Online slots are certainly the easiest casino game to play – unlike blackjack, craps and roulette they require no real knowledge – which explains why they are also the most popular. For those who have never been to Vegas and bet on the “one armed bandit”, use the below rules as a guide for how to play online slots.
Casino & Online Slots Rules – The Basic Machine
Most games look pretty similar to one another. On the very top will be the name of the machine and below that will be a payout table. The payout table shows you what combinations of reels net what amounts of money according to the slot machine rules. The rules for each unique type of slot machine are different, but we’ll come back to that later.
The reels are the things that spin when you pull the lever. Today’s slot machines typically have between three and five reels. The line through the middle of the reels is the payline. If the three symbols across the reels match, then you can look up on the payout chart and see how much you’ve won.
To the right of the reels is the lever, which spins the reels once pulled. Although most actual machines have a lever, the machines in online casinos do not. They instead opt for the “spin” button, which turns the reels automatically when pressed.
At the bottom of the machine is a panel of three buttons. One is the aforementioned “spin button”. The other two buttons determine the size of your bet. The number of coins you bet determines which column of the payout chart you use; the first column corresponds to a single coin, the second to two, the third to three. The more you bet, the higher your payout will be.
The box to the side of the buttons shows how much a single bet costs. Don’t let the use of the word coin fool you; online casinos can be quite expensive.
More Complicated Machines
Gaming slots can get much more complicated than the type described above.
As mentioned before, many have four or five reels, and some can have as many as 25 paylines. Many of these more complicated machines allow you to increase your number of paylines by depositing more money. Paying for all 25 paylines is like spinning the machine 25 times at once. It is quite exciting, but be warned: it can also end up costing you quite a bit before you realize it.
Bonus games are another feature that is fairly common among more complex machines. A bonus game is a small, video game-style, mini-game that starts up when you get a certain combination of symbols. These games usually require a bit more player involvement, have different objectives from slot machine rules, and give out fun rewards like free spins and bonus cash.
Cryptologic, a Canadian online casino software provider, has taken the complexity of these games to the next level with its line of Marvel Superhero brand machines. Each has its own unique bonus game that can be very fun and very rewarding. These kinds of slots, especially with more in-depth bonus games, are a big draw for video gamers who crave more player participation than the standard machine offers.
Gambling at its Finest
Slots represent gambling at its finest. There is no skill in pulling the lever and, though everyone knows the odds are in the house’s favor, they continue to be among the most popular and most iconic of casino games. The whole point is that you are just like everyone else, and you’re just as likely as anyone else to win a huge jackpot on a small investment.
Which brings to mind an important note: There is no real strategy to winning. There are common sense tricks for managing your bankroll and knowing when to walk away from the machine, but unlike online video poker, online blackjack and even roulette, there is no special knowledge needed to play and no real online game strategies. The truth is you just have to get lucky.
And with that last bit of advice, you now know how to play slots! You might want to start out with a simple one like the example shown above. Don’t worry, though. You will be battling Marvel Super villains on high-tech 5 reel machines in no time.
Happy Spinning!
