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This is a concept encompassing «video» and «slots». The former refers to a visual representation, while the latter means electronic machines that require players to produce matching symbols upon spinning to win. Thus, these are digitalized or virtual machines that use a combination of themed sound, animation and graphics. Players will activate the game with symbols on them and hope to land multiple numbers of the same symbols to win.
Such entertainment wasn’t a thing because a regular player needed to visit a land-based casino. With the introduction of technology backed by the Internet, market demand started shifting from offline to online marketplaces. The creation also came because players wanted something more immersive and engaging. Developers, on their part, needed to explore other segments, just as operators were open to ideas that would get more people to come in and strategically keep existing ones invested.
There are several types of these machines and choosing one often boils down to what the players want. One also needs to understand the core operations and this takes you the way back to traditional fruit machines.
These are the digitalized or modernized versions of traditional machines. This time, they go beyond fruit-themed options to virtual representations of symbols onscreen with excellent graphics and an intuitive interface.
Such options are ideal for two categories of players. The first are those who wish to feel the old-school vibes — for nostalgia purposes. The second is beginners who wish to get the hang of retro entertainment in a modernized form. Though they’re meant to be a recreation of traditional options, they do retain the number of positions, which is between 3 and 5-reel versions, depending on the game. While they provide simple entertainment, they also include traditional symbols ranging from bells, cherries and sevens.
These are the ones paying out hugely. Players who are tuned to high-risk and high-reward often prefer this. They’re a part of a networked jackpot that grows in leaps and bounds, with each player’s bets. The beauty is that triggering jackpots can be randomized provided you land specific combinations.
Go for this if you’re a risk-taker and don’t mind wagering with huge amounts contributed towards the jackpot pool.
Also called Megaways, these were popularized by Big Time Gaming, one of the leading developers. They’re the best for players who want to have a finger in every pie, without risking much, as it provides thousands of ways to achieve success.
Megaway options have an innovative format that randomly changes the number of symbols on each position, with each activation. Also, the dynamic and fast-paced experience creates unpredictability, further enhancing the exploding potential.
Depending on the game, you could have up to 100,000 ways to achieve rewards. These include randomized positions with varying numbers of symbols.
These are stunning visual versions of traditional machines, providing interactive bonus rounds, three-dimensional (3D) animations and high-end graphics. 3D options are ideal for players who enjoy immersive experiences and are interested in story-driven entertainment.
As the name suggests, these virtual machines provide several paylines, enhancing potential for players who are comfortable with small but frequent rewards. Attributes include more paylines and the ability to achieve success in multiple directions, such as right to left, left to right or even diagonal.
Also called themed entertainment, they’re modeled after real-life events, including music bands, television shows and celebrities. Movies can also be adapted.
Branded machines add an extra dimension, by integrating realistic elements, including artwork, real video clips and soundtracks from the adapted source.
They’re the best for players who fancy pop icons, looking for an extra entertaining environment or are fans of specific movie franchises.
Video slots triumph over traditional options given the enhanced features, themed sound effects and variety. Here’s how to play, whether at a land-based casino or on mobile devices.
Different online casino sites provide these entertainment options. Choose one, create an account, deposit money and get ready to play!
Knowing the operations helps you make better decisions. One of the high points is understanding the rules guiding the special symbols, dictating which they are and potential rewards for getting them. You also need to learn about the rules for bonus features and how to play the bonus buy feature, if available.
Choosing what to play is a matter of preference, given the various types out there. Here’s a quick checklist for doing that:
Set the bet amount or how much you’re willing to spend. It can be anywhere between $0.10 and $5, depending on the experience. Keep in mind that this is commensurate with the number of betways. For example, in an experience of 20 paylines, betting $0.20 on each means wagering with a maximum of $4.
Activate the positions, either manually or using the auto-play function to automate the process. If the experience supports turbo mode, turn it on to speed up the action.
You achieve success if the symbols align where they should on the positions. The rewards are credited to your casino balance for cash out.
The attributes are ideal for different kinds of players — beginners and professionals, as well as those with small budgets and bigger bankrolls.
Here are some widely-used attributes:
Traditional machines have three positions. But, it’s common to find 5 reel video slots, now available to be played online.
These are opportunities to play more without committing extra funds. Examples are:
Some options contribute towards a larger jackpot pool, which grows as more bets are placed. To achieve success, players need to meet the required number of specific combinations. Progressive jackpots pay more and are ideal for players who are open to taking bigger risks.
The wilds substitute for every other icon to help form combinations. There are also variants with slight specifications:
The scatter icons often trigger the extra rounds or bonus features. They don’t necessarily need to appear on a betway to achieve success. They can also activate mini or bonus experiences, provided that up to three (3) of them appear anywhere on the position.
With so many options out there, which are the blockbuster popular games to play on a demo version or for real money?
Here is a selection worth checking out:
Net Entertainment’s Starburst makes the list because of the simplicity and expanding wilds — two attributes that make it perfect for beginners. Given the low variance and dual (left-to-right, right-to-left) paylines, players get to play low-risk exposure and consistent rewards.
This is a devilish-themed option developed by WMS Gaming. It has 5 positions, 25 betways and a minimum bet amount of $0.25. Players need to navigate through the medium-to-low variance level, which provides a balance between smaller rewards and occasional payouts. With a little above 96% RTP, you can be sure of getting something tangible on success.
This is a 5-position and high-variance ancient Egyptian-themed option developed by Play’n GO. With 10 active paylines, it allows experienced players to enjoy a mixed balance of risk and reward. Unique attributes include the «Rich Wilde» explorer premium icon, extra rounds with an expanding icon and 96.21% Return to Player (RTP).
Big Time Gaming, the pioneer of megaway options, launched Bonanza Megways as a mining and gold-themed experience providing up to 117,649 ways to achieve success. The experience also has high variance, 96% RTP and cascading positions with multiple explosive potential on every achievement.
This is a high variance, fruit and disco-themed experience developed by Push Gaming. It has an 8 by 8 grid with cluster pays, implying that the rewards are typically based on forming a cluster of matching icons on the grid, rather than traditional betways. It also includes wild jars, which have multipliers, pay out 96.83% of the rewards and combine extra rounds with sticky jars/wilds.
It has medium variance, keeping actions regulated, but provides extra rounds, which must be activated by 3 scatter icons. It also has a bonus retrigger tool, equipped with a multiplication effect of up to 10 times the bonus value.
Not many companies are invested in creating such entertainment. Those that do often follow the trends to create something unique. Here’s a list of the top providers who are renowned for developing entertaining and high-quality experiences.
This company is known for many other things, other than making virtual machines. It has a long-standing reputation as a provider of the first truly market-specific tool for online casino experiences. In terms of such entertainment, it’s the maker of Mega Moolah, a progressive jackpot that randomizes jackpots and provides massive payouts, sometimes in the millions. It also made some other notable options, like Thunderstruck II, a Norse mythology experience with four bonus rounds, a medium variance level and a pick-and-click bonus tool.
This is the pioneer of the first Megaways format. Most of the options in the catalog are dynamic, provide huge potential and are highly volatile. Options include White Rabbit Megaways, Bonanza Megaways and Extra Chilli Megaways.
This company makes real money and free online entertainment, tailored around different narratives. If you love engaging storylines with elements of fair play and enhanced graphics, this is the provider whose experiences you should explore.
The options also have balanced variance, intuitive interfaces and captivating names. They include:
NetEnt, for short, is a leading name in the world of online casino development. It created Dead or Alive II, a high-variance and huge potential option, Starburst, a traditional experience with wild re-activations and Gonzo’s Quest, based on avalanche (cascading) positions with increasing multipliers.
Players choose to explore the catalog because options provide a fair RTP of up to 96%, are feature-rich with bonuses and are ideal for both new and professional players.
International Game Technology (IGT) is a legendary provider with decades of experience creating both land-based and online entertainment. IGT pioneered many innovative features that became industry standards. Their catalog includes iconic options like Cleopatra, Wolf Run, and Da Vinci Diamonds. Popular games like Wolf Gold showcase their ability to blend traditional fruit machine elements with modern features. Players who like to play these experiences appreciate IGT’s balance of familiar mechanics and engaging bonus buy options.
Knowing the strategies to play smarter and more intentionally can help you play for long, achieve more and keep losses minimal.
While playing demo versions can be beneficial to learning the ropes, throwing your hat into the ring can boost your chances of success. Using the tactics shared below can help you get entertained the most and manage risks.
You’ll find tons of free options to try, both on our website and the online casino operators. Testing the demo versions helps you familiarize yourself with the operations, test different methods to develop a strategy and be familiar with the payout frequency and bonus rounds.
Understanding the experience before playing also helps you extend action and maximize fun. Start by mastering how the variance options work, both the low and medium. The high variance format also provides rare rewards.
The most important is reading the paytable, learning how to activate extra rounds, how the icons must be matched and how the bonus buy features work.
Upon making a deposit, you’ll be rewarded with anything between 35% and 100% match bonus. The extra money gives an advantage to extend play without spending extra.
Though low, medium and high are the common variances, one pays more than the other. High-variance experiences provide bigger pays, but they’re rare to come by. However, you may record success taking risks on high-RTP options that consistently provide better payouts. Examples are Starburst’s 96.09%, Blood Suckers’ 98% and Book of 99’s 99%.
The platforms to play such entertainment are not based in the streets of Las Vegas. They operate within and outside of the U.S. and can be accessed from anywhere using an internet-enabled device.
Here are the best places to play and enjoy the wide range of games:
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The perks of playing here include access to exclusive content and generous bonuses.
Filip Gromovic is a senior slots reviewer here at FreeSlots99 with over five years of experience evaluating the latest drops in the world of iGaming.
Being a slot fan himself, Filip approaches slot ratings just the way we like it – professionally, but also from a player’s standpoint.
That enables him to give his unbiased take on the slot’s features, gameplay and design, while only recommending top-tier releases to our readers.
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Having served FreeSlots99 for more than 5 years as a senior content editor and reviewer, Nashon Khamala has extensive knowledge in game slots and iGaming.
His membership in the Editorial Freelancers Association helps him deliver content that reaches both editorial excellence standards and an engaging information level.
By using his expertise in slots games combined with player-focused analysis, Nashon delivers a professional evaluation of slot features and player experiences in his reviews.
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