Slot Sites

Though gambling can be a fun and thrilling experience, finding a working in-person casino nearby can be hard and often requires some kind of effort. Thankfully, with the help of online slots, players no longer have to wait for a vacation to Las Vegas in order to get the thrill of spinning slots.

Online slot sites offer the same opportunities as an in-person casino but from the comfort of your own home through your browser. With popular titles, huge jackpots and all the music and animation found IRL, you can ditch dressing up in exchange for some cozy pajamas and enjoy your casino without leaving the house.

Find out the ins and outs of online slot sites below, and find your perfect way to start spinning more effectively.

Slot Site Promotions

Promotions are one of the biggest lures for online slot sites and come in various types. Promotions are used to help new players get off their feet, letting you earn more per deposit or get a few trial spins on a new slot. The better the promotions are, the more lucrative your cashouts can be.

See the most common promotion types found on slot sites below.

Tournaments

Tournaments are fierce competitions held over a specific period of time. Here, players are rewarded for meeting certain criteria, like having the biggest win on a single spin or wagering the most money during the promotion period.

Terms and conditions will vary between tournaments and slot sites. The players who end up the highest on the leaderboard will win either a set amount of cash or bonus money with a wagering requirement. Either way, tournaments are fun.

Deposit Bonuses

There are two main types of deposit bonuses: it’s the initial welcome bonus on your first, or first few, deposit(s) or it’s a reload bonus. A welcome bonus can only be claimed when you’re a new player and it’s described as a match bonus in the sense that your deposit amount will be matched up to 100% or higher.

This means that if the offer says 100% up to $500 you’d have to deposit $250 to get the maximum reward. Reload bonuses work the exact same way. Either way, you can count on deposit bonuses to come with wagering requirements.

A wagering, or playthrough, requirement is a multiplier indicating how many times you have to turn over the bonus amount or the deposit + bonus amount. Normally, a wagering requirement will be within the 30x to 50x range. The higher the wagering requirement, the harder it will be to complete the bonus.

Until the wagering requirement has been met you won’t be able to make a withdrawal. You should be able to cancel the bonus but then all winnings associated with the bonus will be voided. Still, deposit bonuses are great ways to get started and keep you going.

No-Deposit Bonuses

The most player-friendly promotion, no deposit bonuses, will give you a free bonus without an initial deposit. Usually, this means free spins or some bonus currency. No-deposit bonuses are friendly to new and returning players, providing players a real boost to their casino experience with limited strings attached.

Free Spins

Free spins can be offered through codes, slot bonuses or earned during a promotional event. They’re a set amount of no-charge spins on any pay-to-win slot. Offered during welcome packages and promotional events, they’re commonly linked to the site’s most popular or newest slot.

Some free spins can be used instantly, but often they require a set number of paid spins before they activate, so be sure to check out the terms and conditions before spinning.

Reward Programs

Some slot sites will offer a tiered rewards program to their players. For every set amount of money spent at the site playing a game, a player will earn  points. Added up over time, these points can be traded for cash, earn digital rewards such as free spins or be spent on physical rewards like electronic devices.

Reward programs, or otherwise known as VIP programs, can net players boosted bonuses, a personal account manager, and increased withdrawal amounts. Every reward program is different, and not every site offers one. Check the details on how you earn through the promotional section of the site. 

However, exchange rates and tier levels can be excessive, and often only add up once in a blue moon for non-high rollers.

Online Slots On-The-Go

Having an online slot site accessible through a mobile device is vital in 2022. Many slot sites have noticed the demand for mobile casinos and have created unique ways to optimize your favorite slot to your smartphone device.

They’re two options for mobile play: app and direct from the browser. Apps will place the entire casino in one easy-to-download smartphone app, where browsers use HTML5 to stream the casino site to your phone in mobile view. While apps are more convenient, they’re harder to find due to regulations against gambling in app stores.

Mobile browsers aren’t a bad option, though, as many slot sites have mastered the mobile art, making it easy to navigate and play your slots. Some slots even come with a specific mobile variant, making spinning and betting features much easier to use with a touch screen.

However, not every mobile library will match its desktop equivalent. Every slot site has a specific selection of games available to play on mobile, but not every library is complete. Thankfully, with more slot providers getting on board with the mobile trend, we should be seeing more mobile slots and bigger mobile libraries in the near future.

RTPs and Variance

RTP stands for Return to Player, a percentage amount given to every slot that shows how much currency you get back every spin, based on roughly a billion spins. This means an RTP of 96% will pay out roughly 96% of total bets every billion or so spins. How, when, and who earns it depends on the luck of the player. Additionally, this number is an average estimate not a guarantee.

RTPs are also connected to volatility or variance. The volatility stands for when and at what amounts your RTP percentage will return to you. Low volatility will see small payouts often, with high volatility seeing big winnings but at a slower pace. The mix of RTP and volatility is unique to each slot, making every experience different.

Most slots will range between 94% to 96%, with 94% being the low end of the scale. Slots that fall lower than 94% are riskier and may not be worth the bet, whereas slots above 96% may lack the big jackpot you are looking for.

If you want the thrill of winning big, look for a lower RTP with a high variance. If you want to enjoy the slot and get your money’s worth, our advice is to look for a high RTP and low variance.

Popular Payment Methods at Online Slots Sites

Cashing in and out is one of the most important parts of any online slot site. We wish we could say it was as easy as typing in a credit card to earn some spins, but depositing and withdrawing at any online casino can be more complicated.

Every slot site will have a different pool of accepted banking providers. This pool will vary based on region, currency, and who the site is connected with. Not just that, but methods used to deposit currency are often different from methods used to deposit.

Don’t worry, though, as many slot sites will cover at least one popular payment method to satisfy any player. See examples of popular banking methods below. 

Bank Cards

Bank cards are the most popular form of depositing and withdrawing and are widely accepted at virtually all online casinos. Brands like Visa, Mastercard, and Discovery are the go-to brands for many casinos, while American Express cards are rarely accepted.

No matter which bank card you plan to use you should make sure that you can make both deposits and withdrawals. This will make your transactions a lot smoother.

E-Wallets

E-Wallets are faster and often feeless, making them the preferred banking option for many players. Additionally, they’re offered both deposit and withdrawal methods, putting all your casino banking in one easy-to-use wallet.

The major issue with E-wallets is that not everyone accepts them. Paypal is the most renowned E-wallet, with options like Apple Pay becoming more popular among newer slot sites. You will encounter Skrill and Neteller for offshore casinos, with Neteller the more popular choice.

US slot sites can be picky with their E-wallets but are one of the most reliable banking methods when available.

Cryptocurrency

Cryptocurrencies will often be the go-to deposit and withdrawal method for US slot sites and sites accepting US players. Many sites even introduce bonus currency and promotions when choosing to bank with crypto. Crypto is easier on slot sites as it doesn’t follow the same banking regulations as credit cards, wire transfers, or e-wallets.

Though often a faster banking method, crypto can be complicated to set up. Additionally, the crypto accepted is usually limited to the most popular (and expensive) coins, like Bitcoin and Ethereum. It’s also hard to get a 1:1 ratio when banking with crypto, as the value of coins fluctuates based on the market.

We recommend using crypto-only when you are familiar with the process and starting with small transactions to be safe.

Types of Online Slots

Slots have grown considerably since their creation in 1894. What began as basic 3-reel fruit slots is now an animated wonderland with more lights and glamor than the famous Las Vegas streets. Today, online slots can be broken into four major types, each offering unique gameplay and payout experiences.

Video Slots

Video slots are the more graphically entertaining and animated slots. Usually paired with a story, players work through reels and mini-games to earn their prizes. Video slots can be both branded or jackpot style slots and are the most popular category of slots among players. This is because they play more like an arcade game than the past’s classic pull and spin reels.

Branded Slots

Branded slots are popular pieces of media, like tv shows, movies, or video games, remade into slot form. Popular shows like Tiger King, Family Guy, and movies such as The Terminator are examples of some of the many branded slots that exist today. They’re often in video slot style, featuring mini-games for these iconic brands.

Jackpot Slots

Jackpot slots come in two types: fixed and progressive. Slots with fixed jackpots will pay out a specific jackpot amount while progressive jackpots will continue to grow until a fortunate player becomes a millionaire.

The best progressive jackpot slots are seeded with a million or even two million dollars and grow from there. These slots are part of a network hosted by the game’s provider. When the jackpot falls, it’s the game providers that pay the jackpot to the player’s account and not the online slot site hosting the game.

There are two main progressive jackpot slot networks competing for the bragging rights of paying out the biggest online slot jackpot. At the moment, Microgaming’s Mega Moolah is in the lead with a progressive jackpot that paid out more than $24 million.

As soon as a progressive jackpot is won, it’s immediately re-seeded with its initial base amount.

Classic Slots

Classic slots are also known as fruit slots, which are online slots that resemble the classic “pull the lever” style of game. However, this doesn’t mean classic slots are boring. Though limited in reels, classic online slots are bursting with creativity, offering neon art style and atmospheric experiences that make it seem like you are playing inside a brick-and-mortar casino.

Players prefer classic slots because of their simplicity. Symbols are familiar fruits or card symbols and often come with vintage-style music and sounds. They won’t have the level of animation and features video slots are known for, but they remain a fun and popular slot category.

FAQ

Are Online Slots Sites Legal in the US?

The legality of slot sites and online casinos is based on the jurisdiction in the US. New Jersey, Michigan, Delaware, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Connecticut are where online casinos are 100% legal. Several more states are awaiting approval, with more predicted to follow in the near future.

Check your jurisdiction’s status on gambling laws to see when a licensed online casino is coming to you.

Can I Play at Offshore Slot Sites?

Offshore online casino play is considered a gray area in gambling legality. While it’s technically illegal, the repercussions of offshore online gambling are more likely to hit the slot provider and bank than the gaming individual. Many popular slot sites accept US currency but we do recommend you check out the terms and conditions before you start spinning.

What Are the Top Slot Site Game Providers?

Many big names in the slotting industry are known for producing quality titles. If you are looking for a fun and well-made game, consider titles from providers such as NetEnt, Yggdrasil, Play’n GO, Playtech and Microgaming.

Conclusion

Whether spinning for classic 7’s or waiting for a big progressive jackpot, online slots are the perfect way to unwind after a long day. There’s no need to make any effort if you don’t feel like it and you can browse through thousands of slots at your own leisure. Enjoy a reel-y good time at an online slot site today, and see if you’re lucky enough to win it big. We wish you good luck!