A guide to all Casino Slot Games

The most popular online slot games are not always the ones you would think. This article will give you some insight into which slots are played the most by people all over the world.

Online casino slots are incredibly popular in recent times with more people than ever before playing them online as opposed to in land-based casinos. One thing that you may not know about these games which so many enjoy though, is what the ten most-played ones actually are! This article will give you some insight into which slots players all over the world love and have been spinning for years on end without stopping.

Online Slots Articles

There are thousands of online slot games available and here is where you can find information on the best games from each game provider, guides on how to increase your chances of winning, and reviews of the latest online slot games.

What does RTP stand for in relation to online slots?

The Return to Player, or RTP, is the average amount that a player will receive back from their wager. It’s calculated by dividing the total payback across all games on an online casino and then multiplying it by 100.

This means if you played every slot game at a certain site for one hour (60 minutes) and made $100 worth of bets in that time frame: your return would be 18% ($18). This gives more players the opportunity to enjoy gambling without only making small amounts of money off each bet they make because there are other people who can play for longer periods of time – therefore pulling up the overall percentage.

What are wilds in slot games?

Wilds are symbols that have the power to substitute for any other symbol on a reel in order to create more winning combinations. They can also trigger side games, which may offer bonus rounds and free spins. Wilds are an extremely important part of slot machine gameplay because they allow players to win without having specific patterns on their reels – as long as there is at least one wild on each reel, it doesn’t matter what else is next to them. You will see wild icons either stacked or scattered across different numbers of reels, though not all online slots include this feature (they usually only contain up to three).

A few examples of basic wild symbols are The Joker from Batman; Super Mario Bros.’ Bowser icon; Superman etc.

How do bonus rounds usually work in online slots?

A bonus round is a game within the slot machine that usually activates at random. They offer players an opportunity to earn more money, and they can be triggered by triggering three or more scatter symbols – those are the same icons that activate free spins in games like Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde, for example. Some of these rounds allow you to pick one from multiple options (e.g., choose which prize you’ll receive), while others force all available prizes onto your reels before the spinning starts so you won’t know what exactly will happen until it’s over. As with other online casino bonuses, this feature limits how often it appears on any given spin but does increase its potential payout when activated: just like jackpot slots have smaller chances of paying out large sums of cash, the scatter win bonus will show up less often but can pay a lot more when it does.

The most popular online slot games are usually those with high maximum jackpots and low minimum wagers – this ensures that players have an opportunity to hit their best possible bet no matter what they’re willing to spend each time.

What are scatter symbols?

Scatter symbols are a type of online slot game symbol that can activate the scatter win bonus, which is a particular feature with an increased potential payout. Scatter symbols also act as wilds; they always show up on every reel and replace other icons to complete winning combinations. The most popular online slot games are usually those with high maximum jackpots and low minimum wagers – this ensures that players have an opportunity to hit their best possible bet no matter what they’re willing to spend each time.

A player triggers the scatter win bonus by landing three or more matching scatters anywhere on any reels at once: for example, if you play two coins per spin then only one scatter will need to appear in order for your prize total to accumulate.

Are online slot games rigged?

A common misconception is that online slot games are rigged, but they really aren’t. The only way the house can rig a game is by changing what symbols come up or how often those symbols show up on reels – an impossibility when playing in a virtual environment with random number generators. Instead of worrying about whether you’re being cheated, focus your attention on finding slots that offer better odds and bigger jackpots!

Is playing online slots for real money safe?

• Playing online slots for real money is very safe.
• No personal information will be asked of you to start playing and all transactions are encrypted with the latest security technology available.
• There’s no need to worry about your identity being stolen, and there are plenty of payment methods that can be used at any time from anywhere in the world – Visa, MasterCard, debit cards and PayPal just to name a few.

How do I find the right online casino to start playing for real money?

There are a number of things you should look for.

Make sure to check the licensing and background information on any site that offers online casino games in your country or region before signing up and playing – some countries have strict rules, so it’s crucial to make sure you’re playing at one that is licensed by law.

• Look into their customer service as well if there are any issues with what feels like an unfair win/loss ratio then they’ll be able to provide good support.
• The Maltese regulatory license is trustworthy, but it’s worth checking out the regulatory license of any country that you’re playing from before registering.
• If there are many games to choose from then this is another sign of a good site it also means they have most likely been in business for some time and can provide more security if anything goes wrong with your account or money.
• Finally, take into consideration what types of bonuses are being offered by each casino as these often give an indication about how much confidence their customer service team has (and vice versa).

Always remember to gamble responsibly by only betting on what you can afford to lose.

Free Spin Slots

As we mentioned above, free spins are a big incentive in online casino slots. Free spins are triggered by a specific symbol combination, usually containing the Scatter symbols. Free Spins allow players to spin the reels without placing any wagers. The great thing about free spins is that any winnings are converted straight to cash and do not require wagering. Many online casino slot games have a free spin feature. Many online casino sites also offer free spins as part of their new customer welcome offer.

Free to play slots

Most of the online casino slot games have a free to play version which allows you to play the game without wagering any real money. This is a good way to practice and understand how each game works. Depending on where you are playing in the world, most casino sites allow you to choose whether you play the online slot for free or play the online slot for real money. Some sites allow you to play casino games for free before you sign up. Other sites require you to sign up and verify your age before you are allowed to play any online slot game. It is always a good idea to play any new game for free before you start wagering. This will allow you to familiarise yourself with any features or bonus levels that you might not be aware of before you start playing.

Real money online slots vs Free online slots

Before deciding to play your favourite slot game, you should spend some time comparing the benefits and drawbacks of free games versus paying for them. We have created a handy table for you comparing the different benefits and possible disadvantages.

Real Money Online Slots Sites Requirements

Many online casino sites require that you verify your age before they allow you to play any of their games, including free online slot games. In order to do this, players must provide a copy of their ID and some proof of address in order for the online casino site to know that they are over 18 years old. Many online casino sites also ask for a source of wealth check, especially if you deposit large amounts.

However, there are also a few things that Online Slot sites need to provide to be considered a good site. Not all casino slot sites are equal. Here is what we think an online casino slot site should offer:

• A large selection of slots: We catalogued all the different types of slots above and a decent slot site should provide a few dozen of each type of slot. Each slot type should also have different themes, wagering requirements, volatility, and RTP. As we also mentioned above, most of these slot games should have a free-to-play version as well.
• The Best Gaming Software Providers: The top online slot games are usually created by the top software providers. Most of these companies have years of experience and are included in our list of the most popular slot games above. They all create games of high quality with high-definition graphics, good game mechanics, and fun bonus features.
• Mobile Version: Most players visit online casino sites on their mobile rather than desktop. It is essential that the entire online casino site is easy to use as a mobile version. This can either be a mobile web version of the casino site or a dedicated app.
• Biggest Online Casino Welcome Bonus: As we mentioned above, online casino sites started offering welcome bonuses to their players to entice them to use their site rather than another. Learn more about different online casino bonuses.
• Free Spins: This is one of the most important online casino site features. Most online casino sites offer free spins on several of their online slot games. These are usually promotions either for new customers, so they get something on top of the welcome bonus or as a promotion for existing players as a reward for their loyalty. These could be in the form of daily promotions, weekly, promotions, and even monthly promotions. Sometimes the gaming software provider also runs a free spins promotion that is valid on their entire game collection. The great thing about free spins is that any winnings from free spins are usually paid as real money.

Who Are the Best Online Slot Providers?

There are thousands of online slot games out there, however, the best online games are created by only a few online casino software providers. The online software casino providers are the game developers who create the games that online casinos then put on their site to provide to their customers. Online casinos want to offer only the best games to their customers so they make deals with the best online slot providers. Each slot provider we mention below is amazing in their own right, however, they do not all make the same type of games. For example, Evolution Gaming focuses solely on live casino games and do not really create online slot games. Big Time Gaming is most well known for their Megaways mechanic.

Here are the online casino game providers that we consider to be the best:

Microgaming

Microgaming has always been a leader in the online gaming sphere. They are considered to be the first online casino. They shifted away from that and became an online slot provider and have created some of the most popular games. Mega Moolah is one of the most famous online progressive jackpot games and has created more millionaires than any other online slot game. Immortal Romance is one of the most played online slot games in the UK and has an amazing bonus feature. There are a lot more beyond these two.

Quickspin

Quickspin is one of the newest online casino providers out there. They are based in Sweden and release at least one game per month. They are all high-quality games and consistent. Sakura Fortune and Treasure Island are probably some of their most popular slots.

Ygdrassil

Ygdrassil games stand out due to the level of detail and graphics they offer. Their games are like works of art and are unique among all the other online casino games out there. Their Vikings series games such as Vikings Go Wild and Vikings Go Berserk have a high RTP and are very fun games to play.

Play’n Go

Play’n Go is a Swedish online casino game provider and has been in business since 1997. They actually started as a subsidiary of other software providers but became an independent company in 2004. They focus on making mobile gaming content. Their most popular game is probably Book of Dead, another online slot game that is used in many online casino welcome offers. Fire Joker, Moon Princess and Leprechaun Goes to Hell are also very popular.

NetEnt

NeEnt has created classic games that every online casino site provides and every player knows about. Most online casino sites will offer a welcome offer connected with a NetEnt game, either Starburst or Gonzo’s Quest. Beyond those games, NetEnt has also created classic online slot games like MegaJoker, Mega Fortune, and Jack Hammer 2.

Evolution Gaming

Evolution Gaming is the top supplier of online live casino games. Be it roulette, blackjack, or game shows, they offer the most varied and best quality live casino games in the industry. They took a major step when they bought NetEnt in 2020, further diversifying their portfolio. Their game show game CrazyTime is one of their most popular and everything they come out with is successful.

Playtech

Playtech is one of the most popular casino software providers in the world with many of their games considered to be top class. They also have a few games with an RTP of higher than 99%. Their most popular game is probably Age of Gods and all the related spin-offs. Other online slot games worth mentioning are Buffalo Blitz and Miss Fortune.

Big Time Gaming

Big Time Gaming is the youngest company to be on this list as they only started making online casino games in 2011. However, they have already had a big impact on the industry in the relatively short time they have been around. They are known for their cartoon-like graphics and most importantly for the development of the Megaways mechanic, which we discuss further above. Their most popular games are Bonanza, Extra Chilli, and Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?

How do Online Slots Work?

Let’s take a look at the different terms associated with an online slot game and how they work. Some people are cautious about playing online slots but once you understand how an online slot works then there is nothing to be cautious about.

The Anatomy of an Online Slot

1. Reels

Columns that spin or cascade in the slot. Five reel slots are the most common however there are also 3 reel slots and 7 reel slots.

3. Payline

The lines that run across the reels that can trigger a win. Most slots have 10 paylines although there are also slots with 15 paylines, 242 paylines, and even 117,649 paylines.

5. Bet Amount

The amount of the wager for each spin. The bet amount is made up of the bet per spin and the number of paylines. Depending on the bet amount the possible win amounts will change.

2. Symbols

Different small images make up the spinning reel. The different images all have different values. All values are defined by the specific slot. This also includes wildcards and scatters. A win is recorded when three or more of these symbols fall into the correct sequence to trigger a payline.

4. Spin Button

The button that must be tapped or clicked on for the reels to activate. Tapping the button again while the reels are spinning will make them stop.

Random Number Generator

With mechanized slot machines, the timing of the spin of each reel is what guaranteed a random reel combination and therefore a fair shot to hit the jackpot. Computerized slot games are designed to ensure every game played is fair. Before a player starts, the RNG produces several hundred combinations per second to make each combination entirely random. When the “spin” button is pressed, the next chip combination determines how to stop the virtual reels. This gives you fair chances of winning combinations online that are equivalent to what you may experience in a land casino.

A Random Number Generator (RNG) is just a piece of software that runs within your online casino. Its goal is to make sure the slot machine’s reels stop in a random position. Random Number Generators are the key to getting a fair casino game online, regardless of whether it’s slots, blackjack, or any other game of chance. Essentially, RNG technology is what makes online gambling possible.

Random Number Generators use a randomly generated starting number (called the “seed number”) and then applies an algorithm to produce a new, random number. Then, the new number becomes the seed, and the algorithm is used to generate a new number. The process continues over and over with no way to predict what the next number will be without knowing the original seed. Of course, the original seed number is a closely guarded secret.

It is also important to consider that these numbers are huge, which means there are hundreds of millions of combinations. The most common Random Number Generators in the gambling industry work with numbers that have 219,937 or more digits. The reels on a slots machine offer twelve outcomes, so 1/12 of the possible random numbers correspond to each casino outcome.

Taking the above in mind, this does mean that Random Number Generators are not exactly random if you know the algorithm and the original seed number. If you know those two pieces of information you can then calculate each next combination and win.

However, these numbers are difficult to uncover and gaming companies do not reveal any statistics at all. There are also third-party companies that offer auditing services that analyze casino games to make sure they are not rigged in any way and that the software behind the games are working as it should.

Online Slot Game Layout

While each slot game offers different themes, designs, and bonus rounds, slot designs are almost identical overall. Here is a breakdown of each slot and how they look.

Auto Start/Auto Stop

Pressing this button will spin the reels for a predetermined number of rounds automatically. The round can end by itself or be manually ended after it completes, and gamblers have to expect which one is going to happen before spending their time spinning.

Lines

Pressing this button activates additional paylines to bet on. It can also be used to reset the number of bet lines wagered.

Bet Per Line

You may press this button to add a single coin to the betting line.

Bet Max

Pressing this button will automatically select the maximum bet per payline and enable all available paylines.

+ and – Buttons

This sets how many credits or coins you wager per spin.

Spin/Stop

Pressing these buttons will toggle the reel spinning and show you your results. If you press it again while the reels are spinning it will cause the reels to stop. You do not need to press these repeatedly, it will not increase your chances of winning.

Gamble

A certain type of slot game may offer a gamble feature, meaning players can win more or lose more on their last spin. This is usually in the form of a mini-game that could be a choose a colour game or hi/lo.

Collect

This is also not available on all online slot games. Usually, it is only available with the Gamble button when you can choose to either Gamble or Collect the winning amount.

Step-by-step Guide: How to play an online slot game

In land-based casinos, the slot machines were traditionally put near the entrance as they are the simplest games to play. Online slot games are very much the same, with not much skill required in order to play them. They are quick and easy to get the hang of. If you are new to the world of online slots and gambling, we have prepared an easy to follow step-by-step guide on how to play an online slot game.

1. Choose your favourite game from our collection of online slot games and open it via your desktop, web browser, app, or mobile device. The online slot game will load up, usually with a starting screen showing the different symbols and paylines. Then the game will load up and show the reels and the rest of the slot layout.
2. Take a good look at the online slot paytable. You can see this at any point as most online slots have some kind of help button, either a question mark or a gear symbol. The paytable details exactly how much each symbol is worth and what the winnings are from the different combinations.
3. Choose your bet level and paylines. However, please note that not all casino online slots allow you to choose the number of lines. If you want to just place the highest allowed bet on the maximum number of paylines, hit the ‘max bet’ button.
4. Spin! Once everything is set up to your liking and you are sure you want to bet a certain amount with each spin just tap or click the SPIN button. Alternatively, you can also select the Auto Spin button and select how many spins you want it to spin for you before stopping. You can also set any limits which would automatically stop the auto-spin feature, such as a win limit or loss limit.

If you have any winnings the online slot will display any winnings. At this point, one of two things can happen depending on the game. The winnings will get added to your bankroll and you can continue spinning. Or, if the slot has this feature, you will get the option to Gamble or Collect. If you choose to gamble you will take part in a mini-game where you can multiply your potential winnings, or lose them. If you choose to Collect then the winnings will go into your bankroll and you can continue spinning.

And that’s about it. You can continue spinning the reels for as long as you wish. However, always play responsibly and do not ever bet more than you can afford!

Online Slots Strategy

We have mentioned in other parts of the site that there is a difference between games of skill and games of chance. With a game of chance there is not much you can do in order to affect the outcome. Online slots are pretty much games of chance as everything is reliant on the Random Number Generator. This means there is no secret strategy to help players win. However, there are some things that you need to keep in mind in order to understand how much you can play and sometimes what you need to do in order to activate any jackpots. Here are some things you need to keep in mind when you play any online slot games.

Familiarise yourself with the paytable

Before you start playing an online slot, be sure to check out the paytable. Every game has unique symbols and features that are explained in the paytable.

Go for smaller jackpots

It might be tempting to opt for a game with the higher jackpot, but it is more likely you will win if you go with a smaller prize. However, also remember that certain game jackpots do not trigger unless you are betting a certain amount.

Give the classics a try

Some simple slot games without a lot of fancy features tend to have higher RTPs to make them enticing. Although the newer games have a lot of bonus rounds and interesting features they might have low RTPs.

Only play at trusted sites

Here at Play New Casino we only recommend online casinos that are fully licensed by a competent gambling authority. Do not play at any casino site which does not have a license. Check out our online casino recommendations.

Play bonus rounds

Be on the lookout for enticing bonus rounds. Free spins and jackpots are usually featured in these segments, so having a basic understanding of your bet lines can help you improve your odds of winning.

Online Slots FAQ

Here is a collection of questions people also ask about online slots.