10 Slot Tips and Tricks Casinos Would NEVER Want You To Know

If you’re trying to improve your chances at winning at slots, you’ve come to the right place. On this page, we’ll be giving you some useful slot tips and tricks that will greatly improve your odds. Just keep in mind that slots are mostly games of chance - there’s no way to make sure you will 100% win at slots. That being said, let’s see how to win at slots!

1. Learn How Online Slot Machines Work

One of the best tips for casino slot machines is to learn how they work. It might sound obvious at first - after all, you have to know a game if you want to win it. But you’d be surprised to find out how many gamblers jump straight into spinning the reels without having any idea how they work. These players usually burn through huge amounts of money while barely making any wins. In the section below, we’ll give you a basic rundown of how slots work. Let’s start with the basic features.

SLOT REELS

The slot reels are the vertical lines on the grid. These lines spin after you place your wagers and have different symbols on them. Every slot comes with reels and they’re the most important elements - after all, you will have no slots without reels. The number of reels differs from slot to slot. 

You can have 3-reel slots such as Solar Eclipse by Endorphina or Forever 777s by Red Tiger Gaming. The most common setup however, is the 5-reel slot. Some good examples would be Nefertiti Hyperways by GameArt or Wild Depths by Pragmatic Play.

SLOT PAYLINES

The paylines are the lines or the patterns on which the winning symbols should line up. Each reel in a winning payline should have a winning symbol, laid from left to right. Contrary to popular belief, this payline doesn’t have to be a single horizontal line. The winning line can be a zigzag or up and down, depending on the developer. Paylines usually vary between 1, 3 and 5 in classic slots and 9, 15, 25 and even 100 in video slots. 

BETS AND WAGERS

The bets (or wagers) are the coins you’ll be, well, betting on each spin. You can adjust this bet by using the dedicated button that’s usually next to the “Spin” button. Most online slots nowadays even have special buttons that will allow you to directly bet the maximum or minimum amount on each spin. 

RTP

The slot RTP (Return to Player) is the win rate percentage that a player is expected to achieve while playing a specific slot. For example, a slot that has 97% RTP will pay back $97 for every $100 a player puts into it. Basically, the RTP explains how much you can expect to lose when spinning the reels of a certain slot. 

VOLATILITY 

Slot volatility determines how often a certain slot is expected to pay out. There are three levels of volatility - low, medium and high - each with its own advantages and disadvantages.

• Low Volatility. More chances to win but in smaller amounts.
• Medium Volatility. Moderate chances to win moderate amounts of money.
• High Volatility. Very low chances to win huge amounts of money.

Now that we have the basics, it’s time to move on to the different bonuses and goodies slots offer. Make no mistake, slot games with bonus features are more profitable than you might think!

FREE SPINS

The free spins are the most common and beloved type of bonus. You will usually need a certain number of special symbols (Scatters) to trigger them. The number of free spins usually varies between 3 and 20, depending on the developer. Of course, some developers are more generous than others and the number of free spins can go up to 50. The top rated slot with free spins you will find on SlotsMate is Tales of Dr. Dolittle, by Quickspin. 

MULTIPLIERS

As the name suggests, multipliers will multiply your bets or wins by a certain amount. You can double, triple and even quadruple your wins if you’re really lucky. The multipliers are usually awarded during the free spins round but some slots award them during the base game as well. You can play Silverback Gold by NetEnt for an exceptional multiplier experience.

GAMBLE FEATURE

The gamble feature will have you gambling on the wins you’ve made after every lucky spin. It’s usually a simple game of guessing the color or suite of the cards. If you win, you can double and even triple your wins. If you lose, you will forfeit your wins and start all over.

WILD SYMBOLS

Wild symbols are the Jokers of the slots. They will replace any other symbol on the reels, helping you form winning combinations even if you don’t have all the necessary icons. Wilds usually pay more than the symbols they’re replacing so make sure you keep an eye out for them. You can try Million Zeus by Red Rake Gaming for a great Wild experience.

BONUS ROUNDS

Bonus rounds are usually mini-games that can be triggered by certain symbol combinations. The prizes vary between free spins, extra multipliers, Wilds, or even instant cash. Lucky Clucks by Crazy Tooth Studio is a great example of the bonus rounds feature done right.

JACKPOTS

Progressive jackpot slot machines are the most popular ones out there. They usually come with high volatility and rather low chances of winning. But the jackpots that can be won are worth it - some have been life-changing. One of the most popular progressive jackpot slots of all time is Mega Moolah by MicroGaming. The biggest win on this slot was no less than €19,430,723.60!

2. Do Your Research

Another one of our slot machine tips and tricks is to do your research. This goes for both the game developers and the casinos themselves. Different slot developers offer different advantages - specific features, different themes and levels of graphics and even certain volatilities and RTP levels. You can find the best new online slots right here or you can take a look at our list of the best developers below.

NETENT

NetEnt is one of the biggest iGaming studios in the world. This Swedish company was founded in 1996 and has ever since become one of the industry giants. Along the years, they managed to differentiate themselves from the competition by constantly releasing quality slots and introducing new features.

MICROGAMING

MicroGaming was founded in 1994, on the Isle of Man. They would go on to launch the first actual online casino in the same year, opening many doors for the gambling industry. They’re most known for their incredible progressives that changed the lives of many lucky gamblers over the years.

PLAYTECH

Founded in 1999 in Estonia, Playtech has quickly risen through the ranks and became one of the most well-known and respected names in the iGaming industry. They operate in no less than 17 countries around the world and are always surprising us with the quality of their games.

When it comes to the casino you’re playing at, there are some things you should be on the lookout for, such as:

• Safety and Security. Before you start placing your bets at an online casino, do your research and answer the following questions:
  • Does it have a valid gaming license?
  • Can it be trusted?
  • Are the game payouts verified by anyone?
  • Is the connection encrypted?
  • Are the operators trusted and known in the community?
• Device Compatibility. If you’re gambling from a desktop device, you probably won’t have to bother with this. But if you like to play free online mobile casino slots, you should first check that the website is compatible on a smaller screen.
• Bonus Terms and Conditions. You might or might not be aware that not every casino bonus is what it initially seems. That’s why it’s extremely important you read the fine print and see what are the terms and conditions for the bonus. The wagering requirements differ from casino to casino and you should always read them.
• Banking and Payouts. When choosing a casino, you should first see if they accept your preferred payment and deposit methods. You should also check for the payout times - some casinos take longer to deliver your winnings than others.
• Customer Service. You might not think this is important but let us change your mind. Check to see if the casino can be reached at any time you have an issue - by email, by chat or by phone.

3. Practice by Playing for Free

Another one of our tips and tricks for slot machines is playing for free. How can you do that? By playing free demo versions of course! These are usually limited in the number of bets you can make but they provide a great opportunity for you to get familiar with the slot. After a couple of free game sessions, you will familiarize yourself with the speed of the wins and how often the special bonuses hit. 

When you play no deposit slot games for free, you will be able to work on a viable strategy. You will know when to bet minimum and when to change that amount to maximize your winning chances. Just keep in mind that no strategy is 100% fool-proof, since slots are mostly games of chance. Luckily for you, you’re in the right place for this - SlotsMate is the best collection of free online slots you’ll find on the web!

4. Choose the High Payout Slot Machines

Every slot machine will run a certain percentage of the wagered money to its players. These are the winnings. The name of this concept is the RTP (or the Return To Player value that we explained above). Naturally, you will want to play the slots with the highest RTP available. The online slots with best payout will have an RTP value higher than 96%.

We recommend you start with the following slots, as they have the highest RTP you will find on our website:

• Kaiser by Peter and Sons: 97% RTP
• Timeless Rose by High 5 Games: 97% RTP
• Quad Cat by High 5 Games: 97% RTP
• Hawaiian Dream by Golden Hero: 97% RTP
• Book of Anime by Fugaso: 97% RTP

5. Bet the Maximum Amount You Can Afford

Another one of the best casino slot machine tips and tricks we can give you is to always bet the maximum amount when you can afford it. Why? Because when you find a slot machine that pays reasonably well, the maximum bet amount will bring you even closer to a huge win.

Let’s take an example:

• If the maximum payout you can get is 1000x your wager, you will win $999 on a $1 bet and $4995 on a $5 bet.

On top of that, if you play progressives, you will mostly have to place the maximum bet. A huge chunk of them will only count your bet towards the jackpot if you bet max. So if you’re torn between two slots - a regular one and a progressive - and you have the possibility to wager the maximum amount, you should go for the progressive one. 

At the end of the day, it all comes down to how many more spins you can guarantee for yourself. The odds of winning stay the same on the next spin, no matter how much you bet on it.

6. Check the Slot Paytable Before You Play

One of the most overlooked slot machine tips is checking the paytable. Sure, it might seem like something obvious but you’d be surprised to find out just how many gamblers jump into the game without checking the paytable. 

The paytable is basically the slot's own dictionary. It explains what the symbols are, how much they’re going to pay and how many of them you’ll need to make a win. So why should your slot machine strategy include the paytable? Well, it is because after you study the paytable, you’ll get a better idea of what all the symbols mean and which ones you should be looking out for.

This will also show you some explanations of the bonus features and how to trigger them. For example, a paytable will explain that you need five scatters to trigger the free spins round.

7. Choose Online Slots with Bonus Features

The seventh entry in our list of tips for online slots is choosing slots with bonus features. While going for a classic, bare-bones slot is a great idea for your first playthroughs is a great idea, you should then move on to slots with more special features.

Besides the increased RTP, these types of slots offer you even more chances at winning. For example, you might bet $1 on a spin that will trigger a couple of free spins. During this bonus round, you will not only get to spin and make wins for free, but most of the time they will also be subjected to several multipliers. You can definitely see how these slots are more lucrative.

Then, you have the progressive slots. They’re usually quite affordable to play, despite the fact that you have to bet max to qualify for the jackpot. And while they’re a high-risk-high-reward type of iGame, the wins can be life-changing. Take for example NetEnt’s Mega Fortune that awarded no less than $24 million to a lucky player in Finland.

8. Choose the Best Volatility for Your Budget

One of the slot machine tricks that no one will tell you is related to volatility. As we have previously mentioned, volatility is the risk of losing the bet. Basically, it suggests how often or rare you should expect to win on a slot and how big or small the wins are going to be. So before you start betting on a slot, make sure its volatility level fits your budget. Take a look at the table below to find out what should work best for you!

9. Play Slots with Few Paylines

Activating more than one payline will increase your chances of making a win in one spin. With that in mind, keeping all paylines active when spinning is one of the best ways to make sure you get the most out of a single slot spin. However, one of the slot tips and tricks no one will tell you is that you should aim for slots with fewer paylines.

How so? Well, let’s say you have to choose between two slots, both with identical RTP and volatility. One has 5 paylines and one has 50. If you are to take our previous advice of betting max, you should go for the 5-payline slot. The maximum bet amount will be lower, while your chances of winning are increased because you have all the paylines active.

10. Gamble Responsibly

One of the most important secrets to winning on slot machines is playing responsibly. No matter what other online slot tips guides might be telling you, keep in mind that playing slots should be all about fun. Here are some tips to help you play slots responsibly:

• Set a budget and stick to it;
• Set a time limit and stick to it;
• Don’t chase your losses;
• Don’t let it become your only hobby;
• Only bet what you can afford to lose.

Our Final Thoughts

We hope this casino slot tips guide was useful to you. All of the tricks to winning at slot machines presented here will help you get a better understanding on how to play and maybe win at slots. The most important thing you should take away from this article, however, is that there are no slot playing tips and tricks that will ensure a 100% win. 

Slots are mostly games of chance and the odds of winning (or not) on the next spin stay the same no matter what slot machine tips and tricks to win you follow. And now that you know some of the best tips and tricks to win at a slot machine, you’re now more than ready to head over to our Real Money Slots section and make some wins!