What are online slots?
Online slots games are just digital versions of what you might know as conventional fruit machines from walk-in casinos and betting shops. With online gambling being such a saturated market as it is, online slots games have become increasingly intricate to try and create heightened excitement amongst players as well as hold engagement. To appeal to a vast range of audiences and demographics, there are thousands of different themes in the world of online slots to tickle your fancy – from your traditional fruit concepts to the Ancient Egyptians and even superheroes, the options to choose from are incredibly diverse and literally endless.
How do they work?
Whether you’re gambling from the comfort of your living room online or step into a high-roller casino in Las Vegas, the concept of slots is more-or-less always the same; you spin a reel and hope you match a series of symbols to win prizes. It’s simply just a game of luck. If you’re starting to wonder if computerised slots are truly random, then the answer is yes – the outcome of every game of slots is completely random. For assurance that you’re being given a totally fair and random chance of winning, stick to online casinos that are vetted and well established. It’s always better to be safe than sorry, so look out for sites that audit their games to ensure honest and unbiased gameplay.
What are bonuses?
Bonuses with online slots are typically unlocked by securing various combinations of winning symbols in a game. They’re usually a random occurrence during a game of slots, but do happen if you’ve achieved game-specific goals. A bonus can consist of free spins to play for longer, interactive mini-games or sometimes a risk option that’s similar to an ‘all or nothing’ scenario.
Along with bonuses, you may come across what are known as wilds and scatters; wilds offer you the chance to substitute for whatever symbol you’re missing for a win and usually trigger other events like a bonus round, for example. On the other hand, scatters are unique in the sense that it doesn’t matter where they appear on-screen; if you bag a scatter, you always win! There are also multipliers that are more widely known – as their name suggests, they give you the chance to increase your winnings by two, three or even as much as four times over.
Multipliers are very popular amongst players as they come with high winning potential; they do tend to appear at random to intensify excitement, even for the smallest of bets. They’re most often found in, but not restricted to, bonus rounds with online slots.
To bag a payout from online slots, you need to match winning symbols on what is referred to as a pay line. Each individual game has a varied number of pay lines, usually between 25 and 50 that run from left to right. Whilst most games run off a similar structure, you should always double-check the details regarding pay lines in the game’s menu. It should be duly noted that when it comes to online slots, it’s essentially impossible to better your odds of winning as they are really just a game of chance. Having said this, however, you can boost your potential winning power by getting clued up on the best slots games out there with a bit of research. Once you understand how you can utilise bonuses, wilds and scatters to your advantage, you stand a fighting chance of seeing a return on your initial bet.