Wining at online slots isn’t only about luck.
A common question I often run into on Quora is “how to win at online slots”. Based on my own experiences, and the experiences I’ve read from other players, I’ve learned that this question has two answers.
The first (and most obvious) answer is – luck.
The second answer is – have a playing strategy.
While you have no control over luck, you do have control over your playing strategy. This post is all about developing this playing strategy, so you can use it to your advantage the next time you play online slots.
Mia’s Tips for How to Win at Online Slots
Before we get started, please note that the following tips I’ve included for how to win at online slots are based on my experiences and on what I think is most important when betting money on these games.
Following my tips (or anyone else’s – for that matter) will not guarantee better luck or wins. My tips are meant only to help inform you about decisions you can make when playing real money slots online. Please always play responsibly and within your limits.
Now, let’s get to it!
🎰 Tip 1 – Set Your Limits
Before you get started on your online slots journey, I highly recommend that you take advantage of the responsible gaming tools offered by the online casino where you choose to play. Use these free tools to set various limits. Setting these limits – which you can alter at any time – helps you to stay in control of your gambling, whenever you choose to play. While the types of limits may vary among online casino, examples of limits to set include:
- Max deposit amount – set a daily, weekly or monthly limit (or all three)
- Max bet size per spin – Decide the maximum amount you’re willing to bet per spin
- Loss limit – Decide how much you’re willing to lose of your bankroll before you call it quits
- Win limit – Determine a realistic minimum amount you would like to win and then call it quits
- Play time limit – Decide the maximum amount of time you want to play per session
Setting these limits can help keep you grounded and aware of how long you’re playing and how much you’re spending, so you never end up betting more than you can afford to lose. Once you hit any of your limits, you should stop playing.
I’ve placed the “Set Your Limits” tip at the top of my “how to win at online slots” list because I think it’s the most important. Setting limits keeps me safe when I gamble. Limits prevent me from making mistakes I might regret if – in the rare event – I break from my normal depositing/playing habits. Even the most responsible player isn’t perfect. Setting limits for yourself doesn’t mean you have a gambling problem, it’s simply a safety net.
🎰 Tip 2 – Read the Paytable & Game Information
Learn about the online slot you intend to play for real money. The easiest way to do this is to access the slot machine’s paytable and/or information section. You’ll find either (or both) once you’ve loaded the game. Look for an “i” symbol, “?” symbol, gear symbol, or three horizontal lines symbol.
Select whatever symbol the game uses, and you’ll be provided with everything you need to know about the game including:
- Game rules / how to play
- Minimum and maximum bet sizes per spin
- Symbols (and their values)
- Information about special features – including what you get and how to trigger them
- Maximum possible win (unless the biggest win is a progressive jackpot prize)
- RTP – The game’s return to player percentage – anything 96% or greater is considered excellent for slots as they have the lowest house edge
- Volatility – low, medium, or high – typically the higher the volatility the greater the risk as wins usually occur less frequently but when they do they’re often bigger than lower volatility games
Knowing how the game works, its mechanics, features, RTP and volatility will give you a good idea of what to expect in terms of risk level and overall gameplay.
🎰 Tip 3 – Play the Demo Like You’re Playing for Real
Whenever possible, play the demo version of the online slot you want to play first before betting your real money. This is an ideal way to get acquainted with the game risk free, allowing you to see if it’s even something you want to spend on. Playing slots demos are also great if you want to learn more about the game, experience its features, or try out strategies, without risking anything.
The best places to find slots usually are:
- The online casino where you play
- The slot provider’s official site*
- A review site*
One thing to keep in mind – which I’ve found useful – is if your intention is to eventually play any game you demo for real money, take the demo seriously and play as if you are playing for real. This will give you a realistic idea of what the game will be like for you playing at your preferred bet size, including potential payout amounts, etc.
*Depending on your jurisdiction, you might require a VPN to demo certain games.
🎰 Tip 4 – Make Sure You Meet Minimum Bet Requirements
A common tip for how to win at online slots that I’ve come across is to bet the maximum coin size. The reason being is that when you bet the max coin size per line, in theory, you’re more likely to get the largest payout available. While you’d obviously get a larger payout by making a larger bet, this doesn’t guarantee a win. Moreover, depending on what the max coin size is for the machine you’re playing (some can be $50 or higher), your budget might not be able to accommodate this bet size for very long.
Personally, I don’t think betting the max coin size is necessarily a great online slots strategy. Instead, what I think is better is to make sure you’re betting the minimum amount needed to qualify for triggering special features, a progressive jackpot, or to qualify for a special promotion campaign.
For instance, Pragmatic Play often runs different campaigns that you can opt into that give you a shot at winning a random jackpot or other prize. However, to qualify you need to make a minimum wager per spin, which is often more than the game’s minimum bet amount. For example, to qualify for their Drops & Wins campaign, you’ll need to bet a minimum of $0.23 per spin. That said, the minimum bet for most of their games is $0.10 or $0.20.
🎰 Tip 5 – Have Good Bankroll Management
Spread out your investment. Good bankroll management is one of the most important tips for how to win at online slots. Plan your stakes according to the game, your overall budget, and your playing session.
Decide how much you want to gamble (the total amount you intend to deposit) and how much of this deposit will go into each playing session. When you have a designated amount reserved for each session, this gives you greater freedom to play each session as you like, increasing or decreasing your stakes as you see fit.
For instance, for some playing sessions you may choose to bet the game’s minimum amount, while for others you might choose to bet your preferred maximum amount. Of course, regardless of the size of your bets, your win, loss, and gameplay time limits should always be respected.
🎰 Tip 6 – Take Advantage of Promotions
Free spins promotions are an awesome way to get the most out of your real money slots experience. They give you more spinning opportunity on the casino’s dime that includes the chance for real money wins. In short, they can let you take your bankroll further.
Free spins are a part of a variety of promotions including:
- Welcome offers
- Deposit bonuses
- Rewards programs
- Tournaments
- Special promotions
Just remember that every promotion has terms and conditions. Make sure you read about these first so that you know how to claim the promotion, what you get, how it works, and when it expires. Wager-free promotions are always best!
🎰 Tip 7 – You Don’t Have to Play Progressive Jackpots to Win Big
Stick to what you like to play. If that’s progressive jackpot slots, great. If it’s something else, that’s great too. Don’t get caught up into thinking that because a progressive jackpot slot has the biggest sized payout that you’ll have better chances winning a big payout with this slot over one that doesn’t have a jackpot.
Play the games with:
- The themes you like
- The mechanics you enjoy
- The features you find the most fun
- The volatility you like best
- RTP’s 94% or higher
Remember, online slots strategy aside, winning big mostly depends on luck – not the size of your bet or the game’s jackpot.
🎰 Tip 8 – Don’t Try to Cheat
I can’t tell you how annoyed I get every time I see someone asking: “how can I cheat at slots?” or “how to cheat on slot machines?”, or “how can I rig slots to win?” Ugh! Honestly, there’s no way to cheat a slot machine, especially not using a method that’s legal.
Many players who want to try and cheat a win out of a slot machine often believe slot games are rigged. Guess what? They are rigged, but they’re rigged in the casino’s favor on purpose. That’s why every game from slots to blackjack have a house edge. It ensures that the casino makes a profit. They are, after all, a business. Casinos don’t exist to give free money or lose all their money to their customers.
Players who can’t accept the fact that gambling games have a house edge, and the results are random, shouldn’t gamble. Period.
Forget about cheating, slot myths, or finding that fool proof strategy that leads to a win every time you spin. The outcome of every spin of any slot game you play is 100% random always. You’ll win sometimes, but in the long run your losses will be greater.
🎰 Tip 9 – Accept Your Losses, Don’t Chase Them
Naturally, most of us play slots online for real money because we enjoy the thrill of possibly winning. But, like it or not, at some point, you will lose when you play. It’s a cold hard fact of gambling and one you need to accept with grace, especially if you intend to regularly engage in this activity.
That’s why it’s so important to know when to walk away – whether it’s walking away with your winnings or a depleted bankroll.
Every playing session is different. For instance, on more than one occasion, I’ve played over 100 spins on a slot without hitting a special feature or winning more than a couple of bucks. Yet, other times, I’ve landed the free spins feature after my first two spins and scored a sweet payout.
Bottom line, there might be winning streaks and there will be losing streaks, but wins are never guaranteed or due. If you play long enough, you will lose everything if you don’t call it quits at some point.
Obviously, losing sucks, but losing more than you can afford is disastrous. Set your limits and respect them.
🎰 Tip 10 – Have Fun!
Winning all the time won’t happen – no matter the online slots strategy you employ. That said, playing can always be fun – regardless of whether you win or lose. Sometimes being a winner, isn’t about winning actual cash, and is all about having a genuinely good time.
Play what you like, have a good time, and when the fun stops, STOP.
Mia’s Final Thoughts
What it all comes down to is that knowing how to win at online slots is a mixture of luck and personal discovery. The more you experience slots online for yourself, the more familiar you will become with their mechanics and become comfortable playing them. From there, you’ll learn what games best suit your preferred playing style and budget, allowing you to get the most enjoyment out of your experiences.
Are there any tips I missed that you think should be added to my list? What strategies do you employ to win at slots?
Until next time, good luck and have fun.
Mia 👩💻
**I’m not affiliated with anyone.
***All links and images in this post are for informational purposes only.
