What Are Video Slots?
Video slot machines can be thought of as a slightly more recent online gambling innovation. A video slot is, in fact, a graphical representation of a slot machine that appears on your screen, whether it’s a computer screen or a tablet or mobile phone screen. Since players are essentially playing a video game, software providers are able to offer more interactive elements, from superbly advanced bonus games to state-of-the-art video graphics.
Video slot machines usually feature 5 reels with thousands of different variations. In the beginning, the number of paylines would still surprise new players and each new slot that introduced more ways to win was regarded as a digital breakthrough. Nowadays, a video slot game can have literally thousands of winning lines and special additional bonus games, which, of course, is just a couple of reasons why they have become more intriguing and popular than traditional 3-reel slots.
How Do Video Slots Work?
Please note that all slot games, including video slot machines, are games of chance. There is nothing you can do to alter the outcome, as these casino games are run by computer programs and algorithms. The simple reality of it is that sometimes you will win, and sometimes you will lose. But that’s what makes the game so exciting, isn’t it?
All online video slots are played in a similar way and, once you’ve mastered the buttons and the payout tables, you should be able to play any slot without any problems. Naturally, slots will differ from one another, but the gist of it usually stays the same, more or less.
Let us take a moment to look at the most essential buttons and commands and explain how they work:
- Lines Per Spin: Choose the number of paylines you want in the game.
- Coin Size: Adjust your coin value.
- Bet Max: Automatically bets the maximum number of coins and starts the game.
- Cash/Collect: Press this button to take your money out of the slot machine.
- Help/View Payouts: Additional game information.
- Spin: Start the game.
- Auto Play: Spin the reels for a predetermined number of times.
Commonly mentioned along with regular online slots, progressive jackpot slots are the more rewarding but also the riskier variation of standard slot machines. While the prizes are significantly higher, your odds of winning are lower.
Before you play, you should take a moment to read through a game’s payout table as there you will find all the necessary information on the slot’s payouts, the bonus features and betting requirements.
What Are the Video Slot Bonus Features?
One of the biggest advantages of online video slots are their additional bonus games. Not only do they give you a whole new way to win (sometimes several new ways!), but they also tend to be extremely entertaining and diverse, thus turning a video slot into one of the most popular games in the online gambling industry.
You might wish to know that some of the bonus games take place on the reels, while there are those that occur on a separate bonus game screen.
We cannot possibly list all the different types of bonus games, but we can name a few. For example, one of the most common features are Pick a Box, Free Spins, Wheel of Fortune, Wild Multipliers, Expanding Wilds and numerous others. What’s more, software providers are constantly coming up with new features and thinking of new ways to add another layer of excitement to their casino games, which is why you should check out new games as often as possible - if only to see what new slot features have been introduced this time!
How to Activate Video Slot Bonus Features
Activating bonus features is relatively easy. It most often requires hitting 3 or more special symbols on an active payline. These special symbols can be scatter symbols, wild symbols or bonus symbols. Often wild symbols act as a substitute for all other symbols except the scatter, which on the other hand activates Free Spins or awards multipliers. Bonus symbols serve to activate bonus games.
Some online video slots also come with a gamble feature, where a simple guess will double their wins, or cause them to lose everything. This feature can be activated by a click on the Gamble button after a winning spin and the rest is pure game of chance.
How to Identify a Good Video Slot Game?
Modern slots have a large number of paylines, excellent graphics, realistic sound effects, and fun bonus features. The elements that make it so appealing to gamers are listed below.
The return to player (RTP) rate of a slot machine is another important statistic to watch out for. RTP measures how much of an average wager the game will return to players as winnings. Therefore, if the game has a 96% return to player (RTP), theoretically, every £1 you wager will return £0.96, and the casino will keep the remaining £0.04.
The developer has set an RTP for each slot. They frequently release different iterations of the same game, each with a different RTP rate ranging from 95% to 97% or more. It is crucial to check this information when deciding where to play a slot game. Why? Because online casinos will select which of the bunch they wish to feature in their games lobby.
In the UK, developers are required by law to include the RTP and the volatility and hit rate in their paytable or game description. These two factors are crucial in figuring out your preferred slot's hazardous.
The game may have moderate volatility, which means that although wins are likely to occur frequently, they will likely be modest in size. The hit rate and rewards are set to a medium level, which is indicated by medium volatility. Wins will be tough to achieve because of the high volatility, but they might be significant. The final mathematical model is highly regarded by seasoned players who choose to play games with enormous potential prizes.
On specific rows across the reels, winning combinations frequently appear. This will be the central row of three symbols from left to the right on a traditional three-reel machine. Additionally, the number of paylines will vary for complex video slots with five or even eight reels. The number of paylines will always be divided by your stake, though some casinos may let you gamble on all paylines or just a few of them.
The primary game screen provides quick access to the paytables. Every symbol's value is always displayed, along with the winning combinations. You will learn how to trigger extra games from this and what the scatters and wilds look like. Before spinning the reels, players should examine these tables. Although this won't assist in creating the winning combinations, it will give them an idea of what to anticipate in the game.
The main differences between Classic Slots and Video Slots
When compared closely, conventional slots and video slots have many characteristics. They are, after all, only two sides of the same coin. New gamers should be aware of some significant variations between them, though. The largest are listed below.
The variety of their themes is the primary distinction between traditional and video slots. All traditional slots resemble one another in a way. They have three reels, a layout that is the same, and highly similar symbols. You can grow tired of repeatedly spinning the same reels after a while. However, each video slot is distinct. Each has a unique subject based on a film, rock star, myth, video game, etc. Video slots include several features and are bright. A story typically develops as you try to achieve the ideal combination of symbols and win.
In addition, they are super exciting as new online slots get released quite frequently.
- Bonuses and Special Features
This is still another significant distinction between these two kinds. It is also a major factor in why many players favour video slots over traditional ones. Classic slots typically lack bonuses and unique symbols. Although there are a few outliers, they are uncommon. On the other hand, video slots usually include Wild and Scatter symbols as well as a number of special bonuses that, when activated, reveal lucrative wins. This makes playing video slots more exciting because you never know when a big win or a string of free spins may come your way.
More rows and reels open up additional paylines. More paylines equal more opportunities to win. Who could not enjoy that? In addition to having fewer paylines and typically only paying from left to right, traditional slots only have three reels and three rows. Conversely, video slots usually feature 25 to 30 paylines. However, some games include as many as 243 or even 1024 different chances to win. Additionally, there are slots with All Ways Pays, which pay in all directions.
Video slots may be the best for you if you want complete control over how you play and how much you bet on each spin. Since video slots feature more paylines, you can precisely control your stake size. You can decide how many paylines to activate, how much to wager per payline, and occasionally even whether or not to trigger specific additional features. By doing so, you may adapt most slot machines to meet your budget and have far more fun playing them.
Our Top Recommended Video Slots Game Providers
The best software developers are abundant in the iGaming sector, offering players top-notch games to enjoy. These companies are responsible for the captivating table games, slots, and live dealer games that can be found in online casinos. The goal of modern game development is to make immersive games. Precisely, this is accomplished by utilising cutting-edge technology like artificial intelligence and virtual reality.
Although it was difficult to choose just 10, we give you the best of the best video slot game providers in the online gambling sector right now.
- Microgaming
- NetEnt
- IGT
- Playtech
- Realtime Gaming
- Yggdrasil Gaming
- Betsoft
- iSoftBet
- NextGen Gaming
- Play’n GO
Top 5 Tips When Playing Video Slots
Knowledge is power when it comes to thriving at playing online slots. Although playing games that are entirely random and depending on chance won't boost your luck, you can increase your chances of winning by paying attention to these top five suggestions from our experts:
First, you need to accept the notion that you can't expect any two slot machines to yield the same results. Each slot machine has its own Return to Player (RTP) percentage, in addition to its own distinct theme, music, bonus features, and symbols. Before you start playing, check the RTP% at the online casino. It pays to choose a game with a high RTP rate. In addition, you can also try free slots which enable you to test games and their features before choosing your favorite.
You can practise on slot machines without risking any money before you decide to play for real cash. It's a great way to have some laughs while also learning the ins and outs of the game. Hone your skills with a slot machine featuring bonus games.
Each pay table on a slot machine is distinct. The value of each symbol and the most profitable ones are displayed in the pay table. Additionally, it will state whether the game features scatters and wild symbols.
- Follow your spending plan
Set your budget before you start, which is one of our most crucial pieces of advice. Before you begin spinning the reels, decide how much money you are willing to spend in total. Stop playing if you reach that amount. Never risk capital that you cannot afford to lose.
- Strive for lower jackpots
Games with lower jackpots are the best if you want to win but aren't concerned with pursuing the big money because they payout more regularly. Although the enormous progressive jackpots are alluring, your chances of winning one aren't great.
Note: Except for the five tips listed above, you should always make sure the online casinos you play at are trusted and vetted. AskGamblers lists only high-quality casinos that have gone through rigorous expert testing.
Browse Our Extensive Video Slots List
Thousands of video slots have been reviewed on the AskGamblers website, creating the world's largest database and more new games keep getting reviewed every single day. To browse our extensive video slot list, all you need to do is scroll down this page, see which video slot machines stand out the most to you and pick your next slot destinations.
Who knows, you might even find your next all-time favourite slot right here? How about the fabled Twin Spin slot? Or perhaps Gonzo’s Quest slot? Or any of the currently popular games by a variety of different providers? Just spin the reels and see for yourself!
What’s more, you are free to try the video slots listed here on whichever device you prefer - be it a desktop computer, laptop, mobile device or tablet. Similarly, once you’ve picked a mobile slot you wish to spin for real money, simply head over to a mobile casino featuring it and play the video slot on your mobile device just as you would on a desktop computer - perfect graphics, animations and all!
Finally, if you wish to always stay in the loop on all new video slots game and video slot promotions, don’t forget to visit our news section and check out which new games have recently been released, where you can play them, which software providers are cooking up new things as we speak, and much, much more.