If you’ve never come across online casinos and slots before, this quick guide will tell you everything you need to know to start playing and winning money online today.
Thanks to online casinos, you no longer have to go to a real casino to try your luck and win money. Whenever you feel like it, you can do it from the comfort of your own home. To play the slots, all you have to do is click the mouse button, watch the machine spin and… congratulations, you’ve won, or unfortunately, lost.
Sounds simple, doesn’t it? But as much as most of us would like slot machines to be just that simple, the reality is a little different. Knowledge is power. So if you want to maximise your chances of winning real money online, you need to take the time to get to know and understand all aspects of the game. Not because slots are terribly complicated, but because you can further increase your chances of winning if you are armed with knowledge.
Online Casinos and Slots 101 – What You Need to Know
A normal slot machine has 3 rows of scrolling. To win, you need to spin three
identical symbols on the centre line. However, internet casino slots vary considerably, and instead of three rows, there can be five or more. And you don’t need to spin three symbols on the same line to win; they can be zigzag, diagonal, top or even bottom. These rules differ for each slot machine.
The rules are very flexible and open up a whole world of possibilities for the player. Don’t forget that casinos will always offer you generous new player bonuses and risk-free spins. For example, at casinos licensed in Latvia, William Hill offers 300 risk-free spins, while OlyBet currently offers 100 free spins on popular casino games!
Defined Payment Lines
Typically, each slot machine has between 9 and 30 paylines. The number of paylines determines your chances of winning on each spin. For example, if 20 paylines are used, there are 20 chances to win on each spin – spin any of the 20 paylines and you win! Even better news: some slots have up to 243 paylines, which means you have 243 chances to win with every spin!
Win Lines vs Pay Lines
It should be noted that winning symbols (three identical symbols) can land anywhere on the payline – the symbols do not need to be next to each other or in any particular position relative to each other on the payline. You might even start to wonder why they are called paylines instead of win lines.
This is undoubtedly a question for language experts to wrap their heads around. While they are at it, let’s put it this way: As soon as you hit the payline, you get paid! Sounds like a very good reason!
You are paid for each spin depending on the number of lines you choose to play. You choose the number of paylines you want to play – you can choose one, five or even nine per spin; it’s entirely up to you. You just have to keep in mind that you pay for each payline separately…
Is everything clear now? Paylines have two meanings: when you hit one, you get paid, and you pay for the number of lines you choose to play.
Do I need to play more lines to increase my chances of winning?
As I just mentioned: the more lines you choose, the more money you are paid per spin. You might therefore be interested in playing on the highest number of paylines to increase your chances of winning with each spin, but each spin will cost more coins.
Some people get bored of playing just one payline – they get excited about playing multiple paylines at the same time. On the other hand, if you are in no hurry and enjoy a longer game, then choose one line per spin.
Wild: Win with Only Two Identical Symbols
Yes! With online casino slots, you can win with only two identical symbols. This is possible with the Wild symbol – it can be treated as any other symbol. It’s as simple as this: you play and draw two chips and one Wild – you win. Wilds come in different sizes and shapes, and each slot has a unique Wild design. But the function is always the same – to increase your chances of winning.
Scatter – Free Spins and Extra Rounds Builder
The absolutely stunning Scatter symbol can provide you with a variety of goodies. This symbol can generously reward you with Free Spins and Extra Rounds. If you really want to reap the rewards of the Scatter, this symbol needs company. This means you need 3 or more to enjoy the Scatter’s bounty; some slots require 2 or even just 1 Scatter symbol to trigger some of the less valuable prizes, but these slots are the exception.
Note: The Scatter symbol gets its name from its characteristics. You don’t need to spin them on a payline to enjoy the benefits they provide; it’s enough that they are visible. Scatter symbols can be “scattered” anywhere, regardless of paylines.
The generosity of the scatter doesn’t stop there, it also acts as a multiplier; they can multiply your win by 2 or 3. They don’t just multiply the winnings for specific paylines, they multiply the winnings for the entire round.
The Scatter symbol cannot be substituted for the Wild symbol. You can’t have it all… So if you need four Scatter symbols to win, don’t look for the Wild symbol, it won’t replace it. But don’t worry; the Scatter symbols appear exactly when you really need them. It’s just the way it works.