Slots - A Beginner's Guide
The first slot machines came to graze players back in the late 1800's but a lot of things have changed since then. The one-armed-bandit is seen as the father of all slot machines but if you enter the world of online casinos you will quickly realize that things are a lot different these days. Online slots have grown to become the most popular gambling type on the Internet and it is getting more and more popular by the day. Slots can be played by anyone at any time, much thanks to the fact that there are so many different games that cater for every type of gambler. Another great incentive to play slot games is the fact that many of them offer several thousands, if not hundred thousand, pounds in prize money if you get the largest jackpot.
Online slot machines have evolved massively since the mid 90's and there is now a whole range of different formats and games for players to wrap their heads around. The most basic slot machines still only have one winning line. From there on you can find 3, 9, 12, 20, 30, 40 and even 50 winning lines on a single slot game. Thankfully everything is calculated and confirmed by computers and servers so you do not have to keep track of every single line - it will show up if you win on it.
Slots for Beginners
There is no simpler casino game to play than a slot machine. If you have never set your foot in a real casino or played online, this is the place to start. Casinos can be customized very easily to fit your casino wallet and everything can be done by the click of a button. If you want to figure out the inner most workings of a slot game, including the winning lines, buttons, design and theme - have a look at our comprehensive SLOT REVIEWS section where we have played and reviewed slot games from all the major suppliers.
When you put down a bet on a single line that bet is multiplied with the amount that the winning combination that you land on is worth. So if you put down £0.01 on a winning line and your combination of symbols pays out 5 times the line bet you will get £0.05. Some combinations will pay out 1 times the win and others might go all the way up to 25,000 times the line bet. To find out just how much a combination pays you should go to the help section of the slot game and each symbol will be explained.
These days there are games with multiple lines but this does not mean that you have to bet on all of them. On, for example, a 20 line slot you can choose to bet on anywhere from 1 to 20 winning lines. This can be changed by pressing the buttons on the slot machine. You can also alter the bet size on the line to make sure that you are betting just the amount of money that you want.
Basic Slot Strategy
When you play online slots it might be nice to get a decent sized win from time to time. However, the first rule of playing slots is that you want to win big - you want to take that jackpot. So for every small and medium sized win that you get you will only use that to go for the jackpot. It is important to know just how large the actual jackpot is for a game and if it really is worth going after. Some games pay 1,000 to 2,000 times the line bet as a jackpot and we suggest that you do not go for anything under that when you choose a slot game.
The main strategy that you need to apply is being patient and managing your bankroll. If you are in it for the big win - the jackpot - you need to be patient with your bets and keep them the right size. Just like in other casino games you can get streaks where the machine pays out on almost every spin. This is when you should gradually increase your bet size so that you get a larger payout for each spin. Equally, a slot machine will have its cool periods where it does not pay out much at all. This is where you need to keep calm and not go chasing after the big wins. Make very small bets on each spin and stick with it until the slot starts paying out regularly again.
It might seem a bit boring to churn away at a single slot game for hours and hours. There are a few different ways to get around this and keep things interesting. One of the best ways is to find a themed slot with a theme that you really enjoy. Games from Marvel, Fantastic Four, Iron Man, Iron Man 2 and The Hulk are all games that have a great theme with animations and bonus games. This will keep you interested and focused throughout the game and make the hours fly by.
No matter what game you pick - be careful with your bankroll and have a limit where you stop playing. It can always be tempting to try and win back the money you lost but if you have decided to stop at a certain number - stick to it!
