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How to play slots at an online casino: a beginner’s guide

Learn to play slots at Royal Panda

Not sure where to start with online slots? Then look no further. Find out all you need to know with our extensive and easy to understand beginner’s guide. We’ll break down the jargon for you and send you on your way ready to spin.

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What online games can I choose from?

When it comes to online betting it can be a bit of a minefield if you’re unfamiliar with how to play slots and getting started can seem quite daunting. Firstly, there are many different forms of online gambling including table games and live casino to name a few, but the most played is online slots. There are hundreds of slots to choose from and they come in many different forms such as jackpot slots, video slots, classic slots, and many more.

Want to try your luck at winning a fantastic jackpot? Play Mega Moolah progressive jackpot slot and you could be the next winner of a life-changing reward!

First, let’s go through some common jargon so you can get to grips with all the basics and start your slot adventure today.

What is a pay table?

Understanding what everything means is a great place to start when thinking of trying out anything for the first time, and slot games are no different. Let’s begin with what a pay table is as this shows you exactly how much each winning spin could be worth. Usually found in the corner of a game screen - or behind a question mark - the pay table may seem confusing at first, but it contains some important information. You will be shown how many win lines there are in play at any time and what constitutes a winning combination, as well as what each symbol is worth. You may also be shown the minimum bet required to hit those. You can use the knowledge to help you with bonus features, such as knowing which symbols pay out more than others.

How to pick a bet level?

Before you start spinning, you should also set your bet level. This simply means you should pick how much you would like to bet for your upcoming spin. Usually there is a decent range to choose from with spins starting as low as around €0.02 going up into the hundreds, so there is bound to be a level you feel comfortable with. You can alter your bet amount after every spin, or you can set your bet amount for a set number of automated spins if you want to sit back and watch the action unfold.

TIP: Remember that some symbols, win lines, or even jackpots will not be available unless you bet above a certain amount, so if you’re looking to hit a massive win – check with the pay table first.

What does RTP% stand for?

RTP stands for return to player percentage. This is a theoretical amount that is won back by players.

The RTP can vary from one online casino game to another, so check it out before you start your gameplay. Some popular slots with favorable RTP are Starburst__from NetEnt, Money Train 2 from Relax Gaming, and the classic Sweet Bonanza™ from Pragmatic Play.

What is a wild symbol?

This is where slots can get very interesting! Wild symbols are base game symbols that can substitute for regular symbols, allowing you to make a winning combination where otherwise you wouldn’t have. Let’s say you have a pay line of four identical symbols and a wild symbol, the wild symbol will automatically stand in for the missing regular symbol, giving you a pay line of five identical symbols and therefore a win! Wilds will often not be able to replace scatters (which we’ll get to!) and occasionally high paying symbols – we recommend you check this out in the pay table before spinning.

Wild symbols may also take different forms:

  • Expanding Wilds: This type of wild can grow to cover the entire reels. This can help you create multiple winning combinations and possibly generate some absolutely massive wins!
  • Sticky Wilds: As the name suggests, these wilds can hold in place for a number of spins, giving you more chances to hit wins.
  • Stacked Wilds: Stacked wilds are similar to expanding wilds, but they come stacked on top of each other, sometimes expanding to fill the entire reel.

What are Bonus Rounds?

These can be very entertaining and provide you with chances to bag some extra cash with a fun side game. Bonus rounds vary from slot to slot and can be triggered in a variety of ways from being completely random to having to land ‘scatter’ symbols. Scatter is the name given to special symbols that can unlock special features. They are usually easy to identify, but once again, you can always check with the in-game pay table for details.

What in-game features should I look out for?

With so much competition in slots now, new and existing in-game features are always popping up, but some are classics. Let’s go through some of the big ones you will likely encounter:

  • Free spins: Of course! Free spins give you the chance to spin a certain number of times without staking your own cash. Quite often, free spins can be re-triggered while in-play, meaning you could have loads of chances to win! At the end of the free spins round, all the winnings (if any) will be transferred to your real cash balance.
  • Pick bonus: Again, this can come in many forms and will usually require you to pick a mystery reward or a prize.
  • Random bonus: Depending on what type of slot you are playing, you could trigger a random bonus, which could come in the form of a multiplier or an instant reward.

Bonus rounds are displayed and played out in a variety of ways. Our advice would be to try out different slots to find out what bonus rounds are available and exactly how they work.

Where can I start playing online slots?

Online casino slots offer an exciting and entertaining form of gambling, especially when you understand how they work. Once you get spinning, you’ll realize that the jargon applies to all slots and it is mostly just common sense. Why not check out our video slots and classic slots collections to kick off the fun. If you don’t already have an account with us, join now for free and check out all the other fantastic games on offer.

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