Published: 13.06.2019, 16:26
5 min read
The slot machine phenomenon has been around for over a century and it’s been a favorite of many ever since. Synonymous with casinos and the famous gambling city of Las Vegas, slots are a fun way to spend some time and money. Nevertheless, there can be some misunderstanding on how to play online slots and not enough knowledge of slot rules.
It’s not as simple as it may seem, however, with some thinking that the idea is to simply keep spinning until you’ve got no more money left. The actual goal is to ideally come away with more money than you started with. And it’s actually not as impossible as one might think.
The goal is to get a paying sequence of symbols on the payline(s) and win. With the advent of online slots in the early 2000s, it’s easier than ever to get your slot fix whenever you fancy.
All Slot Games are not Created Equal
Slot machines aren’t all the same. Between two slot machines, there can be a myriad of differences. These include things like the number of paylines, minimum and maximum bets per spin and prize-to-bet ratios. It can take a while to find a good slot game that you like. Nevertheless, a lot of online casino sites tend to have quite a few games to choose from.
A Simple Slots Rules Guide
The first thing to consider when playing slots is your stake. This refers to how much it’s going to cost you to spin the slots in the hopes of a winning combination. Different machines have different minimums. If you’re a beginner, you should look for the minimum that suits your budget and that you’re comfortable with.
The next step is to take your first spin. After your first spin, you might notice that you have 2 out of 3 symbols on a payline. If the slot game allows, you should click on those symbols to “hold” them. That means those two reels will stay where they are on your next spin. This gives you a higher than average likelihood of getting a paying sequence.
The paylines that you have active may depend on what game you’re playing. Additionally, it depends on whether or not you’ve added a stake to activate them. Activating paylines you weren’t using before is still an option to increase your odds. This can give you a slight edge in regards to getting a pay-out.
The key slots rules to keep in mind can somewhat vary. Here are the essentials though:
- The minimum stake can change by online slots game.
- If you think you can hit on a payline you haven’t been putting a stake on yet, you’ve got to pay it to play it.
- Don’t be afraid to hold if you think it’ll get you a paying spin.
- Familiarise yourself with how the paylines work.
Slots Numbers to Keep in Mind
There are a couple of percentages that can give you an indication as to how fair a game is. The first is called hit frequency, also known as variance or volatility. This is used to refer to the number of times a machine will hit a paying sequence of symbols out of every hundred times.
The higher the variance, the more the spins pay. At the same time, the payout on each spin will be lower. This is one of the most important slots rules.
The other percentage to keep an eye on is known as Return To Player (RTP). This figure gives you an indication of an average amount of money returned to the player over a certain amount of spins. As a percentage, it usually gives you the chance to assess how much the new and unskilled player can expect to be paid back by the machine over the course of their session.
Managing your Bankroll
A familiar term to poker players, bankroll refers to the amount of money you have to play with. Budgeting in any form of gambling is crucial. If the budgets aren’t set, lines can become blurred and you can land yourself in some really hot water.
Playing with the minimum bet may not be the gambling experience you had in mind. However, it’s safer and better for two reasons. This allows people to get used to playing the slots and forming the strategy that works for them. The minimum bet in a high variance game will allow you to hone your skills until you’re ready to increase the stakes.
When it comes to bankrolling your account, set a deposit amount that’s affordable to lose. If you play with bigger money and end up trying to chase them back to avoid going into debt, then it might become a problem. Setting betting limits can solve this problem as well.
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Strategizing Your Slot Game
Coming up with your ideal slots strategy can be a bit daunting at first. The first thing to do is research the game that’s right for you. Higher variance can facilitate a little and often approach to pay-outs. At the same time, lower variance with the higher prizes and jackpots. Think about what’s best for you.
The most often talked about strategy point is playing every line in the game. Try choosing 3 lines in a 9 line game. Your heart would drop if you saw a jackpot come up on a payline you didn’t play on that round.
Don’t be afraid to play the minimum bets to find out what works for you.
The last gem of wisdom to impart upon all new slots players would be casino bonuses. By using the deposit bonuses, you can give yourself more to play with and a better chance at winning big. For example, a First Deposit Bonus on Bob Casino offers 100 free spins for a Book of Aztec slot game. This will surely come in handy to increase your chance of winning.
This should bring you up to speed with the basic slot rules. Now, go and try out your knowledge of how to play slots.
