Online Slots Real Money Guide

Why Play Online Slots Real Money?

Real money slots can capture a player’s imagination with beautiful artwork and terrific soundtracks – and for those looking to play online slots, there are no better options. There are many other reasons to play slots, and we’ve listed a few of them next.

Pure Game of Chance

Slots are genuine games of chance, with the outcome determined by random number generators (RNG). There is no need to apply a strategy, unlike other casino game options.

Jackpots

Games with large potential pay-outs, including progressive jackpots, are high risk and high reward, adding more excitement to the gameplay, and many real money slots can provide big jackpots.

Unlicensed/Unbranded Themes

There are plenty of slots based on exciting, unbranded themes: ancient Greece/Rome/Egypt/Mayans, fruits, Norse mythology, horror, fantasy, Africa, China, and more – some online casino games will lean into one theme more than others.

Licensed/Branded Themes

Some developers create games based on famous cartoons, television shows, movies, singers, bands, and more.

Special Symbols

You can find wilds that substitute for regular symbols, scatters that reward instant prizes & trigger free spins, and bonus symbols triggering bonus games.

Features

Developers are continuously trying to one-up one another with innovative features, yet there are common ones that remain the most popular. These features include free spins, the gamble feature, and the pick & click.

Audio/Visuals

As slots have evolved, the graphics, animation, soundtracks, and other effects have become more immersive.

The Top Online Slots Real Money

Each passing day witnesses more games added to the thousands already in existence, so it can be pretty challenging to find the right game. That’s why we offer regular slot reviews summarizing the features, special symbols, gameplay, and our closing thoughts. These games are available to play for free or for real money.

Wild Casino – With a dedicated team involved in the iGaming space since 1991 and a huge library of games from Betsoft, this jungle-themed casino registered in Panama welcomes a large number of US players looking to play the best online slots.

Whilst Wild Casino don’t offer any promotions specifically for slots players, regular players have the option to enter in for a chance to spin the Wild Casino slot weekly and win cash prizes. Players should be sure to read up on the terms and conditions of their Weekly $5k Cash Slots Tournament to understand how to qualify.

There are a wide range of slots available at Wild Casino including favorites such as Stampede from Virtue Fusion, Book of Helios from Betsoft, and Buffalo Bounty from Dragon Gaming amongst hundreds of other options too.

Uptown Aces – A more classically styled dark theme online casino, Uptown Aces features a wide variety of the best slot games. This Curacao licensed casino welcomes players from most US states with only a few exceptions, allowing plenty of play opportunities.

Uptown Aces does offer a number of different slot specific bonuses and promotions, many of their regular promotions offer free spins if certain conditions are met alongside having a Daily Slots bonus too that offer a variety of different rewards – these slots bonuses are tied to certain deposit methods such as Bitcoin, but provide players with a great opportunity to earn more from their slots.

Uptown Aces also offer a number of big slots games from the developer RTG who are well known in the online casino space for their fantastic slots games, titles include the likes of Super 6 and Crazy Vegas amongst many others.

Silver Oak – Launched in 2008 and licensed in Costa Rica, the initial appearance of this online casino may seem dated but it features the latest and greatest games available through its downloadable mobile play app. 

This site welcomes players from all US states, however, so it’s a great option for players looking for the best online slots to play. Unfortunately there are no slots specific promotions, or promotions that offer free spins on favorite slot games, but regular players of popular games can earn the opportunity to win a $10,000 cash prize.

Silver Oak also offers a number of different slot games from RTG with titles like Doragon’s Gems and Desert Raider amongst many others, so players can be sure the games are of a high quality.

The Best Online Casinos for Slots

There are many factors to consider before settling on an online casino. For someone new to mobile online casinos, the temptation might be to go for the casino with the biggest welcome bonus without considering other factors. However, there are several considerations when looking for a casino accepting American players:

Casino License

There are hundreds of online casinos, and not all of them are equal when it comes to safety and security. It is always a better idea to stick to a licensed and regulated casino where possible. Unfortunately for American players, casinos licensed in the most reputable European onshore jurisdictions such as Malta, the UK, or Sweden cannot accept them. These jurisdictions are the toughest when it comes to player protection, fairness, transparency, and anti-money laundering.

Fortunately, there are other jurisdictions, such as the island of Curaçao, located in the Caribbean north of Venezuela. Still, you need to be careful since their regulator is not known for being the most robust. Some online casinos are also licensed in Montreal, Quebec, through the Kahnawake Gaming Commission.

As with most things in life, reputation is everything, and that is true with casinos also. One of the biggest complaints from unhappy players is that the casino refuses to pay out their winnings. While this may be for a legitimate reason, casinos that build a reputation for resisting pay-outs are to be avoided.

Safety and Security

Online Casinos today are protected by 128-bit SSL encryption technology, which secures information between your browser and the web server. This information could include your payment details, amongst others.

The Game Selection

Of course, what’s a casino without games, so you need to consider what you’re looking to play. Is it slots, casino games, live dealer games, or maybe even sportsbooks that you’re after? Not all casinos are equal when it comes to selection. Some casinos may have dozens of table games of baccarat, roulette, blackjack, or poker. In contrast, others may have only a handful.

Also, consider that not all software providers are available at all casinos. Popular ones often include Realtime Gaming and Rival Gaming. There are dozens of developers, but you won’t find them all at one casino.

Payment Methods

You’ll need to decide whether you want to make a dollar deposit to a USD online casino or a Bitcoin deposit to a Bitcoin casino. If you choose to play in dollars, then you may be able to deposit cash to your player account using a credit card like Visa, Mastercard, or Amex. Likewise, you’ll need to decide if you want to make a withdrawal using Bitcoins, couriered check, transfer, or other.

How to Find the Best Online Casinos to Play Slots

When looking for a Bitcoin or US dollar casino, consider the ones that we promote on our pages. Each of these casinos offers welcome bonuses consisting of a deposit bonus. Furthermore, many of them offer other promotions that may include daily or weekly cashback bonuses, deposit bonuses, VIP rewards, and more. They allow Americans to deposit and withdraw in US$ and BTC quickly and safely.

How to Play Online Slot Real Money Games

Although the mechanics of playing an online slot can vary between games, the basics remain similar. The game will either have a fixed number of pay lines or variable pay lines. Variable pay line slots allow you to select the number of pay lines that you want to play with. The more activated pay lines that you play with, the better your chances of winning, but this comes at a higher price.

Next, you should adjust your bet size or the number of coins per pay line. Your bet size will determine the cost of each spin, while the number of coins per pay line multiplied by the number of active pay lines will determine the number of coins per round. To arrive at the US$ value of a bet, you may be asked to choose a coin value that might range from $0.01 – $1. If you’re playing a 25 pay lines slot, with 25 coins (1 per pay line) and a value of $0.05, then your bet level will be (25 pay lines x 1 coin/pay line x $0.05/coin = $1.25)

When you’re happy with your bet level, then all that’s left is to press the spin button, usually located below the reels. It is often also possible to use an auto play feature that will spin the reels a select number of times. For example, you may be able to set auto-play to 10, 25, 50, or 100 spins. Some auto-play games can be set to end when you’ve exceeded a single win or cumulative win amount or reached a cumulative loss amount.

Free Online Slots

Most online slots are available as free to play, which is an excellent way of trying them for free to get to know them first before playing for real money. Of course, nothing is quite like the thrill of playing slots for real money since you cannot cash out play money.

When looking to play slots online however it may be best to first explore free games to discover how these slot machines work and then move on to different slot games after to win cash prizes through real money slots instead.

Considerations when Choosing Online Slots Real Money

Aside from your favorite themes, pay lines, and features, there are some other considerations when choosing an online slot and any online casino, which we’ll briefly run through.

Slot Volatility

When we talk about online slots volatility (variance), we are referring to the risk and return profile. A low volatility slot means that the typical winnings do not get to very high levels, but they happen more often. The other extreme is high volatility where winnings can get very high, as with progressive jackpots, but the chances are scarce. High volatility games often require a higher bankroll.

Payouts

The pay-outs refer to the amount of cash that you can win from a pay line win, a scatter win, or feature win found in a slot’s pay table and expressed as coins or US$. There’s a wide variety of online slot pay-out options to match each player’s preference.

Games that offer free spins bonus can often have a significant impact on the potential pay-out too and can increase the potential pay-out for any real money slot games.

HIT FREQUENCY

Hit frequency refers to the probability of winning on any given round. Hence, most players prefer a higher hit rate than a lower hit rate, particularly when playing real money slots.

RETURN TO PLAYER (RTP)

This is a theoretical number that expresses how much you would win back if you were to play a very considerable amount of times (think infinite). Thus, a slot game with an RTP of 96% would, on average, return 96 cents for every $1 bet. A higher RTP is more desirable than a lower RTP. It is not uncommon to find RTPs in the range of about 94%-97%, although there are exceptions.

RANDOM NUMBER GENERATOR (RNG)

Every slot has a built-in random number generator that determines the outcome of a spin. These are often tested by independent third parties to ensure that they are fair and unbiased.

Types of Online Slot Real Money Games

There are many different types of online slot machines, and we’ll talk you through some of the more common ones, and these include both free and real money slot options.

CLASSIC SLOTS

These often refer to the original 3-reel slots based on fruit themes. They’re the simplest of slots as they typically have little to no features and a limited number of pay lines of no more than 5. These classic slot machine games are easy to play without added features that make other slots games more complex.

CASCADING SLOTS

These are a class of slots that use cascading spin mechanics rather than spinning reels. Here, symbols fall into place rather than spin and are a very common version of online slots to see.

CLUSTER PAYS SLOTS

These slots eliminate the need for pay lines since wins are awarded based on a minimum number of identical symbols (usually 4 or 5) grouped horizontally or vertically adjacent.

MOBILE SLOTS

Nowadays, slots are optimized for Android/iOS smartphones & tablets so you can enjoy them from almost anywhere. You can play them by opening a browser, but your casino may offer a downloadable app.

VIDEO SLOTS

Video slots evolved from the original classic slots to offer more pay lines, features, pay-outs, vivid graphics, soundtracks, and more – video slots have also quickly grown to become amongst the most popular slot game available as video slot titles have evolved quickly.

Progressive Jackpot Slots

These are very high volatility (variance) games that offer jackpots based on a percentage of player contributions per round. Extreme examples can reach payouts in the millions of dollars. Examples include Mega Moolah from Microgaming and Mega Fortune from NetEnt, which are wide-area progressive jackpots (pooled progressive jackpots) connected across many casinos.

There are also local progressive jackpots not linked across a huge network, so they tend to be smaller than wide-area progressive jackpots. Examples of local jackpots include Divine Fortune and Jackpot 6000 from Netent. A Night in Paris from Betsoft is another example.

These jackpots often require a higher bankroll as you are more likely to lose your money faster on these online slot machines. Unless you’re seeking the rush of this type of game, you may prefer to stick to a low-medium volatility slot instead. A medium volatility slot can offer a good compromise between return and risk.

3D Slots

These are slots designed with 3D graphics to enhance the visual dimension of a game. Betsoft is a famous developer for 3D slots, but there are others.

Branded/Licensed Slots

These are slots developed based on a popular television show, movie, music band, athlete, or other. An example would be Ozzy Osbourne from Netent or Game of Thrones from Microgaming.

Virtual Reality Slots

VR slots are less common but an exciting way of experiencing slots using an Oculus or other VR device. It puts you in the center of the action as it unfolds all around you – they’ve been suggested as the future for slot game and other casino game options too, but the technology is still developing.

Glossary of Online Slots Real Money Terminology

Bonus symbols are special symbols used to trigger bonus features, usually when appearing in groups of 3+.

Buy In Feature is less common as not all providers offer it. It is an optional feature that will allow you to buy your way into free spins or some other great feature, but it comes at a cost.

Expanded symbols are symbols that occupy more than a space on a reel. They can often partially or fully cover a reel.

Instant prizes are often, but not always, rewarded as a bet multiplier when you land 3+ bonus symbols. They can also award another feature, such as free spins or multipliers.

Free Spins are often triggered by 3+ scatter symbols, and allow you to spin for free. Another feature, such as a win multiplier, sometimes accompanies free spins, but this is not always the case.

Gamble Feature is an optional feature unlocked by a winning round, often during the main game only. There are different types, but the more common include a coin spin, the red or black card gamble, ladder gamble, or the card suit gamble. Each gives you a chance to double or quadruple your money, but guess wrong, and you lose your money for that round.

Multipliers can be part of a feature as either a win multiplier or attached to a particular symbol such as a wild. They often increase your payout by a factor of 2x, 3x, 5x, 10x, or sometimes more.

Pick & Click Feature invites you to choose from several displayed items to reveal a prize that could involve cash or some other feature.

Scatters are special symbols that can award payouts regardless of location, typically in sets of 3+, or used to trigger free spins.

Stacked symbols are identical standard symbols and/or wilds that can land on top of each other on any reel.

Standard symbols are the regular high paying, medium paying, and low paying symbols not classified as a special symbol.

Wilds are special symbols that can substitute for others and typically exclude scatters and bonus symbols. They operate much like a joker in a deck of playing cards. They sometimes come as stacked, expanding, or as multipliers.

Closing Thoughts on Online Slots Real Money

Online slots are an exciting category of games that have become popular with American players in recent years, particularly with the growth of video slots. The reason for this is that they come in a variety of pay-outs, licensed and unlicensed themes, exciting features, volatilities, and more.

Since they are games of pure luck, there is no strategy to adopt, and learning the rules is pretty straightforward. You can find many slot games at USD / Bitcoin casinos, including ones recommended by us, designed by leading developers like Betsoft, Rival Gaming, Realtime Gaming (RTG), and more.

What’s more, when you register at one of our preferred casinos, you can qualify for a welcome package that may include a match deposit bonus. Regular players may also benefit from ongoing promotions, with free spins being a common bonus for online casino slots that help to enter bonus rounds and create a much more exciting way to play online slots.

FAQs of Online Slots Real Money

WHY SHOULD I CHOOSE ONLINE SLOTS REAL MONEY AT A LICENSED CASINO?

Licensed casinos in a reputable jurisdiction must stick to the conditions of their license, including player protection, fairness, and transparency, significantly reducing the risk of fraud.

Online casinos also offer a huge range of games to play, with many favorite slot game options being present at a wide range of gambling sites.

ARE SLOTS EASY TO PLAY?

Generally, slots are easy to play, although they do come in a variety of shapes and sizes. If you prefer a simple slot, then you may like classic slots, while video slots tend to have more features. Each slot comes with a pay table where you can find the rules.

For those looking to get a handle on how different slot games perform, free slots are an option before committing to real money slot games.

WHAT IS SLOT RTP?

A slot’s RTP is the theoretical return to the player, which is the amount, in theory, that a player would win back on each spin if they play a significant number of times. For example, an RTP of 97% means that a player on average would win back $0.97 for every $1 played if they played a very high number of times. Of course, anything can happen over the short term, which is why slots are so popular!

Online slots payout in a number of different ways, so understanding the RTP gives a better understanding of how winning combinations in slots can help bring a win.

WHAT IS SLOT VOLATILITY?

Slot volatility refers to the risk and reward potential of any given slot. They come in 3 sizes: low, medium, and high. A conservative player will prefer low volatility as wins are typically more frequent, although around the size of your stake. Medium volatility offers less frequent wins but potentially higher pay-outs. High volatility offers lower winning frequency, but the potential is there to win much bigger prizes.

ARE ONLINE SLOTS FAIR?

Yes – the outcome of any given spin is determined by the game’s random number generator (RNG), meaning that a casino cannot ‘fix games’ to make you lose. Many casinos offer games that are certified fair by independent third parties such as iTechlabs, TST, or GLI.

CAN I USE A STRATEGY TO WIN AT ONLINE SLOT GAMES?

No – The outcome of any slot spin is entirely random and left to chance, so you cannot influence the results using a strategy.

WHAT IS A SLOT HIT RATE?

A hit rate is another way of saying win probability. Although any outcome is possible, the reality is that not all outcomes have the same chance of occurring. For example, the likelihood of a 5-of-a-kind pay-out is less than a 3-of-a-kind pay-out.

CAN I PLAY SLOTS WITH DOLLARS (USD) OR BITCOINS (BTC)?

Yes – you can play all your favorite slot games at casinos that accept USD and Bitcoins. These casinos allow you to make deposits and withdrawals safely and quickly, and you can find a good selection here with the best bonuses.

CAN I GET A WELCOME CASINO BONUS TO PLAY ONLINE SLOTS?

Yes – our recommended online casinos all offer a deposit bonus on your first (sometimes more) USD or Bitcoin deposit. Furthermore, they offer regular promotions to players to keep you feeling appreciated – the bonus offer options are a great way to get started.

These bonus offers can include cash funds, free bonus spins, first deposit options, and many other options to help players win big too.