How to Play Online Slots For Beginners: A guide to winning
You’ve probably heard the excitement – players raving about big wins on online slots, the thrill of hitting that jackpot, or the fun of exploring new games. You want a piece of the action, but perhaps you don’t know how to play online slots, so you haven’t yet taken the plunge. Or maybe the sheer number of games at online casinos have you clutching your pearls with an old Hollywood gasp. You’re not sure how to breathe, let alone proceed.
For whatever reason, if you’re here to learn how to play online slots for beginners, we have an arsenal of tips and tricks to get you up to speed. By the time you take your last sip of morning coffee, you’ll know everything you need to know about how to play online casino slots with finesse.
How do slot machines work?
Technically speaking, online slot machines work through Random Number Generators, or RNG, which is nifty number-jumbling software. When you place a bet in an online slot, the random number generator kicks into action and fairly determines the outcome of your spin.
Luckily, you don’t have to understand the techy details to know how to play slot machines online. From your perspective, you settle into a recliner, make a deposit, place a bet, and hit the spin button. That’s fundamentally how slots work.
Now the question is how you win. Roger that, we’re on the case.
How do I win playing slots?
This is probably the most common question that comes up when you’re learning how to play slots – how do you win playing slots? The technical answer is this: you win in slots by landing winning combinations of symbols on a payline. You can win in the base game and within bonus rounds. You can also win by landing the correct symbols in progressive machines. Most online casinos offer progressive jackpot slots, which can reach enormous sums.
And well, the simplest, non-technical answer is to get lucky. But you can also implement a few of our tips for better profit potential over the long term of your play.
- Review the rules of each slot: Know what you need to play for the big wins. There’s usually a hamburger icon or a document icon for you to click. How important is it? Shopping Spree, for example, won’t pay out the progressive jackpot unless you’re wagering the maximum.
- Practice mode can be a useful tool: If you’d rather just jump into the fun, try it first in practice mode. See what works without the risk.
- Pick the right slot for you: If you want the chance at a giant win, you might try a progressive jackpot. If you want to pocket some consistent paydays, consider a low volatility slot for smaller, but more frequent wins. Definitely play within your bankroll.
We go into more detail below about other slot features you should keep an eye out for to help you on your path to riches.
RTP & Volatility
”RTP” in slots stands for “return to player.” It shows how much you could expect to win back over time. A solid RTP is 96% or higher, meaning that for every dollar you bet, you might see about $0.96 returned in the long run.
Volatility is about how often and how big those wins are. High volatility means bigger wins, but they come less often – great if you’ve got a big bankroll for the day. Medium volatility slots offer the perfect blend between high and low variance games, perfect if you play on a tighter budget.
Try Hot Drop Jackpots
One excellent way to increase your chances of winning is to play slots with Hot Drop Jackpots. These jackpots are built with a deadline: once per hour, once per 24 hours, and once before it reaches a specific dollar value (which is an enormous sum!). As the clock ticks down, your odds of winning heat up.
Before you play – Slot Features Explained
Once you pick the right game, you’re ready to bet n’ spin. That’s similar to “rock n’ roll,” but without the pyrotechnics.
Cafe Casino slot games have every online slot machine feature imaginable. While they all have their merits, it helps to be familiar with each one so you can choose a game that works for you. Plus, it’s way more fun when the reels light up, and you actually know what’s happening.
Symbols & Payouts
At the core of most slot games are “regular” symbols. These are the gems, fruits, or themed icons. When matching symbols line up on a winning pattern, called an active payline, you get a cash win and, hopefully, do a little happy dance in return. Below you can see the paytable for our slot game Bess & Becky. So, for example, if you land 5 fairies holding a lantern, you win 100x your bet per line.
Apart from the high paying symbols, there are other symbols that can help you strike gold.
Wilds & Scatters
Two special symbols are vitally important to know how to play online casino slots, and those are the Wild symbol and the scatter symbol. Most slot machines have them.
The Wild symbol can stand in as a substitute on a payline to help create winning combinations. They can’t stand in for scatters, but it gives you another chance to win on the same spin.
Scatter symbols can land anywhere on the reels. They’re usually the highest-paying symbols in the base game. More importantly, scatters usually lead to free spins and bonus games, so they have a special place in slot players’ hearts.
Bonus Features
The base game itself is plenty entertaining, with regular, scatter, and Wild symbols popping up for wins. But slot machine games go above and beyond, adding tons of special features to keep things exciting and, hopefully, your bankroll happy, too.
Tumbling Reels
In some games, after landing a win, the symbols involved in that winning combination disappear, and the symbols above them fall into the empty spaces. These are called “tumbling” reels or sometimes “refilling” symbols.
Win Multipliers
Multipliers are at the heart of most slot machines – you’ll rarely find a slot without one. A win multiplier is expressed by a number with an “x”, like “2x” or “x2.” It means that whenever you land winning combinations, your payout is boosted by the multiplier number (ex: 5x your win/bet, 10x, 100x, etc.)
Free Spins
Can we get a ‘woop woop’ for free stuff? That’s the spirit. Usually, every spin costs a bet, but with free spins, the reels spin without you spending a cent. However you trigger the free games – through the bonus game or a special winning combination – your win is yours to keep, just as if you’d paid.
Bonus Buys
Since we’ve established that free spins are some of the best parts of an online slot game, if not the best part, then knowing how to access them more quickly is key. Instead of waiting for the right winning combination, activate the Bonus Buy feature (available in different games). By paying a percentage of your bet, the Bonus Buy feature triggers either the free spins or bonus round the next time you hit the spin button, saving you the wait.
Gamble Features
If your game has a gamble feature, then after any winning spin, no matter how big or small, you can play a mini-guessing game for double or nothing.
How to Choose a Slot to Play
So far, you’ve got the basics: focus on games with bigger wins (like progressive jackpots and a higher player percentage) and get familiar with the main slot features. That’s the starting point for understanding how to play online slots as a beginner. But we can go into a bit more detail. And you know what? We think we will.
Theme
Once you’ve narrowed down a few slots based on their jackpots, RTP, and volatility, you can let your hair down and focus on finding a winning theme to fit the mood.
We roll out new slots regularly, and there’s always a theme to fit your personal preference, from flashy video slots to nostalgic one-armed bandits that bring to mind neon windbreakers and high-top sneakers.
Features
Finally, now that you’re a resident expert in slot features (well done!), you can rifle through the masses of games and pick slots with the best features. Pick a game for its multipliers, tumbling reels, free spins round, or killer bonus round – whatever floats your slot-spinning boat.
Some features include:
- Increasing multipliers
- Sticky wilds
- Expanding wilds
- Pick and win bonus rounds
- Cluster Pays
Try Out Practice Play
Practice Play, otherwise known as “demo mode,” lets you try a game for free before betting real money. All the features are identical to Real Play, but you use a “pretend” balance. It’s a great way to get a feel for the game’s flow, features, and volatility. Once you’re comfortable, you can switch to Real Play and keep the winnings. And that’s how to play slot machines online like a pro – practice!
How much should I bet?
Well, that’s going to be different for everyone.
Deciding how much to bet in a slot game comes down to your budget, play style, and goals. If your desired gaming experience is to kick back and have some casual fun while waiting for Kevin to show up with the pizza, keep your bet size smaller and enjoy the game. There’s no need to amp up the risk.
But if you’re in it to buckle down and determined to be the next big jackpot winner, you’ll want to raise your total bet to win bigger prizes. Just keep in mind that some games require you play on the maximum bet to qualify for progressive jackpots or may favor higher wagers overall. Most games will post this information in their paytable.
Play With Crypto
One of the easiest ways to get more from your bets is by playing Bitcoin slots, where you deposit and withdraw with crypto instead of a bank card. This gives you a higher maximum for withdrawals (because balla-balla jackpot, baby), and once approved, your payout hits your crypto wallet within 15 minutes or less.
Set a Budget
Bankroll management is essential for safe online gambling. Good casinos and experienced players will advise you to set a budget. Most people think this just means setting a limit on losses, but there’s another side to bankroll management you should know: setting a budget for your wins, too.
The best gambling budget has a maximum for both wins and losses. The goal is to know when to stop, win or lose, and to stick with it.
As a rule of thumb, keep your bets between 1-3% of your bankroll. This helps keep your funds steady and reduces the risk of overspending while still letting you enjoy the game. If you’re going to play on the max bet, make sure you have the bankroll to support it.
How can I sign up to play slots?
Ah, yes. We’ve discussed how to play and win at online slots, but we haven’t covered the most basic step: how to sign up to play. Let’s fix that.
Luckily, it’s super easy. At Cafe Casino, follow these steps:
- Go to Cafe Casino’s home page on either your laptop, tablet, or phone’s browser. Well, hello there.
- See that big purple button on the top that says ‘Join’? Click/tap it. Wow, nice tapping finger. Have you been working out?
- Tell us a bit about yourself by filling in a few details, then hit “REGISTER.” And the crowd goes wild.
Now you can start playing! But one more thing.
Once you have an account, don’t forget to grab your Welcome Bonus – one of the best welcome bonuses online. With your first deposit, we’ll match you 250% up to $1,500 if you use your bank card – or the far superior match of 350% up to $2,500 if you deposit with crypto (altogether now: crypto, crypto, crypto).
Get a Referral Bonus
And let’s not forget our popular referral bonus. When a friend signs up to Cafe Casino using your special link and makes a successful deposit, we reward you with a cash bonus as a thank you. It’s the easiest way to boost your slot play.
Responsible Online Gambling
The most important tip to know about playing online slots is how to play responsibly. Set a budget for each session and stick to it, regardless of how the game is going. Slots are meant for fun, so remember to take breaks, keep track of your time, and know that wins aren’t guaranteed. If you ever find yourself chasing losses or spending more than planned, it’s a good time to step back. Playing responsibly keeps slots enjoyable.
FAQs
Still have some questions? Let’s see if we can help.
Can I win real money playing slots?
You sure as sunshine can! When you play slots in “Real” mode, you’re betting with real cash, so any winnings are real, cold, hard cash – the way it was meant to be. Simply initiate a withdrawal to hold it in your hands.
Do online slots really pay out?
Does a fish swim? Does pizza need cheese? Absolutely, slot games pay out. When you make a deposit and bet with real money at online casinos, your wins are real money, too. That’s why it’s important to treat your balance just like cash in your wallet – because it is!
Welp, you ain’t a beginner anymore, that’s for sure. You’re officially locked and loaded and ready to wrangle up some killer wins. Remember to pick a slot with a solid RTP (which is the player percentage), the right features, and a theme that speaks to you. Practice a bit before using real money. When you’re ready, place a real-money bet and rake up the real money; really thrilling cash wins.
Disclaimer: The information provided in our casino blog posts is for educational and entertainment purposes only. While we discuss popular casino strategies and offer tips for various games, please note that no strategy can guarantee a win. Casino games are based on chance, and outcomes are unpredictable. We encourage all players to gamble responsibly and never bet more than they can afford to lose.
