If you’re a total beginner and have never played slots before, or have played once or twice but are still confused by how it all works, this guide on how to play slot machines for beginners has been written just for you.
At Gambperspro.com, we’re slot machine pros, and we know every element of the games to an expert level. We’re going to explain exactly how slot machines work, what all the different slot symbols mean, the jackpot rules which determine payouts, and how to play slot machines from A to Z.
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Even if you’ve never played slots before, you’ll understand the A-Z by the time you’ve finished reading.
How to Play Slot Machines for Beginners
The first thing you need to understand about slot machines is the different elements of the game. These are:
Reels – Slot reels run horizontally across the game screen and are the ‘slots’ in which symbols spin. Games can be 3-reel, 5-reel, or even 6-reel. If you look at the screenshot above, this game has five reels.
Rows – Each slot has a number of rows which run vertically. Most slots have three rows, but some have more. In the game screenshot above, you’ll see three reels.
Paylines – Paylines are the patterns which can make winning combinations. For example, if a slot has 25 paylines and you play the game with all of them activated, you’ll have 25 different ways to win. In the screenshot above, you’ll see that this game has 25 paylines.
Symbols – The symbols are the icons which spin on the reels. Each symbol has a different value and how much you win for making combinations will be determined by the value of the symbols.
Once you understand the basics of slot machines, it’s time to take a look at how to play casino slot machines step-by-step.
How to Play Slots for Beginners – A Step by Step Guide
For the sake of keeping things simple, we’re going to pretend you’re playing the game you see in the screenshot above. It’s called Mega Fortune and is a great game for beginners since its simple and has several huge progressive jackpots.
Below is a step-by-step procedure showing how you how to play slot machines, specifically Mega Fortune in this example. It works basically the same way for all slot machines, although there may be some variations depending on the software developer.
So, to place a bet on Mega Fortune slot, you would:
Step 1
Make a deposit. Unless you’re playing free slots or have a no deposit free spins bonus, you’ll need to deposit funds before you can play. You can usually do this in the ‘account’ or ‘banking’ section of your casino.
Step 2
Determine the number of paylines you want to play. In this game, the number is fixed at 25, but you can view each payline by clicking the numbers at either side of the game screen. In some other games, you can determine how many lines you want to play per spin.
Step 3
Decide your coin value. In Mega Fortune, you can set your coin value between £0.01 and £0.50. Remember, you’re betting one coin per payline, so if you were to set your coin value at £0.01, you would be betting £0.25 per spin.
Step 4
Set your bet level. This isn’t a feature of all video slots, but it is for this one. You can increase your level from between one and four. The higher you go, the bigger your bet size. For example, if you bet with a coin value of £0.01 at level one your bet size would be £0.25. If you bet with the same coin value at level four, your bet size would be 4x greater or £1.
Step 5
Hit the spin button. This is where the fun begins. You’ll see the symbols spinning on the reels, and if you land a winning combination, you’ll receive a payout. The payout size depends on how many symbols you’ve landed, your bet size, and the value of the symbols.
Playing slot machines is as simple as that. It’s not rocket science, and you’ll master it in a few spins. If it all seems foreign to you, we suggest getting familiar with the process by playing some of our free slots until you feel comfortable.
Slot Machine Lines Explained
Paylines often confuse beginner slots players the most, and no How to Play Slot Machines for Beginners guide would be complete without explaining them further.
Basically, paylines are patterns, and if you match symbols across them, you win payouts. On most slots, payline one will be straight across the middle row, as in the screenshot below.
However, paylines aren’t always so simple. They can go in all sorts of directions. Just take a look at payline 10 on Mega Fortune in the screenshot below.
Paylines can go in many directions, but don’t worry about them too much. All video slots will calculate your wins for you automatically. You don’t have to look out for these patterns at all. If you land symbols on an active payline, the game will let you know. It will also calculate and display exactly how much you have won.
Understanding Slot Machine Symbols
The basic mechanics and structure of a slot machine is one thing, the paylines are another, and the different symbols are yet another thing you’ll need to understand.
Most slots have the following symbols, although again, it can vary from game to game.
Common Symbols – These are the common slot machine symbols which make up winning combinations. They don’t hold any special function, and landing combinations of them pays out wins in accordance with the paytable.
High-Value Symbols – These are common symbols, but they pay the most. If you look at the screenshot above, the white limo is the highest value common symbol. Keep in mind that this might not be the highest value symbol once special symbols are considered, as is the case in Mega Fortune.
Scatter Symbols – Scatter symbols can trigger bonus rounds and also often pay when you land three or more of them on the reels.
Wild Symbols – Wild symbols can substitute for other symbols. For example, if you had four matching symbols on reels one, two, four, and five, and a wild landed in the middle, you’d have a five symbol combination. Wild symbols can sometimes stick, move, or expand on the reels.
Bonus Symbols – These are special symbols which trigger bonus rounds when the land is certain patterns or combinations. For example, in this game the bonus symbol is a wheel, which leads to a special bonus round.
Understanding Slot Machine Bonus Rounds
Modern video slots are a far cry from the simple fruit machines you might find in pubs and bars across the world. Even in world-class casinos in Las Vegas and elsewhere, few slots have bonus rounds which can match online slots.
Bonus rounds can confuse some new players, so we thought we’d describe them here so that this How to Play Slot Machines for Beginners piece is complete.
First, you should note that you can always find out what bonus rounds and special features a game has by viewing the paytable.
As the above screenshot shows, you can see which slot machine bonus games the game has built into it. You can also see how to trigger each one. One of the best things to do when you’re learning how to play slot machines is to study game paytables.
Some of the best slot machine bonus rounds are:
Free Spins – You’ll get a predetermined number of free spins. Sometimes you’ll be given a multiplier which boosts your wins, for example by 3x or more.
Bonus Wheels – The name explains it all, really. A wheel will spin, and you’ll win cash prizes, free spins, and access to other special rounds and features.
Picking Rounds – You’ll see a number of items on the screen and will need to pick some of them to win cash payouts. Sometimes progressive jackpots are built into picking rounds.
Secrets to Winning on Slot Machines
If we knew how to win jackpots on slot machines every time, we’d be too busy sunning ourselves in the Bahamas to write this guide for you.
However, while we can’t tell you how to win every time, we can show you a few slot machine tricks which will help you win more often. This is knowledge we’ve gained over decades, so take it in and make sure you understand it before choosing which game to play.
- Manage your bankroll effectively. This is probably the number one trick to winning slots more often. Don’t get carried away and don’t chase losses. Decide how much you’re willing to lose beforehand, and only increase the size of your bets when you’re playing with ‘house money.’
- Check how volatile the game is. Some games go for long dry spells and then pay big wins, or lots of big wins, suddenly. These are high volatility slots. Some pay smaller amounts more frequently. These are low volatility slots. Your strategy on how to play slot machines should be determined in part by the game’s volatility.
- Investigate the bonus rounds. If one free spins round has a 2x multiplier while another has an 8x multiplier, it makes sense to play the one with the bigger potential. Take your time to look at the paytables and see what’s in store.
- Understand that you can’t cheat. There are lots of articles online titled ‘How to cheat at slots’ and other variants of this. They’re all BS. Save yourself the time and money wasted with these systems. Random number generators determine game outcomes. There are no patterns, and slot cheat codes don’t work. Period.
- Pick high RTP slots. Each slot is programmed to pay a certain percentage of all bets back to players. You’re better off playing a slot with a 98% RTP than one which pays 92%.
How to Play Slot Machines for Dummies – Common Questions
Q. How are slot machines programmed?
Random number generators control slots payouts. These are advanced mathematical programs which spit out billions of numbers per second. Some of these numbers will instruct the slot to pay. Just hope you’re playing when a winning number is generated.
Q. Are slot machines rigged?
There are some dishonest casinos which run rigged slot machines. However, the vast majority of them are legit and fair. Stick with our approved casinos to avoid getting cheated. The games at them are powered by world-class slots software companies like Playtech and Microgaming.
What is a progressive jackpot?
Progressive jackpots can pay out multi-millions. Every bet made on a progressive jackpot slot at every casino which offers it contributes to the progressive jackpot. This network effect leads to massive jackpots, some of which can be truly life-changing. You can win them randomly, or for landing a specific combo of symbols, or in special bonus rounds. when you’re learning how to play slot machines, these jackpots can be tempting, but you should be aware that these games almost always have a higher RTP than regular slots.
Q. What are free spins bonuses?
Some casinos choose to give new players free spins on slots for making a deposit. For example, you might get 10 free spins for making a £10 deposit.
Free spins bonuses are not the same as the free spins bonus rounds built into games. Special symbols trigger these features within the game. They offer a number of free spins at no additional cost.
That about wraps up our How to Play Slot Machines for Beginners guide. If you’ve enjoyed it and are ready to try some free slots for yourself, check out our free slot games page now. After a few spins on those, you’ll fully understand all of the concepts you’ve learned about here.
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There are so many theories and myths about the perfect slot. It is no secret that the best slot for players is the one that pays the most or that has the highest RTP. Return to Player or RTP is a term used to describe the percentage of invested or wagered money that returns to the players. The RTP is usually around 92% to 97%. Now, this doesn’t mean that you’re going to win ninety percent of the time, or indeed that you’re going to win anything at all. It’s of essential importance to understand that online slot machines are run by the RNG or Random Number Generator, and that there’s no way of either determining or influencing the outcome of the game.
Of course, if you play online, you can change the number of paylines or the size of the bet. However, this won’t affect the chances you have, but only your potential payout. Naturally, you would prefer to seek the slot machine with the highest RTP, and ideally, you’re going to select the highest coin size. Furthermore, the ones offering a progressive jackpot are rather popular, since the total reward can be unbelievably high.
Finally, we need to mention the volatility of the slots. Volatility is the risk, and there are slots with both high and low volatility. Ones with high volatility will pay more, but less often; while low volatility slot machines will pay less money but more often.
Crowded Places or Empty Casinos?
Now the time of the day can, in theory, have an influence on the outcome of the game. So if we take a look at the statistics, the number of jackpots is higher when there are more people in the casino playing slots. However, the truth is that the jackpot can occur at any time and randomly. There is nothing you can do to increase your chances of winning the big reward.
In reality, the more people play the game, the sooner the jackpot will happen. However, the chances for each player will remain the same. There are people who prefer empty casinos at noon, for example, just because they will be able to find their favorite game more easily, and they won’t have to worry about the slot machine being taken.
Of course, if we’re talking about online slot games, there are no limits to the number of players that can play the game. And in the end, the more you play, the higher your chances are of winning one of the progressive jackpots.
Finally, the time of the day will dictate the crowd in the casino; and for each of the players, the chance of winning will be the same.
When to Play Slots – The First Rule
The answer to this question might seem simple and obvious, but we need to mention that this is really the most important rule of all. You should play slot machines only when your budget allows it. Furthermore, the budget should be the main principle determining if and when should you play the game. And since we’ve already mentioned progressive jackpots, you do need to make sure that you qualify for them before starting the game.
The requirements can vary from casino to casino, and from game to game. Usually, there will be an additional bet, or else a minimum amount you need to bet if you want to qualify for the jackpot.
Naturally, you shouldn’t play any games that are over your budget. There’s one particular slot in Las Vegas that costs five thousand per spin! On the other hand, penny slots will pay a lot less, so you won’t have the chance to really win big (and they usually never offer you a progressive jackpot).
Play When Jackpot Is Big
Progressive jackpots can occur randomly at the end of each spin. The portion of each bet (or side bet) will increase the size of this jackpot. Furthermore, the more it remains unwon, the larger it gets. Naturally, when some lucky player manages to win the jackpot, the amount will reset to its lower limit and then start building up again.
Be sure to find a really big jackpot, or else wait until the amount reaches a certain value. But you also need to test your luck, especially if it’s been a while since your last jackpot. Naturally, many people would argue about the odds, and even about whether they are increased at all.
Feeling Lucky?
Since slots are games of chance, the only thing that matters, in the end, is luck. If you are feeling particularly lucky one day, you should play the slots. There won’t be any hidden clues or hints to help know when the jackpot is going to occur; and the only way to win real money is to bring your good fortune with you!
On the other hand, if you don’t feel lucky for some reason, you might want to avoid playing slots that day. Of course, there might also be some people who might suggest that you try and change the course of your luck. The answer to this, of course, is to do whatever you feel like doing.
Morning, Noon, or Evening
We already mentioned that slot machine games are run by RNG, and this is never going to change. Ultimately, the time of day or the number of people already playing the game is not going to have any impact on ultimate outcome of the game. You can play slots for hours and hours and win nothing, and someone can play once and win big. So, you might as well go whenever you feel like it. If you’re a fan of slots, then any time is good for playing the game.
Most of the casinos are open throughout the day, and there are even ones that are available 24/7. The perfect time for you is simply the time when you’re going to feel the most comfortable. Just be aware that during peak hours, it might be hard to find the perfect game, since most of these will already be taken!
Superstition and Good Moods
Best Time To Play Slots
It’s no secret that gamblers are the most superstitious people in the world. There are so many things they do to try and make Lady Luck smile on them. However, the truth is simple – the perfect time to play the game is whenever you feel like it!
One of the most common theories and superstitions is that gamblers won’t start playing on the machine if the seat is cold. This means that nobody has been playing the game, and therefore it’s bad. There are also people who believe that the machine knows when you’re comfortable, and that they’re less likely to win if they sit down.
How To Win At Slot Machines
You should remember the slots are fun, and that they should always be a joyful experience for you: whether you’re playing in Las Vegas or in an online casino. Finally, if you have the budget and you feel like trying your luck, then you can be sure it’s the best time to play slot machines, and that the timing couldn’t be better.