Playing Online Slots – All You Need to Know
On this page, we will look at some of the best online slots for UK players, the different types you can play, and what options you have online.
There are now over 20,000 online slots that you can play on your PCs, smartphones, or tablet. We will help you find some of the most popular, and look at what are the most important things to know when playing.
Topics we will cover:
- The different types of online slots.
- The 3 Best Online Slots Ever
- How online slot games work.
- Options to play slots with money or free online.
- Online and live casinos slot development and crossovers.
- Various regulatory issues that come along with online slots.
- Who can play online slots and the amount of randomness in online slot games.
Various Types of Online Slots
Lets look at the most popular types of online slots
- Video Slots – mostly have 5 or more reels, they have advanced graphics, can come with animations, different features, and most offer free spins or bonus games.
- Progressive Slots – are also video slots, but they have one or more jackpots that increases every time the game is played. Some jackpots can reach £20 million or more.
- Megaways Slots – are relatively new and popular slot type with dynamic reels that change the number of symbols per spin. They usually offer 243 up to 117,649 ways to win each spin, but they can go up to millions of ways. For example, Rasputin Megaways has 2,985,984 ways to win.
- 3D Slots – are slots with three-dimensional graphics
- Classic Slots – traditional three-reel slots, often with simple symbols like fruits and bars, the popularity of these slots has gone down over the years
3 Candidates for The Best Online Slots Ever:
One of the most common question we get is what is the best video slots ever made. Below you will find three strong candidates for that title:
1. Gates of Olympus 1000 – is one of the most popular online slots ever made. It actually comes in 2 version Gates of Olympus and Gates of Olympus 1000.
Gates of Olympus 1000
2. Pirots 3 – is a masterpiece in features and fun game play. This is the 3rd game in the Pirots series from slot provider Elk Studios. The game has become very popular at UK online casinos.
Pirots 3
3. Le Bandit from from Hacksaw is new popular slot with fun game play and four buy feature options.
Le Bandit Slot Screenshot
How Online Slot Games Work
Each time you play an online slot, a computer program called a Random Number Generator (RNG) decides the outcome. As soon as you hit ‘spin’, the RNG picks a random number for each reel, which corresponds to a spot on the reel. The spot where the reel stops is called a “stop”.
Each stop represents a symbol on the reel and this combination of symbols determines whether you win or lose. The odds and payouts are set according to the game’s ‘paytable’, which lists the winning combinations of symbols and the amount of payout for each combination.
The diversity of online slots means each game can have unique themes, symbols, features, and bonus games, but the underlying technology of the RNG remains consistent. This ensures fairness and randomness in all games, so every player has an equal chance of winning with each spin. The thrill of online slots is in the unpredictability and the chance of hitting a big jackpot/good bonus round at any moment!
The Bonus Feature/Free Spins – The Highlight of The Game
Online slot games often have a bonus feature often known as Free Spins. This feature is usually triggered when you land a certain number of special symbols, like scatters, on the reels. Once activated, you get to spin the reels for free for a set number of times.
During these free spins, you might encounter multipliers, special wild symbols, or other bonuses that can significantly increase your winnings. The exact nature of the free spins and how they work can vary from game to game, adding an exciting layer of variety and anticipation to the gameplay. It’s always a thrill to hit this feature because it means a chance at bigger wins without betting more of your own money.
Land-based slots vs Online
Online slots are basically a variation of the popular video slots found on land-based casino floors today. Because of that, there are quite a few similarities between land-based casino slots and online slot games. The following are some of those similarities that are easily noticed between the two types of slot games:
- The winning results when it comes to online slots are determined by an RNG (Random Number Generator), which is similar to the slot machines in land-based casinos.
- Almost all online slots allow multiple paylines, with most of them featuring five video reels, which is similar to the slot machine games in land-based casinos.
- There is also a small amount of slot games online that feature three reels. Some of these three-reel slot games also mimic the mechanical reel slot machines that are found in casinos.
- When it comes to online slots, the bonus game/free spins bonus account for a large percentage of the payback, which is another factor that is similar to the live video slots found at land-based casinos.
Nowadays, it is easy for slot enthusiasts to find their favorite games both offline and online from big-name manufacturers such as IGT, Aristocrat Technologies, and Williams Interactive, a division of Scientific Games.
These famous slot developers offer online versions of many of their popular casino slot machines. This allows players to enjoy their favorite games from home without traveling to a physical casino.
High Five Games is an independent slot game design company that has been particularly active in the design and development of online slots. High Five Games has also sold their slot games to other well-known slot manufacturers such as Bally, WMS and IGT. The slot games that High Five Games have designed features double symbols, as in, two of the same symbols in a single space, making it possible for users to play with ten of a kind symbol combination, which was never done before with online slots.
Besides having many things in common, there are some areas where online slots differ from the land-based casino slot format. The following are some of the differences between online and land-based slots:
- Online slot games offer many wagering options, and often more features.
- Unlike land-based slots where a user has to pay to play, those who play online slots can first try out a slot machine free without having to make a real money wager.
- Payout percentage(RTP) is higher on online slots compared to land-based slots, land-based slots have an real time payout (RTP) around 89% to 93.5%, where online casinos slots approximately (RTP) are 91% to 98%.
- When playing at Land-based you can have social interaction and talk to other that are also playing, that is not possible online.
Bonus Wheels and Progressive Jackpots
Bonus Wheels
When it comes to land-based casinos, the slots featuring bonus wheels are a permanent staple for drawing in large crowds. The bonus wheel games usually tower above all the other base games that are on the casino floor since these slots are also visually appealing and help attract the most players. But, when it comes to online slots games, you don’t have to compete with other slots and casino games for the attention of the players. This makes the use of wheel games unnecessary. On the other hand, when it comes to the progressive slots, the bonus events do not rely on bonus wheels, but rather on pick ’em bonuses and free spins to draw in more players.
Progressive Slots
There are many brick and mortar casinos in the UK, USA, and the world where up to one-third of the slots are progressive games. This is true for those slot games in live casinos that use multi-level jackpots, bright lights, and loud sounds to draw players towards them whenever they are free. These slot games mainly cater to jackpot hunters in land-based casinos. While such slot games are also available in the online format, the proportion of the progressive games is lower in online casinos than in land-based casinos.
Options to Play Slots with Money or Free Online
Many slot games at land-based casinos are tied to specific coin denominations, such as the 1-cent slot machine. As the name implies, players are only able to wager up to 1 cent per payline, or 25-cent machines, or $/£1 slot machines. Even in those slot machine games in land-based casinos that do offer multiple denominations, the players usually find themselves with a limited number of options. The most common denominations that slot players have to choose from are 1, 2, 5, 25, 50, and £1 per payline.
Keeping that in mind, online slot games are considered to be far more flexible. In online slot games, players can make all the potential wagers per line along with other amounts if they have the available credits.
Online players can also play the games in free version.
The best part about playing online slots in full-play casinos or social casinos is that players have the option of playing for free. Unlike land-based casino slots where the players have no choice but to make a wager whenever they play the slots, in online slot games, the player gets to choose whether they would like a particular slot game by trying it out with the no-wager option. This Feature has drawn millions of slot enthusiasts towards the online format. Of course, those who play for free cannot collect any prizes. You have to play for real money to be able to win real money on online slots, and therefor developers have designed slot games where the players get the option to make wagers for real money.
Online Options
When it comes to slot games that are available in the online format, there are often thousands that one can play in an online casino. The reason the casinos have so many different online slots is that there are now so many game providers, the casinos can choose from . That way, every online casino does not have the exact same selection of slots.
The multitude of slot games available in the online format makes it easier for just about anyone to find the right slot game to play in the comfort of their home or while on the go.
Lets look at some of the games with the highest RTP:
| Game Name | RTP % | Where to Play |
|---|---|---|
| Book of 99 | 99.00% | Play Here |
| Mega Joker | 99.00% | Play Here |
| 1429 Uncharted Seas | 98.60% | Play Here |
| Marching Legions | 98.12% | Play Here |
| Money Cart 2 | 98.00% | Play Here |
Quick Facts:
- In a way, the online slot game format is an extension of the popular video slots in casinos that have now been made available in an online environment.
- Online slot games use many of the same methods of attraction as the live video slots such as the Pick ’em bonuses and Free Spin bonuses.
- Many of the famous slot games that are given in the online format have their live casino counterparts, along with having their own proprietary games as well.
Randomness in Online Slot Games
While both land based slot games and slot games available on online casinos may look similar online casinos do have their own set of terms and conditions which are imposed by the jurisdiction in which the casinos operate. The following are some of the quick facts one should consider when using online slot games.
Quick Facts:
- Who is allowed to play?
- On which devices can users play?
- How many online slot players deposit?
- Are the slot games offered online similar to those offered in live casinos?
Who is Allowed to Play Online Slot Games?
What makes online casinos so attractive to many slot enthusiasts is that online casinos contain dozens of slot games from which to choose from. Online casinos contact various slot developers who then provide their games. What follows is a selection process of the slot games that the online casino wants to use. The growing popularity of online casinos means that online slots are legal in most countries, with a few exceptions.
That being said, the online casinos govern their own rules and regulations as to who is allowed to play, which is mostly following the regulations of the host country in which they operate. For instance, in the United Kingdom, there is a Gambling Commission whose job it is to regulate online casinos along with sports betting, racing, bingo, land-based, live casinos, and arcade games.
Keeping that in mind, one of the most important feature of any online casino is geo-location, or the online casino’s ability to track the location of their players. The online casinos can accept wagers from players in multiple countries where their online casino is legal, which is the case in the UK, but not the case in the United States, where slot wagering online is not considered to be legal in many states. This means that slot players in the US aren’t only restricted from using online casinos in their own states. They are restricted from using online casinos from other states or countries as well, with the only exceptions being Delaware, Nevada, and New Jersey.
In 2014 in the USA, the states of Nevada and Delaware agreed to a compact that allows poker players to participate in each other’s online casinos. The online casino industry remains optimistic, as more states are legalizing or considering the legalization of online casinos
When it comes to where online casinos can be played, it is up to the jurisdiction of each of the states which have their own regulations and licensing terms. Online casinos that operate in New Jersey are required to be affiliated with the state’s live casinos before they can offer their games online.
In Atlantic City, the casinos have forged an alliance with those companies who already have expertise in online casinos. Caesars Interactive Entertainment is associated with Bally’s and Harrah’s casinos located in Atlantic City forged alliances with 888 Casino for the development of online games. Also, in Atlantic City, Borgata, Resorts, Tropicana, and Golden Nugget all formed their own alliances with other companies to develop their versions of online casinos.
Whether other US states adopt new restrictions on where the users can play in still unknown, players who want to use online casinos in other states will have to wait and see for the legalization in those states where playing on online casinos is not yet allowed.
Funding the Online Casino Games
To play real money slots online, a player must be able to use the online payment system. This is not the case with land-based casinos where all the player can walk into a casino and play whichever slot game they want with cash. Unlike the land-based casinos, players cannot slip in the currency in the bill validator in online slot games. Instead, casino players are required to register on the online casino and add the necessary funds to their casino account before playing the slots.
There are several ways in which players can add funds to their accounts when it comes to online casino games. The following are just some of them:
Visa & Mastercard
Using Visa and Mastercard debit cards for UK online casinos is a fast and easy process and is the most popular option in the UK and around the world.
PayPal is considered to be one of the most popular payment options when it comes to the transferring of electronic funds with online casinos. It is also one of the fastest way to withdrawal you winnings.
The online financial service is known as Neteller, also allows players to open their online accounts to transfer funds to and from online merchants. This service also includes online casinos.
Bank Transfer
This service allows users to transfer funds from their bank account straight to their online casino accounts.
Other UK Payment options include:
- Google Pay
- Apple Pay
- ecoPayz
- Skrill
- Bank transfer
- Bank Wire
- Paysafecard
- E-wallets
- Maestro
- Trustly
- PayForIt
- Amex
- Cryptocurrencies
- Bitcoin casino payments
Are Online Games Random Like Land Based Casinos?
When it comes to randomness found in casino games, the regulations are the key and play a significant role in that factor. To know just how random a particular game is, one must find out who is regulating them. In the United Kingdom, where online casinos must have a license from the UK Gambling Commission to offer online gambling, the randomness is fair and well regulated.
We do not recommend any UK players ever playing at online casinos licensed by the Curacao gaming commission in the Caribbean; in our opinion, these Curacao online casinos are not trustworthy, and you might never get your winnings. Instead, only play at online casinos certifications by the UK GamblingCommission.gov.uk:
If players see that the games have been certifications by the UK GamblingCommission.gov.uk like all the casinos listed on casinos.org.uk, they can then feel completely safe. Other services that test for randomness are eCogra or GLI, iTech, or Gaming Associates. While the online games available in the US are required to live up to the expectations of the jurisdictions in which they operate in. For instance, Delaware, New Jersey, and Nevada are all extremely vigilant when it comes to the randomness of their land-based casinos, and the online casinos are overseen by the same regulatory bodies.
Thoughts On Social Casinos
Non-wagering social casinos are used by millions of players, who access them via social media outlets such as Facebook or mobile apps. These casinos are not regulated in the same way in which other wagering online casinos are regulated. There are no age limits for the players, and there are no restrictions on who gets to play the online casino and where they can play.
A big reason is that social casinos do not make any money with the online casino games that they provide. Secondly, there are no regulatory concerns when it comes to social casinos and whether the games are indeed random or not.
That being said, social casinos are not a non-profit organization with absolutely no interest in money. According to standard procedure, the social casinos will give players free credits every day, so if they want to play for free, they can, and no money will be charged. Players get to take advantage of the level up features as with other casino games. As the player moves forward, they get to unlock new slot games and continue playing.
Some slot players want to level up faster than their allotted free credits permit, or they may want to unlock and play premium games. This requires them to pay a small fee so that they can play those games. And this is basically how the social casinos make their money by charging a small fee to those who want to unlock their premium games. However, there is no cash-out feature, which means you can only buy more credits or unlock other casino games with your cash, but you’re not allowed to take the cash home physically.
Since the social casinos do not use real cash, the players use social casinos for fun, with only a minority of the players paying the fee to unlock additional games and features.
Quick Online Casino Slots Facts:
- Who is allowed to play is ultimately determined by the regulators of the country where the player is located.
- The UK Gambling Commission and independently run certification companies ensure the randomness of every online casino game in the UK
- Online casinos offer multiple ways for players to fund their accounts before they can start playing. This allows the players to buy more credits or take their winnings home.
More In-depth Casinos.org.uk Slots Guide’s by Popularity:
- Best Slots Casinos
- List of Slots RTP
- Online Slots
- Beating The Slots
- All About Slots
- Play Free Slots
- Maximize Your Payouts
- Video Slot Machines
- Bonus Slot Machines
- How to Play Slots
- Slot Machine Faqs
- Progressive Slots
- Fruit Machines
- Loyalty Slots
- Infographic Types of Slots
- The History
- Mechanical slots
Other Online Slots Resources
Microgaming games one of the oldest internet slot machine providers.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slot_machine good info on the History, Terminology and Technology.
https://www.gamblingtherapy.org/ Addicted to Online Slot machines. Help me site and forum
https://www.gamcare.org.uk/forum/people-slot-machine-addiction UK help forum
