10 Best Online Slots Strategies

The best online slots strategies can turn you from a losing player into a winning one. Navigate the minefield of online slots by picking the right games and playing for free before risking a dime. 

Browse the top 10 slot machine strategies and take your online game to the next level. And don’t forget to open an online casino account and take advantage of the best slots bonuses. 

#1 – Research Return-to-Player Percentages 

Understanding a slot’s RTP (Return to Player percentage) can help you make more profits in the long run. The RTP is the average theoretical return made to players over millions of spins. 

The best RTP slots offer average payouts worth 96% or above. That means the slot pays out $96 for every $100 put in. The remainder of $4, or 4%, is the casino’s house edge. 

Naturally, you may hit a winning streak, therefore skewing the RTP in your favor. However, it’s essential to recognize that, over the long term, you’re always competing against the house edge. 

You can find the RTP listed on the online casino site or in the paytable of the slot itself. This is the kind of information you won’t find easily in a land-based casino. 

#2 – Try Slots for Free First

The best slot strategy for online play is to try games for free before you pay real money. Many online casinos offer Demo Play versions of their slots, allowing you to try the game with zero risk. That’s one benefit that online casino slots have over land-based slot machines.

The gameplay of demo-play slots is virtually identical to real-money games. You play with credits instead of real money. You can always reload once you run out of casino credits. Therefore, you can play a few hundred spins with no risk and gauge the volatility before committing. 

Progressive slots look and play the same online. However, you won’t be able to trigger the jackpot and won’t win any real money by playing. 

#3 – Play Hot Drop Jackpots at Top Casinos 

Many of the top online casinos offer Hot Drop Jackpots on selected slots. Hot Drop Jackpots are released hourly or daily and reward players who hold on long enough. They can be a good alternative to progressive slots, which oftentimes favor the biggest spenders.

Check out our review of Ignition Casino to find out why it’s our go-to site for Hot Drop Jackpots. The casino offers over a dozen Hot Drop Jackpot slots, with daily and hourly jackpots triggered throughout the week. 

#4 – Practice Low-Volatility Slots for Longer Profits 

Understanding volatility is a vital online slot strategy for ensuring long-term gains. Essentially, the volatility of a slot is the frequency with which the game pays out. 

Therefore, a low-volatility slot pays out little and often, while a high-volatility game pays out big-time but less frequently. Many online slots with lots of bonus features are highly volatile. 

Some slot developers, such as Pragmatic Play, display the game’s volatility in the paytable. There’s nothing wrong with low-volatility slots like Rival’s Cash Cow or Winter Wonders. However, you stand a better chance of jackpots from games with higher volatility. 

It’s hard to judge an online slot’s volatility, but you can test the waters by playing games for free. Play 100 spins and see how often (or not) you hit a winner or trigger a bonus feature. 

#5 – Claim Free Spins at the Best Online Casinos 

The best online casino bonuses include free spins for new customers or as part of a retention deal. Do a little research first before claiming your free spins. In most cases, free spins are tailored toward one specific slot. 

A good online slot strategy is to check the RTP and volatility of the free spins slot before you start playing. That way, you can have a better idea of your chances to make a profit before running out of spins. 

Alternatively, you can claim free spins in a Game of the Week promotion. You receive free spins on a new release or popular game once you make a qualifying deposit. The biggest casino promotions tend to favor cryptocurrency deposits, so factor that in before you opt in.  

#6 – Boost Your Winnings with a Slots Tournament 

Hunting value is a good slot strategy, and slots tournaments offer huge value. The best online casinos like Super Slots give away thousands of dollars in regular tournaments. 

You must have a positive balance to play, and slots tournaments are time-based. You score leaderboard points for each real-money spin you make on nominated slots. The prizepool is donated free by the casino and splits cash prizes based on total points. 

Good slots strategy is to test out the game that’s been earmarked for a tournament first. Play it free in demo mode on the casino site. That way, you can deduce whether it’s sufficiently volatile to warrant opting into a tournament. 

#7 – Employ Good Bankroll Management on Slot Spins 

Sensible bankroll management is one of the best online slots strategies if you want to avoid going bust. Managing a bankroll is essential online, whether you’re playing penny slots or progressive jackpots. 

Remember that volatility and house edge are working against you when you play slots. Therefore, you must maximize profits by cashing out early and shifting stakes up and down depending on your record. 

For instance, we advise betting 1% of your bankroll per spin on high-volatility slots. You can adjust the stake size depending on whether you hit a losing or winning streak. 

Looking for more advice on bankroll management? Check out our top 15 gambling tips for general online betting strategy. 

#8 – Read Online Slot Reviews 

At GamblingSites.com, we offer mini-reviews of the best online slots to help you make a smarter choice. Honest slot reviews give you the full lowdown on bonus features, RTP, and gameplay to save you time. That’s more time you have to spend online at our recommended casinos. 

Plus, check out our online casino reviews to find a site that offers the best slots with bonuses. We’ll tell you which sites offer the best slots from the safest providers. 

With so many 1000s of games available, you want to play smarter to avoid losing your bankroll. We also provide an exclusive Jackpot Meter displaying our own scores and average user ratings. 

Want the best online casino for deploying your slots strategy? Give DuckyLuck a go!

#9 – Try Progressive Jackpots with a Larger Bankroll

Online casinos offer the best variety of progressive slots from a range of developers. While it’s true that land-based casinos offer bigger jackpots, online sites have a much bigger variety. 

The progressive slot pays out a jackpot randomly or when you activate a bonus feature. Good slots strategy is to play around with a variety of progressives for free first. 

Also, remember that many progressive jackpots are activated with the highest stakes. Playing with a large bankroll gives you a better chance of activating one of the biggest payouts. 

Don’t be drawn in by the Gambler’s Fallacy, either. A progressive jackpot doesn’t have a bigger chance of falling if it’s gone unclaimed for a long time. 

#10 – Hit Maximum Paylines for Better Variance

Our final online slot strategy is to play the maximum paylines for better long-term returns. Many modern slots have fixed paylines or win ways. However, where you’re able to fix the number of win lines, go for the maximum if you can. 

Why does playing max lines work? Simply, you cover many more ways to win and maximize your profits. Plus, you should still factor in the house edge, which eats into your profits even when you play max. lines. 

You should also factor in playing the max bet on slots to enhance your profits. Consider your bankroll management and the volatility of the slot before committing, however. 

Using Strategies to Win at Slots Online

The best slot strategies include choosing the right games, setting the proper stakes, and maximizing bonuses. Trying free slots before risking real money is a major benefit of online casinos. We also recommend adding a selection of slots to a Favorites list at your preferred casino sites.

Playing slots online is about minimizing risk and realizing that you are fighting house edge every time you spin. Play smarter with a top slots strategy and you can come out the other side a winner.