Immediately after you visit any casino, the first game you encounter will most probably be a slot game. This is because they are extremely popular because of their ease of play, top-tier features such as HD graphics, and the huge variety of slot games available in the market today.

Even with a thrilling, user-friendly interface, getting your head around the whole free slots: no download concept could be a bit challenging for you as a beginner. There is so much that is entailed than meets the eye not to mention that there is a huge risk that you could lose your money.

Terminology:

·         Bankroll: the specific amount you have set aside for gambling

·         The house: an online casino that offers online slot services

·         Volatility: the level of risk an online slot machine exposes you to

·         Return to player (RTP) percentage: the percentage of how much the slot game is capable of giving back to you as a player

·         land-based slot machines: a slot machine stationed in a physical casino or a public location

·         Progressive jackpot slots:  slot machines that feature a draw involving a huge cash pot contributed by all players

·         Theme: What the slot machine is based on. This could be a book, a movie, or  mythical story

·         Multi-spins feature: a slot game that can run more than one spin automatically

·         Wager: the amount played on every spin

Can you win money in online slot machines?

The answer to this question is definitely, yes! However, just like in any other form of gambling, the chances of winning or losing are always equal meaning that it is all about luck. The information included in this guide will come in handy for beginners as they can actually use it to minimize losses if not increase their winnings.  

Don't just hop in without a plan

As mentioned above, the online slot world is not a viable investment where you can just walk in, multiply your cash, and walk away. Before you take the leap, you must arm yourself with a plan.

The budget you have at hand is the first thing to consider. Do not just walk in with your entire savings or retirement check, to be specific. This is because things could turn around really fast on a bad day leaving you with absolutely nothing. The idea you should carry in mind is to just try and gamble part of the budget you have at hand and get to actually fight it out another day. Most importantly, you should never gamble the funds you have set aside for basic needs no matter how tempting it might be. What you have for basic needs might seem little but out of experience, its better in your hands than in those of the house!

After you have set aside a gambling budget, it is advisable that you split it further into smaller bankrolls that you can use to gamble with at certain intervals. After all, the online casino remains with you on your device and is not going anywhere. Rather than gambling four 6 consecutive hours on online slots with your $300 budget, it would be better to gamble for three 2-hour sessions a day with $100 per session.

After the small bankroll for each session has been depleted, it is time to call it. When you have made some considerable profit, $200, for instance, it is also the time to collect your winnings and call it a session. You can still retain the winnings in your account and use it to play in the next session instead of depositing from your own pocket. This way, you will take advantage of the house when you are still an amateur at the sport.

How do online slots machines work

As a beginner, you need to know how slot machines work.

Online slots are just improved versions of the original land-based versions. Unlike old slot machines, online slots can be accessed from any device. All a player needs is a good internet connection.

Instead of having mechanical reels, levers, gears, and springs, the online machine is fully digitized. All the components, therefore, operate as coded software. Some features such as the random number generator and the procedure of playing still remain the same as in the old machines.

When it comes to winning, both machines are programmed to pay less. This is known as the house advantage but when we are talking about online slot machines, it is known as the Return to Player Percentage (RTP). The best online slot machines will have RTP percentages of up to 97%. However, this doesn't literally mean that you will have the 97% RTP advantage every time you play. This rate has been established based on a long-term expectation of probably one occurrence in one thousand spins. Even as a beginner, you could be the one walking away with the 1 in a 1000 occurrences and walk away with some huge winnings.  In the online slot world, everyone is a winner!

When you visit the online casino, you will also see some other intriguing features of the online slots. Some of the slots will have welcome bonuses, free spins, and even the play-for-free feature. All these features will give you the perfect headstart to any slot machine without using a dime from your own pocket.

Who will you be playing with

Unlike land-based slot machines that are played in a public place, playing online slots is more of a solitary affair. This is because you can access an online casino from anywhere and with any device that has an internet connection. The privacy is actually a good thing because you do not have to worry about someone taking over your slot machine when you take a bathroom break or tipping your cocktail waitress in Vegas-style land casinos.

Choosing the best online slot machines

No one can predict when to win in an online slot or by how much. But there is one thing that you can do to try and draw the odds more in your favor. Remember when we talked about games with higher RTP? That's it! Choosing the games with a 97% RTP or higher could increase your chances of winning by over 50% compared to those games with a lower RTP.

As a beginner, you might also want to stay away from progressive jackpot slots. This is because some of your money goes to the prize pool via an undetectable strategy. This could take away huge chunks of your money and you still end up with nothing in the backend. So, before you completely get your head around the slot world, it is better to stay away from progressive jackpot slot games.

There are a lot of places where you can get exact RTPs for different online slots. This includes many websites and magazines that review these slots. Although most online casinos are reluctant to do so, some of them will mention the exact RTP for each slot. This information can be found in the settings or help section of that particular online slot. Some of the slot games with a high RTP (97%+) include:

·         Devils Delight by NetEnt

Are you a fan of underworld fantasy? If so, this is just the game for you! With an RTP of 97.6%, you will get to enjoy an underground theme that features soul reapers, devils, 666, graves, skeletons, and fires, and still stand a chance to make huge winnings. This game also features the bonus round feature which means that you will get to contest for a life-changing money pool if you are lucky to enter this round. The game plays on five reels and a whopping 20 paylines! Although its RTP is not high enough like the other games on this list, it is a popular game because of the high-quality game concept.

·         Goblin's Cave by Playtech

Goblins cave, a classic slot machine from Playtech, has an RTP of 99.3%. Although the game might not be entertaining like the most recent machines that we have, you will get to enjoy an original theme and a generous bonus feature.

·         Ugga Bugga by Playtech

If you are a fan of the African theme, this is just the game for you. With an RTP of 99.1%, you will be guaranteed of wins as you line up African huts, drums, and masks along the pay lines.

·         Ocean's princess by Playtech

This is another game from Playtech that was among the first slot machines to include the multi-spins feature.  Same as Ugga Bugga, it has an RTP of 99.1%.

·         Nemo's Voyage by WMS

This game from WMS has an RTP of 99%. It is just the game for you if you are a fan of the Underwater theme.

·         Jackpot 6000 by NetEnt

This is another game from NetEnt with a high RTP of 98.9%.

Other honorable mentions with High RTPs include Big Bad Wolf by QuickSpin (97.35%), Blood Suckers by NetEnt (97.6%), Cinerama by Playtech (98.4%), and Tropic Reels by Playtech (99%).

The game's volatility

This is another important factor to consider when you are choosing the game that you want to play as a beginner. The games volatility is simply the games variance or risk factor. Some of the slot games will expose you to a higher risk of losing your money than others.

Games with low volatility will have more frequent wins but in lower denominations. Those games with high volatility, on the other hand, will have less frequent wins, only this time in larger denomination. The game you choose to play actually depends on you but as a beginner, it is always advisable to go with low volatility slot games to avoid the frustration that might come with high volatility slot games. High volatility games will expose you to a long dry spell without making any wins which might be a bit challenging for you as a new player.

Exact game volatilities can be found online but do not be frustrated when you cannot find them because most slot providers do not reveal this information to avoid influencing the decision of the buyer. Another way to determine the games volatility is by playing the game yourself. Playing the game for a considerable period of time will let you see the number of winnings you get and how long it takes to get them. If the game offers welcome free spins, you can use it to test out the games volatility. If all the free spins are used up without getting any winnings, that might not be an ideal game to play as a beginner.

Good examples of games with high volatility include King of Atlantis from IGT, 300 shields from NextGen, Immortal Romance by Microgaming, Dead or Alive by NetEnt, Book of Dead by Play n' Go, Gonzo's Quest by Next Gen, and the Book of Ra. Examples of games with low volatility include Hotline from NetEnt, Starburst by NetEnt, Foxin' Wins by NextGen, Legend of Shangri-la: Cluster Pays by NetEnt, Mermaids Millions by Microgaming, and Spinata Grande by NetEnt.

What meets the eye might be deceiving

Even when we are talking about the games with the highest RTP rates or those that give you a higher chance of winning, how comes that several online casinos still list them on the first page! This is a clear indication that there is so much more that is involved than just the RTPs.

A slot game that meets your face immediately you visit an online casino or one that is being intentionally pushed to your face is a thing to watch out for as a beginner. This is because these are clear indicators that this particular slot might not be in your favor.

Even as a beginner, do not just click on a game on the first page and start playing.  Delve deeper into those unbranded games not listed at the top of the list and pages. Those games in the 3^rd or 4^th page might end up paying you a little more.

Remember to check the denomination you are playing with

It is always advisable to play slots for free before getting the hang of the game. You can do this using the play-for-free feature. Still, you will need to play for real money.

When that time comes, it is very important to check the denomination that you are playing with. When you deposit $100, for instance, there is a number of ways that you can utilize this deposit. As a beginner, the best way to use it is by purchasing entry tickets/spins of the lowest value to the game that you want to play. With the $100 deposit, you can purchase one hundred $1 spins or better yet 200 $0.5 spins. This way, you will get to enjoy the game for longer.

Some machines will also go ahead to offer you even lower denomination of even up to $0.1. As economical as this might seem, the very small denominations are a thing to stay away from as a beginner.  Why?

Modern slot machines, like the old ones, reward players with jackpot wins from time to time. The criterion used to reward jackpot winners is mostly very logical. Why would a machine reward you with a huge jackpot when all you wagered is just $0.01? To be honest, it wouldn't and if it could, you wouldn't even be rewarded with the whole jackpot amount because jackpots are awarded proportionally to the amount wagered by the player.

The denomination you wager should neither be too much nor be too little. Betting very huge amounts can use up your budget really fast while very small amounts can prevent you from winning life-changing amounts of money, especially when playing progressive jackpot slots.

What other people are saying

Listening to other players might be deceiving when playing other games in casinos. Things are, however, different when it comes to online slots; listening to other players, especially those that have been playing for long, can be quite beneficial.

Before playing a slot game, always make a point of looking what legitimate reviewers in blogs and social media are saying. By listening to what people are saying, you will know about the best games out there to try out and you will also know the games that offer free spins to get new players started.

If you are playing for money, slots might not be the game for you

In slots, there are simply no rules to follow. That's why there's even a  demo mode for virtually all slots where you can play for fun.

Slots should be fun to play. For beginners, choose a game that suits your taste and try to enjoy it. This way, you will find yourself playing for the fun rather than playing for the money.

Conclusion

Online slot machines are available in a bewildering variety of designs, themes, sounds, graphics, and other elements. Just like the land-based predecessors, most of them are straightforward enough even for beginners. You just have to select your bet line, click the spin button and before you hope for the best, remember what we talked about in this guide. If you find yourself confused when playing a particular slot machine, game playing guides are always available for you to refer from.

Finally, there is no such thing as a know-it-all slot machine player. Winning is a bit hard for but playing slots is a lot of fun for everyone. This will become clearer as you progress through the years but for now, have lots of fun playing games with positive reviews, high RTPS, a volatility level of your choice, and a decent welcome bonus. 

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