus symbols. Therefore, you will not be able to unlock a bonus game with a wild.
Want to know exactly how you can win on a particular slot? Then take a good look at the paytable and the win lines, so you can see exactly how you can win on a slot.