More people play slot machines than any other game in the casino, and it’s no wonder why. These easy-to-play games require very little learning upfront and offer bigger payouts than what you’d find with table games. Combine that with how entertaining the themes are, and it’s clear why more and more people are choosing to play slots online in casinos.
While luck is the backbone of all slot machines, there are ways to maximize your chance of success. We’ll go over five factors to take into account when crafting the perfect online slot strategies.
Set Your Bankroll
The fastest way to rip through your bankroll is to not set a budget before starting your session. Ebbs and flows are a natural part of playing online slots some sessions will be incredibly fruitful, while others will seem like a drag. Setting limits protects you from losing streaks, ensuring that you can continue your hunt for a jackpot in future sessions.
In order to set a bankroll budget, determine how much money you want to dedicate to a session of slots. Then, divide that by the amount of money you want to spend per round. You’ll be left with the total number of rounds you can play. For example, a $300 stake divided by $5 rounds gives you 60 spins.
The Role of Probability in Online Slots
Every time you spin the reels of a slot machine, the odds of successfully landing a winning line depends on the machine’s probability. Often expressed as the Return to Player, probability is what’s left over when you deduct the game’s house edge from 100% of the wager input.
There’s no universal slot probability. Every game has its own unique probability that depends on the following factors:
- Number of reels
- Number of symbols assigned to the reels
- Number of winning patterns
Doing some preliminary research on slot game RTP will help you narrow down games that pay out more than average—this is the core takeaway of slots strategies. Some new games do include this information right on the paytable. For example, our newest addition, Genie's Gifts, reveals a 95% Return to Player probability on its paytable, meaning, on average, over the long run, you will theoretically win 95 cents for every dollar bet. The longer you play, the more accurate the RTP will be.
3. How to Calculate the probability of Winning an Online Slot
Comparing the total number of combinations with the number of winning combinations can provide a basc idea of win probability, without taking into account bonus features. In order to do this, you need to take the total number of symbols in a game and multiply it once for every reel. For example, 5X Wins, one of our most popular slot games, has eight symbols and three reels, so the equation would be:
8 x 8 x 8 = 512
In the paytable, there are 62 winning combinations listed: three 5X, three sevens for each color, three of each BAR symbol, three cherries, and 27 potential wins for mixed sevens along with another 27 potential wins for mixed BAR icons.
Out of the 512 possible combinations, 62 will trigger a profit, not withstanding wilds, scatters and other bonus features. This rudimentary equation can provide some basic insight into the probability of winning any given slot.
Why Are Paylines so Important?
Most slot machines use paylines to organize wins. Matching icons must land side by side on a payline, starting on the first reel and moving to the right (unless stated otherwise in the rules). For that reason, the more paylines included in a game, the faster and more exciting your gameplay will be.
To get a feel for playing with varying numbers of paylines, pull up the game Golden Gorilla. It has 50 paylines and you can choose how many you want to enable for your slot session. When you play with just one payline, the play is much slower than it is with all 50 lines.
Not only is the gameplay slower with fewer paylines activated, certain bonus features lose their punch when you reduce the number of paylines. For example, expanding wilds can’t expand when playing with just one line. They essentially become standard wilds in this case.
One bonus feature not affected by paylines is the scatter symbol. Scatters do not need to land on paylines to trigger their bonus, so even if you enable just one payline, they can still trigger their bonus when they land anywhere on the reels.
Slot Games with Excellent Bonus Rounds
There’s no better feeling than landing the three scatters needed to trigger a slot machine’s bonus round. Without having to stake a penny, you’re brought to a new screen with one goal: collect as much cash as possible. The quality of the bonus round can be assessed through both the earning capacity and general enjoyment. With that in mind, the following three games are among the best slot machines to play for bonus rounds.
Heroes’ Realm
You’re up against sinister skeletons in this 3-reel, 1-line slot’s bonus round. Pick one of two heroes, and you’ll be brought to a Nintendo-inspired game screen, where you fight skeletons that are attacking settlements. Every skeleton you destroy earns you coins. Beware of the big boss at the very end.
Rock On
Not only does this game offer one of the highest RTPs, it also has a killer bonus round that lets you rock out on an electric guitar in exchange for coins. The crowd will go nuts, but you have to stay focused because the more notes you get right, the more you get paid.
Another game that rates high in both RTP and excitement is Code Name: Jackpot. Triggering three or more Bonus scatters triggers the game’s Vault Bonus Round. Suspended above a vault, you need to destroy the correct laser button, collecting lots of coins with every accurate guess. Pick wrong, and the cops will show up.
Code Name: Jackpot
The best way to win at slots is to play the right slots. Choose games with a high Return to Player and solid bonus features, and as long as you stay within your bankroll budget, you’ll have a chance to reel in some solid payouts.