Recent research shows us that online gambling has increased exponentially in popularity in recent years. The casino sites are in great demand and people can’t just get enough of it. Despite the variety of table games, card games, and bingo-like games, slot machines have remained the most popular among gamblers making up about 70% of online casinos’ revenue, you can check here to (see more).
The software developers are constantly creating new slots with new concepts and features just to monetize their popularity. Every week a new slot game shows up in the lobbies of gambling sites. But it’s almost impossible to know which slot machines are good, and which ones to avoid. You can’t spend days playing all available slots to find the one best.
Theoretically, it would take months even years to accomplish that. That is why we are giving you the ultimate guide to picking the best slots below.
Choosing online slots
Today the casino world offers thousands of slots. You are free to pick and choose the slots you prefer. If you choose to play for fun, there are movie-themed games like the Pirates of the Caribbean, Gladiator, and Superman. There are even cartoon-themed slots and rhyming verses.
Video games are another popular category of themed slots that includes classic titles such as Zuma, Tomb Raider, and Street Fighter. The new games like Call of Duty and Hitman also inspire game designers which are realized as parodies like Call of Fruity. Although the slots are visually stunning, they are not an important criterion in choosing a game to play. If you are playing to win real money you have to look for other tell-tale signs before choosing a slot.
Slot machines are a whole culture in online casinos. In Italy, for example, many people prefer to watch Nine Casino recensioni before playing in an online casino.
Wagering options
Upon launching a slot game, you need to start with placing a bet. But it isn’t recommended you place whatever bet you want. Think carefully, and you will realize you don’t even know the betting options yet. Firstly, they all differ from slot to slot. This variety might confuse new players. So, let’s figure out what, how, and why we need to understand betting options.
Slot machines have a fixed minimum amount of bet available. Usually, it’s 1 cent per line. If you play a slot with 25 pay-lines, then the min bet is 25 cents per spin. That is why some slots, for example by Microgaming, have the option to choose the number of lines. You increase your total bet by increasing this number. However not all providers are like Microgaming, most of them either set a fixed number of 100 or 243 winning lines.
Return to player
If you are a frequent player you already know the importance of RTP, but if you are a newbie this information will be of great importance to you. RTP stands for Return To Player and it describes the amount a slot pays back to the players over a large number of spins, usually expressed as a percentage. The best winning slots usually have an RTP of over 95%, however, it’s not guaranteed that you will win a lot of money. Let’s look at an example if you place a $100 bet on a 95% RTP slot. Then your winning should be $95, and the other $5 goes to the house.
So, RTP is calculated over the whole lifespan of the machine. That means you can get a 120% return during your session, but another player might get only 85%. Your RTP depends on the number of bets made before you started spinning.
Volatility of slots
The concept of volatility appeared recently. It’s not common knowledge so there is a lot of misinformation out there. However, Volatility helps to establish your earnings as it explains the short-term fluctuation of the payout algorithm. You can make it work for you once you understand it.
Some games allow you to choose the level of volatility: low, medium, or high. The medium level applies to most slots. But the high and low levels are rare. High-volatility leads to massive jackpots and big wins. The flip side of these slots is the low frequency of winning outcomes. On the other hand, low-volatility games are a better choice for smaller jackpots and maximum winnings, since winning combinations appear more often than not.
High or low volatility?
It is recommended that you set a high level of volatility if you are likely to spend a lot of money on slots to make the most of it. This does not apply to regular players.
For a relaxed and fun-filled gaming experience, you can choose the low-volatility. So, you won’t have to spend too much time or money on winning these slots. But if your goal is to play all night long and win big, then the high-volatility level would be a smart choice. However, the RTP determines the total number of payouts and the volatility determines the number of spins.
Software developers
Of course, some experienced players usually play slots from their favorite developers. But in the beginning, you can set limits aside and play as many games as you want. Try several software developers to experience all the variations. With time, you’ll have more experience playing slots and then you can develop your winning strategy.
Free mode comes first
The best piece of advice for new players is to start by playing free games. Most casinos offer free games to every visitor. You are not even obligated to register. All you have to do is to launch the free slot and enjoy the game. This is the perfect way to learn gambling and understanding how it works.
Some casino sites also offer free bonuses to beginners. Usually, they offer a number of free spins or a small amount of money. Registration is mandatory to get these bonuses. You can play with the awarded money and even gain bonus cash to withdraw later.
