In order to play slot machines at online casinos, it is important to understand the principle and operation of this type of game. It is also important to know how the bets are made and how the winnings are awarded. Here is a practical summary of how to play slot machines at an online casino.

How it works

After setting your bet on an online slot machine, simply click the ‘Spin’ button to start the spins. The reels will spin, just like on a Las Vegas slot machine, and you will win if you get a winning combination. The different winning combinations and the payouts they award based on the symbols involved are detailed in a dedicated section called ‘Paytable’. This is accessible via the game settings and control buttons found on all online video slots.

Principle and aim of the game

On a slot machine, the aim of the game is quite simple. It’s just a matter of activating the mechanism that spins the reels, in the hope of getting a winning combination of symbols on one of the game’s paylines at the end of the spins. When this happens, the player receives a payout that varies according to the type of combination achieved, the nature of the symbols in the combination and the amount of the initial bet. The jackpot is the highest payout offered on a single spin. It can be won by achieving a specific combination of certain symbols in the game.

Betting

Every slot game starts with a bet. On a physical slot machine, all you have to do is insert the coins into the slot before starting the spin. But this procedure only applies to Las Vegas Slots and other machines found in land-based casinos around the world. In online slots, the principle is much the same, except that here everything is done virtually, with intuitive control buttons. Depending on the configuration of the machine you are playing on, you can simply choose the amount of your bet before each spin with a few clicks.

Of course, as with any other game, there are minimum and maximum bets allowed on each casino slot machine. These limits are set by the designer and vary from game to game. As a general rule, you can start betting from a few cents, or even from 1 cent for the most accessible slots.

The best slot publishers

When it comes to choosing the best game, the elements mentioned above are certainly essential, but they do not overshadow the importance of the publisher. Indeed, some casino game publishers are known today for offering creations with the best graphics and sound experience, as well as the highest return rates and jackpots.

In this category is NetEnt, which is considered by many to be the best video slot designer of the last two decades. A review of its extensive library reveals hundreds of games with a variety of themes, including some of the most lucrative progressive jackpot machines in history.

The Swedish publisher is closely followed by Betsoft, whose 3D slots are a perfect match for NetEnt’s, with captivating graphics, high payout rates and plenty of features that can win on every spin. Its creations are among the best rated on the market.

These two providers are present in the gaming libraries of many online casinos and are closely followed by others of the same type, such as Yggdrasil, Play’n Go and Microgaming. Microgaming is considered to be the best when it comes to progressive machines. Like NetEnt, some of its games allow you to win a real fortune!