Online casino slots are some of the simplest and most enjoyable games to play. While some players enjoy them just for the entertainment value, there are many who ask the question: are online slots worth playing? This is especially true for real money slots that require you to deposit your own cash.
Some players have slot experience at land-based casinos and may wonder if online slots are the same. In fact, online slots could give a better return than a traditional casino. Still, there are a lot of other factors to consider. So, are online slots worth it? Here’s everything you need to know.
Looking for no deposit bonus codes for December 2023? Find all the best no deposit online casinos right now.
What Are Online Slots Worth Playing?
The short answer is yes, and we go into more detail for each reason below. But here’s a quick list of good reasons to play online slots:
- Access to the best bonus offers
- Odds can be surprisingly good
- Prizes are huge, including million-dollar win potential
- The variety is unmatched, with hundreds of variations at online casinos
- Players can utilize tried and true strategies to give themselves the best chance of winning
1. Online Slots Are Tied To Great Bonus Codes
The first big advantage of online slots are the available bonus codes and promotions. Unlike a traditional casino, almost every online casino gives bonus cash on signup. It doesn’t stop there either, as these casinos continue to have promotions that give you free spins or casino credit to play with.
If you find no-deposit bonus codes, that means you don’t even have to add funds to your account to start playing for a chance to win real money. While there are terms and conditions attached, such as playthrough requirements, it is essentially like getting free money to play with. This alone would make online slots worth playing.
2. The Odds Can Be Good
Are online slots worth playing in terms of the odds on them? In a word, yes. Especially in comparison to land-based casinos, which typically have worse odds than online slots. The slot machines at most traditional casinos have a lower Return To Player (RTP) percentage. This percentage is how much a machine pays out over an extended period of time, on average.
For example, a slot machine at a land-based casino with an 80% RTP will pay out just $80 for every $100 wagered. Traditional casinos have overheads (like those free drinks they give out) and have to make back their money somehow. So, the machines there are less favorable to you the player than an online casino. Plus, retail casinos usually have minimal geographic competition outside of Vegas or Atlantic City, so there’s no real incentive for them to offer great odds.
Meanwhile, online slots offer their RTP percentages right up front, and the average is between 94% and 98%. That’s as good or better than American roulette and some variations of video poker.
3. You Can Win Million-Dollar Prizes
Become a millionaire by playing online casino games? It’s possible. You could join the ranks of the biggest online slots wins of all time, like the winner of $24 million who struck it big on the online slot Mega Fortune. The biggest win in the US at last count was in 2021, when the BetMGM/Borgata Casino exclusive, MGM Grand Millions slot, paid out $3.5 million.
A good way to maximize your win potential is by playing progressive slots. These slots are a type of game that has insanely large prizes, and the prize increases every time someone spins the reel. Are online slots worth it for non-progressive slots? Absolutely. Many of the big wins are on non-progressive slots too, with max prizes between $50,000 to over $1 million.
4. Slots Offer A Huge Variety
If you’re already used to playing slots at brick-and-mortar casinos, there’s good news: many of these same slots are available at online casinos too! Here are some of the most popular slots you can find online and in person:
- Buffalo
- Cleopatra
- Starburst
- Bonanza
- Gonzo’s Quest
- Mega Fortune
- Megabucks
Even if the slot you usually play doesn’t have the exact same name, you can usually find one that is extremely similar in appearance, setup, and payout. For example, if you like the Buffalo slot, you can try the Thundering Buffalo Jackpot Dash slot, which offers 243 ways to win every spin and a $200K top prize, available at Golden Nugget Casino.
5. Slots Have Tried And True Strategies
If you want to make playing online slots really worth your time, it helps to have some strategies. Here are some tips to win big on online slots.
- Find a slot with a high RTP. The higher the percentage (anything over 92% is considered good), the better your chances.
- Play all the paylines. It’s better to give yourself more chances to win than set a higher value on a single line. For example, play 20 lines at $0.10 each rather than one line at $2.00. However, if it’s an all-ways-pays slot or it has a fixed number of paylines, your chances of winning is already maximized.
- Understand the max bets. Often, if you want a chance at the jackpot, the slot will require that you make the maximum bet. Make sure you know the rules before you start.
- Look at the paytable. Check the pay lines to see what symbols are worth more and choose a slot game that offers free spins and other types of bonus features. Look out for “wild/substitute” and “scatter” symbols too, which can trigger big payouts.
- Stick to a budget. Part of Responsible Gambling is to only bet a certain amount in a set period of time. Make sure to take extended breaks often, and only bet what you can afford to lose.