Online Slots
Strategies & Choices
by
Gayle
Mitchell This lesson deals with each of the three groups separately and I drop in some slots strategies along the way. During your exploration , you should read the help menu for symbol payouts and top jackpots to determine the best bet. There are three groups of online slots: 1. Basic with a single payline and constant jackpot. 2. Progressives that offer an ever-growing jackpot. 3. Bonus Added. Additional features of these online slots include multi-spins, 5 reels, multi-lines, bonus games and nudge-hold. Online Basic Slots: While exploring the choices of single payline, basic machines, you should seek out these features: 1) Multiplier symbols that double/triple++ your credits for winning combinations. The principle of a multiplier symbol is simple--whenever it appears on the payline with any other symbols that normally would have made a winning combination, the payoff amount is multiplied as displayed. 2) Wild symbols to increase your credit total. While wild symbols will reward extra credits or spins, it usually does not double/triple your win as multiplier symbols do. Therefore, the ideal basic version will have multipliers and wild symbols. 3) Two coin maximum in the name of wager management. 4) Look for a top jackpot at the low end (ex. 1000 coins) as the payouts are more frequent than a top jackpot at the high end (ex. 10,000 coins). Online Progressive Slots: Before playing any single group of progressives, check out the top jackpot amounts for comparison. There are several sites online where jackpot totals are continually updated. The bigger, the better is the rule here. When a top jackpot reaches double and more than the minimum reset amount, it is hot, hot, hot for the big strike. Additionally, when researching progressives, view the previous hits and history of a particular progressive slot to assist with your selection. Many progressives have been around for a while and have developed a reputation for the best bet. Example: MegaMoola. Maximum bet in play is mandatory with progressives. There are far too many sad stories of players who didn’t follow this rule and missed a golden opportunity. While you should always practice sound wager management, this is not the time to play only one coin. Online progressives offer the added benefit of ‘instant payment'. No installment plan, but cold hard cash in your hand---‘tis the best. Have fun with these ‘life-changing slots’ and in the end may all your progressive wins be progressively profitable. Bonus Added Online Slots: It’s the extra features and options offering players bonus credit wins that separates this group of online slots. 1) You can now play your offline favorites at select casinos online. Elvis, Monopoly, Cleopatra, Baywatch and Double Diamond to name a few.  2) Multi-spins: games within a game. You can play 2, 4, 6 or more games within added reels at a multi-spin game. Ex. Double Magic and 3) 5 Reels: more than extra reels, these versions provide options such as wild, scatter pay and multipliers. Ex. Bars & Stripes and 4) Multi-lines: up to 40 paylines thereby offering multiple win combinations. A variety of options include multipliers, wild symbols, scatter pay and progressive jackpots. Ex. Pharaoh’s Tomb and Millionaire’s Lane. 5) Bonus: you will find free spins and a second bonus event. Put your skills to the test. Ex. Golden Goose and Zone of the Zombies. 6) Fruit Machines: familiar in the Slots Strategies: Read all information posted. With many more payout options for bonus versions, this becomes very important. It’s easy to go from the current spin to the paytable while playing. Payouts by symbol and top jackpot should be contributing factors in selecting the game. Be sure to activate all paylines or you will lose credits if a win lands on a payline that you did not include with your bet. If you don’t bet maximum coin for each spin, at least bet 1-2 credits/payline. The ‘hold and spin’ slot versions allow you to hold all or none of the game symbols on the bottom reel and those selected are held on all the other reels for a second spin. These online slots versions will test your skills. For example, one of my favorites, Triple Profits has a hold-spin option. A description of the strategy follows based on the paytable options. Hold three same symbols on the bottom reel. Hold two same symbols with one exception depending on your level of risk. With this slot, any three of the combination of calculators, safes and/or scales is an instant win. Therefore, when presented with two calculators and one scale, you can go with the instant win or hold the two same symbols, the calculators in this case, and try for a third calculator or a wild symbol for a higher payout. The same decision applies to different colored moneybags or different colored dollar sign coins. Three of the same color gives you a better payday, while a mix of three is an instant win. The wild symbol also presents an opportunity in that you can hold just the wild symbol or select a higher paying symbol, perhaps a red dollar sign, which may produce a generous payout. Your final playing decision should take into consideration that three wild Gold Bars offer the top prize. Lastly, your favorite online slots will always be your first choice, but like all slot players; I am always searching for what's new. In the end, the variety in the slots playground never disappoints. From Online Slots, to the History of the Machine OR Return to Slots Program main page  |