How to Play Slot Machine for Beginners

Slots are almost always the getaway game for anyone interested in casinos. It's no different for online casinos. We see you're searching for how to play slot machines as your stepping stone. It's good to see that you're taking it seriously. And we're here to deliver on your query!

This is your ultimate guide on how to play slots. We'll start with the basics and take you through the journey. By the end, you'll know how to play any slot from any software provider.

What are Online Slots?

By definition, a slot machine is "a gambling machine that creates a game of chance for its customers". In other words, slot machines are pure games of luck where you get to spend real money for the thrill.

The invention of slot machines dates back to the late 1800s! Charles Augustus Fey, a San Francisco man is credited as the inventor of this simple machine. He used a mechanical device with 3 reels that contained 5 different symbols.

Of course, these symbols "symbolize" the culture of that time. They included a horseshoe, diamonds, spades, hearts, and a Liberty Bell. The bell symbol became the staple of the machine, giving it the name the "Liberty Bell".

Over the next 100 years, slot machines went through a lot of changes. We went from mechanical reels to electronic reels to video reels. The latest version of these games is online slots, the type you're looking into right now.

The technicalities of the machine may have evolved, but the sentiment of the players is still the same. The exciting sound it makes when a winning combo is formed is one of the most soothing sounds for human ears!

Interestingly, a lot of online slots are adapted from physical machines with the same theme. The benefit of online slots is that there is no space lamination for providers or casino operators. There are literally thousands of themes to choose from!

What Type of Online Slots Should You Play?

If this is your very first exposure to online slots, it's possible that you're not aware of all the types out there. You'd be glad to know that we already have a slot types guide right on this website. Give it a read after you're done with this one.

Ideally, you should start with something simple. A 3-reel classic slot, perhaps. These games have minimal distractions when you play, allowing you to understand how the mechanics work.

As you gather some experience, you can move through the spectrum and start playing more advanced games.

How to Play Slots and Win?

We've already mentioned that slot games are purely based on luck. It means there is not much you can do to get yourself an edge over the house. But you can always use some clever tricks to win more in slot machines.

For example, you can play high RTP games because they have a higher overall return in the long term. You can also use casino bonuses to reduce the usage of your own money and use the house money instead.

We'll be sure to share more tips as we move forward with our how to play slots guide.

Components of a Slot Machine

If you really want to learn how to play slots at a casino the right way, you must start from scratch. And scratch, in this case, is the study of components in a game.

The Game Layout

At a glance, you may think that all slots have the same layout. It's not true. There are all kinds of different layouts that can ultimately determine your experience. The layout primarily consists of 2 major elements. The reels and the rows.

• Reels: Reels are often considered the most important element of a slot machine. These are vertical columns where the symbols show up. Every time you pull the lever on a physical slot machine or press the spin button on an online slot, these reels spin. A 3-reel slot has 3 reels. A 5-reel slot has 5 reels. You get the idea, right?

• Rows: If you see "reel positions" instead of rows on some online casinos, there is no need to be confused. It means the same thing. Rows are fundamentally horizontal and it's no different when you learn how to play slots. As a row also dictates the position of a symbol on a particular reel, the reel position is an appropriate term.

These 2 components of a slot machine are stylized as [reels x rows]. If you find a 5x3 slot on Slotsmentor, it means the game has 5 reels and 3 rows.

The Buttons

After you launch a game, you'll find multiple buttons spread across the interface. Let's take a quick tour of the common buttons and their functions in the game.

• Bet Selector (+/-): You'll find this button in practically all online slots. Well, there are 2 buttons. You increase or decrease the bet value with them.

• Max Bet: If you consider yourself a high roller and don't want to press the "+" button over and over, all you have to do is press the "Max Bet" button. It'll crank the bet size to its maximum value.

• Turbo: You may find a "Turbo" button or a lightning symbol somewhere on the reels. This is one of the optional buttons. Every time you press the spin button, the reel animation starts. This button speeds up the animation.

• Spin Button: In our experience, the spin button on a slot is almost always stylized with "↺". More often than not, this is the largest button on the interface that triggers the spin.

• Volume/Sound FX: Some games will let you adjust the volume level while others will only allow toggling it on and off.

• Paytable (i): Most slot games have an "i" button on the game interface and it triggers the paytable. This is one of the most important buttons if you want to learn how to play slot machines in a casino.

The Paytable

How do you play slots for beginners, you ask? Read the paytable. The paytable contains all the information you want to know about any game. You already know that you trigger the paytable with the "i" button. Let's see what this entails.

• Symbol Payouts: It's called the "Paytable" for a reason. It contains all the payout information for all the symbols in the game. You can figure out how much each symbol pays for different payline combinations.

• Bonus Feature: Most modern online slots have at least one bonus feature. In our experience, it's free spins triggered by a minimum number of Scatter symbols. On the paytable, you'll find all the rules for the bonus feature.

• Bonus Game: Some advanced slots, especially video slots, have bonus games that are separate from the free spins bonus. Hold & Spin, Sticky/Expanding Wilds, etc. features come into play during the bonus games.

• Payline Combinations: When you start learning how to play slot machines, you'll notice there are games with all kinds of payline combinations. Although you don't have to know how these lines are formed, it's good to know. Of course, you can expect to find the visual representation on the paytable.

• Game Rules: The last thing you can expect to find on a Paytable is the game rule book. This page usually contains pieces of information like the RTP, volatility, min bet, max bet, max winnings, etc.

As you can see, understanding how to read the paytable is vital if you want to enjoy playing the games. This gives you insights about what to expect even before you start playing.

What You Need to Play Slots

If you're thinking of playing the game for free, be our guest and try your hand on Slotsmentor. But to try them for real money, you'll need to opt for an online casino. In this section of our comprehensive how to play slots guide, let us share the prerequisites.

Registering at an Online Casino

The very first step in playing online slots for real money is to sign up for a casino account. It's a fairly simple process that shouldn't take any longer than 5 minutes to complete. Follow along.

1. Visit the casino site you want to play in. Locate the Join/Register/Sign Up button. You can usually find it in the top right corner of the interface. Click the button to trigger the registration form.
2. Enter the required details on the form. Typically, an online casino asks for your full name, address, date of birth, phone number, etc. information. The key here is to provide legitimate data. All casino accounts are subject to KYC verification. If you use an alias or any other fake data, your account will be barred and you won't be able to access any deposited money.
3. In most cases, you'll get to choose whether you want the welcome bonus or not. If you want it, be sure to agree right in this phase.
4. After that, all there is left for you to do is deposit the minimum amount required for the bonus.

How to Deposit to Play the Games

As you saw, the last step of the registration is a deposit. There is a process for the deposit as well. We're creating a comprehensive guide on how to play slot machines anyways. Let us create a deposit guide as well.

1. Log into your newly created casino account.
2. Locate the "Cashier"or "Deposit" option on your account interface.
3. On the payment page, you'll get a moderate list of methods to choose from. Choose whatever method you have access to. Keep in mind that you'll need to use the same method for deposit and withdrawal.
4. Enter the amount you want to deposit in your account. It must equal to or over the minimum deposit requirement.
5. After you click next, the casino will redirect you to the authentication phase. If you're using PayPal, use your PayPal email. If you're using credit cards, use SMS authentication.
6. After successful authentication, the money will show up in your account immediately.

How to Withdraw Your Winnings

The logical progression after a deposit is a withdrawal from your account. If you play long enough, it's safe to assume that you'll win some money. And here are steps for you to withdraw.

1. Log back into your casino account.
2. Go to the cashier section again.
3. This time, choose withdrawal. The payment method you used for the deposit should already be selected. But if the method is not suitable for withdrawal, you'll have to choose an alternative method.
4. Make sure there are no wagering requirements active for any of the bonuses. If you request a withdrawal during this time, you'll lose the associated bonuses.
5. Enter the amount you want to withdraw.
6. Enter the credentials again.
7. A casino typically takes between 24 hours and 72 hours to process a payment request. After that, you should receive the money according to your payment method's timeline.

How to Play Slots: The Final Phase

So, this is the final phase of your playing journey. After you check out our slot machine types guide, you should know what slot you want to play. After you choose the slot, follow the steps below.

1. Open the slot and let it load.
2. Choose how much you want to bet using the bet selector button we discussed earlier.
3. After that, all you have to do is press the spin button. You'll see reels spin. If you win, the winnings for that spin will show up on your screen.
4. If a bonus game is triggered, you'll find the instructions on the interface.
5. Last but not least, be sure to check our slot machine tips before you play.

Can You Use Any Strategies to Win in Slots?

There are lots of myths about slots out there. Many will try to persuade you that you can employ strategies on how to play slots and win. Let us bust the myth. You can't get an edge.

However, you can choose the slot cleverly. It doesn't have anything to do with the game's mechanics but with how you approach it. We have a massive guide on slot machine tips that you can check out.

The Final Verdict

Playing slots is not rocket science. But it surely takes some time for beginners to get the hang of how they work. After reading this guide, we hope you're ready to take on the world of online casinos with the money you've set aside for gambling.