One of the most common questions we receive here at CasinoBloke is – is there an actual strategy for slots? It’s a reasonable enough question, and most of you who understand the basic gist of how slot machines work presume that there isn’t one. The fact is, the game is all about luck, and you don’t get to influence the outcome. However, you can bet that there are good and bad ways to play slots, which is what we’ll be exploring today.
Slot machine strategy is all about managing risk and managing your bankroll. It’s harder to identify the benefits of using these casino strategies than with, say, blackjack. However, there are ways to play slots well and ways to play poorly, and we’ll go through these with some simple slot strategy tips and advice.
Online Slot Strategy Tips
Before we dive in, we’ll have to point out that you need to temper your expectations when it comes to online slots. No matter how you look at it, your winnings will mostly depend on luck. However, the slot strategy tips below can help you minimise the risk of losing and improve your chances of actually turning a profit.
That said, there is no foolproof strategy for slots. The game is based on chance, which is half of the fun anyway.
The best strategies for slot machines include the following tips:
- Play high-RTP slots
- Manage your bankroll
- Know when to quit
- Use free spins and bonuses
- Understand game features and mechanics
1. Play High-RTP Slots
The biggest and most impactful decision you make as a slot player is which machines or games you’ll be playing in the first place. That’s more responsibility than it seems at first glance.
The most basic premise of choosing high-paying slots is quite simple. You want high RTP, low house edge. The better the RTP, the smaller the advantage the house has over the player (and vice versa.)
This directly impacts your chances of winning or losing. While it’s important to know that the casino always has an advantage, it’s also crucial that you at least try and make that advantage as small as possible.
At best, a high RTP can improve your chances of walking away with a profit. At worst, it will decrease the amount you lose – especially in the long run. Either way, high RTP is always better than low RTP, so make sure you only play the best slots online.
If you want to know more about RTP and other statistical details of slot games, check out this article.
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2. Manage Your Bankroll
This is one casino strategy tip you’ve probably seen in every guide under the sun. That very fact should at least tell you how important it is.
Just use common sense with this piece slot strategy advice. Money is something you should always be careful with, after all.
The usual tips include clearly defining your budget and never going over it. The oldest tip in the gambler’s handbook is to never bet anything you’re not willing to lose, and that still applies to slots.
However, slot machines are somewhat problematic here because you’re typically using a very small amount per bet relative to your total budget. It’s easy to fall into the trap of “it’s just a few cents more, it can’t hurt.”
That sort of thinking can send you down a rabbit hole of overspending, though. Never chase losses, and try to stick to the general principles of casino money management
3. Know When to Quit
Going back to the notion of house advantage, you are statistically pretty much certain to lose any casino game if you play it long enough. It’s pure maths, really, referring to the law of averages.
Basically, the casino has a statistical advantage. However, any statistics typically also account for standard deviation. This means you can win in the short term, but eventually, things will always swing in the casino’s favour.
Think of it this way – you have a decent chance of winning three coin tosses in a row, even though the odds are against you. However, if you toss that coin 1,000 times, the win rate is going to be very close to 50% – the probability of you winning in the first place.
This is an important bit of slot machine strategy. If you’re winning and things are going well, remember that your luck is bound to turn sooner or later. If you quit while you’re ahead, you may just be one of the few gamblers who actually profit from playing slots.
4. Use Free Spins and Bonuses
In the world of online casinos, a good bonus is “the great equaliser.” Sure, they won’t allow you to directly beat the casinos in the long run. Otherwise, the bonuses wouldn’t even exist. However, they can sure help turn the tide in your favour.
Hopefully, we don’t need to spend too much time touting the benefits of casino bonuses. They’re freebies and special deals – what’s not to like?
However, the art of effectively using casino bonuses and free spins is understanding how the terms and conditions work. Specifically, we’re talking about wagering requirements, which demand that you play through the bonus a few times before you can actually withdraw it.
If you can get your hands on a good bonus and successfully overcome the requirements, you can skyrocket your profits.
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5. Understand Game Features and Mechanics
Finally, we have to point out that you should always read through a game’s paytable before playing. This is where you’ll find explanations for all the different features and mechanics, which is especially crucial for beginners.
Speaking of which, sometimes the rules window in online slots can be a bit obtuse for newbies. If you find yourself not understanding how slot machines work, don’t worry! All of our casino game reviews feature detailed guides and how-tos for every game we play. We always make sure to include game-specific slot strategy tips, too.
Last but not least, you should keep in mind that you can play most slots for free. Trying out a slot freeplay demo can help you ensure you like and understand a game before risking any real money.
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Conclusion
The online slot strategy tips outlined above may seem pretty basic to some of you. However, we’ve hopefully pointed out not just what you should do, but why you should do it as well.
As you can see, there’s really not all that much to slot strategy. It’s just a matter of understanding how slot machines work “under the hood”, which includes a fair bit of maths. Once you jump that hurdle, you can actually start playing slots with proper strategy.