How to Play Slots Online

How to Play Slots Online: A Step-by-Step Guide

Online slots are easy to play and offer plenty of excitement. Whether you’re new to slots or a seasoned player, this quick guide will walk you through the process.

Understanding Online Slot Machines: The Basics

Online slots have exploded in popularity from their humble beginnings as copies of basic three-reel machines. You can now expect to find a bewildering array of symbols, mechanics and bonus features.

In this section, we’ll take you through the main ones to get you up to speed with the latest online slot lingo:

• Reels: The vertical columns where symbols spin around. Slots typically have 3 to 6 reels but sometimes more.  
• Rows: The horizontal spaces across the reels. Slots typically have between 3 and 5 rows.
• Grid: Some online slots use a grid system rather than reels and rows. These are typically 5×5 or larger.    
• Paylines: Lines running across the rows that determine winning combinations. Online slots can have anywhere from five to hundreds of paylines to give you more chances to land wins.  
• Bet (also called a Stake): This is the amount you bet per spin. You can adjust the bet on most slots to suit your budget and playing style.  
• Symbols: The numerous icons that appear on the reels and help you form winning combinations.   
• Paytable: An in-game guide showing the value of the slot’s symbols and features.  
• Spin: A single movement of the reels or grid which ends when new symbols randomly fall into place.

Slot Symbols

Symbols are the building blocks of any slot game. The main aim of most slots is to form winning combinations of matching symbols on paylines, sometimes with the help of special symbols. Here’s a quick take on how each symbol type works.

• Low Paying Symbols: The standard symbols in any slot game and pay modest amounts for landing 3 or more on a payline. 
• High Paying Symbols: Less frequent symbols that pay out higher amounts if you land 3 or more on a payline.   
• Wilds: These can substitute for other symbols to help you form winning combinations. They sometimes pay for landing 3 or more from a spin.   
• Scatters: They typically trigger the slot’s bonus game when 3 or more appear anywhere on the reels.  
• Bonus Symbols: Work in a similar way to Scatters but you might need to land them in specific positions on the reels to trigger a feature.  
• Multipliers: When forming part of a win, multipliers can boost payouts by a set factor, e.g., 2x, 5x or more. They can quickly boost the wins from any spin, especially if the slot allows them to stack up.

Slot Bonus Features

Online slots are often packed with exciting bonus features designed to enhance gameplay and boost your chances of landing a win. Here’s a quick look at some of the most popular slot features you’ll encounter at any UK online casino.

• Re-Spins: This allows you to re-spin the reels and typically follows a non-winning spin. It’s a great chance to get something from an otherwise wasted bet.   
• Bonus Games: These are mini-games inside the slot, typically included in the base game to boost your win potential. 
• Free Spins: A special round, separate from the base game, where you get a set number of spins at no cost. Triggering the Free Spins round is the ultimate goal of many slot games, as it can be lucrative without using up any of your casino funds. 
• Free Mode: If you want to try out a game before playing it for real money, demo mode is the way to go. See our article on free slots to get started.

RTP and Slot Volatility Explained

RTP and volatility are the two main factors that indicate how much and how often you can expect to win from any casino slot game. Here’s a breakdown of what both terms mean, how they are calculated and, most importantly, how they affect your potential winnings.

Return to Player (RTP)

The RTP indicates the percentage of wagered money a slot is programmed to return to players over time, i.e. 96.52%. As a general rule, the higher the RTP, the better.

To tip the odds in your favour as much as possible, look for games with an RTP of 96% or higher. This is the industry average, and so anything below this number is considered poor value. That said, this is a theoretical percentage and never guarantees you will win, as all casino games are pure games of chance.

A slot’s RTP is calculated by models that simulate millions of spins on the game. So, in reality, you could hit a series of wins or losses when playing and not see anything close to the slot’s stated RTP.

It’s worth knowing that RTP ratings can be adjusted, and many game developers offer a range of percentages for their games. It’s down to each online casino to decide which rating they want to offer. So, you could play the same game at two different online casinos and get two different RTP percentages.

Volatility

Volatility, also known as variance, is a rating of how often and how much a slot will potentially pay out. This is also calculated from millions of simulated spins using complex mathematical models.

As a slot player, you just want to know how the volatility will impact your chances of winning anything. Here’s a super simple breakdown of the main volatility ratings you’ll commonly see:

• Low Volatility: More frequent but smaller wins
• High Volatility: Bigger wins but occurring less often
• Medium Volatility: A balance between the above two

These are also typically shown as a numerical rating, like 5/5 or 8/10, which can be easier to understand. If a slot review says medium-high volatility, think of it as a 7.5 rating to keep things simple.

How to Choose the Right Slot For You

So, now you know all the terminology and how slot games work, how do you know which ones to play? With thousands of games to choose from, it can certainly be a tricky task. But, as always, iGamingNuts is here to help you out!

Here are a few key things you’ll want to consider if you’re looking for a slot that matches up with your gaming style and preferences:

Know Your Budget and Risk Tolerance

Think about how much you can comfortably spend on your casino sessions. This should always be money you can afford to lose and will have no impact on your personal finances. Combine this with your adversity to risk when playing casino games and you can then find slots with a volatility level to match.

• Modest Budgets: Go for low volatility slots that can provide frequent but smaller wins. This will also help to extend your playing time.
• Larger Budgets: Try spinning some high volatility slots that can give you bigger payouts but less frequently. Ideal if you are a thrill-seeking casino player who can handle the wait.
• Bet Limits: Check that the slot you want to play has minimum and maximum bet limits which can match your bankroll.

Check the RTP

We already shared how RTP percentages give you a rough indication of how much a slot returns to players over time. Therefore, we suggest playing slots that have a higher RTP, one that’s above the industry average of 96%. To help you out, we’ve created a dedicated page so you can easily pick from the highest RTP slots for UK players.

This gives you a chance of getting better long-term payouts from any slot you play. But remember, this is just a theoretical percentage and is no guarantee of payouts as all slots are games of pure chance.

Find Your Theme

There’s a never-ending list of slot themes and genres to pick from. Finding a slot with a theme and features you enjoy can really help to boost your overall casino experience.

So, take some time to find a slot theme that you like, whether it’s classic fruit machines, Egyptian tomb-raiding, or movie-inspired titles.

Examine the Bonus Features

Some slots are packed with bonus features such as free spins rounds and lucrative multipliers, while others keep it simple with not much beyond their five-reel setup.

An easy way to see all the features of any slot is to check the paytable. This will explain all the game’s features and how to trigger them.

If you’re new to playing online slots, we suggest that you start at the simpler end of things. Then, as you get more confident in playing slots, you can move on to games with fancy bonus features and mechanics.

Assess the Win Potential

Before you jump in and play any online slot, it’s good to know the game’s max win potential. This can vary wildly between slots, with some paying a max of a few hundred times your bet with others reaching the tens of thousands in win potential.

If you are looking for some life-changing potential wins then progressive jackpots are the way to go. These games, like Mega Moolah, pool together a percentage of all losses in real time to offer a multi-million-pound top prize. That said, jackpot slots often have lower base game payouts.

Play Slot Demos

You can play many slots for free in demo mode here at iGamingNuts or at selected UK online casino sites. It’s a great way to try out a game risk-free as there’s no need to use your precious bankroll to play.

Using this tip, you can quickly assess the gameplay, mobile compatibility, bonus features, and overall feel of a slot before committing any real money to the spins.

Read Reviews and Recommendations

Doing a little bit of research using slot reviews and recommendations from trusted sources like iGamingNuts goes a long way to finding your ideal casino games. Our unbiased insights can quickly tell you if a slot matches your budget and playing style.

Scanning through some genuine casino player feedback can also give you a sense of any slot you’re interested in.

How to Play Slots and Win

It’s important to understand that slots are always pure games of chance. That said, there are a few things you can do to make sure you have the best possible experience anytime you play them.

Here are our top tips to help you get the most out of your casino budget and sessions:

FAQs