Online slots are the most played category at every online casino. Thanks to the fact that they have pretty straightforward gameplay and feature tons of fantastic rewards, they are appealing to both newbies and more experienced players.
Understanding how online slots work is of massive importance if you want to have the most pleasant gaming experience and maybe, win a decent reward. Of course, rewards are not guaranteed here due to the fact that these games are based on luck, rather than skill. With that being said, let’s take a look at everything there is to know about online slots.
Online Slots – The Mechanics
First of all, let’s start with the grid. A majority of online slots have a 5×3 grid, meaning that they contain 5 reels and 3 rows. However, game providers are known for their innovative approach which is why you can come across slots with various numbers of reels and rows.
When it comes to the paytable, each slot has a specific number of regular symbols that will help you form winning combinations. Winning combinations are won on the featured paylines, which can be fixed or adjustable. The number of paylines depends on the slot and its grid. Up until recently, winning combinations could’ve been formed from left to right, right to left, or both ways. These days, new mechanics have been developed by game providers, with some of the most popular being:
- Megaways
- Infinity Reels
- Cluster Pays
With the Megaways mechanic, the number of paylines varies from one spin to another and it can go as high as 117,649. With the Infinity Reels mechanic, the reels grow with each winning spin and thus, the number of paylines grows to infinity. Finally, the Cluster Pays mechanic is the most unique payline system in which there are no specific paylines.
Instead, you form a winning combination by landing at least 5 matching symbols that are touching themselves. With Cluster Pays, winning combinations disappear and new symbols replace the spots, thus creating cascades. Many slots that are powered by this mechanic also feature multipliers for every consecutive cascading win.
RTP and Volatility
Moving on, RTP stands for Return to Player. It signifies the stakes a game players receive on a specific slot over time. Logically, the higher the RTP is, the better the returns will be. The average slot RTP is around 96%, so anything above that is a decent pick.
Here’s how RTP works. Let’s say that you come across a slot that has 97% RTP. That means that for every $100 that you stake in the game, you will gain back $97 over a longer period. Volatility rate also plays a huge role as it indicates how rewarding the slot actually is. The rule here is simple – the higher the volatility rate is, the higher the jackpot exposure will be, but its hit frequency is lower. Additionally, the bet limits are also higher. Basically, there are three main volatility levels:
- Low
- Medium
- High
Jackpots at low volatility slots drop often, but they are not too impressive. On the flip side, highly volatile slots have breathtaking jackpots, but they drop rarely. That is why medium-volatile slots are considered the golden middle and are the most popular.
In terms of personal preferences, low volatility slots are perfect picks for newbies, medium volatile slots are the best for casual gamers, while highly volatile slots are the best picks for high rollers.
Types of Jackpots
Speaking of the jackpot exposure, slots can feature one of two jackpots – standard/fixed and progressive. As the name of the first type suggests, the maximum exposure on standard slots is capped and is fixed. On the flip side, progressive slots feature a jackpot whose maximum exposure keeps increasing as players feed the game.
Bonus Features
What makes slots so entertaining is the fact that they feature tons of bonus features. Of course, these in-game bonuses vary from one slot to another. Some providers even have signature bonuses that they feature on most of their slots.
Some of these in-game bonuses include expanding symbols, free spins, Wild Reels, Cascading Reels, Tumble, bonus rounds, Bonus Wheel, Mystery symbols, re-spins, etc. The best way to learn how to trigger them is to read the game guide.
Gameplay
Finally, we are going to close things off by sharing a few words on the gameplay. After you’ve studied the paytable, saw what the featured symbols are and how to form a winning combination, all that is left is to set your desired bet. Then, click the spin button and wait for a potential winning combination.
Considering the fact that online slots by the world’s most reputable game providers are powered by RNGs, you can rest assured knowing that each outcome of every round is random and fair.
Before you can try out real money slots, it is also a good idea to play demo versions. That way, you will be able to get familiar with all of the slot’s mechanics better.