Online slots, eh? If you asked someone what an online slot was two decades ago they wouldn’t be able to tell you what it was at all, and you know why? They hardly even existed! Oh yes, it’s true, the extent of this industry’s rapid and unbelievable growth in the 21st Century is staggering, but, of course, as soon as you sit down to spin the reels on one of these games it makes complete sense. Online slot developers have, especially since around 2010, been so intent on making their slots the best that can be, and now the whole industry is reaping the rewards. Just consider the sheer amount of slots to choose from, all with varying degrees of bonus features and high definition graphics.
It is an incredibly tempting market to jump into, and this is proven by the amount of new online slot gamblers that flock to the industry each and every year. Can you blame them? With things like mobile gaming the whole process has got even easier than it was when online slots first came about, as if people thought that could happen! Here’s the thing though: as fun and exciting as the online slot world is, you do need to be careful as a beginner. It can be quite a complex gambling road to take, and if you don’t know exactly what you’re doing you stand to lose a fair amount of money. Never fear though, we have taken it upon ourselves to write a comprehensive guide to everything you need to know before you start betting at Starslots.com.
The basics of slots
First things first: let’s take a look at the basics of the online slot world. In order to play on these games you will have to register at an online casino site of your choice, and also deposit some cash for you to be able to bet with. It is important to spend a little time doing your research here, as different online casinos can have different deposit bonuses, and these have the capacity to be tantalizing at the least. For example, some places can offer something like 40 free spins and £300 cash back, not to be slept on!
Once you have deposited it is time to pick an online slot to play, something that we will give you a greater amount of help on later in this article. But for now, here is a list of some of the most highly regarded developers out there at the moment:
NetEnt
Yggdrasil
Microgaming
Big Time Gaming
Essential vocabulary you will need to know
As with most gambling games, the online slots world comes with its own pieces of specific vocabulary, and it is essential to have a good grasp of these before you start betting. Take a look at some of these:
Payline: This is where the vast majority of your wins will be made, as payline designates where your winning symbol combinations will happen. Back in the past most slots only had one payline running across the simple 3 reel set-up, however these days online slots can have up to 50 running in different sequences across the reel grid.
Wild: The wild symbols are often going to be your favourite icons to see on the reels, because in almost all cases these can swap with most other symbols in order to form winning combinations.
Scatter: Another type of symbol you are definitely going to want to see as much as possible of, the scatter icons are generally your ticket to a free spins round, and sometimes even better bonus feature.
Progressive jackpot: Now, if you are playing a progressive jackpot machine you shouldn’t be expecting to rack up lots of little wins – it’s just not how it works. A progressive jackpot increases with every losing spin, so when (or should we say if) you do eventually win it is bound to be quite the prize!
How to pick the best slot you can
Right then, one of the most important things to consider when you start playing online slots is the importance of choosing the right one. Too many people end up forgetting this, and then wonder why they aren’t having much luck on their reel spinning sessions. The truth is, some slots are just easier to win on then others, so making the right decision is crucial.
But how do I do it? You might be asking. Well, one of the main things we would suggest is keeping a keen eye on the RTP of each slot you are tempted to play. This stands for Return To Player and is given as a percentage that correlates with the average return a player can expect from his overall stake whilst playing. Anything above 96% is considered to be pretty good, so aim for this.
Making the best use of bonus rounds
Want to know the best way to walk away from an online slot session with a nice amount of cash? It’s all in the bonus rounds! Honestly, modern online slots often have some outrageous bonus features, and it is here that the developers have made their games to be generous. You simply must use the bonus rounds to your advantage; it is stupid not too!
“Well that’s just common sense”, some of you might be saying now, and you’re right, it is. But here’s the thing: it is not exactly straightforward to make the best use of bonus rounds most of the time, you actually have to know what you’re doing first. The best way to get to grips with the bonus features of the slot you are playing is to do a little bit of reading up on it, and also to give it a few spins in free mode. It will make quite the difference, believe us!
Online casino deposit guidelines
Just a quick word on online casino deposit guidelines, as they can potentially ruin your experience. You must be aware that in order to withdraw any winnings you have made, you first have to satisfy the online casino site’s deposit guidelines, otherwise they may not pay it!
