How to Play Online Video Slot Machines
Playing video slot machines may seem complicated at first, but once you get the basics down they are actually pretty simple. The first thing you need to know when learning how to play video slots, is that the majority of the people you see playing them don't pay much attention to the different winning combinations. They just wait for the screen to light up with winning symbols in anticipation of a big win, bonus spins, or a bonus games which lead to prizes.
The main things you need to learn about how to play video slot machines include understanding pay-lines, reading pay tables, and knowing the buttons.
Understanding pay-lines
A pay-line can be a straight or zigzagged line that goes through certain symbols across the reels. With video slots, the more lines you play, the more winning combinations you can hit on any given spin. Don't worry about picking and choosing certain lines to play. Instead, remember that the more lines you play, the higher your hit rate or hit frequency will be.
Reading pay tables
Pay tables tell you all about the different winning combinations, top payouts, and other features like bonus spins and bonuses.
Here are some things to look for when choosing a video slot machine.
- 1. Choose video slots with a high top award - On video slots, the top award is usually based on your per line bet instead of a set dollar amount. For instance, if you bet $.01 per line and you hit a top award worth 10,000x, you win $100. So, it's to your advantage to look for slot machines with larger top awards that can be won regardless of your per line bet.
- 2. Look for great bonus features - Probably the biggest reason people play video slot machines are the bonus features. When you're choosing a video slot at a land-based casino, try watching other players first to get an idea about how fun it will be to play. Also, read the pay table to find out about how many bonus spins and multipliers you can win at a time (The more the better). Online casinos give you a chance to play video slots for fun with no need to deposit cash to play. So, you should take advantage to find a slot machine you really like.
Knowing the buttons
Every video slot machine has a place on the front with a wide array of buttons. These buttons each serve a different purpose. Usually, there is a couple of rows of five (5) buttons, plus a couple of extra buttons for cash out, help, and bet max.
The top row of buttons usually corresponds to your per line bet. For instance, a machine may allow you to bet 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, or 50 credits per line. The bottom row of buttons control the number of lines per spin.
Playing video slots online
Online video slots are a fantastic way to practice for fun. Plus, if you decide to play for real money you can get some great bonuses from the different online slots casinos. There are a couple of other subtle differences in playing video slots online.
For one, the buttons are a bit simpler than land-based versions. There is usually an up-and-down button that controls the number of lines you play and the denomination you're betting per line. Also, most online slots now have an auto-play feature that allows you to adjust the number of spins to auto-play, whether to stop after you win or lose a certain amount, and to stop if a bonus round is hit.
Taking it to the next level
Now that you've learned how to play video slots, you may want to continue by learning how to win at video slots. That article will help you learn the most important aspect of winning at video slots, which is proper money management and bet sizing.