INTRODUCTION TO SLOTS
Slots barely need an introduction because almost anyone has seen or played one! They can be both relaxing and exciting and are always great fun – combine that with the possibility of winning a huge progressive jackpot and you’ve got a serious game on your hands.
In slots the goal is simple, line up the symbols/characters (according to the game rules) in the right order, on the right payline and you win! The variations and payout rates are endless and you can play them for as little as a penny and as much as several dollars.
Online slots are fantastic because there is an incredible variety of games to choose from and you never have to wait your turn for your favourite machine.
Slot machines most often come in two variations, 3-reels and 5-reels and can have different pay lines, bonuses and features. The rule of thumb with slots is that you are trying to hit the right combination symbols or characters that will pay out the most – not the sheer number of combinations. Therefore it’s the difficulty of the combination that determines a better payout.
Slots also often come with extra features, scatter and substitute symbols as well as bonus rounds. These entice the player to play more by awarding free spins, by multiplying your winnings and by making the game that much more fun. We advise all our readers to read the payout rates and rules before starting to play so you understand all the ways you can win.
Slot Strategy
Many may claim they have the secret to wining at slots but really, there is no secret to cracking a slot machine because the game is purely based on chance. Just find a machine that you like and have fun!
We also recommend playing the progressive jackpot slots. Online these games are often tied into a network. This means that anyone who’s online, playing the very same slot is contributing to the ever increasing progressive jackpot. Progressive jackpots can usually only be won by playing the maximum bet but the potential rewards are worth playing for. And progressive jackpots will keep climbing until someone wins after which the total is reset to the base amount and begins to climb all over again.
SLOTS STRATEGY
At 5Casinos we realize there’s no sure way to make you a winner at playing online but there are some tips and strategies we’ve researched that we know will help you improve your odds of winning at online slots.
There are two things we’ve found that are certain to help you when playing online slots, bet small when you are losing and bet big when you are winning. This means you can cut your losses if you’re losing but win even more when you’re winning – while always remembering, of course, to quit when you’re ahead!
Cutting your Losses
It’s common for a slot machine to ‘run cold’ – meaning they aren’t paying well. This is the best time to get out of there! But how do you know when enough is enough? Start keeping track of you spins, if you’ve gone upwards of ten spins without winning it may be time to pick another machine. Avoid the mentality of ‘one more spin’ – cut your losses and get out of there!
Decide on how much you are willing to lose before you start – this is true for all responsible gambling! This will also help protect you against losing slot machines. We recommend that you lose no more than 60% in one single sitting. For beginners you might even want to set that at a lower percentage, say 30-50%. A good example is, if you are willing to bet 10 units, don’t lose more than 6 on one machine. It’s also important to choose a machine that’s in your budget. No use sitting at a €1 machine if you’ve only got 50€ to play with.
Know Your Machine
Knowing about your machines, the pay outs, paylines and rules is all an important part of slot strategy. Some machines can payout on up to 50 lines so make sure you read over the rules before you start playing
Bonus and double-up features are great fun and are often a part of every online slot game you’ll come across. These games give you the opportunity to win extra money. Your odds are even but remember, if you’re playing these extra games, you’re wagering on the winnings you just won on the last spin – you could end up with nothing!
Slot machines are most commonly 3-reel and 5-reel. It’s important to bet on all the lines and not just one, this increases your chances of winning and the amounts of your payouts will increase as well. Betting the maximum amount will also qualify you for some huge jackpots as well!
Up the Steps Strategy
The Up the Steps strategy is good if you’re stuck in a rut and can’t stop losing. However this strategy often makes you ineligible for the progressive jackpots because you are betting less than the required maximum to qualify.
You’d start using this strategy by betting the minimum by only betting one or two coins at a time. If you win within the desired time frame (see above) then you can climb the betting steps but if the machine is still losing you are still losing at a slower rate.
For example, you’re willing to bet €20 and you’ve decided to play a 3-reel machine. You bet 1 coin on the first spin. If you lose you need to bet 1 coin again until you win. If, after the 5th spin you win, you up the following bet to 2 coins. If you win again, your bet moves up to three coins. This strategy keeps you betting the minimum until you’re winning. If you start losing you move back down by decreasing your bet by 1 each time.
Up the Steps Hi/Low
This strategy is more aggressive than regular Up the Steps. The theory remains the same however instead when you win 1 coin you bet the maximum 3 and if you lose you go back to 2 coins (not 1). This strategy works really well with 5-reel slots.
Pattern Play
This type of play is good for the aggressive slot player because the increase in bets on this strategy are not in line with your wins, instead it’s based on a predetermined pattern of bets that you decide prior to beginning play.
The bet sequence can be any set of numbers you like but we recommend it being no longer than 16 so that you can notice when the machine is ‘cold’.
For example you use 1,1,1,2,3,2,2,1,3,3,2,2,1,1,2,1 as your sequence. Your total bet limit is 28 (when you add up all the numbers in the sequence). If you get to the end of the sequence and you’ve made a profit (on top of the 28 coins you wagered) you keep the profits and start the sequence over again. If the pattern doesn’t work for three consecutive try’s move to another machine.
Chicken Strategy
This strategy lets you only play one session or sitting at a single machine and requires that you move to another whether you’ve made a profit or not.
So say for example your maximum bet per machine is €30. You can choose to employ any of the above strategies but once you’ve lost the €30 it’s time to run away like a ‘chicken’ and find another machine. In order to use this strategy all you need to know is: How much are you going to bet per sitting? Then you just have to make yourself leave the machine once that number has been hit, win or lose!
So why not try one of these fun slot strategies to see if they work for you! Remember to set a limit for yourself and have fun!
SLOTS
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