In the following, we will introduce you to the most popular slots tips and explain whether or not you can actually improve your chances of winning. With the following short navigation you can jump directly to the individual chapters.
By way of introduction, it is important to note once again that the outcome of a spin on a slot machine is based purely on chance. Results are not controlled, your starting position does not get better or worse the more rounds you play. The Random Number Generator is an algorithm that randomly determines the outcome of each spin. What happened before has no influence on the outcome. And conversely, the outcome of one spin also has no influence on anything that comes next.
Tip 1: Pay attention to the payout ratio
The payout ratio is an important indicator for higher winning opportunities in the long run. In online casinos you will find a key figure in the game instructions of every slot that you should definitely pay attention to: RTP. This abbreviation stands for “Return To Player”. The value behind it is the payout ratio of the game. It indicates what percentage of the stake is paid out to the player in the long term.
A payout ratio of 95% means that in the long term, the player receives a payout of 95 dollars for a stake of 100 dollars. This therefore means that the casino wins 5 dollars from the player in the long run. This 5% therefore corresponds to the house advantage. In online casinos, these payout ratios are usually between 95% and 97%. With slot machines in real casinos or gaming arcades, however, the payout rate is usually far below 90%. Therefore, if you want to be more successful in slots in the long run, you should gamble in online casinos and not in gambling houses.
Tip 2: Jackpot – yes or no
Again and again we read on various casino news sites that jackpots like Mega Moolah by Microgaming or Mega Fortune by Netent were cracked and players became millionaires within a few seconds. But does it really make sense to play jackpot slots in order to have better chances of winning? With every progressive jackpot slot, usually between one and two percent of your round bet goes into the jackpot. This means that unless you hit the jackpot, this part of your bet is lost on every spin. So if you play 100 times for a total of 100 dollars, 2 dollars will have disappeared towards the jackpot at the end and your payout will be reduced accordingly. This also means that the payout ratios for jackpot slots are usually somewhat lower than for slots without jackpots.
Mega Moolah by Microgaming, for example, one of the biggest progressive jackpot slots, has a payout rate of only 88.12%. So unless you become one of the few lucky jackpot winners, you will lose significantly more money in the long run on Mega Moolah than on other slot games. To hit the jackpot on many jackpot slots, you have to activate a separate bonus game. Many machines are programmed in such a way that the probability of activating this bonus game increases when the round bet is higher. With some jackpot slots, the jackpot can only be activated at all if you play with the maximum round bet. Conversely, this means: If you play with low stakes, you have no or hardly any chance of winning the main prize, but still suffer from the poor payout ratio.
Of course, online casinos and game manufacturers primarily want to motivate players to bet more money with the possibility of bigger winnings. Even if the chances of winning a jackpot increase, we strongly advise you not to risk high stakes that you cannot afford. Because on high stakes jackpot slots, you run the risk of losing a lot of money in a short time. And the chance of winning the big prize is really extremely small. Our general tip: A good slot machine strategy leaves out jackpot slots completely. It’s best to leave them alone. However, if you are looking for the thrill of winning millions and are aware that you will lose with an exceptionally high probability on jackpot slots.
Tip 3: Is the number of paylines important?
Today, slot machines come in many different varieties. They range from the classic slot game with ten paylines to the modern video slot with 243 or even more winning possibilities. Many slots also offer the possibility for the player to manually set the number of paylines. But does it make any difference at all how many paylines you play? And, if so, what is the best slot machine strategy here?
To cut a long story short: It’s purely a matter of taste. Because the number of paylines is directly related to the round stake. The more paylines are played, the higher the round bet.
A simple example illustrates the whole thing: let’s assume that five more or fewer paylines increase or decrease the round stake by 0.50 dollars. So if you play a slot with ten paylines, the round bet would be one dollar. If you play the same slot with only five paylines, the round bet is 50 cents. When playing with five paylines, there are only five potential ways to win. If you play the same game with ten paylines, the number of winning opportunities also doubles to ten. However, this also doubles the round bet. In short, this means: double the winning opportunities with double the round stake. It therefore doesn’t matter whether you play two spins with five paylines and risk $1, or bet the dollar on one spin with ten active paylines. The chances of winning do not change as a result.
Besides the number of paylines, there are two other variables that you can use to adjust the round bet to your preferences: The coin value and the number of coins you bet per round. You often read on the net that the coin value should be as high as possible in order to have better chances of winning. However, this is actually only the case with very few machines. The rule is that it doesn’t matter whether you play with ten coins of 10 cents each or with one coin of 1 dollar each. Your chance of winning will be the same. It is only different if you change the actual bet per spin. If you only bet a little, you won’t feel any big swings up or down and you will lose your money slowly and steadily – but you can play for a long time. If you play with high stakes, there is a greater chance that you will make a tidy profit. But on the other hand, there is the risk that the fun will be over very quickly and you will have gambled away your budget.
Tip 4: Choose your bonus wisely
Bonuses and free spins are a popular marketing tool used by online casinos to attract new players and encourage existing customers to deposit again. Of course, casinos do not give away free spins and bonuses for free. Every bonus or every free game is linked to turnover conditions (notable exceptions like Playojo Casino confirm the rule). If you win a bonus or free spins, this cannot be paid out immediately, but must be wagered several times in the casino. This means that if you have accepted a bonus and would like to withdraw it, you must first play until the turnover requirements are met. Even if you have won a handsome sum with the bonus money at the beginning of your session, you cannot simply take the winnings with you and run the risk of losing them again by continuing to play.
If you accept a bonus in a casino, you should rather see this as an opportunity to test the casino and the games in this casino without much risk. However, the turnover requirements do not increase your chances of winning, as the winnings achieved with the bonus cannot be paid out at any time. However, there are also casino providers where, for example, winnings from free spins received are not linked to turnover conditions. In any case, it is advisable to check the respective bonus conditions of the casino very carefully before accepting a bonus or free spins.
Tip 5: Change slot machines in case of losses – Yes or No?
As already mentioned at the beginning, the results of each individual game round depend purely on the result of the random number generator. Therefore, it does not really make sense to change the slot machine after a large number of unsuccessful spins. The next spin could be a successful spin purely by chance. Conversely, it also makes no sense to expect that the probability of winning on a slot machine will increase with additional spins. The only exceptions to this are slots that offer a kind of level mode, where you can work your way up to higher game levels the longer you play. As a rule, however, these features are more likely to encourage the player to continue playing.
Tip 6: Limit losses with money management
Every player who plays for real money in the casino should deal with the topic of money management beforehand. On the one hand, this is perhaps the most important tip of all (apart from simply not gambling at all) – on the other hand, it is also easier said than done. Because successful money management requires a good portion of self-discipline. A quality that many players do not have and need to learn.
How much you bet per spin and with how many paylines you play is, as already mentioned, only relevant to a limited extent, but you should still keep an eye on your total budget. Before you start a gaming session, you should be aware of how much you are willing to risk and lose. Also keep an eye on how much you win and lose per hour. For many players, it also makes sense to set a weekly budget and also a monthly budget. Even if it’s difficult: stick exactly to the guidelines you have set yourself!
Many casinos offer the option of automatically blocking your account if you have used up a weekly or monthly budget. This way you avoid risking money that was not intended for the casino. In general, you should really make sure that you see slot machine gambling as pure pleasure and thus only invest money that you do not need for other areas of your daily life.
The most important rule for slot machine play is money management – you can also call it self-discipline. The money you use to gamble should only ever be an expense for a hobby and should never be seen as an investment in potential winnings. Your daily budget should not be affected by gambling under any circumstances. If this is the case, you should definitely consider it.
If you want to get something out of your money for as long as possible, the second step should be to play the slots that promise the best payout rates on average. The lower the house advantage of the casino for a game, the more likely the player is to win. Some online casinos offer payout ratios of over 97%. Because of the significantly worse payout odds, we also recommend that you stay away from real casinos and gambling houses. The chances of winning there are significantly worse. All in all, you should really see the slot game for what it is – a game of chance that cannot really be influenced, but can provide a lot of fun, entertainment and, with a little luck, a lot of winnings.