How to play online slots

Online slots are always popular at casinos because they are fast and easy to get the hang of. Players don’t have to think about a strategy or learn complicated rules because slots are games based on chance rather than skill. For this reason, first-time players have just as much chance of nabbing a win as those who’ve been playing the slots for years! Better still, these diverse games come in thousands of themes, with a huge range of styles, graphics, audio effects, and potential prizes.

At LeoVegas, we’ve brought together online slots from all the industry-leading developers, including BluePrint, Pragmatic Play, Play’n Go, and many more.

How to play slot machines online for the first time

Slots are so easy to understand that new players can jump straight in and participate in the action. But here are a few key steps to help them get started:

• Head to LeoVegas and browse the selection.
• Choose a slot based on its theme or a special feature.
• Next, click on the icon.
• Players will be taken right to the slot page.
• Read through the paytable to understand which paylines to aim for.
• Look at the game information for key information and find out what the min/max stakes are.

How to play slots and set a bet

Each game is set up to be very user-friendly, so players will find everything laid out clearly on the screen. Once they have used the arrow keys to select the size of the bet for the first round, all they need to do is click the spin button. This control is usually beneath the reels to the right on the screen. The game will often show an animation of the reels spinning, and when they stop, players discover if they have a winning payline. Not every spin results in a win, but many games have very small minimum stakes, so it’s easy to make a budget go a long way.

How to play online slots with special features

Slot developers are constantly creating new games and designing features to give players an ever more engaging experience. Often referred to as special features, wilds, scatters, and free spins are a part of most popular slot games.

Landing one or more of these symbols can transport players to a bonus game, give them more free chances to win, or multiply the value of their bet. They make spinning the reels much more interesting and can lead to sizable wins, so understanding how they work is essential. Some slots have unique features that cannot be found elsewhere, while others are more widespread and tend to pop up on most games.

How to play slot machines with wild symbols

Wilds are one of the best-loved features of our top slot games, and most reels have at least one wild that will pop up at some point during the game. This special symbol can act as a substitute for most other symbols in a payline, so it boosts the chances of a win, and it’s always a welcome sight. Some slots even have a payline comprising a sequence of wilds, and others, like Return of the Green Knight, have wild multipliers, which can boost a bet by up to 100 times the original stake. To learn more about the wild symbols in a slot game and their effect on your winnings, look at the rules and information section. The paytable often lists the wild as the first symbol.

How to play slots that have bonus rounds

Bonus rounds and free spins give players the chance to win without spending any extra cash. Instead, in a free spin round, they can bag a set number of free spins that are played at the bet size they set at the start of the round. Slots also come with certain perks, which vary from game to game but work to increase any potential payout players might get. In most cases, free spins are triggered by landing at least three scatter symbols on the reels together.

Anyone who has looked into how to play slots may have read about the Wheel of Fortune, which usually pops up as a bonus game. Once it appears, simply click on it and hope it comes to rest on a win. Other bonus rounds have tumbling reels, in which symbols are quickly swept away, and others slot in from above to create new paylines. Multipliers are another bonus feature. These special symbols often appear as part of an extra bonus round and can multiply a win. Usually, this is between 2x and 5x the original prize.

The terms for learning how to play online slots

Online slots look and play slightly differently, but the core game and layouts are often similar. The majority have paylines that dictate which combinations of symbols are winners and reels that are made up of rows containing symbols.

Reels Reels run vertically up and down the screen and contain all the symbols that are in play. Most games have five reels, but some have many more. After placing a bet, the reels spin and come to rest at a certain point.

Rows The rows on a slot show how the symbols come to rest; they are represented on the screen in a horizontal pattern. Some slots show just three rows of symbols, but many have four or more rows that can come into play. However, players only have one row to think about if they are on a classic slot.

Paylines Running from the left to the right of the slot’s screen, paylines are made of set patterns of symbols. These are mentioned in the game’s paytable. The prize players are awarded for landing a payline will depend on the value and number of the matching symbols. Although most paylines involve matching symbols, some have different combinations that result in a win.

How to play slot machines and select a game

Before playing a slot machine for the first time, learning the features, paylines, and controls may seem complicated. However, with a bit of experience, these are all straightforward elements to grasp. Sometimes, the most difficult part of playing slots is choosing which one to play from the huge selection!

Here are some of the factors players can consider when picking a slot:

Theme Many slots have themes inspired by ancient civilisations, historical moments, or famous legends. However, just as many are populated by cute aliens, cuddly animals, and twinkling gemstones. Players can also search for slots based on their favourite TV shows and films, like King Kong Cash Go Bananas Jackpot King

Features All slots have unique features that enrich the gameplay and provide a more thought-provoking experience. For beginners, it could be a good idea to go for one with fewer features and pick games with more extras as they grow in confidence. Wilds, scatters, and free spins are always welcome, but jackpot slots can offer the potential for larger prizes.

Availability Not all slots are available at every online casino, so to a certain extent, players are limited by the spread. However, with over 2,000 slots, LeoVegas tends to have something for everyone!

How to play online slots FAQs

What is a payline in a slot game?

Paylines are combinations of symbols usually read from left to right on the reels. Paylines comprise at least three matching symbols, but the more players match, the higher their win could be. Games can have any number of paylines, but on five-reel slots, there are usually at least 20 and no more than 243. What are wilds and scatters?

Aside from all the standard symbols found on a slot, there are also special symbols that trigger bonuses and extra rounds. Two of the most popular are wilds and scatters. Wilds stand in for other symbols, but the scatter triggers all the bonus rounds. Usually, players will need to land at least three scatters on one spin for the free spin or bonus game feature to begin. Some scatters award a payout wherever they pop up on the reels. What are progressive jackpots in slots?

Progressive jackpots are part of some slot games. They offer prizes that increase as gamers play without having to place a bet on them. They comprise small amounts of each bet that an individual player or multiple players place. Progressive jackpots are often won randomly while playing the game, but a sequence of symbols can trigger them. Once the jackpot is won, the amount is reset to zero, and the process starts again.