Slot machines are a lot of fun to play. Whether you are playing online or in real-world casinos and bingo halls, the games have got much more interesting in the last few years.
Playing slots is a fashionable way to kill time online, but people often struggle to get started and do not know what to look for when choosing a casino or a slot machine. Here is a simple list of dos and don’ts that should help anyone who plays online slots or wants to start.
Do: Begin Playing Using Free Spin Bonuses
The best way to start playing online slot machines is with bonus credits. Most online casinos will have introductory offers for new accounts, and you should take advantage of these as much as possible.
Free spins on the reels give you an opportunity to practice a little and see how things work. Look for casinos, like Jackpot, that offer welcome bonuses without requirements such as a minimum deposit or a waiting period.
There are many offers that will let you play with bonus credits right away. Before you choose an online casino to play on, look for one that offers bonuses so you can play for free and make any early mistakes with the casino’s money.
Don’t: Make Big Deposits
It can be tempting to open an account at a casino and make a big deposit to start playing, but this is a mistake. Having a large amount of money sitting there can make it easy to over-gamble and overspend.
Start off with a small amount and wager with small stakes. Building up a small pot of winnings and using that to play with is much safer and more cost-effective than beginning with a big pot. You should always start slowly and build your stakes up with winnings, so you are not gambling with what you have worked hard to earn. Increase the size of your stakes later as the amount of money in your account increases.
Do: Set Yourself Limits When You Play
Time flies when you are having fun, and so does money out of your bank account. Whenever you begin a slot machine session, set yourself some limits. This can be a time limit, spending limit, or both.
When you log in to your account and settle in at your favourite slot, set yourself a time limit. You may feel in the mood to just see how things go and spin the reels for a while, but you should still decide how long you will spin the reels. Playing for only an hour or two at maximum is a sensible time limit. Setting a spending or loss limit is a smart way to gamble too.
Don’t: Chase Your Losses
Playing on slot machines can be frustrating sometimes. All it takes is a mistake or two in a row and you can find yourself down by quite a bit of money. If you are having a bad spell, it is best to stop playing and walk away for a while.
Chasing your losses means gambling more, often at higher stakes, to try and win back the money you have lost. Some players may even deposit more money hoping to win it back if they keep playing. This is a sign of compulsive gambling.
Do: Be Patient and Pace Yourself
Slot machines require patient playing. It can take time and a lot of spins to get the game going. The slots you play on at online casinos have an RTP value, or ‘return to player’. This determines how much the machines will pay out over a high number of spins.
A common RTP value is 97%, which means over time the machine will have winning spins that return 97% of the money spent on it. Winning big on a slot machine means you will win your own money back, plus the money many other players spent before you.
Don’t: Switch Machines Too Often
Hopping between different slots can be a way to find different games that interest you and find out how the various types of slot machines work. Because of the RTP value, it is worth finding a game you like early on and sticking to it.
Use introductory free spins and bonuses to play around and look at the different slots. When you have found a few that you like, stick to them, and play one for a while. This lets you learn about the game, and as you play for longer you increase your chances of getting winning spins.
Do: Check The Fine Print
There are many online casinos to choose from and not all of them operate their slot machines, bonuses, memberships, or withdrawals in the same way. Before you commit a deposit to a casino you should look at its policies and how it is regulated.
There are sometimes a limited number of ways to withdraw money from an online casino, in spite of the many methods available to make a deposit. This is one thing you should definitely check before opening an account or making a deposit. Check who regulates the casino, as well as the return to player numbers for their slots.
Don’t: Tap, Tap, Tap
The biggest reason for losses, both in online casinos and in real-life gaming halls, is playing on autopilot. Clicking the mouse, or pulling the arm of a real-world slot machine, can become hypnotic and easy to just repeat, repeat, and repeat.
Many players will miss opportunities for bonuses or reels it would be worth holding because they pressed a button or pulled the one-arm of the bandit before they were ready. Muscle memory, whether in the fingers or the biceps, can lose you winning spins. Take your time and assess your options before spinning the reels again.
Do: Play on Progressive Slots
Progressive slot machines are different from the average slot. They can cost a little more to play on, so they are best played when you have built up a pot of cash on the regular slots.
These slot machines use a portion of the stakes made on them to increase the jackpot. As players stake more and more to play on these machines the jackpot grows higher and higher. They do cost more to play, but the potential winnings are much greater. If you have a bit extra in your account, you should give them a try.
Don’t: Think You Can Make an Income From Slots
Everyone has heard the term ‘professional gambler’ but the truth is there are very few people in the world who make a consistent income from casino games and slot machines. Most of them make their money from playing high-stakes Texas Hold’em and not from spinning the reels of slots.
Slot machines are a fun way to spend some time, they are for entertainment. You can win money playing slots, but it is difficult to make a consistent profit from it. Play for fun, not for a casual income.
Playing slots should be fun to do and when possible, it should be profitable. Winning money is not the aim of the game, enjoying yourself is. Have fun when playing online slot machines and follow these dos and don’ts to make sure you spend your time and money wisely.
The biggest ‘do’ to remember is ‘do have fun’. The biggest ‘don’t’ you should bear in mind is ‘don’t get carried away and chase your losses’. If you remember these two you, cannot go wrong.