Deck games like poker are the lifeblood of casinos, as that is where the pros earn money consistently. But if you had to point out one thing that represents the spirit of the casino, what would it be? Indeed, it would be slot games. Online slots games do not require skills and practice like poker, neither a comprehensive ruleset like blackjack. All you have to do is turn in the coins, turn the lever, and get the reels moving. Because of this simplicity, people tend to think that slot games require no intelligent play. But we are here to tell you that there can be some strategy to it. In this guide, we will primarily focus on online slot machines – how they work, what their house edge is, and how to increase your chances of winning.
How Do Online Slots Machines Work?
At their core, slot games are all about getting lucky matches. There are three or more reels with slots along them, and playing a round of slots rolls the reels for a random duration; if you get any matches laterally or diagonally, you win preset prizes. Oldest slots machine models used to have mechanical cores that rolled each reel for a random duration. Currently, however, all slots are digital. They function on a microprocessor, which rolls random results each time. An online slots machine also works with such an algorithm.
This randomization is the bread and butter of slot games. Online slots games have an in-built RNG in their software. Generally, these RNG algorithms are functionally the same as Deck-based games. So what is RNG? It stands for random number generation. To understand this, think of a pool of numbers from 1 to 100. Simply put, the RNG algorithm will pull a random number out of this pool – it may be 4, it may be 82, or 45. There is no sequence to it. Nonetheless, the very point is that it is unpredictable. Online slots games have the native codebase RNG pull a number from, say, 0 to 1 billion. So the result will correspond to one of 1 billion possible sequences on the reels.
Some of those sequences materialize a match (i.e., 3 of the same symbol, and so on). Generally, you need to bet on the payline of your choice. Depending on purely luck, your payline can either be a winning sequence or nothing valid. So you can get nothing, or you can get 10x your original money.
Slots With The Best Odds
Since the slot games are all based on RNG, the outcome you get is mostly on your luck. This is where people think that it is all up to chance. But contrary to naysayers, you do have some agency. For one, you always get to pick which slot game you want to play.
You might think that all slot games are the same. Truth be told, the vast majority of them function on the same RNG algorithm – it can be a proprietary code written by the software provider. However, you can clearly rank slot games based on their profitability. To understand this, you have to think about slot games odds long-term.
First, we must mention the obvious thing: paylines. Paylines can be adjustable or fixed. In the case of fixed paylines, you have to bet on all of them, so keep that in mind. But in general, more paylines to bet on means greater chances of landing a matched sequence of slots. So when picking between two similar games with payline differences, go for a higher number of paylines – those are the best online slots.
Online Slots RTP
Other than that, the best online slots games are those with high RTP. RTP stands for a return to player value. In a sense, it is the antithesis to the house edge. As you can guess from the abbreviation, RTP means how much of your money you are likely to get back just from playing on the slot. But there is a catch. A 90% RTP implies you get back Rs. 90 on a Rs. 100 on average. But on average means a long-term calculation. It means an average 90% return on something like 100 or 1000 games. It does not, in fact, guarantee that you will get back 90% of your money every time you spin the slot reels.
Anyhow, if you play regularly and frequently, whether, by hobby or to make money, the RTP is the crucial number to chase. Below are some of the highest RTP slot games overall. But as a disclaimer, we must clarify that RTP on the same game may sometimes vary depending on the host casino.
- Playtech’s Ugga Bugga has an RTP of 99.07%
- NetEnt’s Mega Joker has an RTP of 99%
- Barcrest’s Ooh Aah Dracula has an RTP of ~99%
- NetEnt’s Jackpot 6000 has an RTP of 98.86%
- Thunderkick’s Uncharted Seas has an RTP of 98.6%
- Barcrest’s Rainbow Riches Pick and Mix has an RTP of up to ~98%
- Pragmaticplay’s Catfather has an RTP of 98.1%
How To Win On Slot Machines Every Time
The short answer is you cannot win every time. Online slots are, by definition, based on pure randomness. So no online slots strategy can guarantee you a 100% win rate. But in some cases, a basic online slots strategy can increase your chances of coming out on top. It is common sense that the casino earns more money than the slot games customer. Online slots tip the scales in the casino’s favour no matter which slot game it is. So you are reliant completely on luck to get one big break that will compensate for the lost money and put you over the profit threshold.
So the biggest online slots tips are to understand variance and volatility. To actually win jackpots and ‘prime the pump’, you might lose all your money and walk away with nothing. The best strategy is to just start with small but more reliable, high RTP slots and small bets to build up your bankroll over time. Slow but steady wins the race.
Finding House Edge of a Slot Machine
As we have mentioned elsewhere, casinos will always have a better chance of keeping the money than you winning in slots. How much the game favours the casino is called the online slots’ house edge. Some online casinos will outright tell you the house edge on slots. But in case they don’t, you can figure it out easily by looking at the RTP. Simply put, the higher the RTP, the lower the online slots house edge.
Managing Your Online Slots Bets Well
The crucial thing about slots is consistency. To really capitalize on the high RTP online slots with bonuses, you must play regularly. Thus it is important to manage your bankroll properly. One easy mantra is to never go over a threshold budget. Understand that there are not hot streaks and cold streaks. Keep putting up small bets and try to bet on as many money lines as possible. Another thing about online slots with bonuses is that you often have a wagering requirement to claim those bonuses. So before you dive in headfirst into an online slots machine, carefully read the wager requirements beforehand.
In conclusion, remember that success depends on chance. You will likely have days where you seem to be not gaining any money from slots. Cut your losses, do not chase them. Slots operate on pure RNG, and thus you cannot do much to regain the momentum than just sticking to your basic strategy. After all, it is a game of luck, and luck can cut both ways
