Gamblers flock to online casinos for thrilling emotions and big wins. Both of these depend on choosing the right game of chance. Certainly, there are no video slots that will appeal to all players without exception. However, there are factors that indicate which slot machines in a casino can actually lead to winnings.
Payout Rates
The first thing to pay attention to is the payout table. It shows the multipliers by which the line bet will be multiplied if the player collects a combination of specified symbols.
The higher the multipliers, the bigger the winnings. By choosing slots with high multipliers, gamblers have a chance to hit the jackpot.
A multiplier of x5,000 is considered substantial and is found in almost all slot machines. However, there are slots with even higher payout multipliers. For example, the maximum value in Safari Heat is x10,000!
It's worth noting that some video slots use dynamic payout tables. In this case, the page indicates the payout amount rather than the multiplier. To find out the size of the multiplier, set the line bet to 1 credit. Difficulties in determining the multiplier may also arise if the machine uses not paylines but ways to win — 243, 720, 1024, and so on.
Return to Player (RTP)
Every slot machine has an RTP indicator. This characteristic shows the average amount of money returned to the player during a long gaming session. Therefore, the higher the RTP, the more money a gambler can win when playing a slot. The most rewarding slot machines have an RTP of 99%! A high rate is considered to be a return of 97-98%. If a slot pays out less than 95-96%, it's not worth playing.
A logical question arises — how to find out the RTP of an online slot? In almost all modern machines from leading manufacturers, the player return indicator is specified in the official documentation or on the rules page. The absolute record holder is the video slot with non-standard gameplay, Moody Fruits by Relax Gaming, released in 2014 — its RTP reaches 99.908%. Among slots with traditional rules, Mega Joker by NetEnt stands out with a return rate of 99%.
Slots from Playtech, Rival, Thunderkick, Yggdrasil Gaming also make it into the top 10 for payout rate. However, not all games provide information about RTP. Usually, older machines lack this information. In this case, reviews of slots and feedback from other players can help understand the characteristics.
Free Spins and Bonus Features
When choosing a slot, it's not only RTP that matters; there is another important factor — free spins and bonuses. During free spins, money is not deducted from the player's account — the casino pays for them, providing an opportunity to win more without additional investments.
Usually, free spins or respins are triggered after a certain combination of symbols is collected on the game field.
Bonus games are also activated, but this happens rarely. Therefore, some slots offer an alternative — paid features. Surprisingly, this can be a sign of a rewarding slot.
Paid bonuses are divided into two types:
- Direct purchase of a bonus. The gambler pays a specified amount, for example, x100 of the bet, and receives respins, free spins, or a bonus game. This feature is found in gambling games by Microgaming, Big Time Gaming, Relax Gaming, and other providers.
- Payment for an increased chance of triggering a bonus. The player is not guaranteed to receive a bonus, but the chance of it being triggered increases with an increased bet.
Progressive Jackpot
In most online slots, the maximum win is determined by multipliers and additional multipliers, but in some machines, there are no such restrictions! These are games with a progressive jackpot. The prize pool in them is formed from deductions from players' bets worldwide and can grow indefinitely. The amounts are staggering: the largest monetary payout to date is €18.9 million! This prize was won in Mega Moolah, which has several times made it into the Guinness Book of Records as the slot with the biggest win on the internet.
When choosing a slot with large prize draws, it is better to give preference to the progressive jackpot. It is also called cumulative. Fixed amounts of local jackpots are usually much smaller, but even such additional cash prizes are considered advantages of slot machines.
So, which slot machines are profitable? The answer is obvious — all of them. But experienced gamblers selectively choose video slots, considering the multipliers in the payout table, RTP, bonus opportunities, and paid features. The combination of these factors allows for more frequent and larger wins if you know where to play.
