Gambling machines are known by different names around the world – they call them slots in America, fruit machines in Britain, pokies in Australia, and many people anywhere call them “One-Armed Bandits” after the large levels used to trigger the first physical machines.
Yet, with all of them the player makes a bet, presses something to get the reels to spin, and gets a payout if they stop on a winning combination of symbols.
Modern day online slots stem from 130+ years of history of mechanical, analogue electronic, and then digital innovation, and have become an integral part of casino entertainment so that now every respectable gambling platform on the internet offers them.
How to Play Slot Games
If you are over 18 years of age, have some disposable money that you don’t mind losing, and you wish to play some slots but don’t want to travel to some gambling resort like Goa or Macau, you can do it safely from your smartphone at licensed international casinos.
Before sharing your personal and financial details with an online casino, and depositing money, always take time to check if the site is legit, and if it has a valid i-gaming license.
This is how a safe gaming experience with online slots looks like:
- Go to an online casino site and check its license.
- If satisfied, sign up for an account.
- Consider how much you can spend on gaming and make a deposit.
- Look at the site’s selection of games in the slots lobby or under “most popular games”.
- Enjoy the slots for as long as you wish, but always read the rules first and stick to your budget!
The Best Slot Games
Slots come in a huge variety and there are literally thousands of individual slot titles available in the game lobbies of decent casino platforms, so it is sometimes challenging to know which slots are the best to play.
This type of games is so popular that it contributes a crucial part of casino operator turnovers, and game developers are motivated to keep releasing new titles as quickly as possible.
Some slots stay popular for ages or look like they’ve always been there, others shoot to instant, but short-lived fame, or live an altogether uninspiring life at the bottom of rankings.
The common traits shared by the best slot games are great graphics and visually inspiring design, and the fact that they work exceptionally well on mobile phones.
The best slots also have the biggest RTPs, even though online slots usually have a higher RTP than gambling machines in land-based casinos anyway.
Let’s now take a look at the most popular online slot games at one of the licensed online casino platforms called Casino Days.
Wolf Fang – Golden Sands
This wildlife-themed game by Spinomenal has a RTP of 95.83% on the Casino Days site and features 5 reels, 3 rows and 30 paylines.
Snakes, eagles, and other wild animals represent the 4 high-paying (called medium) symbols of Wolf Fang Golden Sands, and there are 6 low-paying symbols represented by card values – 10, J, Q, K, and A. There is also a wild symbol which replaces all other symbols besides the free spins symbol.
Free spins can be earned either by scoring 3 Scatters or bought using the unique Buy feature.
Vikram and Betaal
The Vikram and Betaal slot game by TopSpin Games is based on the 25 magic tales told by the vampire-like spirit Betaal to the brave king Vikram from Indian mythology.
This dark forest-themed game has 3 reels, 1 row, and 1 payline and is simple to learn and play: three symbols of a kind stacked in a row means a win.
The Ins and Outs of Slot Games
The nature of slots is to be simple and fast; yet, it does take some time to learn the ins and outs of these games. For a start, let’s look into some of the most popular terms in the slot universe that we already mentioned in this article.
Original slot machines had three rotating wheels, called reels; a total of five different symbols; and a single payline – a predetermined line that symbols have to align to in order for a win to be made.
Digital technology now allows video slots to have greater numbers of reels, symbols and paylines than classic casino machines.
Wilds
These are a type of symbols used in electronic slots that can substitute any other symbol in the game, except for the Bonus, Scatter, or Free Spin symbols in some slot titles.
Wilds can be very diverse: Sticky Wilds stick to the reel for two or more spins, Expanding Wilds expand over the whole reel and make all symbols on it go wild, and there are also Overlay, Walking and Multiplier Wilds.
Scatters
Scatters are special symbols that can grant free spins or extra rounds when triggered.
In most slot games you will need 3 scatter symbols to appear to gain free spins or another benefit, but some games require a bigger or a smaller number of scatters.
Free Spins
Some games give out automated sets of free spins in case certain conditions are met – usually if the correct number of scatter symbols shows up on the reels.
In some slots like Wolf Fang Golden Sands free spins can be bought and triggered for a price.
Remember to always read the rules so you know what special symbols and perks to expect from a slot.
Final Thoughts and Future of Slot Games
Often regarded as the very symbol of casino floor entertainment, slots have followed the rest of the gambling games into the realm of online gaming.
Innovation never stopped inventing new types of games and whole genres like game shows or crash games, but none of these novel developments seems to be capable of dethroning gambling machines and their digital video slot avatars from their rightful place at the centre of casino gaming.
Content provide by Adverloom
