While most people assume that slot machines are completely random and winning big is completely up to chance, there are actually strategies which you can try which will make your chances of winning much higher.
A lot of casino game enthusiasts spend years trying to work out which strategy suits them best when they are playing slots, but this guide is here to show you which are our favorites and what you can try.
Luckily playing slots is fun whether you are playing them online or in person, however, no matter what method you are choosing to play, there are dos and don’ts which you need to remain aware of so you are gambling strategically as well as responsibly.
Working out strategies for slot machines can be quite difficult, especially if you are going in with little experience.
If you also start to get confused, this can affect your ability to think straight when you are gambling, and this is something you want to avoid at all costs.
This is why we have put this guide together so you have all the information you need to use slot machines in the way which will benefit you the most (see also “How Much Do Slot Machines Cost?“).
While there are some specific strategies which will get you the best results, the best thing to do when playing slots is to go in knowing all the tricks which help you play the best, and the tips which you should be keeping in mind when you are playing.
Once you know all this you will be able to play the best you can. Once you have been playing for a while you will be able to incorporate the slots strategies into your play style, and this will make you much better when playing slots and leads to the highest chance of success!
Pick The Best Online Slots
This may seem obvious, but to get the best results with slots, you will want to play on the machines which have the best chances of winning.
Sometimes it is not the best idea to choose your slots based just on the RTP (or return to player) rate, however, it has been seen that these machines will likely get you the best results in the long term and are the ones you should be returning to.
In spite of this, this is not the only aspect of a slot machine which you will want to keep in mind. For example, you will want to look at the slots, RTP as well as; betting limits, slot volatility, as well as any bonus game features which are available.
This means that some of the best slot machines for players are not those which just have a high RTP rate (see also “What Does RTP Mean When Playing Slots?“), but also those which are good in the other categories mentioned!
If you are using slots in person, then make sure to talk to gamblers around you about which slots seem to be the safest bet, and about these factors.
And if you are playing slots online, research lists on which slots are the best in these categories. It is important when researching online slots to look at the date of your information, as this can impact the results you are getting, and certain slots can develop and change to be worse for players over time.
Of course, you can do your own research instead of just relying on other people’s research, however, if you are at least communicating with other people who play slots, you will ensure that there is nothing which you are overlooking.
Find A Strategy For Your Favorite Slots
This is where you will want to develop your gut based skills and using your prior knowledge from other slot games to get the best results possible.
There are always new slot games becoming available, so you will want to channel your understanding and knowledge about slot machines when playing these new slots if you want to try them out.
For example, there are a lot of slot machines that require repeat investments, for example collecting certain items to get to a bonus level, or certain criteria which need to be met in order to get a bonus reward.
A lot of slots also have bonus jackpot features and these are all aspects which you will want to keep your eye on.
All the different slots you play will work slightly differently. Because of this, using your prior knowledge is a lot more useful than you might originally assume.
You do not always have to keep in mind your prior experience, and you can also get some great advice from reading different reviews as these will give you insight before you start playing.
By going in with as much knowledge as possible, you are insuring yourself against easy mistakes which you would want to avoid.
Get The Best Payback Percentage Slots To Get The Best Wins
We have referenced this already, but you will want to focus on slots which have a good payback percentage as this is a trustworthy strategy which a lot of veterans of slots choose to follow.
This of course does not always guarantee that you will have the best overall chance of winning, for example, the volatility can impact this as well, especially in the short term.
In spite of this, a slot which has an above average RTP is more likely to give you more wins than a slot with a worse RTP. You want to keep in mind the tangible rewards you get from playing and the extra features which could be available to you as well.
Not all slot strategies rely on the highest RTP, but it is something which you will always want to keep in mind when choosing a slot machine to use.
Make Sure To Test The Free To Play Options
Before choosing a slot machine, you will always want to test out the free options which are offered by the casino.
Nearly all casinos which can be trusted will have the random number generator (better known as RNG) set to reflect what playing the slots will be like when you are playing on the free and the paid modes on a slot machine.
This will let you examine all of the features which are available through personal use, and you can try out the payouts as well.
Previously, it used to take a significant amount of time and effort to test out different slot games, whether they are in person or online, however, with all the free settings available, this is no longer the case.
This is a great way to feel safe about what you are investing, and if you are not enjoying the game, you will be able to find out quite easily.
Are Progressive Slots Worth Aiming For?
A feature a lot of modern slots use is a progressive slot. These are slots which will give you a massive jackpot if you manage to reach them, so if you overlook them, it can feel incredibly wasteful (see also “Do You Tip A Slot Attendant After A Jackpot?“).
You will want to do your research on how these progressive slots work, and how this bonus jackpot feature could affect your play.
There is no one ruleset which these progressive slots work by, so you will want to check out each one thoroughly before seeing if it is worth your investment.
You will want to consider each game you are playing individually, and see how the progressive slot works (see also “What Is A Progressive Slot Machine?“). You might be able to carry over certain experiences, but each slot machine will work differently, and these all have different ways of triggering the jackpot.
Of course, we all know that getting these jackpots is all up to chance, however they are something which you will want to pay attention to.
However, you will also want to ensure that you are not just focusing on the progressive jackpot feature. This is because it can distract you from the base game itself.
If you are not getting anything back from the base game, or if you are not enjoying it, do not distract yourself with the progressive reward.
Volatility
As mentioned earlier, a lot of people can get incredibly distracted by the RTP of a slot machine, and occasionally it can become an obsession. However, a lot of people are now just as focused on the volatility of slots as this can also heavily impact your results and how lucky you are being.
If you are not aware, three levels of volatility are recognized being; low, high, and medium.
If a machine has a low volatility, this means that you will win much more often, but the amount you are winning is less, whereas, if you are playing a high volatility slot, you will need a lot more patience as wins are more spread out, however the eventual payout if you are lucky enough will be a lot more impressive!
And of course, medium volatility is the balance between these two levels.
So, the volatility which will work best for you will rely on a variety of different factors which you should assess when choosing your machine.
The main factor is how much you will be willing to lose before potentially winning big. For example, are you working with a pretty tight budget, or are you in a position where you have quite a bit to spend on the slots.
This will let you work towards a much bigger win, but you might have to lose quite a bit to get to that point.
Researching the volatility of the slot machine you are going to be pulling on is incredibly important and will greatly impact how you are playing, so keep this in mind when choosing which slots will be the best for you!
Branded Slots?
This does not usually impact the play of your slots that much, but a lot of people love playing with branded machines which attract you by using aesthetics linked to popular media.
One of the most common examples is slots which are branded to match TV series, or popular movies. These are often some of the more popular slots available, and because of this they attract quite a lot of players.
As mentioned though, the aesthetics of the machine are just a cover and they rarely impact the gameplay too much.
However, like any other slot machine, these machines might have their own unique gameplay mechanics which you need to pay attention to, for example, progressive goals.
So, similar to any other slot machines you will want to pay attention to the bonuses which are available and factor this into your play.
When it comes to playing slots, you want to find a machine which has a bonus which benefits you and will help you with your play. These branded slots can often come with some fun and unique bonuses, so you will want to pay attention to these!
You might be put off by a slot machine if it is branded with any franchise which you do not know, or are not a fan of, but these are still worth checking out since they can be some of the best slots available with some great bonuses, so make sure to pay attention to all of these factors!
Use Free Spins With The Best Casinos
While we have mentioned bonuses like progressive slots already, another great bonus which can be offered by slot machines is free spins (see also “What Is A Bonus Slot Machine?“).
These free spins of course do not cost anything and can help you work towards a goal. You will want to look out for machines which offer free spins as these will help you with your play and are worth going for.
However, free spins should not be the only reason why you pick a machine. While these free spins are a nice bonus, and should be taken into consideration when picking a machine, they should not be a major factor in your decision.
This is because while they are of course free and feel like a bonus, sometimes offering free spins is a good way for slot machines to distract from potentially negative aspects of their design (see also “What Is The 5 Spin Slot Method?“).
If a machine offers free spins, you want to take this into account, but you also want to use this as an excuse to closely inspect the other aspects of the machine as well, as the free spins could be compensating for the machine lacking in other areas.
When you are picking the slot machine which you want to pull on, you should be taking all of its aspects into account, and the free spins should be part of this too, however, you do not want to get completely distracted by these free spins as they could be a way of persuading you to spend on a bad machine.
By sticking to casinos which you can trust, hopefully you will be able to trust the machines with free spins, however, you should not let anything distract you from researching the machines you are using.
Know When To Walk Away
One of the best ways to be successful with slot machines is to have the best attitude possible and know when you should be walking away.
As this is not a game to do with skill, there is nothing you can do to get any better, and all you are doing is based on luck.
This is why you should know when to cut your losses and stop playing. Sure, if you keep playing, every pull gives you a chance to win big, but this chance is quite small, and every pull is guaranteeing that you are losing the cost of playing.
If you spiral into constantly pulling with the hope of winning, you can end up losing a massive amount of money.
Of course the thrill of pulling is fun, and the chance of what you could win is great, but the amount which you can lose in the grand scheme is what you should be keeping in mind.
You can simply not guarantee that you are going to be lucky everyday, and a lot of days will end with you having lost money, so knowing when you want to stop losing money is important.
If you try to force luck by spending more money, all you will be doing is digging a hole for yourself.
Bet What You Can Lose
This is one of the most important factors when it comes to slots, but casinos in general too. If you are betting what you can lose, any winnings you make are a great bonus, but any losses have already been taken into account.
This helps alleviate a lot of the anxiety which comes with using slot machines and will help the winning feel even sweeter. If you use this strategy you will not regret playing and end up having a lot more fun with playing slots.
Summary
Hopefully this guide has given you some useful advice, and if you follow these strategies you are sure to have a good time when playing slots.