Slot machines, with dazzling lights and captivating sounds, are a bread-and-butter staple in the betting world. For many users, the appeal of playing slots lies in the anticipation of winning that elusive jackpot. However, as with all games of chance, the question that echoes in the minds of thousands of players is, "How can I win at slots?"

While slots are games of luck at their core, understanding the mechanics behind these mesmerizing machines and adopting a more thoughtful approach can enhance your gaming experience. In this guide, we'll go over the best ways to win at slots, including how slot machines work, some winning strategies, and how to pick the right casino for you. Our tips and tricks will tip the odds of winning in your favor!

How do Slot Machines Work?

Slot machines are a prominent fixture at online and land-based casinos, with their flashy user interfaces, enticing sound effects, and the promises of giant jackpots. The mechanics behind slot machines are simple and complex, creating a user experience combining chance and entertainment into a behemoth of the casino industry.

At their core, slot machines operate with random number generation (RNG) technology to determine the outcome of every spin. This means that every outcome will be different, and your result is in the hands of fate and chance. The spinning reels on a slot machine are mainly for show. Once you've pressed Play or pulled the lever, the outcome of your spin should already be determined from the moment it's been initiated.

Browse Rivalry's selection of slot games!

Slot Machine Symbols

Depending on the slot machine theme, they will usually feature a variety of symbols, like card values, fruits, and other themed icons. For example, the Extra Chilli slot has different colored chillis which signal bigger payouts when matched up. All these symbols aim to land a winning combination, usually three or more matching symbols across the reels. When any symbols line up with a pre-determined winning combination, the player will get a payout based on the machine paytable (usually found in the settings menu).

The most popular slot games often include special symbols like wilds and scatters to keep things interesting. Wild symbols tend to substitute for other symbols to create bigger winning combinations. In contrast, scatters trigger bonus games or even free spins when you get four of them together.

Picking the Right Online Casino

Choosing the right online casino is essential to a positive and fun gaming experience. With the sea of online casinos out there, there are some key factors to consider before making your selection.

Not to toot our own horn, but we think you're already in the right place at Rivalry. We've combined all the excitement of casino betting - the fast-paced action, tantalizing jackpots, GenZ vibes, and fun gameplay- with everything customers expect from a top-tier online casino: full licensing, regulations, and absolute financial transparency.

Turning back the clock a few decades, Rivalry is dedicated to taking you down memory lane with Casino.exe, an environment for our third-party casino games. Here, you can boot up a retro virtual computer from the 2000s, complete with old-school desktop icons, a functional MP3 player, and even some spicy pics of a certain axolotl mascot.

Licensing and Regulations

Before registering, ensure the online casino you want to use is licensed and regulated by a reputable authority. For example, Rivalry.com is governed, licensed, and overseen by the Isle of Man Gambling Supervision Commission.

Online Security

Prioritize your safety by selecting an online casino with advanced security measures, such as SSL encryption, to protect your personal and financial information.

Customer Support

Test the responsiveness and helpfulness of customer support before committing. A reliable online casino -cough- like Rivalry -cough- should offer a responsive customer support line, whether over live chat or email, with knowledgeable, friendly staff to answer all your queries.

Mobile Compatibility

If you prefer playing slot machine games on your smartphone, make sure the platform you want to use has seamless gameplay while on a mobile platform. Rivalry's slot and casino games run smoothly on mobile so that you can play easily on the go, provided you have a stable broadband connection.

For users in Ontario, we also offer an iOS app! Just type "Rivalry - Esports Betting" on the App Store to download and play today!

Payment Options

Ensure the online casino supports secure and convenient payment methods for deposits and withdrawals. Rivalry offers instant deposit options like Visa, Mastercard, Neteller, Skrill, PayMaya, bank transfers, and more.

Game Selection

Choose a casino that offers a wide variety of different games to play, from classics like baccarat, poker, and roulette to other live dealer games. The more variety, the better your gaming sessions will be!

Choosing Your Slot Machine

The online slot scene is inundated with different slot machines you can play. Choosing the right one with the right payouts, fun themes, and entertaining visual effects can be challenging. However, the primary goal is to win big, so you want to pick the slot game with the best odds of winning.

Slot Machine Features

The best slot machine will have innovative, exciting features to add to the gameplay. This can include bonus games through free spins, a bonus round with additional reels, progressive jackpots, the MEGAWAYS feature, and more.

Return-To-Play (RTP) Rate

If you want to play slot machines, whether online or IRL, you'll need to understand the RTP. In a nutshell, this is the theoretical return players can expect to receive after each bet placed while playing slots. While individual spins are unpredictable, slot machines are designed to pay out a percentage of the money wagered onto them in the long run.

Ideally, you want a slot machine with a high RTP, something over 96%. Options for this on Rivalry.com include Bonanza and Twin Spin. While a high RTP is good, you may only get small cash rewards.

Volatility Levels

You'll also need to take the slot machine's volatility level. This factor determines how payouts are awarded, like their frequency and the prize size based on the original stake. Low volatility slots award frequent wins with low cash amounts. In contrast, high volatility slots have larger payouts with a lower payout percentage.

The best slot machines have a high RTP rate (over 96%) and low-medium volatility. Some examples of this include Starburst, Bloodsuckers, and Fruit Shop.

Bet Smarter, Not Harder: Use Casino Bonuses

To maximize your betting gains, you should take advantage of all bonuses and promotions available. Most online casinos provide their users with ample bonuses that can provide extra funds to get those reels spinning, and taking advantage of these casino bonuses can be an excellent way to top off your existing bankroll.

These bonuses can range from a welcome bonus for new users to bonus funds when you deposit a certain amount into your account.

Check out our available betting bonuses now!

As an online casino, Rivalry also offers the Rivalry Bonus Club, which allows players to get bet insurance, free bets, cashback, and even extra deposit bonuses over email.

In addition to the available promotions at your online casino, check and see if they offer a loyalty program. Since you'll be spending time playing slots, earning loyalty points, and even competing against other players, you could make extra money to use on slot machines.

Rivalry Quest

Here at Rivalry, we offer Rivalry Quest to promote some friendly competition amongst our users. You can earn rewards, compete with the community, and earn real prizes, even real cash bonuses! You get three different quests to work on, with varying amounts of Experience Points. You can earn these through our esports and t-sports betting options or our online casino and slots!

You can earn up to a maximum of $125, with cash rewards awarded to players even in the 30th position on the leaderboards. Rivalry Quest runs from Monday to Thursday and Friday to Sunday, so get involved today and see what you can win!

Setting a Budget: Gamble Responsibly

First, one of the best tips we can give you for winning big while playing slots is always to gamble responsibly. The goal is to be more successful in the long run instead of chasing quick and easy small wins.

With any form of betting, you should always keep a budget in mind when you play online slots to avoid overspending. Ideally, This money should be disposable income you don't need to use for anything else.

After clarifying your budget for your overall betting session on slot machines, decide on your bet amount for each spin. For most online slot games on Rivalry.com, the minimum betting amount is $0.15, and the maximum is $20. In the settings of most online slots, you can set spending and deposit limits to keep yourself in check. If you need help budgeting your bankroll, look at our online learning resource, Rivalry Academy.

Big Brain Energy: Using Slots Strategy

While online casinos and slot machines tend to be pure games of luck chance and are usually completely random, you can employ some betting strategies to increase your chances of success. These helpful tips can be used on any slot machine, whether online or in real-life land-based casinos like the Las Vegas Strip.

Levels Betting

The most popular slot machine strategy is "Levels Betting." This is where you begin by setting the size of your initial bet amount - usually around 1% of your available bankroll.

The point of the Levels Betting strategy is that you increase your betting amount after five consecutive losses; the new increased amount should be worth 5x your original bet. For example, if your overall budget is $25, you can place your first bet with $0.25. Once you play slots and lose games in a row, you can start betting $1.25 per spin. If another five games are lost in a row, your next bet will be $2.50. After winning, your next bet will be reset to the original amount, e.g., $0.25.

The overall goal of this slot machine strategy is to win back all your losses eventually. Increasing the wager amount gives you a higher payout when finally landing on winning combinations. Playing online slots with free spins is also a surefire way to maximize profits, making this a good strategy if you're looking to beat slot machines.

Martingale Betting System

The Martingale System is arguably the best slots strategy, employed across several casino games. However, using this method for online slot machines is slightly different.

With this system, you are doubling your bet amount after each loss and resetting the wager amount after each win. This method ensures you are still within your budget to avoid reaching an unaffordable stake. Only ever bet what you can afford to lose.

Progressive Jackpots

When playing to win a progressive jackpot in online slot games, you should be very careful and responsible with your money. Most slot machine jackpots have an exceptionally low RTP when rare cash prizes are taken out of the equation, offering smaller wins.

Progressive jackpots build up over time, exceeding amounts beyond your wildest dreams. As such, this makes them exceptionally tempting for many players wanting to grabthe ultimate prize while playing slots. However, progressive jackpot slot machines often have hidden requirements before being eligible to strike a win.

Winning a large progressive jackpot won't happen instantaneously, it may take several long sessions to secure the win. As such, we recommend going for smaller betting amounts over larger wagers to increase your chance of getting a jackpot over time.

Fixed Percentage Betting

This strategy requires players to be present and raring to go while they're playing slots., and we recommend having a calculator on standby. Instead of changing the betting amount based on wins or losses like the previous strategies, this fixed percentage system relies on determining the percentage of your available balance left to use. Use a small percentage, like 1%, although some people use $5 for this method.

For example, if you have an available balance of $100, your first bet will be 1% of that amount, which is $1. Say you play slots, spin the reels, and win $10. This now gives you a working total of $110. With this new amount available, you can slightly increase the stakes and bet $1.10 for your next bet. You can continue with this strategy until your online slot session ends.

The main negative of this betting strategy is the amount of thinking required, having to work out your following amount. It can also take some fun out of your online slots session.

Pace Yourself

While this tip won't necessarily help you win, it'll help your state of mind. Always set a time limit for your gaming sessions on slots. This helps prevent excessive gambling and losing all your available money. Taking regular breaks is another helpful way of managing your gaming, as it can help clear your mind and make good decisions.

Final Thoughts

That was our comprehensive guide on how to win at slots. Remember that while slot machines offer the excitement of potentially bagging a jackpot, your fate will always be in the hands of the RNG gods. The outcomes are based on pure luck, and no amount of skill or strategy can influence your results. May the odds be in your favor, whether you're playing on our online casinos or elsewhere.

FAQs About How to Win At Slots

How to win at slots?

The best way to win slots is to play around with your betting strategy by increasing or decreasing your wager. Always keep a level head when placing your bets with online slots, and set a strict budget for your spending.

Is there a trick to winning slots?

The best way to win at slots is to pick a low-volatility slot machine with a high Return-To-Player (RTP) rate. Aim for 96% or higher to increase your chances of scoring a win.

How do bonus games on slot games work?

There's no surefire way to trigger a bonus round or free spins during slot play. This is because bonus features rely on technology based on a random number generator (RNG), which is standard for most online slots.

How to avoid losing with online slots?

While there is no guaranteed way to win at slots, you can take control of your losses by gambling responsibly and setting a strict budget for yourself. Determine the size of each betting amount for every spin from your available budget, and stay moderate. Remember always to have fun playing online slots, and don't set your expectations too high.

Is it better to play one slot machine or try different ones?

Playing on an online slot machine can make it easy to get frustrated with the lack of wins. If that happens, feel free to switch to a different slot game. Especially on Rivalry.com, we have plenty of slot machines for you to try to win jackpots!