Gone are the days when you had to travel to a brick and mortar gaming facility just to have a taste of pulling the lever of the stunning one-armed bandit slot machines. And even if you had the time to plan a trip to Macau or Sin City on a weekend or over the holidays, chances are you might have had to wait in line. Owing to the volume of players who flock into the land-based casino, joining queues to wait for your turn was a frequent occurrence.
In the advent of the age of online casino gaming, things took a new and exciting turn. The strides made in gaming technology made it possible for slot machine enthusiasts to enjoy the games they love most in a click as long as there’s an internet connection. If you aren’t sold on online slots yet, some of the biggest advantages you’ll enjoy when you play online include:
- Nothing beats the convenience of being able to play your favourite games whenever you feel like on any device as long as it has a browser and internet connectivity.
- You can enjoy slot machines and other casino games for free. In fact, no registration is needed on platforms like free slots no downloads.
- Saves you the money you could have otherwise spent on flight bookings, expensive hotel accommodation, and food.
- There are plenty of lucrative casino bonuses offered to online players. These are deals you won’t find in land-based platforms.
- The selection of games in online casinos is so much wider than what’s available on brick and mortar casinos.
- Betting sizes in online casinos are so much more flexible. Unlike in land-based casinos, you don’t have to be a big spender to have fun on the internet.
For players who still feel like they yearn that human touch as they play casino games, there are live casino platforms where players can face off with a real-life dealer from the other end of your screen, from the comfort of your home. Better yet, if you are looking for something out of this world, there are also virtual reality online casino games where you are teleported into a different dimension of gambling entertainment. In a VR online casino, you can even interact with the environment, as you would when you visit a land-based gaming facility!
The Real Money Question
As attractive as the benefits are, some players still question whether they can win real money when playing slot machines online. The truth of the matter is, yes, you can win real money when playing slot machines via the internet, and the same applies to all other online casino games.
Like land-based slot machines, online slots are also the easiest casino games to play. Online options are, however, so much better because they come in massive varieties. On top of the classic fruit machines, you’ll come across titles with diverse themes based on pop culture references like movies, TV shows, folklores, and so much more. Apart from the immersive themes you will also find thrilling gamification features such as a higher number of reels and playlines, scatters, different types of wilds, tumbling/cascading reels, multi-way wins and pick to win bonus rounds. All these features aren’t usually available on classic land-based slots.
How Do Online Slot Machines Work?
Like land-based slot machines, playing slots online is all about spinning reels and forming winning combinations. The lever you pull on a physical machine is, however, replaced by a button you can click on the screen or tap in case you are using a touch screen. Usually, you’ll have to line up three identical symbols from left to right to earn a payout. However, depending on the game you are playing you could be allowed to form the winning combination in a lot of different ways.
How to Start Playing Slots Online for Real Money
Whenever you’re ready for your online experience, here’s what you are supposed to do to start playing slots and win real money:
- Sign up in a reputable online casino
The first step is choosing a legitimate online gaming site that offers slot machine games. Create an account by filling in a registration form and accepting the terms and conditions of using the platform. Usually, on signing up for an account, you’ll receive a warm welcome bonus to help you start your gaming with an advantage. Just make sure that you read the terms and conditions of any bonus offer before you grab it.
- Deposit funds into your account
You will find a range of online payment channels on an online gaming site. The most popular payment merchants often include e-wallets like PayPal, Skrill, and Neteller, card options such as VISA, MasterCard, Maestro and JCB, direct wire transfers, and third-party digital bank transfer options such as iDeal and iDebit. Pick the one that you find most convenient for loading and cashing out.
- Pick the game you want to play
What remains is choosing the game that interests you from the range of options available in that casino lobby. Many of the best online casinos will group their slot machine games based on their features, themes, or even the game developer to make it easier for you to find what you resonate with your tastes. After selecting your games, click the play button and start having fun!
Tips and Strategies to Improve Your Winning Odds in Online Slots
As you may already know, there is no specific skill or means of play that will assure you of winnings each time you take a spin at any online slot. That’s because they use random number generators that produce outcomes at random. However, there are specific gaming strategies that will give you an upper hand in your online gaming escapade to increase your chances of making money as you have fun. Some of the most reliable strategies you can use include:
- Check the game’s RTP. A higher RTP often means that you have higher chances of bagging a payout. And by the way, online slots usually have higher RTP than land-based slots.
- If you want to get paid more often, go for slots with low volatility, but if you want better chances of hitting it big, you are better off playing highly volatile slots.
- Find out more information about the game you are playing by studying the paytable before you start spinning the reels.
- Make good use of the in-game features such as wilds, scatters, free spins, multipliers, bonus rounds, and even pick to win and gamble features.
- Set a budget before you start playing and stick to it. Whether you are on a winning streak or you have lost a lot, walk away after attaining your limit.
- Play the game for free first to understand how it works before you go for real money gaming.
Well, even though your main aim for spinning the slot machine reels is to make some money, don’t forget to have fun. After all its just a game that’s meant to help you kill time during work breaks or over the weekend, or blow off steam after a long tiresome day at work!
Is My Money Safe in a Casino Online?
One of the biggest concerns for players who have never enjoyed online slots before is the safety of their funds. You should know that as long as you play for real money in a legitimate online casino, you have nothing to worry about. Legit casinos usually protect their platforms using SSL encryption technologies to guarantee that malicious third parties won’t have a chance at intercepting your money.
The best internet gaming platforms also have multiple firewalls to add an extra layer of security. Moreover, sensitive player data is usually stored in multiple redundant servers to prevent hackers from harvesting the entire site in one swoop in case of a breach, which again, is highly unlikely. In short, these casino platforms use the same high-end security standards that are deployed by your favourite online shopping platforms. Have you ever worried about the security of your funds when shopping on Amazon, eBay, Etsy, ASOS, Forever21, or any other shopping website for that matter?
The only trick to guaranteeing that you are playing on a legitimate online casino is confirming that the site is licensed and regulated by a well-known online gaming authority such as UKGC, Alderney, Curacao, and Malta Gaming watchdogs. This information is typically displayed at the footer of the casino’s homepage.
Final Thoughts
As you can see, you can win real money when you play slots online. It’s not too difficult to understand how these games work. If you’ve never taken online slot machine games for a spin, then you should give it a try today. To be on the safe side, however, start with the free to play version before you decide to put your money where your mouth is. Good luck!
