There is arguably no type of betting which has benefited more from the move to online than slot – the creativity and variety now available from the best online slots sites is simply astounding. Here, weāve crafted a guide below to help you find the online slots casino thatās perfect for you.
- 1 Best Betting Sites We Recommend for Slots
- 2 What Are Online Slots?
- 3 Different Kinds of Slots
- 4 How We Chose Our Best Online Slots Sites
- 5 The Importance of Casino Variety
- 6 What Makes a Great Slot?
- 7 Security When Playing With Slots
- 8 What Strategy Should I Employ When Playing Slots?
- 9 Slots Terminology
- 10 ThePuntersPage Final Say
- 11 Best Online Slots Sites FAQs:
Best Betting Sites We Recommend for Slots
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What Are Online Slots?
Considering the incredible creativity and sheer number of šonline slots out šthere, it is no surprise that many people arenāt too sure what classifies as an online slot.
Despite all the themes, all the graphical innovations, all the twists on the formula, we would say that slots – even online – have remained the same at their core. After all, the humble slot machine was a very simple game, and to this day, your bet is reliant on the outcome of the spin.
Now, what constitutes a successful spin does indeed change with each game, for instance, often the symbols you need to line up will be different. When plaź§ying online, there is also the addition of special bonus rounds, scatters, and wilds. Really, there arenāt many limits to what a bonus round could be, and that of course is part of the fun of discovering the distinctions between the many amazing titles out there.
Thereās plenty of room for creativity beyond mere aesthetics that the best software developers have taken ample advantage of. However, there are some general constants that are common enough to be expected. Scatters, for instance, generally tš„rigger bonus rounds, while wilds can usually fill in for other symbols when you are trying to line up your symbols.
In terms of distinctions, we would say that the bonus rounds, along ąµ©with the looks and wagering limits of the game, are where titles commonly distinguish themselves.
What remains consistently trueš and can therefore define what slots are, is thus very simple.
Slots are a game where yį¦ou win via the result of a spšin's effect on the reels and the symbols.
On a technical level, those wins are determined by a random number generator, in order to keep things fair and to give yį¦ou a reasonable chance of winning. How slšots sites wish to add to this is up to them.
Fact Sheet:
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Slots are thš„e most popular casino game, hence their enormź¦¦ous scale.
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Considering this and that tšhe UK alone spent Ā£14.2 billion between October 2017 and September 2š018, that means slots count for an enormous chunk of change.
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The first š online slot machine was created in 1994, along witš h the first online casino.
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The win at the timeą¼ of writing this best online slots review is believed to be wortź§h ā¬19,430,723.60, which was from the Absolootly Mad Mega Moolah game.
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Slot games are replaced and created so often it is near impossible to get an accurate prediction of how many are out there at any givenš time, except to say thereš¶ are many, many thousands.
How To Play Slots
Because there are so many different types of slots – not to mention the possibility of distinct individual bonus rounds or ideas – weāll have to speak generally when explaining how to play them.
So, with that in mind, hereās a general guide on how to play on slots sites that you can adapt to pretty much any title, with a couple of additional š„notes to account for the many variables.
Log into your favourite bookmaker. If you havenāt found one suitable for slots yet, check out our list of recommended Best Online Casino Sites UK in 2022. Sidestep 1: If you need to download or update anything to play your favoušrite slots or utilise your favouritą¹e online slots sites on mobile, now would be the time to do it.
Deposit funds if you donāt yet have any in your account. Feel free to take a look at our recommended payment methods before doing so.
Read the rules: Each slot should have a guide telling you about iš ts bonus features and what symbols and paylines are available.
Choose the size of your bet: There will be an option to select how large a bet yšÆou want to place per spin. If the limits donāt suit you, choose another game. Keep in mind too that you can oftenš¦© use a feature called autobet, where you select in advance how you wish to wager.
Select spin: When you are ready, all there is left to do is hit spin and hope luck is on your side. Sidestep 2: Utilise those bonus features: We canāt tell you what those bonus features are because they depend on the individual title, which is why we advise you to look šøat the rules. All we can say is that scatters are usually your key to the bonus round.
Different Kinds of Slots
While there is a seemingly endless selection of individual š«slots titles, they rather handily fit into a few different key categories, with a few subcategories to help further distinguish them. But really, you can fit almost all slots into three sišmple, easy-to-understand genres.
Classic
The classic slot is probably easiest to understand for newcomers because they are based on the land-based casino equivalent that has been around for generations. Generally speaking, youāll only have 3 reels (although five and even seven reels are possible) and a single payline on slots sites.All you need to do is match up the symbols to win.While they may be less generous in terms of payouts than some more modern examples, thereās no doubting the history, the aesthetic appeal, nor the simple joy of seeing three cherries line up and the ding-ding-ding of a big, coin avalanching win. There can be distinct design elements here, but many like to keep to the old favourites, and bonus jackpots can be available within its limited paylines – often for those betting the maximum stake.
Three Classic Slots for You To Check Out
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Triple Diamond
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Fire Joker
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Fruit Spin
Video
It may seem strange that our second category of slot game is called ‘video', considering that when it comes to online slots, they are all video, technically speaking. Most people do not know that the title actually makes reference to the history of this kind of slot.They initially appeared on land-based casinos and were distinguished by their video screens. These werenāt just aesthetic differences either, although they did allow for a huge number of themes and design motifs. Video slots also changed the game by offering a massive amount of new bonus features and ways to win.This was made possible because these slots werš„enāt held back by any kind of physical limitations. Today, the differences between classic and video slots might not be as immediately obvious when playing on slots sites. However, we would say that any one which steers away from the classic look, adds bonus features and extra paylines can be considered a video rather than a classic slot.
Three Amazing Video Slots Ideal for Newcomers
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Starburst
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Book Of Ra
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Gonzoās Quest
Progressive
It seems like the progressive slot was the logical direction for video slots to go in as they began innovating in ways of making slots bigger and more exciting. Progressive slots are sometimes known as jackpots because that is exactly what they offer, sometimes in seven figures. That also alludes to the key distinction between video slots and progressives – the jackpot isnāt fixed, instead it āprogressesā with each bet. Many are even completely uncapped, meaning there is no theoretical limit and will continue until someone wins it. The way this works is actually quite varied. There are individual game jackpots where the total is based on that game. Firstly, there are network jackpots, where the bets of a whole system of games are all connected. Tiered jackpots allow people to win smaller prizes alongside big cash prizes for a more layered experience. Lastly, there are timed jackpots, where winningsź¦¬ are guaranteed at š¦certain intervals. Thereās also an enormous number of different themes, rounds and features, but ultimately what connects them is the progressive nature of the big payout.
Three Massive Progressive Slots for You To Check Out:
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Mega Moolah
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Mega Bucks
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Top Cat
How We Chose Our Best Online Slots Sites
Considering slots are the most popular casino game in the world, it should come as no surprise to learn that virtually every online casino you are ever likely to come across will include them, especially when looking at the best casinos in the UK, often as a major part of the operator.
In fact, weād say it is more likely to find a betting site which only offers slots and no other casino games than the other way round – with the exception of dedicated poker sites. Considź¦ering that, we had to be incredibly vigilant to make sure we feel our list really does represent the cream of the crop.
How did we manage it?
Well, it in part comes down to how good the best online slots sites UK are generally. That means that all the things we usually do to determine the finest casinos out there are also in consideration here.
After all, it doesnāt matter all that much how great a game is if the minimum deposit šis too high to useš, the site doesnāt load, there are no customer service options.
Quality is connected.
So, in order to even be considered for the best slots games, all candidates need to be at a high standard generally. Beyond that, we would say our consideration for the best slots casiš§øno specifically, mostly came down to the following five key factors.
Variety Of Slots
Weāve mentioned on several occasions that one of the cool things about online slots is that there are so very many of them. So many amazing developers, so much creativity, so much to choose from. In fact, we arenāt surprised at this point to see hundreds of slots available from one of the best online betting sites UK, and you better believe that when we are talking about the absolšute best online slots sites UK and beyond, our appetite is ferocious for as many slots as we can get our hands on.
Quality Of The Games
However, one of the things that is so remarkable about online slot games is that despite there being such an abundance out there, the quality you can find across the universe of options remains consistently good to great – and we will certainly be expecting a majority of the latter for it to make our shortlist of the best of the best. We donāt just want a lot of slots – we want a lot of top-tier titles to make up that buffet of bets. Hey, we did say that the competition was fierce.
Easy Navigation
One of the issues though, with having an amazing and massive selection of titles is that it can be rather tough to make your way through them without some rather clever design going into the best online slots sites. This is not only where sound site structure comes into play but also where we get to examine how well the games are categorised, across different reels, slot types, themes (the popularity of slots means that themed slots have become a huge part of the industry) and even across software developers themselves. The latter is arguably the most effective and important point of categorisation because you caān really get a feel of the difference š”between creators and get to know your favourites when properly organised.
Promotions
Another positive outcome related to the immense popularity of slots is that thereās an incredible amount of competition to be considered among the best online slots sites, all competing to grab your attention. This doesnāt just push operators to provide the best games they can, but also to sweeten the deal through slot promotions. Free spins, for instance, are one of the most common bonuses in online gaming, and we also see them commonly joined by welcome offers, free bets, free tournaments, random prize drops and more. Of course, the quality of promotions varies greatly. However, the best really can provide additional value to your betting experience. Best of all slots tend to count hšighly towards wagering requirements in comparison to table games.
Mobile Adaption
All of this is made even harder on the small screen, and considering the immense amount of high-class titles we are looking for, you have to respect any of the best online slots which can live up to our standards on a mobile device or tablet. The best betting apps are naturally the gold standard here, although we do respect those which provide quality browser efforts, and put simply, we expect everything from the desktop perfectly shrunk onto the small screen with no impact on technical quality. In fact, in some amazing cases, the small screen experience can be even better thą¹anks to increased interaction in the site and gamšøe design.
The Importance of Casino Variety
We realise that for many, slots are not their only consideration when choosing what casino is right for them. Peoš“ple like to have a variety of games, which is why the general quality of the best online slots sites UK in our list was so important alongside slot specific considerations.
With that in mind, hereās a quick breakdown of five other kinds of casino games we took into account.
Lotto
The humble lottery has enthralled people for generations, and it remains one of the most popular types of betting today. The move online makes it possible to play lotto titles pretty much whenever you feel like, at least through the very best lotto options, rather than waiting for a weekly draw.
Poker
There is no card game which has captured the imagination of the gambling world more than poker. Itās appeared as a muse in films and books, songs have been written about it, paintings crafted, and we are sure the odd poem or two has featured a full house. Today, you can enjoy playing poker online with people from around the globe, utilising the finest poker sites which bring its imagź¦inative brillļ·½iance to your screen.
Bingo
Two of the key facets which make bingo so great are its simplicity and the communal aspect. Both of those elements couldnāt be more perfect for a game to make the move to the online world. Itās a surprisingly deep game with plenty of variety but is still easy enough for newcomers to get involved. If youāre interested in trying it out or just seeing if another bingo site could be better for you, the list of best bingo sites is full of amazing options anš¦©d often contain great slot titles too.
Table Games
The same could also be said for table games as they are regularly seen side by side with slots. While they may be an afterthought for some lesser-known casinos, many offer truly spectacular table game experiences. Weāre talking blackjack, roulette, craps, scratchcards, baccarat, keno – if you could find them in the real thing, you can find them online too.
Live Casino
You may think that table games represent the closest experience to the real thing, but you would be mistaken – that honour must go to the best examples of live streaming gaming. What many of the best online slots sites have managed to achieve in this regard, especially when it comes to their mobile apps, still blows us away. Smooth streams offering play with life dealers can be an amazingly immersive experience, and if thatās what youāre išÆnto, this remains the best option for those not willing to make that ź§trip to Vegas.
The Importance of Software Developers
Weāve made it clear that theš· quality of slot games is absolutely vital to what we consider to be the best online slots sites, and there is no factor more impšortant in that equation than the software developers themselves.
They are the creators of the games; the end result lies in their hands.
If you get really into slot games, youāll actually start to realise that software developers are probably the best way of distinguishing titles. We canāt say what your favourite software developer will be, bušøt we can give you a shortlist of some of our top contenders so you know where to start looking.
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Microgaming: They were there during the olden times of the first online casino and they remain to this day a legend of the industry, continuing to create future classics.
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NetEnt: Nipping at Microgamingās iconic heels is NetEnt, and you only have to look at the games weāve recommended to see that this developer is always in the running for best in the world.
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Evolution Gaming: When it comes to the live casino, Evolution Gaming are the absolute kingpins. This means they might be lower on the list of traditā¤ional slots developers but their dominance in their field meant we to had to mention them here.
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QuickSpin: As their name suggests QuickSpin, are a specialist in top tier video slots wiāth their own distinctive styļ·½le, personality, and consistent quality.
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WMS: Perhaps less known than some on this list, WMS are a large part of the reason branded slots are such a big deal now, breaking new ground with theią¹r beloved Monopoly slots franchises.
Playing Games for Fun
If you are on the hunt for the best online slots for you, itās important to note that you can do so without spending a penny on many of the best online slots sites. Yes, many will let you try them out for fun justš” so you can see how they work and whether or not they arš«e right for you.
This is not just a great way of demoing new titles, but in the case of complicated video or progressive slots, can also help you practise those distinctive bonus rounds and get to grips with any unusual rules you might not be used to.
This is also a great way of testing a game out on a technical level, seeing if āeverything works smoothly as it should, and to ensure that no buffering is going to impact the enjoą·“yment or success of your play.
What Makes a Great Slot?
So, what exactly goes into making a great slot? Weāre not talking about basic functionality here, rather, what really makes one stand out? Here are six features to slot greatness we think all must follow.
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They must look great and work seamlessly.
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Video slots should have a unique selling point.
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Classic slots must pš rovide consistently excellent oš§ld-school game play.
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Fair wagering limits must šbe in place to ensure as many people as possible can ešnjoy that slot.
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The Return To Player rate (often known at the RTP rate) must be generous. This is a percentage which actually tells you how much šplayers get back from their sš take in the long run and is the most accurate way of objectively quantifying the value of the game.
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All games must be fair and secure. Nothiź§ng is more important to us than your safety, so this is non-negotiable.
Security When Playing With Slots
We wanted to expand upon that final step not merely because of its importance, but because security related to online slots seems to be something that a lot of people donāt understand.
Security when playing on the best sports operators, for instance, comes down to the general security of the slots sites themselves. Weāre talking about licensing, encryption, privacy policy, all that stuą¦ff that is so vital no matter how you like to bet.
However, because we are betting on games which are programmed by a third-party source, there is an additional concern and that is the security of the games themselves. The key here lies in the use of a random number generator, this ensures that winners are – as the name would suggest – random, and fair.
Often software developers and occasionally the betting operators themselves will independently verify that the casino games are fair as well. And of course, there is the reputation of the software developers themselšves, many of which have been provably fair for many years.
It is an additional security consideration, but if you use only the best online slots with good software, especially if you utilise our recāommendations, then slots should not cause any extra safety concerns.
What Strategy Should I Employ When Playing Slots?
Want to know the best piece of stš°rategy for playing slots?
Itās to practise responsible gaming.
When you are dealing with a game that is overwhelmingly based on random luck, ensuring that you stay in control is always the best policy. Making sure you wager responsibly, stay within your limits, and donāt chase losses means that whatever result lady luckš throws at you, youāre prepared.
To put this into a more concrete strategy, decide on a walk away point before you begin, and do not go past that amount.
That said, although slots might not have the strategic depth of something like poker, and though they may not require the research of good sports betting strategy, there are some tips which can help make the most outź¦ of your game. Here are a few:
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Know how much you need to stake to be eligible for the jackź¦ŗpot if thatās what youāre going for.
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On progressive slots, consider focusing on the smaller jackpots forš a better chance of winning.
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Start small when getting to know the game, or even practise witšøh no cash where possibleź§.
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Read the rules thoroughly before starting.
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Go for games with a high RTP rate.
Slots Terminology
Slots are generally pretty easy to understand, even the more complicated ones are straightforwardš if you just take the time to wrap your head around them. That said, online slots do come with their own terminology (aside from slot type definitions weāve already discussed), and understanding them will help you get to know them easier, and enjoy them more.
Term | Definition |
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Autospin | This feature allows you to automatically set up several spins so you can sit back and watch the action. |
Bet Level | Bet level is the stake that you bet per spin. |
Bonuses | Often, slots will come with bonus features which can be a great way to boost winnings. |
Betting Maximum / Betting Minimum | Also known as game limits, this represents the lowest and highest amount you can bet, with anything between these amounts being available to wager. |
Cascading Reels | Every time a win happens in cascading slot games, the symbols that made the win are removed from the game and replaced by new ones that cascade down. |
Expanding Wilds | This type of wild expands to cover the whole screen for more chances to win and is employed by famous titles like Starburst. |
Fruit Machine | A type of classic slot made popular in the United Kingdom, named after the fruit symbols on its reels. |
Free Spins | This is a spin given to you for free by the operator. Do note that winnings may be subject to further terms and conditions. |
Jackpots | The largest jackpot is the highest amount you can win on that slot, but there can also be smaller jackpots for more ways to win. |
Mobile Slots | These slots are optimized for mobile, some may even be mobile exclusives. |
Paylines | Paylines can also be called ways to win, and that is exactly what they represent. This is usually done by connecting the combinations. Paylines can zigzag all over the grid, pay left to right, right to left and even sometimes multiple ways at once. |
Progressive Jackpots | Progressive jackpots are jackpots which build every time someone plays. It will keep swelling until someone scoops the lot. |
Penny Slots | These are low stakes slots, which allow you to play for a penny in the UK, or a cent in the USA. Their accessibility makes them very popular. |
Reels | The reels run vertically down the grid and include the relevant symbols upon them. How they land determines whether you win based on the paylines. 3-reel, 5-reel and 7-reel slots are all common. |
RNG | RNG stands for Random Number Generator and ensures the randomness of spins to keep payouts fair and regular. |
RTP | RTP means Return To Player and refers to the game's payout percentage. The bigger the figure, the better it is for the player. |
Slot Developers | Also commonly referred to as software developers, these people create the software behind the game you are playing. Today, there are a huge number of slot developers, many of them excellent. |
Scatter | Scatter symbols do not require a payline connection and activate wins and bonus features. |
Symbols | Most games will employ 10-12 symbols which have differing paying levels. Generally, there will be low-paying symbols plus higher-paying ones that relate to the theme of the slot. |
Scatter Pay | This is a payout which takes place when a certain number of symbols are present, regardless of their position. |
Slot Tournament | A prize pool made up from players of a specific slot or selection of slots. |
ThePuntersPage Final Say
ā Slots popularity and the quality of slots is an ever-expanding circle of betting goodš¦¹ness.
The best online slots are so popular because theyź§ are so very good, and their quality keeps improving because of the amount of people who want to play them. More business means š more competition, pushing both the best online slots sites and software creators to new heights to stand out from the crowd.
While this article has been about finding the absolute best of the best online slots sites, it is important to note that the standards for botź¦h operators and games is and has been excellent for many years now, and only looks to get better.
We came here to bringąµ² you the absolute pinnacle of best online slots sites, but resź¦t assured, thereās an absolute wealth of amazing casino operators beyond what we have looked at here.
Putš¦ simply, whatever kind of betting site you like and however you like to bet, thereās likely an amazing slots betting site out there for you.
Best Online Slots Sites FAQs:
Put simply, an online slot is a variation of the classic slot machine played virtually, where you win or lose as a result of a spin and whether or not any paylines are activated. Checź¦”k the games rules for specifics for that slot.
Thereās a huge variety in slots in terms of design and mechanical specifics. However, they can be easily categorised. Classic slots, which take inspiration from the land-based casino equivalents. Video slots are an alternative which takes a more modern approach to both design, bonus and pay out featź§ures. Progressive jackpots are distinguished by their huge, ever-evolving jackpots. Thereās more information further up on this page if you want more detail about their differences.
Online slots use randoām number generators to ensure there can be no manipulation with the software. If you wish to be sure, only use quality operators and software developers.
Usually, no, most slots are available on general ź¦casinos. Some casinos have chosen to only offer slots, but that does not necessarily make it the case.
Yes, quite literally thousands of slots are available to access on mobile, in fact, few available on desktop cannot be acą½§cessed on the smaller screen.