Slots may be random, but there are many ways to tilt the balance in your favour. Have a look at these online slots tips to see how you can play more profitably by using a playing strategy.
Online slots strategy tip 1: Play online
There are a lot of expenses for real world casinos: security, rent, machine maintenance and all the rest. Online slots are much cheaper to operate, and that’s reflected in a much better win rate. So always play online if possible.
Online slots strategy tip 2: Know about RTP
RTP stands for Return to Player. It’s the percentage of the money put into the slot, that is paid out in winnings. So you may be thinking – no brainer, I’ll just play slots with a high RTP percentage and that way I’ll win more. True, but presumably you want some enjoyment and relaxation from the slot you’re playing, and if you only play slots on their mathematical percentages, you might as well have fun playing with a calculator.
And for another thing, that percentage has to come right only over a long period. So if a slot returns 95% to its players, that doesn’t mean you’ll get 95% back every time you play. After all, we play slots because of the random element that means we could win a jackpot or a tasty bonus. And that random element means that the RTP has lots of spikes and dips in its averages.
But your online slots strategy should still include a look at the RTP of a game, because if you’re playing a slot frequently, a difference in RTP of 10% will make a difference to how much you’re getting back over the long term.
Online slots strategy tip 3: Manage your money
Just like a poker player, the strategic slots player needs to manage their stake money so that they can stay in the game long enough to win. It’s the most sensible of the online slots tips on offer – and never play with money you need for living expenses.
Online slots strategy tip 4: Be choosy when signing up for bonuses
Some online casinos seem to offer great signing-up bonuses, that on closer inspection have a sting in the tail because of the restrictions that go along with them. But there are still great offers out there, and one sure way to win at slots is to play with someone else’s money. Some of the larger online casinos are happy to give out generous introductory offers because they’re so sure that you’ll stick with them. So look for good bonuses with lower requirements for the amount you have to bet to qualify.
Online slots strategy tip 5: The randomness is managed very carefully
Every time you click on the Spin button, a computer program generates a random number that decides which symbols and features are going to come up. However, the program knows how far the random play has deviated from its pre-set RTP and won’t allow the play to go too far off the average. A physical machine can only have one player at a time. With online slots you can have hundreds of players, all playing the same game. The casinos don’t want a small number of super-lucky players, they want large numbers of players who win often enough in a single session, to keep playing. That’s far more profitable for them.
Online slots strategy tip 6: Don’t fall for the myths
You’ll see some sites that claim to tell you how to win online slots. For example, there are people who tout the “zig zag theory”. This says that the shape of the paylines on the reels has a meaning and if you can decode it, you can predict imminent payouts. Distributing the paylines on the reels is just intended to make the game more interesting. It has no effect on the level or timing of payouts.
There are many myths like this out there, but if you follow these practical strategy tips, you can at least tilt the gaming experience a little more in your favour.