How to Pick the Right Slot Machine
Choosing a slot is not an easy task if you are a newbie; modern online casinos offer thousands of slot machines with different themes, number of reels and lines, mechanics, RTP, volatility, and other criteria. You may be interested in an exciting gameplay and plot or look for a slot machine with large payouts to make a profit. This article will help you learn how to pick the right slot machine in the USA. This is important, because choosing an online casino with a quality lobby determines whether you receive a positive gambling experience.
How to Pick the Right Slot Machine with the Best Parameters
There are many ratings of the best slot machines in the USA on the Internet; however, everyone has their own tastes: some like classic retro-style developments, and others prefer modern 3D slots with an abundance of features. To choose the right slot, you should know key criteria that you have to use while searching for suitable developments, including:
- Return percentage
- Slot developer
- The availability of bonus features
- Volatility (dispersion)
- Win multipliers and maximum payouts
These criteria determine winning chances, their frequency, gameplay features, and mechanics; let’s consider all the criteria in order.
Check Popular Software Providers & Casino License
It is better for you to choose games from official providers, because they develop high-quality software that runs on a random number generator and does not have scripts; they set RTP at the development stage. In the future, the casino will not be able to reconfigure their indicators so that customers lose more often.
Original slot machines are tested by independent laboratories; the best providers request an additional audit to obtain a certificate, for example from eCOGRA, confirming the quality of their developments. There are leaders in the development of gambling software that have been working on the market for a long time implementing new technologies in the field of gambling; their slot machines are in great demand.
| Provider | Year of Creation | Slot Machines |
|---|---|---|
| Microgaming | 1994 | Over 800 |
| NetEnt | 1996 | Over 200 |
| Novomatic | 1980 | Over 350 |
| Playtech | 1999 | Over 700 |
| Pragmatic Play | 2015 | Over 200 |
Many modern casinos strive to cooperate with these brands and place their games in the lobby of the site. In the question of how to pick the right slot machines, checking the license information is also important. Gambling companies that have received permission for legal activities should add only original slots.
American gambling sites are often licensed by popular regulators: Curacao eGaming, Malta Gaming Authority, Gibraltar Gaming Commission. A validator on the casino website serves as a confirmation of the documents; by clicking it, you will be redirected to the official page of the controlling organization, it contains all the information about the license carrier, its date of receipt, and validity period.
Find & Play Slots with the Best Winning Odds
Having launched the slot, you can see the payout multipliers for different combinations in the reference information. The higher the odds, the bigger the win.
In some slot machines, you can increase the initial bet several thousand times. For example, landing 5 Wild symbols pays out with a x10,000 multiplier in Safari Heat from the Playtech provider.
There are slots where the information in the paytable is dynamic and changes depending on the selected bet amount and the coin value. Then not the multiplier coefficient is indicated, but the amount of the payout.
It is difficult to find out the exact coefficient for each combination in slot machines where combinations are not formed along lines. In these slots, they do not exist at all; instead, hundreds or thousands of payout options are available due to a different number of symbols in one cell. A prime example is video slots with the Megaways feature, there are 243, 1,024, or more potential combinations.
Pick the Right Slot Machine with High RTP
A return rate, also known as RTP, is laid down for each online casino game. This is the average percentage of return on money invested by all casino customers, which is valid for a long period.
For example, 10 players in total can spend $1,000 in the slot today and walk away with nothing; tomorrow, one user will raise $950 with $1. This rate is constantly changing, and the provider indicates its average value during a long gambling session.
An RTP of 97% or more is considered high; If it is less, it is better to look for another slot. However, providers do not indicate RTP for all slot machines in the official certificate or on the page with the rules; this problem mostly affects older games. You should look for information on reputable sites where experts have calculated RTP after long testing.
One of the most generous slots is Mega Joker from NetEnt; the return can reach 99%. Also, slots with a high RTP are released by the following brands: Playtech, Thunderkick, and Microgaming.
Determine the Volatility
This indicator reflects the frequency of valuable combinations and their sizes; there are 3 main volatility levels:
- Low. Winnings are frequent, but small.
- Average. Equal chances for big and small prize money.
- High. Prizes are rare, but there is a chance to get a large amount.
Volatility is rarely indicated on the pages of slot machines; however, several casinos implement a search filter based on various criteria, including volatility, so it is easier for you to pick the right slot machine. You can also learn about the frequency and size of payments by studying the reviews of other players.
Paytables and Highest Payouts
The paytable gives you basic information about the value of each combination and which lines they form. To open it, you need to press the “i” icon on the playing field page, although you can use another button to study the help information with the rules in the slots. Payouts can be specified as an amount, based on the set rate, or as a multiplier.
This information will help you find out about the maximum amount of winnings and indirectly assess the volatility.
Thanks to the payout table, you will understand the slot, its combinations, and what amounts you will receive. The help section also indicates which symbols act as Scatter and Wild, under what conditions the free spins round and other bonus options are activated.
Top Tips for Choosing Slot Games
Newbies often choose slot machines with advanced graphics and bright design without paying attention to their characteristics. You don’t need to play the first slot you come across if you want to win. The choice is simplified by the “TOP” category on the online casino website with games that are played most often. Please note that there are slot machines with low winning chances; you can avoid them by following helpful guidelines.
Avoid Progressive & Branded Slots
Many customers choose progressive jackpot slot machines. They mistakenly believe that they have a high winning chance there. However, the casino needs to compensate for their loss and accumulate a new jackpot of an impressive size. Therefore, payments here are rare.
Branded developments created directly by online casinos are also not the best idea because casinos are not interested in creating generous games.
Slot Machine Bet Sizes
Do not play at the maximum rates, otherwise you risk quickly draining your bankroll. Pick the right slot machines in the USA with low minimum limits and activate all lines. The stakes will be higher, but there will be more options for forming prize combinations. Accordingly, the winning chances are higher.
Options to Use Free Spins
This is a popular option, especially in modern video slots. During free spins, you do not spend money from your bankroll, the casino pays for the spins. Free spins are activated when a certain combination of symbols appears on the reels, for example, when 3 or more scatters appear, regardless of the line. In the bonus round, the game goes according to the bet you made on the previous spin.
During free spins, winning combinations fall out more often than in regular rounds; in them, you can get another round of free spins.
There are slots with the purchase of a bonus, where you do not need to wait for a combination to activate free spins. But you need to pay an amount that is 50-200 times the bet amount.
