Slot machines have been for many years the most popular gambling game in the casino industry. This popularity translates to the iGaming world, which can be seen in any online casino when players look for free slots online. When gamblers opt to play games such as online real money pokies with their own money or spend bonuses to spin the reels, they should remember that these games are always atop all casino popularity charts.
As popular as they are, slots are also easily misunderstood. Players have to rely on internal programming and trust it to be fair when they spend their money on one of these games. A common misconception that many gamblers used to have is that slot machines were rigged. Casinos have an advantage on the odds of a slot machine, but they’re not rigged if the player’s enjoying a video slot in a reliable casino or online casino. Understanding how gambling machines work is the first step that potential casino players should take before they spend their coins in one of these games.
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Slot Machines Explained
Slot machines use a Random Number Generator, more commonly known as RNG, to determine the outcome of every spin. The Random Number Generator is in a constant state of shuffling through a plethora of numbers. The device changes numbers picked at random from millions, and only once the player presses the “spin” button do the slots stop, and the number gets fixed to determine the outcome of the roll.
As such, every slot machine with an RNG should be impossible to rig, provided that the RNG is truly random.
To ensure that a gambling machine is indeed fair, third-party regulators check the machines in land-based casinos or audit video slots in online casinos. If the slots are indeed fair, they pass regulations and obtain licenses or permit to continue operating legally.
When it comes to online casinos, the software providers give the casinos the slot games to be hosted. However, when the slots are implemented on the site, their RTP may change. That means that the odds of a slot game could be different depending on where the gambler plays or how much money is being staked at each spin of the reels.
What is RTP and How does it Affect Online Slots?
The RTP, which is short for “Return to Player”, is a percentage that determines the total amount of money that a player is expected to earn when playing a casino slot game. The RTP is always the opposite of the house edge (a percentage that represents the amount of cash that the casino expects to keep from the player), and it is used to determine the profitability of any particular casino game.
In slot machines and online slots, the RTP can only vary if the player stakes more money in each spin. Some casino games have a better return rate for high-stakes bets than for standard or low-stakes spins. One of the best examples is the Mega Joker slot, which has an RTP of 99% for high-stakes bets.
However, the Return to Player rate or percentage is found in every casino game. Skill-based slots and casino table games, such as blackjack, have a variable RTP that is tied to the player’s know-how. A skilled blackjack player could “make” their RTP as high as 99.5%.
How low or high an RTP is will always depend on how each slot works. Jackpot slots tend to have lower RTP rates than standard online slots and video slots. These are some common percentages that represent RTP values in standard online slots:
- Low RTP – Below 94%
- Medium RTP – 94% to 96.5%
- High RTP – Above 96.5%
Slot Machines Versus Video Slots
In the modern gambling world, there isn’t much of a difference between playing slots in a land-based casino and playing video slots online. In fact, the only difference is the atmosphere that land-based casinos offer.
Many gamblers still prefer the experience of a land-based casino over their online counterpart. However, those looking to play online will be able to find most of the same games found in land-based casinos and even enjoy a larger variety of titles when browsing an iGaming site.
How to Play Free Slots Online
It’s very common for online casinos to provide gamblers with multiple ways in which they can play slots for free. Some of the main ones are as follows:
- Players can use the Demo mode of video slots to play the game with fake currencies. This allows the gambler to test the game without spending any money or even registering in a casino.
- Free spins can be used to play online slots for free. Casinos often give free spins for specific casino games like Starburst or Book of Dead.
- Free money bonuses can be spent in online slots. However, casinos tend to limit the money usage to slots with medium-to-low RTP rates.
- Those who have been playing in the same casino for a while can also get loyalty bonuses to play slots for free.
5 Reasons Why It’s Better to Play Online Slot Machines
The world of online casinos keeps growing by the day. Here are 5 of the main reasons why playing online slots could be a better idea than playing in land-based casino gambling machines:
- Online casinos offer free spins bonuses to players, which can be used to play slots for free.
- Playing on an iGaming site can be done from anywhere. Modern online casinos work on smartphones and tablets.
- There’s a much larger variety of games in an online casino than there are on land-based casinos. Some online casinos like Videoslots.com host over 3,000 slots.
- Players can be enjoying the same slot machine at the same time. There’s no need to wait for other players to stop because the game can be loaded multiple times at once.
- Some casinos host slot tournaments where players can participate in leaderboard-based reward programs to earn more money.
Is It Safe to Play in Online Gambling Machines?
Online slots are safe to play as long as they are hosted in a regulated online casino. Sites that hold online casino gambling licenses have been audited by third-party legal institutions to ensure that they run a safe gambling scheme.
It is not safe to play online slots in casinos that don’t hold gambling licenses. Some sites may be an exception to this rule, but the most basic safety guideline of the iGamer is to avoid playing in sites where no third-party entities get to confirm the website’s reliability.
Another good way for players to avoid unnecessary frustration is to play on online casino sites that disclose the RTP of each of their games. That would give the player a good idea of which games to avoid when gambling with their money.
