Every player looks for something else, so there is no ideal strategy that fits everyone. I will show you my strategies, each suitable for a different kind of players. Finding out which of them fits you best is up to you. At first glance it seems online slot machines are a 100% game of chance. And they really are, at least in the terms of a single game round. However, that doesn’t mean that you can’t influence your chances by using the right betting strategy and choosing the right game to play.
Here is a list of factors that define your slots betting strategy:
- How to determine a bet size
- Decision when to stop
- Selection of a slot game
- Decision when to use the gamble feature (red or black)
- Selected number of win lines
In the rest of this article I’ll teach you how to use the choices above to play slots more effectively.
Tips & tricks for slots
All casino games, including slots, are disadvantageous for a player. Their RTP is lower than 100 % and they favour the casino. That means that you need luck to win, which is exactly why higher volatility is generally better for you.
Let me explain… In low-volatility games, the results over time tend to stay closer to the expected return, which is lower than 100 %. On the contrary, in high-volatility games, you are still losing money in the long run, however, you have a chance to win a big sum of money, thanks to the high volatility.
From a different perspective, you can win the same amount of money while placing smaller bets. If you place smaller bets with higher volatility, you will lose less in the long run, while also maintaining a chance to win big. That’s why the majority of my slot tricks and strategies are based on increasing volatility, while also considering the game’s RTP.
Avoid bet types which significantly decrease RTP
The majority of online slots have the same RTP for all kinds of bets. However, some slots derived from land-based slot games add significant disadvantage to certain bets. In this case you should always choose the bet type without the disadvantage. I will use two examples to demonstrate this fact.
Use double up feature to regulate the volatility
The double up feature (red/black) gives you the option to double your win with a 50% chance. In some games (like slots from Novomatic) you can do this multiple times in a row (13 I think).
This feature dramatically increases the volatility of the game. From a long-term perspective, you exchange a lot of smaller wins for proportionally fewer wins of higher value. If your goal is to win big, then double up feature is exactly what you need. It’s predictable and easy to simulate, I use it in some of my recommended slot strategies.
Decrease the number of win lines to increase volatility
Did you know that if you set the game to 1 win line instead of 10, you’ll most likely get 5 to 10 times higher game volatility?
When you bet $2 on one line, your average win will be much higher (and less frequent) as when you bet $0.20 on 10 lines. When you bet on 10 lines at the same time, the wins in the paytable are 10 times smaller. In most slots you usually hit a winning combination only on a small number of the 10 lines, so your average wins are also lower. Note that this trick usually can’t be used by high rollers, as the maximum bet per line is usually restricted.
