There is no one way to play and win at slots; it is gambling after all and therefore the punter is always battling against a set of defined probabilities. That being said, it certainly is not all a question of luck – there are things you can do to possibly boost your chances of walking away with some decent payouts.
For instance, it is crucial that you pick the right machine to play slots at, and understand the decision process involved in doing so. After you have honed in on the right slot it is important to recognise how the betting process works – the odds can often change depending on the size of your wager. On top of all of this, there are certain approaches one can use to increase their chances. Let us take a look at how you could play slots successfully!
At their very crux slot machines are just highly complex examples of simple mathematics. This may sound paradoxical but the truth is it is not. The mechanism behind these games relies on a set of algorithms that, at their base, are rather simple, but when strung together they become way more complex.
Therefore, if you want to possibly win at slots the only sure-fire method is to completely understand the algorithms inside the machine. This, for a variety of reasons, is almost impossible, and anyway, if you were to figure it out you would probably find yourself behind bars.
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Choosing the right slot
First things first, you will not surpass a slot machine if the chances of doing so are incredibly low. Therefore it is essential that you choose the right one – whilst there is no definitive right or wrong here there are a few factors to take into account when making the decision.
RTP – or Return To Player – is probably the most important thing to consider when choosing your online slots games. This signifies the average amount of spins that end in some kind of winning for the gambler; anything over 98% is superb, whereas anything below 94% is not the best.
This is a pretty definitive way of ascertaining what slot machines have the best odds of winning and therefore how to choose the right machine. However, it is not the only thing that needs to be considered. For example, a slot could have a very high RTP but only offer a return of 1000x your wager. On the other hand, a machine with a fairly low RTP could give 10,000x your wager.
Furthermore, each slot generally has its own bonus features that can dramatically increase the payout if played correctly. On top of this, each one plays slightly differently; a slot could appeal to one person but not the other depending on playing style. Choosing the right one is, therefore, something that can vary from person to person. One thing is for sure though; it is a critical part of how to increase the likelihood of making some profit at slots. Find out more about slots payouts here.
Theory of Casino Wins
The main reason it is so hard to figure out these algorithms is that they are all underpinned by an RNG – Random Number Generator. This is where the probability side of slot gambling comes from; at the base of it all is just a constant stream of random numbers. Let us have a closer look at how mobile slot machines work.
- First things first, the game must store the random number created by the RNG. The whole sequence, from one turn to the next – even including the bonus rounds and mini-games – are all predetermined by this number.
- Next is where the mathematics comes in. The reels are like a table that describes the probability of distribution; some results will come up more than others. The casino will set these odds on the slot beforehand.
- These odds, like the RNG, are completely random on a play-by-play basis. The software is designed so that somewhere a machine will hit the jackpot after a certain number of plays, but you can never know for certain. Nothing is fixed and nothing is promised.
- You know what that means right? There is not a lot you can do to influence the outcome other than playing intelligently. It’s all random remember, the only thing you can do that may increase your chances is play to the averages. But even then you are fighting a losing battle. Here's a quick tip on how to play the best UK slot online!
The Casino
Besides, do you really think the casinos want you to win big every time you play online slots? Slot machines are one of their biggest money makers; they are loosely programmed to give back an average of 84-98% of the bet back. The rest goes straight to the house. So, although the chances of winning are completely randomised, you can be sure the on almost every slot machine the casino or developer is making their money back.
Using Bonus features on Slots
After you have chosen your desired game it is incredibly important to understand how the betting process can work in or out of your favour. For instance, a slot with a massive jackpot will offer lesson small wins than a game with a lesser overall jackpot. This is an important factor to consider, do you want to win big straight away? Or would you rather play it slow and steady, hoping that lots of small wins will accumulate over time? When thinking about how to make profit at slots this is an important question.
At the end of the day, it is all down to bet volatility – high volatility will increase the odds of a gargantuan win on the slots, but it will also mean that you are way more susceptible to some potentially game-ending losses. On the other end of the spectrum is low volatility – this makes it easier to make lots of small wins and will generally keep you playing for longer. You could win at slots both ways, it just depends what kind of gambler you are.
It is not just the winnings to initial wager ratio that affects a slot’s volatility, one must also take into account what special features and bonus rounds the game contains. To give an example, free spin bonuses are often more volatile than slots with pick ’em bonuses so bear that in mind.
If we look at this practically it will become clearer. For instance, the online slot title The Invisible Man from highly respected developers NetEnt has a bonus round that offers 10 free spins. The volatility here is larger than a game that instead offers a pick ’em bonus, but because of this, your chances of winning big are much better.
There are different ways in how you could win at slots, and understanding the ins and outs of the particular game you are playing will give you a solid indicator of how exactly you should set out playing. If from the nature of the bonus features, you can see that the slot is volatile then you should not be afraid to play to hopefully win big if you are lucky. On the contrary, a low volatile slot will take more patience but could ultimately give a higher return.
Approaching Slot Machines
So that is the theory side of how you might win at slots out of the way, now let us take a look at some useful ways that could hopefully land you some winnings if luck is on your side!
The most rudimentary tactic is one employed by gamblers across the world, and whilst it is not the most complex it keeps you from spending all your money on just one slot – never a bad thing. It works like this: place a bet on your chosen slot, if you win you keep playing if you lose it is time to move onto the next one. It really is as simple as that – not exactly a sure-fire instruction on how you could win at slots but it can pay dividends if you're lucky.
Next up is something much more complex and less steeped in simple probabilities. It is fairly maths heavy and certainly not for the faint-hearted, but it might come with some rather tasty rewards…
- Find an “equal pay slot”, that is, a slot that operates on a quantity akin to the number of coins you bet with.
- Count the frequency of spins before each win. After 10 goes of doing this you will have the average number of spins between wins.
- Use this knowledge and bet intelligently on the slot. For instance, if you know the average amount of turns before each win you can place bigger wagers on the spin that is more likely to win.
Other than this it cannot be stressed enough how important it is to know the ins and outs of your particular slot before you start chucking substantial money at it. Many online slots will allow you to play the title in “free” mode, use this to your advantage at first and learn how the bonus features and rounds work without any money involved.
If you want to possibly win at top-rated online slots you must ultimately be prepared for a laborious process of trial and error. Almost all of this information is built upon this sentiment – slow and steady might win the race after all! However, do remember that there is no sure way to win, and all our online casinos are legal using RNG's.
Conclusion of how to play Slots
So… the answer to the question, how you might win at slots? Well, it’s a difficult one really as there is a multitude of factors to consider. First off you will need to try and recognise what kind of gambler you are, slow and steady, or brazen and impatient? Answering this will give you the necessary attributes to consider when choosing your slot.
Remember, more often than not you will want a high RTP percentage, and depending on your desired volatility, you will be after a free spin or pick ‘em bonus round. If you are gambling online make sure to use the “free” mode if possible, this will greatly help you in ascertaining the mechanics of any given slot.
After this, it is crucial to play intelligently. Yes, slot games are inherently underpinned by probability and luck, but if you are clever about how to play you can dramatically increase your chances of winning. For instance, make full use of any and all bonus features you can get your hands on as, more often than not, this is where the really big wins will come from.
Moreover, there are some tips that can help you on your way. One of the most effective, as discussed, is to find out the average number of spins between wins. With this knowledge you can make a much more informed decision on when to bet and when to restrain yourself. Something like this could really make the difference and ultimately teach you how you could increase the likelihood to win at slots. As with everything though it is not a sure-fire method and should not be treated as such.
Conclusively, there is no definitive key to how you can win at slots, rather a medley of tools and tactics that will all help if used simultaneously. Remember slots are ultimately made to take your money, if you want to beat them you have to be clever, patient, and composed. So, go forth and gamble. May the odds be forever in your favour!
In terms of the use of mathematics for slots, it is hard to really tell what the algorithms say when trying to win at casino slots games because they are almost always completely randomised. You can learn loosely how they work and try to find some loopholes with this information, other than that, there is not much you can do. Of course, some people have toiled away, reverse engineering a slot machine to find out exactly how the algorithm plays. There are stories of this being done successfully, but it is a colossal amount of effort and, ultimately, illegal.
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