Online slot games remain a driving force in the fast-growing online gaming industry. Most of its popularity comes from its variety. By that, we mean the classic 3-reel slot, megaways, jackpots, and, most importantly, the variety of features, from the bonuses to the winning mechanics.
The slot features define most of the gaming and winning experience. For example, a slot with a tumble feature and high volatility behaves differently from a slot with a simple payline mechanic with low volatility. Their winning frequencies and the worth of wins to expect differ primarily because of these features.
Some games implement these features uniquely, such as those with unlimited free spin retriggers, while others limit the number of free spins. For that reason, you must consider the features and their implementations to get the best out of them. We’ll go through the most notable ones and show you what to look out for.
Understanding RTP (Return to Player) and Volatility
RTPs come as percentages, and all slot games have them. Some slots, like Book of Shadows from Nolimit City, have variable RTP depending on which bonus features you buy when playing the game.
Whether it is fixed or variable, what you should focus on is how high the value is. The general rule of thumb is; the higher the RTP is, the more likely you are to win over time. If the RTP is low, you are more likely to lose. That is because a low RTP means a high house edge.
You will find the RTP of any slot in its information section when you load it. Be sure to check it before you make your first bet in the game.
Another important feature that determines how players win over time is volatility. Most slots, like those in Bookofslots.com, have fixed volatilities. But, like the RTP, some slots have variable volatilities depending on which bonus features you buy.
For the most part, volatility can be low, medium, or high. Some slots stay in between these fixed points. An example is Big Bass Bonanza, which has medium-to-high volatility.
Slots with high volatility have low win frequencies. However, you are most likely to hit high-paying wins when matching combinations hit.
If you opt for low volatility, then expect more frequent wins. But the wins will be more low-paying when winning combinations land.
A more balanced play with average win frequencies and average paying wins comes from slots with medium volatility.
The Importance of Bonus Features in Slot Games
When it comes to maximizing wins during slot gaming, the best chance you have typically comes from the bonus features. These features also increase engagement by making the games even more unpredictable and fun.
The most common bonus feature is the free spin round. For most slots, you’ll have to land their scatter symbols to trigger it. Whichever way it comes, one thing remains: You will spin the reels for free while retaining any wins that come during the round.
Free spins help you save your bankroll while still offering winning opportunities. In most slots, the free spin round also carries the bulk of the bonus features in the game. That could be expanding wild symbols that increase your chances of landing paying winning combinations.
It could also be multipliers that have even more value during the free spin round, like what Fruit Party 2 offers. These multiply your final win for a much higher payout.
Another feature that improves your win potential is the expanding reels. This feature typically comes during free spins. The game will pick one symbol randomly and use it for the expanding reels during the free spin round.
The progressive jackpot is another prominent bonus feature that increases your payout beyond what the regular base game offers. This feature often pops up randomly, but when it does, you will have the chance to win a minor, mini, major, or grand jackpot prize.
We’d recommend you pick slots with more bonus features, as they’ll have more engaging winning ways. But, while at that, go for slots where the bonus features increase the payout and the winning potential significantly.
Mobile Compatibility and User Interface
Recent data shows that mobile users in most countries account for 80% of all users in online gaming. Even so, the number is projected to increase in the coming years.
Most game providers have adopted a mobile-first approach in their development to keep up with the growing mobile users. In other words, they focus first on getting their games right on mobile before optimizing them for the desktop and laptops. This approach is good, but you’ll have to test the games yourself on your mobile.
Mobile compatibility is not just about the game or casino having a mobile app. It also covers games that play over the web. The gameplay in both cases should be smooth from start to finish.
Our recommended approach is to play the games in demo mode first to see how responsive they are on mobile. Then, you can switch to real-money gaming.
Another area to consider for mobile gaming is the user interface. Remember, mobile phones have smaller screens than laptops or desktops. As such, games typically take a more slender (portrait) layout to fit the smaller screens.
Now, the interface should be such that you can see the reels clearly and identify all the controls effortlessly. The spin button should be large and conspicuous. So also should the rest of the controls be.
Mobile-friendly slots are ideal for on-the-go gaming. Even better is when they have prominent bodies like the UK Gambling Commission as their regulators.
Conclusion
One notable thing about online slots is that you can get all the details we’ve mentioned here in the demo game. Most of them, like the bonuses, paytable, volatility, and RTP, are available in the information section. As for the mobile compatibility and user interface, you’ll have to test that for yourself.
For more frequent wins, low-volatility slots with high RTPs should be your go-to options. You can trim down your options even further by examining their bonus feature implementations. The more wins you can get out of the bonus features, the better.
