Online slots will always be something that stand out to gamers at casinos, and there are several reasons for this being the case. In fact, slots have become synonymous with casinos, both land-based and online, for their diversity and simplicity. And while this is one reason that appeals to players, there are so many more that help to boost the reputation of slot games. Let’s take a look at some of them.
Simplicity and Diversity
Slot games don’t really require any gambling knowledge for you to access. They’re simple to use, just allowing you to place a bet and press spin. Then, you wait for the result of the reel spin and if a winning combination forms, you receive a pay-out. That’s not difficult, right? An appealing part of accessing online slots is that they’re simple to play.
Yet, it’s the diversity side of things that also stand out about slots. Each game features a specific theme running through it, and they can also incorporate different setups in terms of the reels and rows in play. Not only that, but they include a variety of ways to win, starting from just a small few paylines and increasing up to various higher values, such as 243 ways to win and 1,024. And there are even Megaways slots that allow you to win in up to 117,649 different ways.
Inbuilt Special Features
It’s also the fact that online slots feature their own variety of special features for you to trigger as you play. There are different features available within different slots, too. And this adds to the diversity factor of slots. So, what exactly are these features that can be found within slot games?
Wild Symbols
Wild symbols can be found in a large number of online slot games, and these can usually appear in any location on the reels. If they do show up, they tend to stand in for all other basic symbols in the game, allowing you to form winning combinations in a much easier way. Wilds won’t substitute for scatter symbols and bonus symbols in most circumstances, but they can really provide you with better chances to win. Furthermore, if you form wins that consist solely of wilds, you can earn large pay-outs.
What’s even better about these symbols is that there can be modified versions of them available, too. This includes expanding wilds, which can expand to cover entire reels, walking wilds, which walk across each reel on every subsequent spin, and multiplier wilds, which add a multiplier to your winning pay-out.
Scatter Symbols
Scatters have the ability to provide a pay-out from any location on the reels. This means that they do not need to appear on a winning payline in order to see you receive a win. Furthermore, scatters can often be the catalyst that triggers additional bonus features. So, should you see that a game has free spins or a bonus game built into it, you may need to spin three or more of the scatter symbols into view to be able to access this.
Free Spins
Free spins will always be a great reason why people enjoy playing online slots. When these are triggered, the reels spin for a specified number of times without taking money from your balance for this. Therefore, you stand the chance of forming wins for free, hence the name. Sometimes, you’ll see these described as free drops or free turns, depending upon the style of the slot that you’re playing. Whatever the case may be though, the idea behind them is the same. As with the wilds, you can find free spins in a large number of online slots, as they’re so popular with players.
Bonus Games
There are also some slot games that come with additional bonus rounds to access. These can come in various formats, and will usually depend upon the theme of the game you’re playing. Take Blood Suckers by Netent, for example. This one has a bonus round that presents a selection of coffins to you. Playing this bonus round requires you to open these and stake the vampire inside for a bonus win. If you open a coffin without a vampire in it, the round ends.
Other games such as Avalon II from Microgaming feature multiple bonus rounds. These different bonus features surround the game’s general theme, which bases itself on King Arthur. So, you’ll find perks like the Grail Bonus, Merlin the magician round, Misty Vale and Lake of Legend, amongst many others.
Bonus games always add something a little extra to an online slot game, so as to ensure that it is as thoroughly entertaining as possible. So, whenever you find an online slot with wilds, scatters, a bonus round and free spins to access, you’re certain to be on to a winner.
Gamble Rounds
One other thing that some slots feature is a gamble round. This becomes available when you form a win in a slot, and if you choose to play it, you stand the chance of doubling or quadrupling your win from the triggering round. To do so, you’ll either need to guess the type of playing card to be turned over or work your way up a ladder of values. Alternatively, some of the older games provide a simple coin flip to decide the gamble.
Great Betting Ranges
Generally speaking, online slots frequently allow you to select from various bet amounts when playing them. This means that they will cater nicely to both newcomers and seasoned players. Often, you’ll find that the lowest coin value in games sits at the €0.01 level, and if there are 20 paylines in operation, this means that you’ll be able to place minimum bets of €0.20 per spin. Meanwhile, for the high rollers, most games allow you to reach peaks of €100 to €200, and there are various titles that go beyond this level, too.
