Playing the slots has been one of the most popular gaming pastimes for generations. Now the game is more attractive than ever – thanks to the amazing boom in online slots.
More and more people are playing slots – because they can access them anywhere, anytime, any place. Thanks to remote access on portable technology like phones and tablets, slots are now available 24/7.
That means there are a lot more chances to experience the thrill of the simple slot dynamic. It’s amazing how it works every time you press play – and you always get a short burst of excitement as the reels spins.
Will you win or will you lose? It’s a timeless burst of adrenalin every single game.
But experienced players gradually come to realise there are subtle tactics you can adopt to improve the way you play online slots.
You won’t change the odds of winning – they’re fixed. And you can’t cheat or influence the outcome of a spin, so don’t even try.
What you can do is have an intelligent strategy for slots. All players can maximise their enjoyment – and get themselves in the best place for coming out of a session by winning.
Have a look at our best tips for how to play online slots:
1 Quit while you are ahead
The greatest skill in all gaming is to know when to stop.
The way luck works has been examined many times by probability theorists and statisticians.
Luck comes in waves of winning and losing that obviously even out over time. But when you are at the crest of a wave of good fortune you will be ahead of the odds.
And that’s the time to walk away with a small but impressive profit. All the best slot players know to quit when they are ahead.
2 Play at the lowest stakes
Work your way into a slot game by playing at the lowest possible denomination allowed by the game. Get some games under your belt while you see how the game ‘feels’.
There’s no point going into a strange game with all guns blazing – and stake the maximum. You can easily lose heavily before you’ve even worked out all the features of a game.
Let the machine take its own course. The odds are fixed remember.
The more games you play, the more the crests and troughs of luck will ebb and flow. Minimise your losses, wait till you are ahead – then quit.
3 Study the game
Do you know the pay table? All of it?
If you don’t you are not optimising your chances of winning a slot game. You need to know where the winnings are going to come from in advance – not in the heat of the moment when you have to make a decision in an instant.
So make sure you check all the paylines and know what to look for. Be ready to take advantage of any extra features and bonuses as soon as they are offered.
4 Choose the slot game wisely
Many experienced players avoid more progressive slot games. These games may lure new players with enticingly huge jackpots – but offer less to the regular slot player.
All slots have a fixed amount of winnings to distribute to players. Some give it out in rare huge jackpots – others in more frequent regular but smaller pay-outs.
It’s easier to get ahead of the statistical curve or probability chart if the payouts are small and frequent. On a game with infrequent giant payouts you may run out of money before it gives anything back.
5 Enjoy the game – win or lose
Don’t attempt to play online slots as a professional. The odds of the games are fixed in advance.
Over time the game will take a little more than it gives out. That is obviously how online casinos make their profits.
In such a fast-moving competitive online environment, if they take too high a slice of the stakes they will lose customers. So the slot payouts are still generous compared to some other casino games.
But players need to manage their expectations. It is unlikely you will consistently win large amounts at slots.
You may have occasional jackpot days when you come out well ahead. But they will inevitable be balanced by many days when you spend more than you win.
That’s the laws of probability at work. So don’t expect to become a professional on the back of playing slots.
Instead, follow these tips above. Bet frequently but using small stakes.
Note how the wins and losses come in waves so you are sometimes ahead, sometimes falling behind. Time your sessions so you are brave enough to quit while you are ahead.
If you always follow this strategy you stand a chance of always being ahead of the curve. Your winnings will be paid for by players who quit while they are losing.
It may give you a small profit – but if you try to hang out for major wins the laws of probability mean you are likely to end up a loser too.
The final tip to all players is the easiest to follow: enjoy it. Even if you lose, you’ve won.
That’s because you’ve paid a small stake to have a great time. The thrill of a game of slots is eternal.
If you realise that it’s always fun to play slots – you’ll realise you are a winner every time.
You can read this post on My Celebrity Life.