Online Slot Games

How to play slots

The basics of playing slots could hardly be easier; you deposit a coin, or coins, pull the lever, and compare the results to the machine's payout schedule. Slot machines generally make some noise when a player hits a winning combination, whether a clanging, a ringing or a voice screaming 'Hooray!'

There are decisions to be made about which slot machines to play and how much to play in them; selecting wisely will help increase your winnings.

It is generally best to play the maximum permitted number of coins because often, by playing fewer coins you sacrifice a percentage of the payback. If you can't afford to play five coins in a $5 machine, play the quarter or nickel machines. Do note that some machines pay on a flat schedule where if you win with one coin, you receive your coin wagered plus one coin, if you win with five coins, you receive your five coins wagered plus five coins more. With such a machine, playing with fewer coins will make your money last longer and have you in the running for a jackpot on more pulls.

Everybody of course wants to hit the jackpot but you shouldn't underestimate the value of smaller wins gained over time.

Slot machines with more than three reels offer bigger payouts but are considerably more difficult to win. To calculate your odds of hitting a jackpot, multiply the number of symbols on each reel by the number of reels in a progressive multiplication. For example, for a five reel machine with 10 symbols on each reel; 10 x 10 x 10 x 10 x 10 equals odd of 1 in 100,000 of hitting a jackpot.

It is always desirable for a slot machine to offer "wild" symbols which can count as whichever symbol you need to win, but you must be mindful of the other payout factors of the particular machine.

Talking to the slot personnel on the casino floor can yield useful information about which machines have the best and/or most frequent payouts. Offer the person a dollar or two to speak with you and indicate that if you win, you will give them an additional tip for giving you the low-down on the casino's slots.

When in a casino that's new to you, walk the floor, learn the machines, especially their payout schedules, pay attention to which machines are most often making "You've Won!" noises. The machines which pay most often and which therefore make the most noise tend to be placed in the heavily trafficked areas of a casino. You must, however, be cautious, as a common strategy of casino owners is to put frequently paying machines, called "loose" slots, next to infrequently playing ones called "tight" slots. Do not just automatically play a machine which is next to a frequent payer.

Casinos offer many sorts of comps and players' clubs bonuses and extras. You might benefit by "shopping" for a casino based in part on the benefits they offer. Because some casinos increase benefits for frequent players, you might do well to pick one casino and play there only.

The smart slots player decides how much money he will wager on slots before entering a casino and will not go one penny over that limit. A lucky player leaves the casino with more do-re-mi than he had upon entering.