How to play slots

Whether you’re a total beginner or seasoned campaigner, there’s still something to learn about the world of online slots. Although the fundamentals haven’t changed much, software providers are continually coming up with innovative ideas and new features which keep slot fans coming back for more. In this guide, you’ll learn how to play slots online. We’ll cover the basics to get you up and running, and then go into more depth about understanding the slot you are playing. 

However, what you will not find on this page are tips and secrets to help you win on online slots every time. The fact is these are games of chance, so you cannot swing the RTP in your favour to boost the odds of winning. With that out of the way, let’s get started with how to play online slots.

How to play slots – a beginner’s guide

Choose an online casino

Finding the right online casino will dramatically improve your online slots experience. We’ve compiled a list of the best slots casinos in Canada. Each one has a rich and diverse collection of games, with new titles added regularly. Furthermore, you can pick up a great welcome bonus to get your slot adventure off to a super start.

Select a slot to play

All modern online casinos offer 200+ slots; so as a beginner, it can be daunting just knowing which one to choose. Our advice is to take advantage of the free play mode. Test out a few different games until you find one that you prefer.

Review the paytable

If you tried the slot in free play mode, you should’ve already done this. However, if you didn’t, now is a good time. The paytable reveals the value of each symbol, how the paylines are formed, and what the slot’s bonus features are. There’s a lot of useful information here, so take five minutes to check it out.

Set paylines and stake

Some slots have non-fixed paylines; therefore, decide how many you want to play. After doing that, adjust the bet level (often called ‘coin value’) to set your stake. To maximise the entertainment and enjoyment of playing slots online; it’s suggested that your total stake should be around 100th (or less) of your bankroll.

Click ‘spin’

You’re now ready to spin the reels. When you hit a winning line, the slot will display how much you won, and it goes directly into your balance. Always keep an eye on your bankroll, and change your stake to suit.

Slot features

Video slots are crammed full with exciting features and rewarding bonus rounds. These are some of the most popular additions you’ll find on modern games.

Wilds

Wilds are one of the original extra symbols on a slot machine, and they are still widely used today. Previously, wilds were static, and when they appeared on the reels, they substituted other symbols to form winning lines.

Now you can get sticky wilds that remain in place for several spins, expanding wilds that cover the entire reel, and walking wilds which move along the reels – creating a path of other wild symbols in their wake.

Scatters

Scatters are often bonus symbols. Typically, they have the freedom to appear wherever, so there’s no requirement to be on a certain payline. When you land a specific number of scatters in the main game, you either trigger the bonus or get a payout – with some slots, you get both.

Respins 

A respin feature can be activated in many ways; however, the concept is the same through. As the name implies, the reels spin again (respin) at no extra cost to the player. On some video slots, such as Starburst, you can get consecutive respins if the correct symbols appear on the reels.

Multipliers

All players adore boosted winnings, and that’s what you get with multipliers. These can be special symbols, or the multiplier may be applied in some other way. There are also slots on which you can multiply the multipliers. For instance, if you get 2x, 3x, and 5x appear consecutively on a payline, the win is multiplied (2 x 3 x 5) by 30x.

Free spins

You’re probably aware of casino free spins which are a type of bonus for players. However, the free spins we refer to here are in-game bonus rounds. Players activate them by landing certain bonus symbols. Often the bonus game free spins come with other extras, such as sticky wilds throughout or increased multiplier payouts.

Gamble

Quite a few slots have a win gamble feature. After a win in the base game, you will be given the option of collecting the payout or gambling it. This is usually a 50/50 gamble, such as guessing the colour of the playing card. 

How to find the perfect slot

The online casinos in Canada on our list offer a diverse range of slots, so we’re confident that you’ll find a game you love, but how do you do this when there are hundreds of titles to choose from? Here are some factors to consider.

Jackpot

If you’re chasing the biggest jackpots in the casino, then you want to play on the progressive slots. However, you can land some fantastic wins on other games too.

Theme

All online slots have their own theme. Among them are sports, movies, celebrities, ancient Egypt, leprechauns, and many others. If you are a movie buff, why not start on these games as they have a familiar feel which is appealing to you.

Volatility

Slot games traditionally have three levels of volatility: low, medium and high. Low volatility slots produce regular wins, but the majority of them are small. High volatility slots offer larger, more explosive wins, but they are not as frequent.

Cost

The cost of per is crucial because we all have a budget. Think about how much you want to spin the reels for, and find the games to suit.