Getting to grips with online slots
Slot machines are one of the most popular games in any casino, and have been so for decades. Now that the casino industry has fully embraced the digital space, online slots are some of the most played games in the world.
Part of their appeal is their simplicity; all you need to do is enter the required amount of money, then click a button. The slot machine then produces a result; you either win money, win some sort of bonus or don’t win anything.
While that is the basic gist of slot games, there are more details you should be aware of before playing. A slot machine is made up of reels – there will always be an odd number of these, and each reel is comprised of a series of symbols.
When you initiate the game, the reels spin and eventually stop, creating a combination of these symbols. The slot game will have a payout table, which indicates the symbol combinations that lead to winning prizes, whether it be some sort of bonus or a jackpot.
When you create a winning combination, this appears on what is called a payline. On the very first slot machines, this was simply a line that ran from left to right through the centre of the reels.
Online slots, however, allow for many more variations and these paylines can work diagonally and in a variety of ways. The good news is that the game works this out for you – if you hit a winning combo on a payline, it will be highlighted and shown to you.
Essentially, the more paylines on a slot game, the more chances there are to win.
Online slots also offer different types of jackpots. The most common is a standard payout, which is a set amount that is won when a certain combination of symbols is drawn.
Then, there is the progressive jackpot. This jackpot increases every time somebody plays the slot but doesn’t win, and with online games this can be people from anywhere in the world, meaning these jackpots can be huge sums of money.
It’s worth noting that some games will only allow you to play for the progressive jackpot if you stake the maximum bet, however there are plenty of games that require lower stakes.
As you’ll see, DraftKings slots have a range of themes, from adventure games through to outer space, there is a huge variety of games and themes to choose from. Some even have direct tie-ins to popular movies or television shows and will feature characters and iconography from them.
The theme of an online slot will have some sort of bearing on how the game is played. At the very least, the theme will determine what the symbols look like. For example, if a game has a zoo or safari theme, then the symbols could be different animals.
Online slots will also offer a variety of bonuses. Most of the time, these bonuses will boost your payout potential, traditionally through multipliers.
Essentially, they are a mini-game within the overall slot game and can not only offer the opportunity for more winnings but also a more engaging experience. There are also bonus symbols within the reels, and if these appear then you also receive their corresponding benefits.
On a more technical level, online slots – just like land-based slot machines – use a random number generator (RNG) for every spin. As soon as you hit the button to initiate the spin, the RNG immediately determines the combination of symbols.
As the name suggests, this process is completely random and previous spins have no bearing on which symbols will come up. This is to make the slot game as fair as possible.
Each slot will also have an RTP (return to player) percentage, which highlights the average payout back to a player over time. Generally, you should aim to play slots that have an RTP of 95% or higher.
When playing online slots, you’ll have a bankroll – the amount you can play with – which will be stored in a virtual ‘wallet’ with the provider. Each time you play, it’s important that you set a clear limit on what this bankroll will be and that once you’ve spent it, you’ll stop.
Slots are predominantly based on luck and there is no sure-fire way to ensure a jackpot, but you can improve your chances by playing with a safe and reputable supplier and choosing slot games with a high RTP.
They are an easy game to get the hang of and can be a lot of fun, however if you find yourself getting frustrated or trying to chase your losses, then step away.
