Online slots are among the most popular games in online casinos. They’re perfect for beginners due to their simplicity, and they’re beloved for the huge variety of themes available. We have thousands of options to choose from here at mBitcasino. There’s a game for pretty much every interest, from mythology to holidays to animals – and everything in between.
Read on and learn how to play online slots in our beginner’s guide to online slots.
What Are Online Slots?
Once upon a time, slot machines were mechanical (it’s right in the name). Players would put in a coin and pull a lever, and some reels covered in symbols would start spinning. If the player won a prize, the slot machine would dispense a bunch of coins into a tray or the player’s bucket.
Classic slot symbols
Typically, there were three reels. Symbols on the reels included old Vegas classics like lucky sevens, fruits (e.g. cherries, lemons, grapes), BARs, and things that are considered lucky (e.g. horseshoes, four-leaf clovers, etc.).
Winning, getting paid, and paylines
For traditional slots, there was a horizontal “payline” across the middle of the reels. If the same symbols on each reel lined up on these slot paylines, players would win some money. The amount won depended on which symbol was matched up. Players could reference a “paytable” to figure out what each symbol was worth. Some symbols were high value, and others were low value.
The online slot experience
Online slots offer a similar experience. Instead of coins and a lever, all a player has to do is push a button, and the wager is deducted from their online casino account balance. Wins are added automatically to the player’s balance. The reels will spin, and all kinds of special features and bonus rounds can happen as well. Online casinos offer tons of slot games to choose from, and you can play as many as you want on demand.
You can browse tons of our available themes until you notice one that seems fun.
How Online Slots Work
Online slot gameplay is a lot like traditional slot machines – it’s just way more convenient and doesn’t involve a trip to a dark, smoky casino.
Practice mode to play free slots
When you’re new to a game, you can play it for free using demo mode. This lets you gamble for virtual credits instead of real money. You can do this for as long as you like to get a feel for the game. When you’re ready, you can switch modes using the button beneath the game screen and to the right.
The nuts and bolts of online slots: reels, paylines, and symbols
Online slots still use reels, paylines, and symbol mechanics to figure out whether a player won on a given spin. The difference is that there’s so much variety. There can be 3, 4, 5, or even more reels. Paylines can go forwards, backwards, and zig zag up and down. We even have “pays anywhere” slots where you just need enough symbols on the reels, no matter what position they’re in. And symbols come in every shape and size.
Special symbols
There are lots of special symbols in online slots. Some are called “wilds” because they substitute for other normal symbols (like having jokers be wild in a game of poker). There are also “scatters” that can be in any position. Typically, when you hit three of these, you’ll kick off a bonus round. Most bonus rounds offer free spins, often with multipliers that increase your prize amounts.
Jackpots
Jackpots are one of the most fun parts of slots. These are hit under special circumstances that differ from game to game but usually are triggered in a bonus feature of some kind. Progressive jackpots grow and grow while you play. A small portion of each player’s wager goes to the jackpot on each spin. Think of it like a Super Bowl pool at work.
Eventually, someone triggers the jackpot and wins it all. These can grow to massive sizes – millions of dollars. Progressive jackpots are not available in all games, so head to the jackpots section if you want to see games that feature big win potential.
Calculating prizes and ensuring fairness
Wins are calculated based on paylines and paytables, as described above. You can find these in a game’s menu. There’s usually a little “I” button or a three-line icon you can click to learn more about each game’s rules and setup.
The input behind the scenes that makes these computer-programmed online slots work is called a random number generator (RNG). The RNG is used to decide which outcome you get in accordance with the game’s designed probabilities. Many spins lead to nothing. Some spins lead to wins. A few spins lead to big wins or rare special bonus features. This is how we ensure that games are fair and properly random.
The point is if you’re lucky, you win.
A game’s win percentage is expressed as return to player (RTP). A game with an RTP of 98% will return 98% of wagered funds to a player over the long run.
Getting Started with Online Slots
To play slots here, you’ll need to register an account, which takes only a minute and uses your email address. We keep the online casino setup process very light here. Click the “go to casino” button at the top right of the screen. Then, use the register button in the top right of the homepage screen to get started.
Once your account is setup, you’ll need some cryptocurrency, like Bitcoin, to fund your account. Use this guide to learn how to get Bitcoin and fund your account.
For your first three deposits, you’re entitled to generous deposit matches and can earn other promotions like free spins.
After your account is funded, pick a game, and you’re ready to spin. Play a free online slots demo if you’re unsure how a game works.
That’s how to start playing online slots and begin understanding online slot machines.
Basic Rules and Gameplay Tips
Most slots are pretty simple. You select your wager amount and then press play or spin to get going. It’s that easy.
As for online slot tips, make sure you select an amount that makes sense with your overall bankroll. If you are depositing $200, $0.25 wagers will give you well over a thousand spins (factoring in some wins). That’s how you stretch your casino funds. Set your wagers to a fraction of a percent of your total bankroll if you want funds to last a long time and over many sessions.
Make sure you review the rules of the games you play to understand the symbols, special features, and other info that will help get your expectations set properly.
Don’t chase losses! Only gamble what you can afford to lose. Responsible gambling is always the most important of our online slot rules.
Advanced Features of Online Slots
Along with some of the special features discussed above, there are a few super fun slot mechanics you may come across in advanced online slots.
- Buy bonus. This feature enables you to buy a bonus round on demand. You don’t have to wait for scatters to hit, you just click and buy when you want. This cuts down wait time, but be sure you’re aware of the cost. Some bonus rounds are expensive to buy outright!
- Megaways slots. These slots have reels that change from spin to spin. There’s a crazy amount of paylines with Megaways games. If you want frequent wins (also referred to as a “low volatility” slot), try one of these games.
- Buildup slots. Some slot games have a meter that builds up as you play, enabling progress towards a reward or special feature. These are fun if you’re looking for a committed session. You won’t want to stop before the fun pops off!
Common Myths About Online Slots
Some players are concerned that slots are rigged. This is one of the more persistent online slots myths. The thing is, it is understandable to think this, given that the code behind a slot is not viewable. That’s why we offer provably fair games. These games give you the ability to verify that the game determined the result in accordance with properly random programming. You don’t have to trust that there is fairness in online slots – you can verify each spin’s result for yourself.
The fact is, outcomes are out of our hands. Wins and jackpots can hit at any time. There’s no pattern to it. It really boils down to the luck of the draw, as they say. You can have cold streaks, hot streaks, and everything in between. Because these games are served up online, it can often be hard to accept that this is how things are designed.
For an added layer of verification, we are licensed under a gaming authority and subject to their regulations. At the end of the day, it is the player’s choice to gamble or not, and we are here to serve those who decide to have some fun with their cryptocurrency.
It’s time to play!
Online slots are an excellent way for beginners to get into the entertainment of online casinos. Play responsibly, check out our blog for more slots info, and head to the slots collection when you’re ready for your first spin.