Last updated: October 13, 2023
Welcome to this slots tips guide from Casino Today, here you will find a collection of all the best slots tips and all the information that players would need to know when it comes to playing the slot machine games. Although these casino games may not be the best for getting a winning edge over the house, there are plenty of tips that you can use to improve your chances of winning.
Slot machines are basic casino games that are incredibly popular with players, primarily because of their simplicity and the opportunity to score big wins with the jackpots that many games offer. We’ve looked back at our first experiences with the slots and considered some of the tips that we wish someone had shared with us. Keep reading as we share these important slot tips for beginners to help you improve your gameplay.
The world of casino gambling has changed significantly over the last two and a half decades. Online casinos have continued to boom with more website operators launching monthly. As part of the shift of players towards online gambling, the traditional casinos have had to pivot towards being an overall entertainment destination.
Modern casinos have become more of an all-inclusive entertainment destination, whereas online casinos are all about flexibility and comfort.
What players want to know is whether there are any differences between playing online slots and jumping on the machines at the casino.
You may be surprised to learn that there are quite a few differences – even though the games are mostly identical.
Some of the differences that you will find between the two playing options include:
Playing online casino games for real money isn’t as basic as sliding your cash into the bill validator of a machine. However, this doesn’t mean that playing online is hard, and many players would argue that it is easier to play real money casino games online. This is because fewer players carry cash these days.
If you are looking at playing with an online casino, you will have to complete a few quick and simple steps before you get started. First, you will need to sign up for an account, which involves entering your basic profile information. Once you have your account, you will need to deposit money into your player account.
This is a crucial aspect of what makes an online casino excellent or disappointing – the flexibility of their banking options.
Typically the payment options will depend on where you live in the world and the online casino you’ve chosen to play. However, with this being said, many of the popular methods are always available, including:
There are also further options available through prepaid cards, which have proven popular with players because these cards are not connected to a bank account or credit card – simply load up the balance and then transfer to the online casino just as you would with a debit card.
We recommend players take advantage of these prepaid options as many also allow you to request a prepaid MasterCard, which can be used at local shops too. Some of the popular prepaid options are:
It has long been common knowledge that placing the maximum bet is the go-to tip for playing slots to win. However, many players were and still are not sold on the idea because they think it is propaganda by casinos to have players spend the most per bet.
While this is not true – about the propaganda – there are positives to both sides of following a betting amount strategy.
The premise to betting the max is that the way payout tables work for slot machines is that the number of coins you bet per spin alters the payout value of your wins.
Many slot machines will operate on a coin-bet basis, with between one to five coins per spin being the max. So, the payout of a five-coin bet will be five times the payout value of the standard one-coin bet and vice versa.
This sounds great, and it is essential to consider your win potential, but you must remember that placing larger bets for a greater reward also comes with higher risk.
Using return to player percentages (i.e., the amount that the casino would payout over time), you can quickly ascertain that over some time, you will still lose more money to the casino than with the smaller coin bets.
So, should you bet max on the slots? It is worth understanding that even if you bet the maximum coins, it won’t make the jackpot land any more often than if you place a minimum bet.
The main difference between these betting choices goes in line with the disproportionate paytable and the random nature of big wins that come with playing the slots.
Our recommended tip is that you always bet the max amount of coins, because you do not want to get lucky and hit a massive win – only to realize that your payday could have been 40% to 60% greater. When it comes to the higher risk, we don’t consider this a genuine problem because although you will lose more, the return to player percentage is higher, and the losses are still proportionate to the bets you place.
Playing with casino bonuses is a big part of seeing success with online slot machine games. By doing so, players will enjoy a significant number of more spins because of the large increase in their bankroll when claiming a bonus.
But not all bonuses have the same value, which is why it is essential to do your research and read the terms and conditions before getting started.
Many bonuses will include a percentage bonus on your deposit, for example, a 100% deposit bonus up to $100, means you can deposit $100, and the casino will give you a bonus $100 to play with.
Now, what determines the value in these promotions is whether there are any wagering requirements and if so, how strict are these requirements. Bonuses will always include these terms – which are rules that need to be met before players can withdraw winnings, continue reading as we go into depth about wagering requirements later on in this slot tips guide.
Quickly see which casino offer the best game, most bonus value sweetest perks.
Playing slot machines at the casino isn’t just about winning; the socializing aspect and entertainment value are the main reasons why players head to the casino. With players coming in and out of contact with each other all the time, players must follow slot machine etiquette at all times. Here are some helpful tips to help you stay out of trouble.
Remember, treat others as you would like to be treated? Well, this is especially necessary for playing on the slot machines.
Compared to other areas of the casino, the slot machines are where most disputes will occur between players. These disputes typically relate to behaviors when interacting with each other and invading personal space.
When situations do arise, be sure to do the right thing and keep your interactions polite and the swearing or name-calling out of it. If you stick to this, most issues can be defused quickly and easily; however, there are times when a gaming attendant will need to intervene, so it is important to remember to control your behaviors.
The most common disputes that we have seen in the slots den over the years are:
Don’t forget that casino staff are people too, and they deserve to be treated with respect and politeness also.
Players will inevitably need to take a break now and then to use the restroom or to get a drink. If you intend to come back to the same slot machine after your break, then you must leave a sign on your machine to note that you will be coming back.
Over the years there have been a variety of different methods that players could signal that they were on a break, these have been:
Nowadays, most casinos do not pay out winnings in coins; instead, they print out cashier tickets, so it is much rarer to place a coin cup on your machine. You will find a plastic reserved sign beside your machine at most casinos, though.
Many slot machine developers now include a feature that allows players to press reserve, and the machine changes the screen to a reserved sign.
Whichever method you take to signal your break, just don’t resort to only leaving your casino player rewards card in the machine because this happens quite often that it can’t be considered a suitable way to advise that you are coming back to play.
Understandably, players need to take breaks and provided that you are signaling your break to other casino-goers suitably you will rarely come into a problem; however, the next aspect worth understanding is how long a break is supposed to be?
Holding a slot machine is fine for anywhere up to 15 minutes max, anything over this is not courteous and not considered a break at all. If you aren’t sure that you will be back within 15 minutes, then leave the machine and let someone else play.
When you look at the way casinos are set up (in particular, the areas where their slot machines are kept), you will see that there is one chair per machine. There are no subsequent chairs to allow you to hold a viewing party behind you.
Strictly speaking, chairs are only to be used by people that are playing the slots because if you are using a seat to sit and watch a friend, then that slot machine is unable to be used without a seat.
This rule is essential and should be considered at all times. For example, if you are taking a break or just kicking back and enjoying the ambiance while waiting or talking with nearby casino goers, then you will need to use your common sense.
If you are continuing this for longer than a few minutes, consider going for a walk or sitting at a lounge for longer breaks.
This standard slot etiquette should always be followed; however, it is understandable if the casino is quiet and there are a majority of the seats available – that you or a friend may sit and chat while playing, etc.
Just as you might sit and talk while playing with a friend when the casino is quiet, it can be suitable for players to play on multiple slot machine games at once; however, this is only appropriate in quiet or off-peak traffic situations.
During the typically busy times or when there are plenty of players about the casino, you mustn’t play across multiple slots at once.
When it comes to casino etiquette, there is one concept that applies to everything, that always uses your common sense.
So many ‘gurus’ on the internet tell players to avoid the slot machines at all costs. These ‘gurus’ act as if the slots are infected with Coronavirus or something worse. Now, this must be said, but chances are there is something on your slot machine – because of how many people touch them and germs or whatnot, but don’t stress about avoiding the slot machines altogether.
What you need to do is avoid the bad tips and habits, and make smarter choices when playing. Doing so will put you in a better position to win at the slots. Below we have collated some of the worst slots tips and habits to avoid.
Playing casino games and gambling will always attract the worst in people. Primarily because there are still people that will look to test the boundaries by cheating because of the lure for a big payday.
Throughout history, the slot machines have been subject to their fair shares of cheating, both failed and successful attempts.
When it comes to legislation surrounding licensed casinos, cheating is a severe offense and one that Judges are willing to throw the book at perpetrators. Casinos are big business, so it is well-known that they have gone about their ways to make cheating just about impossible.
However, this hasn’t stopped people from trying. We strongly recommend against cheating, especially some of the below outlandish methods that people have tried in the past.
Like something straight out of an old movie, back when three-reel slots all accepted coins, scammers would attach a string around a coin. Once the coin was inserted, and the credit was provided to the player, they would pull back on the string and get back their coin.
Nowadays, this method is not possible because machines rarely accept coins directly.
Similar to the string theory, players began to create their fake coins, which at some point was simply a piece of metal that had been filed down and shaped. Some more professional counterfeiters began creating mock slot tokens, which looked very similar to the tokens which were used throughout New Jersey.
Over the years, this was quickly stamped out as the coin recognition software behind the slots became smarter.
The old mechanical slot machines of the 60s and 70s were susceptible to manipulation through magnetic force. Scammers would attach strong magnets to the sides of a machine to allow the reels to spin freely instead of stopping altogether. These magnets were then removed once the machine had shown a winning combination.
In the 1980s, some devices were used to trick a machine into paying out coins using a curved metal rod attached to a piece of wire. The wire would be inserted into the coin slot, and then the rod would be jammed into the same coin slot, which would complete an electrical circuit and activate the machine’s coin dispenser.
Believe it or not, sophisticated ruses had been planned and executed on several occasions within the United States using the very computer chips that were designed to prevent cheating.
The high profile plan was concocted by Ron Harris, a software engineer at the Nevada State Gaming Commission, a man whose job was to program computer chips within slot machines to prevent cheating!
While going about his work, Ron included an exploit that he and his accomplices would use to rig the machines to payout. This exploit involved players inserting a specific number of coins in a particular order, which, when doing so, would trigger a large payday.
Ron exploited over 30 machines and got away with hundreds of thousands of cold hard cash, but it was an attempt to rig a game of Keno that got him busted, eventually pleading guilty in 1996 and spending seven years in jail.
Just like your buddy and their super attractive partner who is out of their league, you don’t want to be punching above your weight – or playing above your bankroll for that matter.
Be realistic with the slots that you play and the bankroll that you have to work with. There is no reason for you to go and play on a $2 slot machine when you only have a bankroll of $10 to work with.
Yes, that gives you five spins to get lucky on and win, and while it could happen, it is highly unlikely.
Be smart, stick to playing slot machine games that match your bankroll.
A problem many slots players have is that they try to overcomplicate things, this is an especially prevalent mindset among slots players as they look to find loopholes and fancy strategies or reasons behind big wins.
Whether players like to accept it or not, there is no sure thing when it comes to winning on slot machine games. The outcomes are entirely random and not able to be manipulated.
Throughout our experiences, we have seen that typical slots players go to so much effort to try too hard at winning on the slots. To the point that they end up skipping over all the slots tips that are useful.
One of the prime examples of this is players who avoid using their casino loyalty card in the slot machine because they are trying to be all mysterious and think that using the card lets the casino track and alter their winnings.
For starters, it is illegal for casinos to manipulate your chances of winning. Using your loyalty card won’t increase the house edge, neither will it decrease the house edge, but you will earn some rewards and could find yourself with some free plays by using it. They won’t be groundbreaking, but it doesn’t cost you any extra money.
We’ve shared with you some of the beginner tips for playing, as well as looking at some of the things that players should not do. Now, it is time to look at ways that players can improve their chances of winning with our easy slot machine tips that you should follow. These tips are relatively straightforward and don’t rely on gimmicks or ‘sneaky’ tricks, just cold-hard-facts.
Ever since the slots were first introduced to casino-goers, they have been ruled by the amount that players bet. Just as it was for the classic three-reel slots, the five-reel video slots feature the same underpinning structure – bet higher for a higher payback percentage.
This comes without saying that players should not simply throw large amounts of money at a slot and expect a winning payday.
It is vital to choose a game that works for you from an entertainment perspective, and that suits the way you like to play (which we will talk about shortly). However, from a purely mathematical standpoint, playing these higher denomination slot games will provide players with a higher return to player percentage (RTP).
Playing these games at a higher price point per spin will mean that players are exposing themselves to a higher risk, though.
But isn’t that part and parcel with why we play casino games? When playing on a $1 slot, which is a three-coin machine, each spin will cost you $3 and will payout at a 95% RTP. Whereas playing a 50c slot across a 50-line 1c game might feature a much lower 85% RTP.
While your losses will be more significant over time, statistically, the percentage is still better than what you would have expected on the lower denomination game, but if you get that one lucky win – who knows what could happen!?
Progressive slots have become synonymous with winning a life-changing jackpot. Their jackpots can be massive because a small portion of every spin that is placed goes towards the jackpots.
These jackpots can get very large rather quickly because progressive slots can either be standalone, linked locally, or connected across a network – meaning hundreds of games all contributing to the one pot.
These slots have many pots worth winning because they have tiered jackpots – which can range from as low as just two, right up to 12 jackpots.
Now, these huge paydays are still only for the lucky few. There is no guarantee or significantly increased chance of players scoring a jackpot. However, when it comes to choosing whether to play a progressive slot or play a standard game – there isn’t much to warrant not taking the chance at one of the many available jackpot tiers.
Before you jump ahead and get stuck into one of these games, though, you need to know that not all bets will allow you to win every jackpot.
In progressive slot games, you may be wasting your time if you are not playing maximum bet spins. This is because these lower amounts or lesser coin denomination spins may not be eligible to proc the higher jackpots.
Which would be a colossal waste of money and time, plus heartbreaking if you were lucky enough to land the winning symbols.
So that you do not miss out, play your spins with the maximum bet, or if you can’t quite afford that, then check out the paytable and make sure that you are playing the necessary bets.
If that still doesn’t suit you, we recommend playing a different slot machine game where you can afford the maximum bets.
When you go into a playing session on the slots, you should always have the mindset that you are going to lose money. It follows the same understanding that you should never gamble with money that you are not happy to lose.
That’s not to say that you won’t win, just appreciate these times when they do come.
Just be sure that you only play games or denomination slots that suit your bankroll – don’t go doing something daft like playing a dollar slot and betting three coins when you only have $20 to work with.
For a general rule of thumb, your bankroll should last so that you can play 250 bets. If this is the case, then you would be able to play for about three hours before going dry.
This is why it is essential to know how far your bankroll will last, or else you will risk logging in to play and find out 20 minutes in that you don’t have enough to last. Below we have shared how much it would cost to play some common slot games to 250 bets (hopefully this will shed some light for you):
As you can see, your bets can escalate in cost very quickly, and thus as fast as the fun starts; it can all be taken away.
Playing online slots has many benefits over visiting the traditional casino, whether it is the bonus of being able to practice or the bonuses themselves. Outside of that, there are distinct advantages that may be more suitable to some players over others.
Overall, players are flocking to online casinos for a reason, and here we will share a few of those reasons with you!
The overall consensus of our team was that being able to play free casino games (whenever it suits you) was the number one reason why it is more advantageous to play at online casinos rather than brick and mortar casinos.
It is underrated, but playing for free lets players practice new slots or test out the features of a game without having to risk real money.
Doing so is not possible at casinos, whereas the majority of online gambling sites now offer free play modes for players to try before they buy.
What if we told you that you could get the same thrills and entertainment that you get while playing the casino slots without having to put pants on or leave the house?
A big part of playing with online casinos is the flexibility of being able to play and experience the same games and having the same ability to win real money, while not dealing with the social aspect of a casino.
Online casinos let players enjoy their games on any compatible mobile device (basically every device with an internet browser) or desktop computer, plus there are no closing times.
Players can save money more ways than ever before with online gambling sites. Not only are there extra betting options when playing games like the slots online, but it is possible to save a significant amount of money when compared to the expenditures of a typical casino trip.
Staying home to play means that there is no need to pay for:
Even for players who are great at keeping costs to a minimum, having to spend money on each of these things will still add up to quite a large amount.
Now, playing with online casinos, there is no need to pay all these additional outgoings. Which saves a lot of money, money which can be used on your bankroll for more chances at a big slots jackpot!
We’ve touched on how important playing with casino bonuses is for players. These promotions give a distinct advantage to online casinos over brick and mortar casinos because of how frequent great bonuses are offered.
With these promotions, players can add more consistency to their playing time thanks to the bonus money and free spins components. Even players with relatively small bankrolls can still enjoy more consistent playing time.
Just remember that not all bonuses have the same value, so you must set aside time to read through the bonus terms and conditions to get an understanding of any limits and wagering requirements that apply.
Throughout this guide, we have covered with you a series of slot tips to help you play slot machines and win, while also taking a look at some of the tips and tricks to avoid at all costs.
Playing on slot machines is an excellent way for beginners to get exposed to the world of casino gambling, which can also be very rewarding for players if played properly. We’ve looked at some great tips for beginners, including how to get started with online casinos and how they differ from playing at a local casino, and what to think about when claiming an online casino promotion.
When heading out to a local casino to play on the slots, there are many more rules which need to be adhered to, some of which are more or less an unwritten code of conduct. If you decide to play slots at a casino, you won’t have anything to worry about as we have shared with you the essential tips for slot machine etiquette, including how to avoid trouble when taking a short break.
Although the slots are simple games, they can be easy to make mistakes when playing. We’ve looked at a few tips and habits which you must avoid if you want to win, as well as covering some of the stupidity in the past with players trying to cheat their way to riches. Just remember, when playing slot machine games, don’t try too hard.
Some go-to slots tips must be followed when looking to play on these games. In this guide, we discussed the differences between higher denomination games and why you need to take care when playing progressive slots or otherwise, you may risk being ineligible for those massive wins if lucky.
We also covered with you how to look at your bankroll and get an idea of how far it will go, while also providing a general rule of thumb to use when planning out what slots to play.
Rounding it off, we finished this guide by breaking down some of the more unique advantages of playing online slot games, including how important it is to practice before betting real money and how valuable being able to avoid the typical outgoings associated with casinos by playing at home. We also looked at why online casino bonuses can help players play for more extended periods with consistency.
So, it doesn’t matter whether you are a beginner or a seasoned player; there are always going to be slots tips worth knowing and helpful information to improve your playing experience. We recommend checking out our top-rated online casinos before putting some of these tips to good use. If you have not done so yet, check out our other great casino games guides.
Jerome oversees our editing and content team and absolutely loves blackjack. So much so that he was a professional player for more than a decade before joining us at Casino Today. He’s written several books, mostly on the subjects of card counting and the different blackjack systems he employed over the years. He also runs a successful YouTube channel where he showcases different blackjack scenarios with beginner tips on how to beat the dealer.
