Slot Tips for Online and Casino Slot Machines

Whether you enjoy playing online or in land casinos, you probably enjoy slot machines but do you know the best slot tips and tricks that can help you grab the jackpot?

Slot games are one of the most popular parts of any casino, with the wide choice of games and the huge range of prizes attracting both new and experienced players alike. Slots are easy to learn and aren't too taxing, so they're the perfect form of online entertainment. The only problem is that there's no way to increase your chances of winning…or is there?

Some casino guides will promise you a failsafe way to win at slots, but we can tell you straight away that it simply isn't possible. Sorry. We'd love to divulge a secret to winning on slots constantly, but as they use a random number generator, there's just no way to do this - no matter what you might read elsewhere.

But there are some slot tips and tricks you can use to improve your chances.

That’s right. You CAN increase the chances of a win, but there’s no promise that you’ll hit the jackpot each time.

Here are the tricks to winning on slot machines that can make a bit of difference - and they’ll work even better if you get a bit of good luck too!

One of the biggest mistakes that slots players make is by assuming that they’re due a win. If you’ve been playing on the same slot machine, you might feel determined to keep going because the longer you go without a payout, the bigger your eventual prize will be, right? Sadly not.

Slots work on something called random number generators (RNG). It's a fundamental part of slots, and regulators check that these mechanisms are working correctly. An RNG  means that you have an equal chance of winning every time you set the reels spinning.

In other words, it doesn't matter if you’ve just hit ten wins in a row, or you’ve not won a penny in 50 spins, your chances will be equal on every turn.

Don't exceed your budget because you think a slot is going to even itself out by paying you a hefty sum. Spending more than planned is one of the most rudimentary mistakes an inexperienced slots player makes, and you won't necessarily win more as a result.

We mentioned the regulator's role in checking the RNG is being operated correctly; this is just one of the reasons you should only ever play at a properly authorised casino.

All the casino slot tips in the world won't help if the casino isn't being operated fairly. There are lots of rogue casinos offering tempting packages, but if a respected body does not regulate them, there's a chance you'll never see any winnings. In addition, you could end up having your private data sold, which, at worst, could leave you exposed to identity fraud.

Regulated casinos have impeccable standards and can be trusted to pay out any prizes and also properly protect your personal data.

One of the simplest slot machine tips is to look carefully at the published stats, but don’t consider them in isolation. Two of the most common pieces of data, the RTP and volatility, can tell you a lot about how much a slot will payout, and how often.

Either one of these pieces of information is quite helpful on its own, but when combined, they provide a much better insight into the game.

The RTP tells you how much overall you're likely to win, as an average. The higher the RTP, the more money it tends to pay out. Anything over 95% is reasonable, but ideally, you should aim for a minimum of 96%.

However, if a game has a habit of paying out enormous prizes infrequently, the RTP figures may be misleading. You could have very long dry spells with no wins before receiving a prize. You’ll need deep pockets for this type of slot, and this won’t suit everyone.

A low volatility slot means a frequent stream of low-value prizes, while a high volatility slot means less frequent, bigger wins.

Of course, as we mentioned before, there's no guarantee when the win will strike. You might be lucky and get a massive win on your very first spin, but the volatility will tell you the typical pattern.

Without question, bonus codes are one of the best online slots tips around. It's a way of receiving free cash and walking away with a profit.

Many casinos offer amazing deals for new players to sign up; this typically includes free spins and free chips to play on games. These are no deposit bonuses, meaning that you don’t have to pay a penny to qualify.

It’s worth pointing out that most bonus codes have qualifying criteria. This means if you win, you might have to play your winnings again a certain number of times before you can withdraw it. Some casinos also have caps on the total amount you can win from a free bet. However, no matter what you take home, it’s 100% profit as you haven’t had to pay anything to play.

Although the best bonus codes are reserved for new players, casinos often offer reload bonuses to existing players. These might be a matched bonus rather than no deposit, but it’s still a way of being given more cash to play, and well worth considering.

One of the most overlooked slot tips is that some games put greater weight on higher bets, especially for jackpot payouts. This means that if you're playing on a min bet, you either have a lower chance or sometimes won't qualify at all.

Make sure you check out the paytable before you start and familiarise yourself with the limits. There's nothing to stop you from playing at the lower levels, but it's essential to understand whether you're excluding yourself from the bonus payout.