The Bally Casino Guide to Spinning Online Slots

Step into the bright lands of any land-based or online casino and you'll be greeted with a bustling floor featuring classic card games, thrilling dice tables and, of course, a sea of slot machines. 

A casino staple, slot machines are fast-paced games packed with exciting chances to land an epic win. It's no wonder they're such a hit with casino players looking for a thrill! In fact, folks over in the USA love them so much that we've packed over 3,000 slot games into our Nebraska casino. Now, that's a whole lotta slot fun to be had. 

And we've got plenty available for y'all to spin right here at our online casino too. Dive in and you'll discover an incredible collection of slot games, from the hottest names in the industry to the freshest titles. 

But don't sweat it if you've never played slots online before. We've got everything you need to know about spinning slot machines online right here. We're talking how to pick the right game for you, the top playing strategies, and, of course, tips for winning slots online. 

Intrigued? Of course, you are! Go on, keep scrolling to check it out. 

What are online slots? 

Unlike classic casino table games, which calls players to pull up a seat at a table to join, slot machines are single-player gambling devices that use spinning reels to determine whether you'll score a win. 

If you've stepped inside a casino before or seen a slice of the action in the movies, then you're sure to have spotted players sitting comfy at a slot and celebrating as the bells and whistles announce a flood of cash is about to pour out.

Online slots are just like land-based slot machines, except the reels spin on your phone, tablet or desktop screen instead of on an upright gaming machine. And any cash you win won't come out as physical coins – it'll be sent straight to your account balance ready for you to withdraw instead. 

Where it all began: The history of slots 

Before the action moved online, slot machines were, well, machines. Estimated to have been invented in the USA during the late 1800s, the very first slot thought to hit the block was the Liberty Bell. 

Decorated with golden bells that are now iconic graphics in the slots biz, the Liberty Bell featured three reels and just one payline. There were no electrics and zero glass screens – just a player using their manpower to set the reels spinning. 

In the beginning, slot games were big, bulky constructions made of cogs and levers that moved the reels until they came to a stop. Kinda like spinning a wheel with your hand. Fast forward to the swinging ‘60s and Bally's decided it was time for a fresh take on the old-school slot machines. 

Introducing Money Honey. A Bally branded slot game, Money Honey revolutionised the world of slots by combining mechanics with electrics for the first time. Forget using a lever to spin. Now the slot reels were powered by electric. 

And the slot evolution didn't stop there. The '70s also saw the invention of the first video slot game, which used a modified TV screen as the display. But the real turning point was the introduction of the internet in the '90s. 

Suddenly, players didn't need to travel to their nearest land-based casino to experience into all the slot entertainment. Thanks to the internet, slot games could be taken online, meaning folks could tap into all the action from their desktop at home! 

It's been a few decades since the first online slot game hit the World Wide Web, but the fun is still just as awesome. With super detailed graphics, engaging soundtracks and incredible storytelling, online slot games are now immersive worlds that players can explore for their chance to scoop a prize. 

The science explained 

Ever wondered how online slots work? Say hello to Random Number Generators. A small but mighty microprocessor, a Random Number Generator (or 'RNG' for short) is the brains behind the beauty when it comes to online slot games. 

See, part of the thrill of playing slot machines is never knowing where the reels will stop. And that thrill needed to make it online. So, some bright sparks created a complex algorithm that could randomly determine where the reels would stop in the game. 

By plugging an online slot into an RNG, y'all can enjoy the excitement of watching the reels spin while knowing that the outcome will be completely random. You just pick which game to play, place your wager and then hit the 'SPIN' button. Then kick back and wait to see if you'll land a win. 

Types of online slots available 

Since the introduction of the first online slot machine, game developers have been hard at work coming up with fresh twists on the standard gameplay. Nowadays, you can enjoy innovative payline mechanics, out-of-this-world themes, jackpot prize pools and more. 

All this innovation means that there's plenty of choice for slot fans to pick from nowadays. Keen to play with thousands of paylines? Check out the Megaways slot games. Or prefer playing for the big prizes? Progressive jackpot slots are for you. 

And the hottest games to play aren't the same across the world! With so many slot fans globally, there's a whole world of slot themes to choose from. Take a trip across the pond and you'll find Buffalo and Asian-themed slots reign as casino champs, while here in the UK, players prefer a taste of Ireland with Irish-themed slots. 

But you don't need to jump on a plane to try different slots. Take a browse online and you'll find a wide variety of online slot categories available to pick from,

Get to know the rules of the game 

Ready to get spinning? Here's how to play a slot. Sure, the exact online slot rules can vary between games, but the general aim and how to play stay the same, so keep reading. 

The aim of all slots (land-based and online!) is to line up matching symbols or symbol types along the paylines when the reels come to a stop. Some winning combinations might be worth more than other, but you'll always want to see at least two matching symbols sitting pretty on a line. Got more? Then chances are, your payout will be more. 

Winning lines are evaluated as soon as they're formed, and all your prize takings are added to your account balance once the game is finished. So, you can just kick back and enjoy the fun. 

Don't worry if you want to school up on the exact rules during a game. You can tap into the full rules and information via the 'Game Information' section of all our slots online. 

Brush up on your slot bonuses 

The rules of the game may be simple but don't go thinking that online slots aren't packed with chances to experience some excitement! Nuh-uh. Alongside the standard slot symbols, you'll also have the chance to discover special symbols, like Scatter symbols, that can swing open the doors to bonus features. 

Take the Free Spin symbol. Land three or more of these in most slot games and you'll enter a bonus game, where you get extra spins to play with. Or Wild symbols could trigger the Wild Stacks Bonus, which can turn whole reels Wild in some slot titles, leading to potentially awesome wins. 

And if you're keen for a really awesome win, check out the bonuses in jackpot slots, where you can play for supersized prize pots. Dive into one of the slots in our Jackpot King collection and you could even find bonuses inside bonuses, as you spin for the chance to trigger the ultimate Wheel King Bonus and land an epic progressive jackpot. 

The exact rules of how to trigger a slot bonus may vary between different games, but y'all can bet a bonus will deliver brilliant excitement! 

Popular online slot strategies 

Consider yourself a planner? We got you. While slots may be games of chance, there are still plenty of gambling bankroll strategies that can come into play. Just remember the primary goal of a good bankroll strategy isn’t to make a win, it's to avoid making a loss. There's no guarantee when it comes to those spinning reels! 

Levels Betting 

This online gambling strategy calls for players to bet just one bankroll unit at a time. If you lose five times in a row, then you'll up the value of your wager. Keep following this process until you bank a win. 

Martingale Betting 

Similar to the Levels Betting strategy, the Martingale strategy calls on players to up the value of their wager every time they lose. Once you land a win, you reset and repeat. 

Percentage Betting 

This strategy's a simple one, bud. Just choose a percentage of your bankroll to set as the wager amount then stick to it. Your percentage wagered shouldn’t change, even if you switch games.  

The keyword here is 'percentage'. If you're winning, then your wager will increase even though the percentage stays the same. But, if you're running a loss, then the wager will decrease. 

Tips for players who just want to know how to win online slots 

We know, we know, you love playing online slots for the fun of it. But it's still an awesome feeling to win a prize. So, we've got three tips for our buds to get playing with: 

Check the Return to Player rate 

Scroll through any online casino game and you'll soon spot mentions of the Return to Player (RTP) rate. A common piece of casino slang, the Return to Player rate is used to explain how much casinos will pay out to players relative to how much has been wagered on the game. 

Take a game with a Return to Player rate of 94.5%. That means that for every £100 wagered on the game, the casino will, on average, pay out £94.50 of wins. 

The Return to Player rate can't give the exact odds of winning the next spin, since the power of Random Number Generators make it nearly impossible to predict the next outcome, but they can act as a guide to how likely the game will pay out. If you're hoping to win some bucks, then aim for slots with a higher Return to Player rate. 

Only wager what you can afford to lose 

Online slot games are an awesome source of entertainment, but it's important to know when to cool off. Once your bankroll has ended, take yourself out of the action. 

Any online casino worth joining will have plenty of tools that'll help you limit your wagers, so you can focus on enjoying the action. In fact, here at Bally Casino, we've got a whole suite of tools to choose from. Cool, huh? 

Choose a game that you enjoy 

It's no good playing a game just because you want to win, you also need to have fun. Our favourite tip is to kick back and enjoy the entertainment that online slots offer. Browse the collection online and look for titles with special features and bonus rounds – these don't just add to the excitement, they can also add more chances to win a prize. 

How to choose the right online game for you 

No slots player is the same, and that's what we like to see! From themes to risk levels, there's a wide variety of different slot games to suit every player. Take the time to browse through them all and learn what your favourite features are. 

Enjoy the thrill of playing for a slot jackpot prize? Then be sure to play more games in that collection. Or consider yourself a keen history fan? Head over to the Ancient Egyptian-themed slots. 

Wanna hear a top tip? Of course, you do. Bally Casino offers free demo mode, so our members can take all our online slot machines for a test spin without placing a bet! Just sign up to start playing. 

Check out the complete Bally Casino slots collection 

Now y'all know all there is to know about online slots, it's time to take them for a spin! Not to brag, but, here at Bally Casino, we're big on entertainment. We've packaged up all our American gaming experience and shipped it across the pond, including our collection of the hottest classic slots in the USA. 

And we've got plenty more in store! Step through our doors and you'll find over 900 slot games available to spin online. Jackpot slots? We got you. Cluster Pays slot games? You bet. There's even exclusive slot games just for you.

Don't think we're going to let our new buddies get started without a welcome reward, though! We'll drop 30 free slot spins into your account when you sign up and deposit your first £10*, so y'all can enjoy a slice of the action on us. That's the Bally Casino way. 

Check out more how-to guides for becoming a slick online casino player over on the Bally Casino blog.