Slot machines have been around since the 1950s, from primitive mechanical machines with only a few payout lines to modern machines with varying themes, colors, gameplay mechanics, and even non-conventional payout lines. The popularity of online slots has grown so significantly over the decades, that slot machines have now started to go digital.
One good example of a slot-game-gone-digital has to be Panther Moon. It is a 15-line video slot game that possesses a midnight jungle theme with reel symbols of animals such as owls, jackals, black panthers, lotus flowers, and dragonflies. It also features extra bonuses such as Free Games, Scatter Bonus, and a Gamble Feature.
With advancements within the web and digital technologies meant that various online casino platforms are able to offer an incredible amount of variety, both in terms of selection and gameplay, allowing them to create a more personalized and engrossing experience for the players. Of course, while many seek out slot machines for the entertainment they provide, many seek out online slots for the promise of a lucrative cash prize, such as jackpots and progressive jackpots.
Some may lean on superstition or luck as a means of going about their online slot machine strategy. However, there is more to it than meets the eye.
How Online Slots Work
Firstly, the key to winning is to understand how online slot games function. Almost all, if not most slot games, use a Random Number Generator (RNG) to constantly generate numbers. As its namesake implies, those numbers determine where each reel stops after each spin.
Another important thing to remember is that this process is completely random, and as such, it is near impossible to predict with any accuracy each outcome of any given spin. This also means that every spin is an independent event, meaning that previous spins have no influence on the outcome of the next spin.
The last thing to bear in mind is that random number generators are always programmed in such a way that the odds are always in the casino’s favor. Apart from those spins of luck that nets you the big prize, the chances of you winning, in the long run, are slim. However, you are able to become a winner in the short run. Essentially this dispels the myth of hot and cold machines, as well as the popular superstition that leaving a seat after a long streak can result in the next player netting the jackpot.
Now that we have established a basic understanding of the inner workings of online slots, let us look at what you can expect on your next visit to an online casino.
Online Slots – What Strategies to Avoid
When it comes to playing online slots at an online casino such as 9KING, other than the wide selection of games to choose from, the next thing you need to be thinking about is how to develop a game plan to go about your game of online slots. Even though the game of online slots is based mostly on chance that does not mean that you should just do things blindly.
Read on, and before we talk about the strategies that you can use to sharpen your slot games, here are just a few strategies that might make some sense at first, but fall apart when you peel the layers back. Below are strategies to avoid doing before you start.
The Zig Zag System
It is a strategy that many of us may have heard of, but it is one that does not hold any water. The premise of this strategy involves the player looking at the reels of various machines in an attempt to find a pattern that can indicate whether the machine is ready to pay off soon. For example, trying to look out for an ‘X’ or ‘V’ pattern being drawn by a specific symbol.
However, referencing the aforementioned point from above, the reels are only a display that completely compromises the entire strategy. This is because every spin is independent of one another, therefore cementing the fact that there is no way to determine whether a machine is ready to pay off or not.
Money Management Systems
Although it may sound like it is a legitimate strategy, the reality of that is much more different than it is for online slots. The premise of this strategy seems sound – setting win goals and lining your losses. The objective is to mitigate your losses when the machines are cold and quit while you are winning when the machines are hot.
The only catch is this – the concept of ‘hot’ and ‘cold’ machines don’t exist. And just because of that, any chances of the money management scheme bearing any result immediately goes right out the window.
The Straight 60
This is a strategy that involves you walking away from the slot machine upon winning or losing sixty percent of your bankroll, along with another requirement that you walk away after experiencing nine winless spins, otherwise known as a naked pull. For example, if you started a session with RM100, you walk away from the machine once you have either lost RM 60, won RM60, or lost for nine consecutive spins.
It is a relatively simple system to keep track of your winnings. However, it does not net you any significant wins, nor will it significantly mitigate your losses. It just does not have the scale to do enough in shaping the odds in your favor.
Play and Run
It is a system that suggests you don’t spend any more than five to ten minutes at a slot game. The best thing to do is to run with your winnings once your time is up. It also suggests that you should divide your bankroll into five to ten sessions lasting five to ten minutes each and quitting after experiencing nine naked pulls.
In short, these are just a few caveats of the strategies that may sound good on paper, but in reality, do not hold any water at all. Now that we have explored what does not work, it is time to explore what does.
Online Slot Game Tips
Everyone is constantly seeking that elusive jackpot, but that is not the only thing to slots. You can still be a winner no matter what, and here are some of the pointers to getting the most of your game with the best approach.
Play For Fun
Betting in online slots is not always necessarily about the money; there is also the immense entertainment value to be had. Realistically, the house will always have a mathematical edge, so it would be unrealistic to think that you can win big consistently. Instead, it can be a time to have fun and enjoy the suspense of what each spin brings you.
Go For Higher Denomination Slots
First things first, you should always go for games that give you a higher payback percentage. Especially with video slots, dollar slots, or in this case, ringgit slots. Higher denomination slots typically bring about a greater yield. However, there are also other factors to consider other than payback percentage, such as entertainment value and what your expectations are from a game.
Also, another consideration is that higher denomination games usually require you to bet more, which in turn means more risk. For example, if you bet RM 3 on a three-line slot game that pays 90 percent, your average losses will be more than if you bet only 40 cents on a 40-line 1 cent game that pays 84 percent.
Going for Progressive Jackpots? Make Sure You Bet Enough
When it comes to progressive slot machines, a portion of every players’ wager is added to the jackpot or jackpots. Typically, three-reel slot machines have a single progressive jackpot on top of its payoff, meaning you have to bet the maximum coin amount in order to be eligible.
Before you place your bets and spin the lever, make sure you understand the requirements of each game and whether you have to bet the maximum coin to be eligible, as some slot games will only give you a reduced payoff at a fixed amount if you bet only one or two coins.
But most video slots offer a multi-tiered progressive jackpot, having anywhere from two to twelve progressive levels. More commonly, you will find a four-tier progressive jackpot with destinations assigned at each level by their respective developer, such as bronze, silver, gold, platinum, etc.
Another thing to note is that some progressive jackpots have no minimum betting requirements and are open for all. Jackpots are always the main event on progressives, with other slightly lesser paying games on the sides.
If your mind is set towards jackpots, then make sure you bet enough to ensure your eligibility should you strike it lucky. But if that is slightly out of your reach, then the best thing to do would be considering non-progressive games instead.
Pick a Game that Suits Your Playing Personality
There are many different types of games out there that are geared towards all kinds of players. Whether you are the high-risk high-reward type, or the type to plan out their next move and be more calculative towards each possible outcome, choosing a game that suits your play style is imperative because it can be the one factor that significantly influences your overall gaming experience.
For example, a three-reel slot game places a greater emphasis on top jackpots at the cost of a lower hit frequency, with more losing spins. In other words, it is easy to win big, but also easy to lose big at the same time. Whereas some video slots provide you with bonuses you can select off the screen; picking a mystery box, for example, reveals the hidden bonus.
These video slots typically have higher hit frequencies that give you the chance to hit many smaller wins. The gameplay is extended, but the chances of hitting the jackpot are lower.
And when it comes to those video slots that feature free spins as their main bonus, these slot games give you the best of both worlds when it comes to volatility and the chances of winning big in contrast to the former two games. The promise of a free spin is alluring, whereby you do not have to place any additional bets and yet, still stand the chance to win the jackpot. However, it is also possible to win nothing during these free spins, essentially balancing the possibility of zero-wins against that of bigger wins.
Ultimately, it all boils down to you in finding out which slot games give you the most value. Whether it is in terms of the odds of hitting the jackpot, the level of player participation each game offers you, or even the hit and miss nature of free spins. Take some time and start exploring!
Set a Budget and Stick to It – There’s No Shame in Knowing When to Quit
There is no doubt that this is a well-known truth, that playing online slots for an extended period is only going to put you in the red. In the end, you win some, and you also lose some. That is if we do not include the times that you have won big.
That said, the last thing you ever want to do is to keep betting in order to get back what you have lost, or placing more bets with the money you do not have. Always, ALWAYS be sure that you are playing a game that fits snugly within your bankroll. Because in your haste to recover your losses, or in your greed to win more, betting more will only result in a vicious cycle that puts you deeply in the red.
Unlike table games, slot games never give players the opportunity to place multiple bets in combination like Roulette or Blackjack. There are also no other ‘hacks’ that you can resort to, such as card counting in Blackjack. Despite many generations of slot players trying to find different ways to game the system, it remains a fact that the odds for slot games are unchanging – the odds for every spin are the same. You will win, but never consistently.
Just remember that the best time to quit is while you are ahead, adhere to your budget, and place your bets in peace as the odds will always remain unchanged.
Bonuses, and More Bonuses
If there is one thing that comes in abundance, it is the bonuses offered by nearly every online casino. Online casinos have been using bonuses such as no-deposit bonuses, welcome bonuses, rebates, and rewards, etc. as a way of persuading new players to play on their platform.
And all you need to do is signup for an account with them. Once you have become a member, you will be entitled to the best of a variety of promotions and bonuses, including the aforementioned bonuses, as well as any flash promotions created mainly for an online casino’s members.
These bonuses can give you the extra helping hand in fuelling your online slots adventures. As the tiny return, say 0.1 or 0.2 percent, can make or break the difference between scoring a winning bet for much less cash than you need. Another way of looking at it is the opportunity of enjoying rewards in the form of food, rebates, entertainment, etc.
Bonuses are just the best, aren’t they?
Epilogue
Despite the long-standing belief that online slots are a game consisting purely of luck, it does not mean that there are no other ways of getting the most out of each game. With the variety and accessibility that 9KING offers, now is the best time to experience the best that our platform has to offer, and an excellent opportunity for you to put these slot tips to good use.