How Do Online Slots Work?

Slot machines have been around for over 100 years, which is a fact that may surprise many slots newbies. Their newer, younger and somewhat more hip versions, online slot machines, have only been around since the mid-nineties, yet have become a global phenomenon in just a little over two decades. In fact, more people in the UK have had a go on a virtual slot machine or two, than any other type of online casino game, which should tell you something about how fun slots are to play. Slots come in all sorts of styles and levels to suit just about any budget, from high roller slots that have the potential to make you an overnight millionaire, to highly affordable penny slots that you can play to your heart’s content and still have a decent amount of cash left over to explore more expensive games later.

If you’re just starting out on your exciting slot journey, then welcome to PlayUK, the UK’s premier slots hub! From the classic 3 reel slots that defined Las Vegas, to the hottest 3D video slot titles and progressive slots, PlayUK has it all, sourced from the industry’s biggest award winning software brands including NetEnt, Microgaming, Quickspin, NextGen and many others. If you’re wondering and how to play mobile slots, our guide is designed to give you all the information you will ever need to ensure that you have consistent, positive experiences playing slots at our casino.

Most players are already familiar with slot machines, either having seen them in a movie, at a pub or betting shop, a brick and mortar casino, or while browsing online. The basic design of the slot hasn’t changed all that much in the last 100 years of its existence. The first real slot machines were invented in the late 1800s by a man named Charles Fey and consisted of three reels with picture cards and other symbols including horse shoes and bells. The idea was to get three matching symbols along a line drawn across the glass screen, known as the “payline” in order to win a prize.

Let's fast forward to the birth of the internet and the online casino industry. We saw one of the very first casino games adapted for this incredible new invention known as the “one armed bandit” as they are sometimes referred to as. Virtual slots follow the same basic principles, but also expand on the basic slot concept to make them even more exciting, rewarding and entertaining. You still get the original 3 reel slots, just a virtual version complete with playing card symbols, bells, horse shoes, cherries and many other fun and exciting symbols. However, 5 reel slots have become the most popular version thanks to a wide range of features including Wilds, scatters, expanding Wilds, multipliers and more. Modern slots have also been revolutionalised based on how you win, adding far more paylines, as well as the ability to create huge wins in multiple directions.

Will ‘Betting Max’ Increase Your Chances of Winning?

Any slot game is a game of chance and the built in random number generator (or RNG for short), makes sure that this is always the case. In other words, there is no yes or no answer here. It really all depends on where the reels stop spinning. Some players believe in always playing with all paylines active and with the highest coin value possible. This is known as ‘Max Bet’ or ‘betting on max’, and the feel that this is the best way to increase big winning odds.

While hitting the Max Bet button may increase your chances of landing a big paying combo, you should also keep in mind that you are betting more of your bankroll on every round. If your bankroll can sustain it then it can be the best way to go. However, if you are a more conservative player, or are playing on a tighter budget, being more selective with your paylines is usually the smart move, at least until you’ve built up a strong and healthy bankroll.

Ultimately, it really is up to you and your actual slot goals. If you are merely playing for entertainment purposes, mixing it up can be quite interesting and exciting. If you are looking to hit it big, nothing quite beats putting it all on the line every time and hitting the Max Bet button.

Experimenting with Free Games

At PlayUK, we have hundreds of slots for you to choose from, giving you a diverse slots palette to draw from. Did you know that you can play the majority of our slots (with the exception of our progressives) for free? By simply clicking on the ‘demo’ option, you can launch virtually any slot game that takes your fancy and see exactly how it works.

This is a great way to experiment with different features such as Wilds, scatters, multipliers, bonus rounds and other gameplay elements. You can see for yourself exactly how paylines work in different titles, how wins are constructed, and how bonus rounds are triggered.

Once you have it all figured out, switching over to a real money version is just a click away. At PlayUK we offer all sorts of great bonus packages if you choose to deposit some cash to play our games for real cash. You can also enjoy tons of value-added freebies and promotions, including free spins on selected titles and much more.

Wild Symbols

Wild symbols are really great because they allow you to do something quite extraordinary. If you happen to get only two matching symbols along a given payline you can still score a win, if you also happen to have a Wild symbol sitting on that same payline. So, if you see two cherries, or melons, or whatever cool symbols happens to be part of that particular slots theme, as well as a Wild symbol – you win! In fact, if you only happen to have landed one symbol, but then got two Wild symbols on that payline, you still win!

The really cool thing with Wild symbols is that they can come in any form, shape or size, all depending on how the game is designed. In addition to being custom made to suit each title, Wild symbols can also take on other interesting characteristics. For example, a Sticky Wild will stick to the reel that it appears on, staying position while other wheels spin, creating more winning combinations in a row. Some Wilds come as Stacked Wilds, which means they can fill an entire reel with Wilds and help you to stack up wins in that way. Walking Wilds are really crazy, and are designed to ‘walk’ across the screen, creating wins as they go.

Scatter Symbols

Scatter symbols are extremely important symbols and serve a variety of purposes during base gameplay. Depending on how the slot is designed, Scatters can be programmed to award special prizes like free coins or bonus games, and can also trigger special bonus rounds. However, unlike Wilds, Scatters require a minimum of three before they do anything of value. What’s more, in most slot titles the Wild symbol cannot be used to substitute a Scatter symbol. However this slight hindrance is balanced out by the fact that Scatters do not need to land on an active payline in order to trigger free games, bonus rounds or dish out small prizes, they only need to be visible on the game screen.

Multipliers

A Multiplier is designed to multiply your winnings by a certain amount. This gives you an instant boost to your winnings which can be quite significant depending on the strength of the multiplier. Quite often, Multipliers are actually Scatters, or Scatters that also have the added function of multiplying your wins during a bonus round for example. When a Scatter symbol transforms into a Multiplier, it can multiply your winning total by anything from x2 to x10 or more. Another added benefit of the Multiplier is that it will multiply your total for the round and not just your win for a payline.

Return to Player

Understanding the Return to Player or RTP along with the hit frequency of a slot is a great way to determine whether that machine will yield a good set of wins for you. The RTP is always expressed as a percentage and the higher the percentage, the better. The RTP is calculated as a whole and is not based on individual players or how often the machine is played on. So, if a slot had an RTP rating of 95%, it would mean that the machine returns 95% to players in winnings. The easiest way to find out what the RTP rating is of the game that you want to play, simply click on the information icon. You will then be able to learn all sorts of interesting things about that machine, including its RTP percentage, which symbols are Wilds, Scatters and Multipliers, which direction wins are rewarded in, and much more.

Hit Frequency

Hit frequency refers to how often a slot will finish a spin on a win. So, if a slot is rated at a hit frequency of 25%, it basically means that you should expect a hit every four spins. Most online slot games feature a hit rate of between 10% and 30% although knowing this is not enough to determine whether a machine is worth playing or not. The best way to go about this is to combine the RTP percentage with the hit frequency and average payout size. This combination is probably the best technique that you could use to determine which machine you should be playing.

How RNG’s Keep Slots Honest

One of the biggest concerns that UK players have, especially if they are still new to online slots, is how to be sure that the slot that they are playing is truly fair and honest. Well, the key feature to ensuring that an online slot produces truly random (and fair) result is through the built in RNG software that ensures that every result is truly random and not controlled by any third party.

RNG’s are based on a complex mathematical algorithm to ensure that every single spin is completely random. Since PlayUK only source slots from reputable software brands like NetEnt, Microgaming, IGT and others, you can be absolutely certain that all of the exciting slot titles that you can play at PlayUK contain a unique RNG platform to ensure absolute fairness every second that you play them. All RNG’s are also independently audited and tested by the world’s best testing firms at random intervals, making sure that the integrity and efficacy of every RNG is 100% at all times.

3 Reel Slots

3 reel slots are often referred to as classic slots as they are based on the original slots invented by Charles Fey. Typically, 3 reel slots feature a single payline over and are ideal for beginners and casual players. Incidentally the much-loved ‘pub fruity’ is usually a 3 reel machine.

Video Slots

Video slot machines are the modern evolution of the original games and are the preferred game of more serious or experienced slot players. Video slots are also often referred to as multiple reel slots and contain a variety of special features, including Wilds, Scatters, bonus rounds, animated sequences, interesting and colourful themes and more.