Gambling is making its way through the US as sports betting expands and states allow the construction of new casinos. What was once a tourist attraction for Vegas or Atlantic City visitors is now a popular pastime.

Nov 28, 2020 Keep 1 slot game open to use as a 'set setting game'. This will let you set new slot machines up much faster! If you set ur slot machines on a low single/double win-rate your guests will get very frustrated! Slots Machines will make much more $ then table games. When u press Z on your keyboard you will toggle all zones! Slot machines are such mainstays of modern casinos and slot games so widely played online today that you might think it’s always been so. But everything has its beginnings, and slots have evolved over the last 120 years. The first three-reel slot machine had a maximum jackpot of half an American dollar. Beginner's Guide To Online Slots – Learn how to play slots at online casinos, including how to make a deposit and the best slot strategies for 2020.

While sports betting is making the most headway in the US, online casinos and land-based gaming are making more gradual moves to new markets. Illinois recently allowed for the construction of six new casinos while nearby Michigan is gearing up to launch online casinos.

And where there are casinos, be they land-based or online, there are also slots. The glitzy, ring-dinging contraptions are often a source of confusion for rookie gamblers. But slots are actually fairly easy to understand, and I’ve compiled a beginner’s guide so you know how they work and what to expect when you spin the reels.

Are Slot Machines Rigged?

This is the first question many slot players have, and it’s a fair one. Slot machines are not “rigged” in the sense that the casino chooses when a jackpot or big win hits.

Slots are games of chance, just like blackjack, craps, sports betting, or poker. But the mechanics of slot games vary, and the house edge is bigger when you play slots compared to most table games.

The House Edge

The house edge is the profit a casino (or online casino site) makes on each bet you place. You can still win money; the house edge represents a percentage of all bets placed and what the casino will make on those based on the match of a given game.

Online slots and slot machines have a house edge ranging from 2% to 15%, though the 5-10% range is most common. By comparison, blackjack usually has a house edge of 0.5% and double zero roulette sits around 5%.

How To Play

It’s easy enough to sit down at a slot machine, put $20, and spin. But understanding how the actual games work makes the experience much more fun.

Understanding Denominations

You might find slots that advertise themselves as “penny slots.” Even though the name may make you think they cost a penny per spin, it’s not quite so simple. “Penny slots” mean that each pay line you’re betting on costs a penny. A pay line is a left-to-right pathway that connects symbols on the reels. Some are straight lines and some taking a more winding path, such as in the shape of a “W.”

A Beginner's Guide To Slot Machines Near Me

When you play a slot, you choose how many lines to bet on, and this varies based on the slot you’re playing. Some have 243 lines, some have 50, and there are plenty of others in between. The more paylines you hit on a given spin, the more you win.

The more you bet, the more pay lines you have access to. So if you’re max betting on a penny slot with 50 pay lines, each individual spin would cost you $.50.

The cost of each bet changes from one slot to the next, so always check the machine or online slot you’re playing to be sure you know where your money is going.

Symbols And Paylines

A Beginner's Guide To Slot Machines For Beginners

Every unique symbol on a slot machine has a specific value. If the symbol ends up in a pay line with identical symbols, you earn a payout based on the value of each one in the pay line.

Slots typically make their highest paying symbols images of the main character on which the slot is based or something similar. Perhaps a pot of gold on a leprechaun game. Lower-paying symbols are usually A, K, Q, J, and 10, similar to cards at a table game.

Spinning The Reels

This, of course, is the ultimate draw of slot machines. The reels blur as they spin into oblivion, then slow to a stop and hopefully get you a winning pay line (or multiple). Depending on how you play, you’ll have a few options for spinning.

Most slot machines have a button that kicks off the spin, while others have the traditional mechanical lever. Some have both, giving you an option. There’s no difference in outcome with either method, but it’s a unique thrill to pull the physical lever.

For online slots players, spinning usually comes in the form of a quick tap of the screen. Certain online slot themes let you auto spin, continuously repeating spins and automatically logging any wins.

Bonuses And Jackpots

If you’ve seen someone win big on a slot game, it’s likely thanks to a bonus or a jackpot. Though you might be inclined to think they’re the same thing, there are crucial differences.

Bonuses

Bonuses are triggered by events during normal slot play. This often means landing three specific bonus symbols on a single spin. There are countless ways to trigger a bonus, though, and slot makers are always thinking of new mechanics.

Bonuses take many shapes and sizes. Many give you a number of free spins with added flair, like a whole row of wild symbols or a payout multiplier.

In many cases, bonuses also give you the opportunity to win a jackpot.

Jackpots

Jackpots are the big wins, the multi-hundred or -thousand dollar hits that you see in movies and on TV. There are two common jackpot types.

Some jackpots can be hit during normal play, and others are triggered by bonuses.

Local Progressive Jackpots

Every time you spin the reels on a slot, you’re contributing to the larger jackpot pool. Machines usually have a top box component or a special area used to display the current jackpot levels.

Local jackpots take from either a single machine or a small group of slot machines, such as a bank of five neighboring machines. As a result, these jackpots don’t get quite as high as their wide area progressive counterparts but can still reach multiple thousands of dollars.

Wide Area Progressive Or Linked Jackpots

Wide area progressive jackpots take from every dollar put into a large number of machines. Because they can pull from a wider pool of players (even across multiple casinos), these jackpots can reach much higher amounts. These are the jackpots that can reach hundreds of thousands of dollars or higher.

Need Help? Slots Have Guides Built-In

If you’re having trouble figuring out how a slot works, try clicking the “Help” or “?” button. Most video slots and all online slots have this option. It will open a page that tells you the value of each symbol, how to hit the bonuses, and more helpful info.

If you’re playing on a mechanical slot machine on the casino floor, you can always ask a casino employee for more information.

The Basics of Slots

Believe it or not, there is more to slots than pressing a button and waiting to see what the outcome is. Okay, yes that’s part of the game, but there is so much more! Take a look to see what you’ll discover at today’s online slot games.

Bonus Rounds – Most slot games have bonus rounds which can be activated during the game. They’re generally a mini-game which gives you the opportunity to score bonus points and ultimately win more money.

Free Spins – Who doesn’t love freebies? When you land on a certain set of symbols, you can win additional free spins. This is a time when you don’t have to bet anything more, apart from the maximum bet of the previous spin.

“When you begin to play slots online, always check the payout percentage of the machine.”

Paylines – Many of today’s slots have different paylines. These are the number of lines on the machine. You can bet on one, some or all of the lines. Obviously, the more paylines you bet on, the more chances you have at winning.

Paytable - You can view the paytable on your computer, tab or mobile slot casino interface. It will inform you of the individual symbols’ worth as well as, the payouts for landing specific sequences.

Scatter – Another exciting feature is the scatter. Typically found on video slots, these will multiply the award of your current total bet if you’ve won.

Wilds – A wild allows you to substitute it for any other symbol in the game sans the scatter.

Variations of Slot Machines

Now that you understand the most common features in any slot game, you can start to play for real money. But, just before you give it a go, take a quick look at the different slot variations.

Video Slots – Thanks to technology and microchips, video slots have no moving parts or spinning reels. They are featured on screen and are simply a graphic representation of a slot machine. Don’t be put off from this. Video slots open the doors for creativity to exceed the abilities of the traditional machines.

Free Slots – No real money is involved on the free slot machines. They’re a great way to test out the software to see if it’s right for you. You can find free demo games on all of the top online slot websites.

Traditional Slots – Featuring 3 reels and 1 payline, it’s a timeless classic that never goes out of style.

5 Reel Slots – A traditional machine with 2 extra reels. They hold the integrity of the classic slot machine, but add in a some extra excitement and more ways to win.

Multi-Line Slots - A game that can be 3 or 5 reels, but will include multiple paylines. These can be horizontal, vertical, criss-cross or even crooked. Many of these games offer 20+ ways to win.

A Beginners Guide To Slot Machines For Beginners

Progressive slots – A variation that revolves around a progressive jackpot that grows with every player's bets. Winning the jackpot is not easy, but will happen at some point. Trust us, the payouts are huge.

Win more money on a game of slots

A Beginner's Guide To Endings

When you begin to play slots online, always check the payout percentage of the machine. This lets you know what the house advantage is; the higher the better. For example, a payout percentage of 97.5% means the house keeps 2.5% of the wagered money.

A beginner’s strategy to playing online

A Beginners Guide To Slot Machines Free Play

Slots are game of chance. There is no real strategy that will help you to get ahead of the house. That said, there are still a few extra things you can do to boost your odds and maximize your luck.

1. Take advantage of bonus rounds. These help to hone your skills and could potentially add cash to your bankroll.
2. If you can afford to, try out the progressive jackpot and multi-payline machines.
3. Look for high payout percentages.
4. Read reviews of the online slots games.
5. Remember, higher denomination machines generally pay more often.
6. Ultimately, make smart decisions and know when to take a break.

A beginner’s strategy to playing online

Start to Play Slots Online

Best Sewing Machine Beginner

Whether you’re playing for fun, looking to vacation from a big win or making use of time in between a poker tournament, slots are a great casino game.

A Beginner's Guide To Slot Machines On Amazon

Start to spin your way to more cash and fun. Good luck.