Slots have long since overtaken classic table games as the most popular category of game available in casinos. With a straightforward core concept and a wide variety of different formats to choose from, it’s no wonder slot games remain near the top of the casino charts.

While they may look simple from the outside, there’s actually a lot going on behind the screen when you play Slots online. To understand more about the basics of online Slots, read on.

How do online Slots work?

The most obvious place to start is with how online Slots really work. Unlike the slot machines of old, there are no mechanical components at work when players spin the reels online.

Instead, online slot games utilise a computer algorithm known as a random number generator (RNG) – as do most electronic slot machines on offer in land-based casinos. This algorithm generates sequences of hundreds to thousands of numbers, each of which corresponds to a different symbol on the reels.

When the player initiates a spin the RNG locks in its current set of generated numbers, using them to determine the outcome of the spin. This makes it impossible for anyone to predict which symbols will line up on the paylines, keeping the outcome of the game entirely fair and random.

Types of online Slots

There is an incredibly wide variety of different slot games out there, especially online. But many of those games can be grouped together into a few distinct categories, some of which include:

  • Classic Slots – patterned on the oldest slot machine designs with just three reels and few paylines in play.
  • Progressive Slots – featuring jackpot figures that rise in line with each player that plays one of the games connected with that jackpot.
  • Multi-line Slots – these allow players to choose a larger number of potential paylines to play with, which can include lines that are vertical, diagonal, horizontal and other patterns.
  • Cascading reels Slots – these feature reels that will ‘cascade’ once matching combinations have landed, allowing extra symbols to ‘fall’ into place in the spaces left behind.

Slots can also be grouped depending on their themes, with many designed around animals, ancient civilisations, mythology or popular culture.

What to consider when choosing a slot game

There are a few key factors that are worth checking when deciding on a slot game to play, aside from just whichever theme best suits a player’s preferences.

The return to player (RTP) is an important percentage to look at, as this shows how much of the value wagered on a particular game is returned to players over time. Just bear in mind that this figure is worked out over a long period, so it doesn’t offer any guarantees in the short term.

Volatility is another factor to look at, with games being considered either high or low volatility. While high volatility means that the slot game gives higher payouts at a lower frequency, low volatility means smaller payouts at a more frequent rate.

Which of these a player prefers is entirely down to their own personal preferences, so it’s good to know the volatility of a slot game before playing.

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That just about covers the basics of online Slots, though there’s always plenty more to explore when it comes to these games.