Online slots

Whether you walk into a real-world casino or go online, the easiest games to learn are the slots. When you face a real machine, you can slide coins down a chute, feed in notes or use a prepaid card. With cash or credit in the machine, you simply press play, the reels spin and, hopefully you win when the right combination of symbols shows up on the reels. This formula is consistent even though there are several thousand different variations on the basic theme. Learn to play one and, in principle, you have learned how to play them all. In this introduction, the aim is to give you the basics so you can get the most out of playing slots.

How to play slot machines

Before you start playing, you need to learn as much about the particular game as possible. In the real world, this means watching others play. Online, the casino often gives you the chance to play the most popular games "for free". If not, then read the rules and study the pay table. Never risk any money until you understand exactly what the prizes are, how you win, whether there are special rules about building up to bonus games or jackpots, and so on. In this, remember that online games use a random number generator so, unlike physical wheels which have symbols in fixed positions around the wheels, any number can be shown in any slot on each play. Each electronic play is a unique event and nothing that has gone before is of any use in predicting what the next play will produce. On video slots, you will often see a “Help” button that gives useful information about the game rules, bonuses, jackpots, etc. If in doubt, use it.

Once you have studied the game, decide how much you are going to bet on each play. In the real world, this means selecting the coin size. With virtual slots, you are deciding the number of credits to bet on each play. In a simple version of the game, there will be a single line of reels. You will be presented with a button to select the number of credits to bet or, once chosen, you hit play to spin as many times as you want at the current bet size. In more complex versions of the game, there will be multiple lines of reels. This offers you more chances of winning on each spin. Here you have to decide how many credits per line you want to bet.

As a quick aside, it makes no difference whether you're in the real world and pull a handle or press a button marked "Play" as against playing online where you click on "Play". In all cases, the reels spin. There’s no advantage or disadvantage to the different means of starting the spin.

If you win, you cash out your winnings. Online, you click on the "Bank" button. This transfers your winnings to your account and you can then continue playing another game or make a withdrawal. In some versions of the game, look out for a "Gamble" function. This allows you to gamble you immediate winnings by nudging the reels or spinning one or two of the reels. This can offer you the chance to double your winnings.