There’s no doubt that online slots is one of the most enjoyable games in modern gambling. Slots are mercurial (well, technically they’re just random..) and since you never quite know what you’re going to get, there’s always a certain level of tension and anticipation – that’s part of why it’s the UK’s favourite casino game.
| Brand | Bonus | Rating | Mobile | Visit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | A multiple award-winning online casino | 32 Red |  | Play 32 Red |
 | One of the most popular and growing casinos | Betway | | Play Betway |
 | over 700 games from all the best providers | Joreels | | Play Joreels |
 | Wide range of first-class online and mobile games | Lucky Niki | | Play Lucky Niki |
 | Sportsbook, live casino, bingo, and keno and more! | Mr Green | | Play Mr Green |
On top of that, there are distinct benefits to playing online versus slots in a land-based casino. All in all, it’s a great way to pass the time – and, of course, a great way to earn millions if your luck is in!
Let’s take a quick look at some tips and ideas for playing online slots which should help you make the most of your time and take home the tidiest profit!
Play for Fun
This is absolutely critical. If you’re pursuing slots for purely financial reasons, you should stop – there is no guarantee of success, and slots should always be about enjoyment first, winning second. As long as you’re having a good time, it doesn’t matter if you lose a few quid; in the happy instance that you win good money, that’s just a bonus! People win huge amount on online slots every day, but even those who don’t still leave the computer content with a good night’s entertainment.
Start Small
If you’re new to slots, you might not realise just how easy it is go 10, 20 or even 30+ spins without making any meaningful profit. If you start making £5-10 bets and you only have £100 to play with, you could be in for a short ride. Start small, trading in pence (or the lower end of whatever your budget is!) and develop a feel for the game. Once you’re more confident and are prepared to wager higher sums, take the next step.
Do Your Research
If you’re going to invest your hard-earned cash in slots (knowing you aren’t guaranteed to win), why hamstring yourself by playing a game with unusually-low odds? Look around online for games with the highest payback percentage (anything at or above 96% is great) and stick to those. A few percent boosts the odds in your favour, so it’s the only logical thing to do. A fair exception would be if you’re looking to land a massive jackpot, in which case you might pick a game with lower probability and higher potential gains; otherwise, always play with the odds on your side.
Only Bet What You’re Willing to Lose
This is vitally important and goes for all slot players – you’re not guaranteed to leave with a spare penny, so only put in what you’re prepared to leave without. It’s true that loads of players leave with nice profits, and many get much more than that! But if you want to enjoy yourself and not bring about financial troubles in future, always stay within budget.
A good tactic is to choose a starting amount, say £200. Any winnings over £200, withdraw them. Keep going until your £200 runs out – anything you have left over is a bonus!
Be Careful Progressives
If you aren’t willing to bet the maximum hundreds of times and face losing a lot of money before hitting a jackpot, then steer clear of progressives. These are only suitable for high rollers who are fishing for massive wins – if you’re an average Joe, stick to lower-jackpot higher-payout-percentage slots.
Balance Reward with Risk
If you choose a slot with higher denominations (i.e. larger coin value) then you will usually be rewarded with a higher payback percentage. On average, you will win more than someone betting on a low stakes game. However, any losses you take will be more substantial. It’s easy to be lured into a high payback game and suddenly find yourself down hundreds of pounds – be vigilant, and try to avoid any traps.
Play Free Slots
Rather than risk your cash getting to know a certain game, find the free version of it online. Almost all games can be played for free (naturally you can’t win any actual profit) and this is a great way to decide whether or not you like it. Once you’ve made your mind up, go play the real version or experiment with other free slots.
Know When Your Luck’s Up
Sometimes the slots just aren’t working for you and you’re taking a heavy loss – you need to know when to admit sunk costs are sunk and to walk away. This goes hand-in-hand with only betting what you can afford; if you’re reaching the edge of your allowance, then call it a day and retire before you find yourself facing a serious deficit.
Avoid Autoplay
Autoplay can be dangerous to your wallet by either:
- Shelling out more cash than you might want to wager, or
- Not stopping after a big win where you might normally choose to withdraw your profit.
Otherwise, the thing about slots is that they’re not just about making money; they’re meant to be a way to have fun. If you let the machine do all the work then you are missing the whole point of slots, and it becomes serious, risky gambling. Always stay in charge of the spins!
Try Video Poker
If you’ve never played video poker before, then you’re in for a real treat! While you don’t need to be a poker player in order to play this game, having a working knowledge of how the different hands are made up would definitely help.
Basically, you are dealt a hand of five and can choose to keep as many cards as you like. The remainder are re-dealt, and if you have a winning hand (anything better than two Jacks) then you win. Simple, and slightly better odds than slots!