Online slots are the most popular casino games in the world. When you play slots at an online casino for real money, you're playing games modeled after bricks-and-mortar slot machines. In some cases, all-new slot designers like RTG, Microgaming and NetEnt design the slots. In other cases, world-famous slots companies like IGT, WMS and Bally provide the games.
Between 3-reel classics and 5-reel video slots, players can choose from a massive collection of online slots, numbering into the tens of thousands of game titles. The sheer number of slots online creates confusion for new players. They'll encounter a dizzying array of 3D slots, licensed slots and progressive jackpot slots. Even in a single game, they'll find a lot of different bonus features.
Our guide to real money online slots provides a glossary of terms, along with information on the best slot bonuses at online casinos in the USA. It also provides slots strategy tips, while pointing out the common myths and misconceptions about slots. If you still have questions, we provide an online slots FAQ at the bottom of the page with answers to commonly asked questions.
Benefits Of Our Online Slot Game Guide
Reading online slot guides increases your fun, while saving you money. Whether it's an individual online slot review or an overview of the slots industry, here are reasons to keep reading.
- Find More Slots Bonuses: Learn about the best casino bonuses in your region. Slot guides focus on welcome bonuses.
- Play at the Best Slots Casinos: At the same time, read slots reviews to learn about the best casino sites in your country.
- Pay tables and RTP Information: Read about the online slots with the best return-to-player ratios. This saves slot players a lot of cash.
- Play Your Favorite Slot Games: Players who prefer fun themes or special bonus features get information on these from slot reviews.
- Improve Your Gameplay: Absorb slots tips on avoiding gambler's fallacy, stretching your bankroll and debunking slots myths.
Playing Slots Online for Free vs. Real Money
Slots can be some of the simplest games you can play at an online casino—they can also be some of the most complicated. Before you wager real money on an online slot, it’s a good idea to play a few rounds for free.
If you’re learning how to play slots, you’ll notice the online games aren’t the same as they are in a brick-and-mortar casino. First, the number of slot games will astound you. Second, many software developers design their slots to be more engaging, with immersive graphics and sound effects. Third, there are tons of multi-payline slots and slots with progressive jackpots, too. There’s a lot to learn.
Playing for free means you won’t take home a big jackpot. Instead, you’ll gain an understanding of how the game mechanics work, what symbols to watch for, and what the bonus rounds offer.
You can find free casino slots on just about any casino website. You can usually play a few demo rounds on the software developers’ websites, too.
Playing Online Slots for Free:
- Lets you learn how the games work and symbols to look for.
- Helps you get a feel for the online casino site you’re playing at.
- You won’t win real money, but you’ll gain some knowledge.
Playing Online Slots for Real Money:
- Is exciting; because you can win actual cash.
- Gives you that real, authentic casino feeling.
- Has some risk involved because you’re betting with your own bankroll.
Types Of Real Money Slots
Due to their global appeal and huge fan following, many slot machine types exist. Read the guide to slots terms below to help you select the perfect slot machine for you.
- Classic Slots: Also called 3-reel classics or 3-reel spinners, these are the original slot machines. Usually with simpler graphics, smaller fixed jackpots and better return-to-player (RTP) ratios.
- Video Slots: Electronic slot machines led to 5-reel video slots. These have great graphics and sounds, more bonus features and bigger jackpots.
- 3D Slots: A type of 5-reel video slot with cinematic 3D graphics. Produced by slot designers like NetEnt and Sheriff Gaming.
- Licensed Slots: Gaming machines that use the name and image of a pop culture franchise. They usually have a license from a movie, TV show, board game, comic book or pop music franchise.
- Fixed Jackpot Slots: Also called flat-top slots, these games have a fixed prize pool that never changes. These can be large six-figure amounts or as little as $1,000.
- Progressive Slots: Have a jackpot that increases with each spin that doesn't trigger the top prize. Games like Mega Moolah, Wheel of Fortune and MegaBucks range into the millions of dollars.
- Android and iPhone devices.
Dragon Gaming
Dragon Gaming started in 2004 and provides slots in 25+ languages and 25+ currencies. Dragon Gaming is known for fun themes and excellent graphics. Rise of the Titans is a player favorite, while Basketball Legends, The Wicked Witches, and The Defenders are newer titles.
Best Online Slots Features
When playing 5-reel video slots, you'll encounter a lot of slots features. Here's a quick rundown of the most common slots features.
- Bonus Game: A special part of the game where you don't have to risk money in order to win money. Often with enhanced graphics and sounds.
- Scatter Symbols: The reel icons that often trigger bonus games and free spins. So-named because they can appear anywhere on the reel, it usually takes 3 or more scatter symbols to trigger a bonus.
- Free Spins: Often a part of a bonus game, these can be anywhere from 3 to 50 (or 100) free spins. If you can re-trigger free spins, it's called a respin.
- Multipliers: This multiplies the amount of the bonus you receive – often a part of a bonus game. Games with multipliers don't need jackpots as large.
- Wild Symbols: Reel icons that substitute for any other reel symbols, increasing the odds of a winning combination. Usually don't substitute for scatter symbols.
- Cascading Wilds: These symbols disappear from the screen when you're paid off, much like completed squares in Tetris.
- Sticky Wilds: These stick in place over multiple spins. Shifting wilds are sticky wilds that shift across the reels from spin to spin.
- Stacked Wilds: Over successive spins, stacked wilds stick in place and allow you to stack up a whole reel full of wild symbols.
- Expanding Wilds: Instead of stacking up and down, these expand across several reels.
- Gamble Feature: Essentially a double-or-nothing bet when you have bonus winnings.
Top 10 Payout Slots
ONLINE SLOT PROVIDER TOP FEATURE RTP % Ugga Bugga Playtech Wild Symbol 99.07% Mega Joker NetEnt Progressive Jackpot 99.00% Jackpot 6000 NetEnt 6000x Jackpot 98.86% Sweet Sixteen RTG Bonus Multipliers 98.10% Blood Suckers NetEnt Bonus Game 98.00% Quest to the West Betsoft Meter of the Heavens 97.53% Jack Hammer II NetEnt Free Spins 97.10% Sportsbook Empire RTG Wild Symbol 97.00% Avalon II Microgaming Rolling Reels 97.00% Bubble Bubble 2 RTG 3 Bonus Games 96.00% 
What Are The Best Online Slot Bonuses?
Luckily for slot players, casino sites favor them with the biggest bonuses in the market. Players therefore receive the best online slots bonuses when they make a first deposit. Even on reload bonuses, slot players receive the biggest offers.
Even better, casinos stipulate that slots clear the wagering requirement with a 100% the contribution rate. Here's a quick look at the best slots bonuses you'll find online.
Welcome Bonus
Most of the time, these are the biggest bonuses you'll find at an online slots casino. These match the amount of your initial deposit, though some gaming sites offer match bonuses on the first five to 10 deposits. The match percentage tends to be 100% or higher, often with rates as high as 200% or 300%.
Free Spin Bonus
Often, casino sites attach a free spin bonus to the traditional welcome bonus. At other times, these are stand-alone free spin offers or free bonus chips. Players find these less confusing, because you keep the cash from the bonus spins and don't worry as much about match rates.
Reload Bonus
Similar to the welcome bonus, this offer applies to continuing or loyal customers. While the match percentage usually isn't as high as a welcome bonus, it's often redeemable many times over – as much as five times per day in some casinos. This makes it potentially more lucrative.
Slot Of The Month Offers
Many slots casinos feature their newest slot games or most popular online slots with a "Slot of the Month" offer. This either provides double or triple the comp points from playing the slot or a certain number of free spins on the slots game.
Match Bonus
A catch-all term that might apply to welcome bonuses, reload bonuses or weekly bonuses. Essentially, it matches the size of the deposit you make. Remember that match bonuses have a wagering requirement or rollover before you can withdraw your winnings.
Mobile Slots Apps
The US online casinos that we recommend have seamless compatibility with mobile slots. In most cases, you won't need to download a mobile slots app. Instead, navigate to the site using your Android smartphone or tablet, iPhone, or iPad and click on the game icon. The slot game should open in your mobile device.
Basic Slots Strategy
It’s a bit silly to think about strategy and slot machines. After all, slot machines are as random as they come. While some slots might give you a bit of an edge if you’re making maximum bets, there’s no such thing as a hot slot machine. It simply doesn’t exist. That said, there are a few strategies you can use to help get the most out of your gameplay and extend your bankroll.
- Make sure you’re playing at a reputable online casino. You should look for casino sites that are legal, licensed and registered. Read third party reviews and get a sense of customer ratings. You can find all of the things to look out for on our review page.
- Use a budgeting strategy. Understand your gambling limits and play within them. Most reputable casinos will provide resources on everything from basic bankroll management to problem gambling supports that can help you stick to your budget.
- Play slots for free to get a feel for the games. This allows you learn about the pay-table and all the symbols, wilds and bonus rounds. It will also give you an opportunity to discover how often these pop up.
Picks by League
Today's Matchups
Betting Tools
Online Slots FAQ
Can you win money playing online slots?
Yes, but it's not a certain thing. Don't make online slots betting your profession. Online slots have a house edge, so you can expect to lose money over time.
Treat slots online as a form of entertainment and the house edge as the price of entertainment. Unlike most forms of entertainment, though, you get lucky and win sometimes.
What are the best online real money slots?
It depends on your preferences. Some players want to play progressive slots with huge jackpots, which give them a chance to win life-changing payouts. Others prefer fixed jackpot slots that give them a chance at more attainable or realistic payouts.
Still others love fun themes, 3D graphics, lots of cool bonus features or licensed games involving their favorite pop culture franchises. The great thing about slots is the sheer number of great games. Pick one and start playing real money slots today.
Is it safe to play free slots online?
Absolutely. You can play at a real money online slots casino without ever making a deposit or risking your hard-earned cash. When you click on a game icon, choose "Practice" as the play option. The graphics and game controls are the same, but you'll be playing free online slots instead.
Can I play online slots for real money from the USA?
Yes. US residents in all 50 states can play online slots for real money. Only 5 US states have licensed and regulated online casinos. The remaining states don't regulate slots casinos online, but they also don't prosecute residents who play online. Instead, slot players play at offshore online casinos.
The bulk of these sites are safe and trustworthy – most are licensed by foreign regulators – but Americans won't play with consumer protections. It's important you choose reputable slots casinos online, so read our casino reviews before playing slots online for real money.
What is the secret to winning the jackpot on slot machines?
There is no rock-solid secret to winning online slot jackpots. Slots are games of pure chance. The random number generator (RNG) produces thousands of results per second. When you click "Spin", the RNG gives you the latest result.
No one can predict the RNG's results; anyone who tells you otherwise is a scam artist. Enjoy playing slot machines, but have a bankroll and never depend on winning at the slots.
What is the best online slot machine?
That depends on your preferences. Many players like progressive slots the most, because they offer life-changing jackpots. Mega Moolah is the progressive slot with the biggest jackpots (on average), while RTP slots like Megasaur and Jackpot Cleopatra's Gold have the biggest prizes in the US market.
Some players prefer 3-reel classics, because they have smaller, more attainable prizes. Others prefer online slots with lots of features to keep things interesting. Even more prefer licensed slots, which have soundbites, music, and video clips from players' favorite pop culture franchises.
What are the safest online slots?
The safest online slots are those at the safest online casinos. Read casino reviews, which assure you'll deposit your hard-earned money into honest casinos with world-class encryption, fair games, and fast payouts.
