Types of Online Slots
As the online casino industry has boomed, more and more developers have taken to creating different types of online slot games. From the humble classic slot to the might of the Megaways slots, there is a little of something for everyone. In this part of our series on how to play slots, we are going to take a look at all of the different online slot types.
Popular Types of Slots
There are so many different types of slot machines you will encounter online, but the following are the most common types.
Classic Slots
Classic slots are slots that have drawn inspiration from and are modelled on old-school fruit machines and slot games. These often have a reduced number of paylines and are more concerned with recreating the slot machine experience than they are with complex bonus features or huge jackpots.
Video Slots (Bonus Slots)
Video slots are the most common type of online slot you will encounter. These are virtual slot games that can be played online. They use automated reels and will feature a wide selection of different bonuses and features.
Progressive Jackpot Slots
If you are looking for big wins, then progressive jackpot slots are going to be the type of slot you want to play. These games serve up huge winning potential by taking a portion of each stake played and adding it to a giant jackpot.
Megaways Slots
The Megaways mechanic has changed the online slot industry. It was designed and developed by Big Time Gaming, and it uses an increased number of reels and symbols to serve up a massive number of ways to win. The standard number of ways to win in a Megaways slot is 117,649, but there are plenty of Megaways slots that go even higher.
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Other Types of Slots
While the above are the most common slot types you will encounter, they are not the only ones. The following are some other types of slots available online.
Ways-to-win Slots
Ways-to-win slots are games that don’t just use traditional paylines to form winning combinations. The advent of video slots has allowed developers to get more creative with how winning combinations are paid out. These come in all different models, with 243 and 720 ways-to-win being the most common.
3D Slots
3D Slots do as they say on the tin, delivering a 3D slot experience to players. All of the graphics in the game are three-dimensional, ensuring a more immersive and modern gameplay experience.
VR Slots
Virtual reality (VR) has been on the rise for the last few years, and the iGaming industry wants a slice of that action. Virtual reality slots are still quite rare but are something you should expect to see more of in the future.
I-slots
I-slots are more interactive than standard slot games. They often feature other gameplay or story elements to get players more involved. For example, players may have to work through certain stages or levels to unlock features and win prizes.
High Roller Slot Machine
Common Features in Slots
Slot machines are full of bonuses and useful mechanics these days. The following are the most common types of features you will find in an online slot.
Autoplay
Autoplay is a great option if you want to kick back and let the machine do the hard work. All modern slots will have autoplay features. These allow you to set a number of spins for the slot to take on your behalf. You set the stake, choose how many spins, and then sit back and let the reels spin.
Wild Symbols
Wild Symbols are one of the most common features in any online slot game. These are symbols that will substitute for other symbols to help the game create more winning opportunities. Wild symbols can come in all shapes and sizes, with expanding and stacked Wilds being very common.
Scatters
Scatter symbols can have multiple uses. Firstly, they will pay out wherever they land on the grid, hence their name. Secondly, they are commonly used to trigger bonus rounds, with three or more Scatters typically required to trigger a feature.
Free Spins
Free Spins do as their name suggests. They provide slot players with a number of free spins to work through. These are typically rewarded when you land a combination of specific symbols, often Scatters.
Bonus Rounds
Bonus rounds can be any type of bonus you might encounter in a slot game. The most common type of bonus round is a free spins round.
Multipliers
Multipliers can come in all sorts of shapes and sizes. When a multiplier lands on a symbol, it will multiply the value of the symbol or payline if it is part of a winning combination. You will also encounter global multipliers, which are multipliers which are added to any wins across the entire grid.
Progressive Jackpots
Progressive jackpots are one of the most attractive features you can find in an online slot. These are giant jackpots that grow by taking a small portion of every stake that is wagered on the game. These can be won in all sorts of ways, and there are also several different types of progressive jackpots.
