Slots are the most popular game at Canadian casinos, online and retail. They offer an element of fast-paced, stimulating gameplay that most other casino games dare not rival.
Slots are also a game of chance, meaning the outcome or result of a wager is determined by a random event. There is, however, a strategic component to the game that often gets overlooked because of the “game of chance” label.
While slots are random, simple measures like choosing the right games and managing your bankroll wisely can significantly improve your long-term experience.
This guide contains a host of other effective strategies, as well as insights into key features and metrics, to help boost your future online slots adventures.
Understanding How Slots Work
To give you a better idea of how online slots work at Canadian online casinos, let’s start by breaking it down into three main categories: random number generators (RNGs), volatility and RTP (return to player), and hit frequency.
Random Number Generators
As mentioned earlier, the outcome of slots wagers depends on a random event. Random Number Generators are responsible for providing that random event and determining the outcome. In short, RNGs are mathematical programs that select groups of numbers to determine which game symbols appear on screen and yield either a winning or losing result.
Symbols are chosen completely at random and are not influenced by factors like previous winning or losing history.
Volatility and RTP (return to player)
Slot volatility refers to the level of risk associated with playing a specific slot title. In particular, slot volatility measures how often and how much a slot typically pays out. There are varying levels of volatility, which range on a scale from low to high.
Lower volatility titles produce higher win rates but return lower than usual payouts. Higher volatility titles, on the other hand, produce lower win rates but return higher than average payouts. If you’re looking for something in between, there are also medium volatility slots, as well as medium-low and medium-high volatility games.
It is up to you to determine which level of volatility best aligns with your personal slots strategy and bankroll.
RTP or Return to Player, represents the amount of money players can expect to win from their wagers on a particular slot game. This figure is expressed as a percentage and is usually present on or beside each slot title. If not, a quick Google search or dry run in demo mode usually does the trick.
Let’s look at RTP this way: a slot with a 96% RTP means the slot pays $96 in winnings for every $100 wagered. Conversely, a slot with 88% RTP only pays $88 for every $100 wagered. That said, you must understand that RTP defines averages and does not guarantee results. But if we’re strictly talking about averages, a 96% RTP slot is generally more appealing than an 88% RTP title.
Hit Frequency
Simply put, Hit Frequency expresses how often a slot machine produces a winning outcome using a percentage. For example, a 15% hit frequency means a machine will yield a winning combination approximately 15% of the time. This rate can vary anywhere from 3% to 40%. Slot titles with lower hit frequencies tend to offer larger jackpot opportunities, while titles with higher hit frequencies often offer the opposite.
Best Slot Strategies for Canadian Players
Now that we have an idea of how slots work, it’s time to present you with an effective game plan. Here are six strategies that we recommend for improving your slots experience.
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Bankroll Management
The bankroll management strategy involves setting a budget and sticking to it. While doing so is imperative across all forms of gambling, it’s especially useful for slots given the fast-paced nature of the games. This strategy works best on a session-to-session basis, meaning you should define your budget ahead of each slot wagering session and abide by it throughout. Pros include keeping your spending to comfortable limits and having more control over your outgoing funds. One con of this method is that it may limit the number of slot titles you can engage with.
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Game Selection
As noted earlier, high RTP slots, on average, return more to players for every $100 wagered. That’s why we recommend playing high RTP slot titles (96% and up) instead of lower RTP games. Opting for high RTP titles is best if you’re seeking more consistent returns and/or want to engage in longer playing sessions. One con, however, is that RTP is an average and doesn’t guarantee better results.
We also suggest shopping around for games with bonus features like free spins and multipliers. Any additional bonuses enhance gameplay and can potentially lead to greater returns. But like RTP, bonuses do not come with guarantees. They also may require you to meet certain wagering thresholds to activate and playthrough requirements to withdraw.
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Progressive vs. Fixed Jackpot Slots
One way to strike it rich is by going after progressive and fixed jackpot slots.
Progressive jackpots grow in size as more players play the slot and will keep increasing until somebody wins it. Fixed jackpots come with a predetermined prize and stay the same no matter how many or how often people play. The latter pays less than the former but often comes with better odds of winning.
Chasing jackpots responsibly (staying within budget) can be quite a thrill, and if you strike it big, you’ll receive a handsome payout. It goes without saying though that your chances of landing a progressive or even fixed jackpot are very low. That’s why it’s important to set limits and not chase losses, which is a no-no no matter the game.
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Bet Sizing Strategy
Being flexible, rather than rigid is in your best interest when spinning slots. The bet sizing strategy can help you stay nimble, as it’s all about adjusting your bets based on available bankroll and volatility. If you’re just starting out and don’t have too large a bankroll to play with, sticking to smaller wagers and lower volatility slots is a helpful first step. For example, keep bets to between 1-5 percent of your bankroll and play slots above 96% RTP. One downside is that building your bankroll this way may feel tedious.
You can also go with larger wagers on lower volatility games in the bet sizing model. Smaller bets on high volatility games are also an option. Basically, the bet sizing strategy is about maintaining balance.
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Taking Advantage of Bonuses
Bonuses offer an excellent opportunity to increase your bankroll without having to decrease it first. Free spins, for example, are one of the most common slot bonuses you will encounter. While the number of titles you can use free spins on will most likely be limited, you can still interact with high RTP games to improve your chances at getting something from your bonus.
Deposit bonuses are another enticing avenue for you to take advantage of. Here, you can do some jackpot chasing or try to build your bankroll with bonus funds.
Be aware, however, that winnings associated with deposit bonuses and free spins often come with fairly stringent playthrough requirements. On the bright side, slots almost always contribute 100% to playthrough requirements.
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Stop Loss & Win Limits
We’ve alluded to it at a few different stages so far, but the foundation of almost all slot strategies is knowing when to walk away. Whether through time (session caps or cool downs) or spending (deposit and loss) limits, having a safeguard in place is never a bad idea.
Setting these limits will help you get a better feel of your risk tolerance and comfort level with different slot titles.
Slots With the Best RTP in Canada
In the table below you will find key features about 10 slot titles with the highest RTPs at online casinos in Canada.
| Slot Name | Software Provider | RTP% | Volatility Level | Top Features |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blood Suckers | NetEnt | 98.00 | Low | Free spins, wilds, re-spins |
| Money Cart | Relax Gaming | 98.00 | Medium-high | Re-spins, bonus games |
| Big Bass Splash | Pragmatic Play | 96.71 | Medium-high | Free spins, multipliers, bonus games |
| Lucky Larry's Lobstermania 2 | IGT | 96.52 | Medium-high | Free spins, stacked wilds |
| Chilli Heat | Pragmatic Play | 96.52 | Medium-low | Free spins, wilds, scatter feature |
| Gates of Olympus | Pragmatic Play | 96.50 | Very high | Free spins, multipliers, scatter feature |
| Wanted Dead or a Wild | Hacksaw Gaming | 96.38 | Medium-high | Free spins, sticky wilds, scatter feature |
| 9 Pots of Gold | Gameburger Studios | 96.24 | Medium-low | Free spins, multipliers, bonus games |
| Book of Dead | Play'n GO | 96.21 | Very high | Free spins, megaways |
| 88 Fortunes | Bally Technologies | 96.00 | Medium-high | Free spins, wilds |
How to Pick the Right Slot Machine for Your Style
Picking the right slot machine for you ultimately boils down to personal preference, but if you’re still not sure what works best, we have three more themes to consider.
Low-Stakes vs. High-Stakes Slots
Again, it all boils down to budget and risk tolerance. If you feel comfortable and are able to allocate a greater spend to your slots sessions, siding with higher-stakes slots may be for you. Or, if you’re interested in making a run at jackpots, give high-stakes slots a try. But remember, abide by your limits.
You can also have a larger budget and still opt for low-stakes slots. Perhaps you have a lower tolerance for risk or want to maximize the number of spins you can afford to play. The beauty of low-stake slots is that they accommodate both strategies and budgets.
Bonus-Heavy Slots vs. Straightforward Payline Games
If you’re interested in playing the long game or want to limit your spend, bonus-heavy slots could be your game. Whether it’s free spins or deposit bonuses, taking a bonus-heavy approach could help you control how much you spend. Although, playthrough requirements may take some time to work through and slow down your access to winnings.
On the contrary, if your plan is to bounce around multiple online casinos, you should consider straightforward payline games. Bonuses can be great, but they do take time to build up and cash out. So, if quick hitters are more your style, standard payline slots are probably better suited for you.
Mobile vs. Desktop Slots
One of the advantages of living in the technological age is that a smartphone is capable of operating at a similar level to a desktop computer. That’s especially valuable for online slots players.
While, sure, the processing output will depend on the age, condition, and quality of a device (mobile or desktop), there isn’t much difference in gameplay, if any at all. Basically, the only difference is if you prefer a larger or smaller screen.
And to that end, payout rates are identical between mobile and desktop. Just make sure, however, that it is the same slot game (i.e. Money Cart) on both devices.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Before we get to the finish line, we’d be kicking ourselves if we didn’t share with you four common mistakes and how to avoid them.
- Chasing losses and overspending: It feels self-explanatory, but you should never chase losses and exceed your budget. That’s why you must set time and spending limits before playing and abide by them during.
- Misunderstanding volatility and RTP: Remember, volatility is how often a slot usually pays out, whereas RTP is how much a slot game pays back to players. Consult this guide for a refresher and examples to be sure before laying money down.
- Ignoring bonus wagering requirements: When you claim a bonus, you are also claiming any associated wagering requirements. So, don’t get too ahead of yourself by going for a large bonus if it will be unattainable for your budget.
- Playing unlicensed or low-payout casinos: Lastly, you have to stick with licensed operators to ensure reliable payouts and fair gameplay. You will also want to avoid low-payout casinos, as there is no reason to waste time there given the abundance of licensed options.
FAQs About Slot Strategy
All slot strategies listed here are important, but the best is bankroll management. This is because you have more control over your bankroll than anything else.
No, high RTP slots do not always pay more. They pay more than lower RTP slots, on average, per $100 wagered but that is not a guarantee.
No, there is no way to predict slot outcomes. Being a game of chance, slot outcomes are generated at random using a Random Number Generator.
The safest way to gamble on slots in Canada is to set a budget, time and spending limits, and only wager on licensed Canadian online casinos.
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