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Stand-alone and linked progressives
There are basically two types of progressive slots at land-based casinos across the US:
- Stand-alone progressives
- Linked progressives
Stand-alone progressives are single slot machines with a progressive jackpot.
A piece of every dollar put in the machine goes into a progressive jackpot that is contained on that machine. That means only money put in that specific machine goes into that jackpot and only someone playing on that machine can win that jackpot.
Linked progressives are different in that they have a jackpot linked from among multiple machines.
There are area linked progressives that feature multiple slot machines over a defined area feeding into the same single progressive jackpot. The area might include the same slots or group of slots in a single casino or group of casinos.
A piece of every dollar put into these slots goes into a single progressive jackpot that all these slots link to. That means only money put in these slots goes into that jackpot, and only someone playing one of these slots can win it.
Then, there are network-wide linked progressives that feature multiple slot machines over a wide network feeding into the same single progressive jackpot. Network-wide progressives offer the biggest progressive jackpots around.
Free Progressive Slot Games
The network will include the same slots or group of slots at a group of casinos in the same state, group of states or all across the country.
Once again, a piece of every dollar put into these slots goes into a single progressive jackpot. However, more slots over a wider network means more players, more dollars and bigger jackpots. Of course, the same basic jackpot principles apply, meaning only someone playing one of the slots in the network can win the jackpot.
Online stand alone and linked progressives
You'll also find the stand-alone and linked progressive jackpot slots at online casinos across the US.
Stand-alone online progressives are single online slot games with a progressive jackpot. As with land-based slots, only money that goes into the online slot goes toward the jackpot, and only someone playing that slot can win it.
Linked online progressives feature multiple slots at a single online casino or group of online casinos feeding into the same progressive jackpot. Where the law allows and interstate agreements are in place, these online casinos may even be in different states all feeding into the same progressive jackpot. Once again, the same basic jackpot principles apply.
Popular online progressive jackpot slots in the US
Here's a look at the five most popular online progressive jackpot slots and linked-progressive slot series in the country:
Divine Fortune
Divine Fortune is at more real money US casinos than any other progressive jackpot slot.
It's a three-row and five-reel Greek mythology-themed NetEnt-designed slot. Players can win the jackpot via the Jackpot Bonus Game, triggered when you land three or more bonus symbols. Fill the screen with bonus symbols in the Jackpot Bonus Game, and the progressive jackpot is yours.
Divine Fortune is known to have paid out some of the biggest jackpots in US online casino history. In fact, Divine Fortune has awarded more than $3 million in progressive jackpot wins in New Jersey casinos in 2020 alone.
That includes the following five $200,000-plus wins at NJ online casinos:
- $278,802.58 on March 15, 2020, at SugarHouse Online Casino.
- $271,476.08 on June 9, 2020, at Golden Nugget Online Casino.
- $268,223.23 on June 20, 2020, at Hard Rock Online Casino.
- $257,594.00 on Jan. 18, 2020, at Resorts Online Casino.
- $230,552.72 on March 31, 2020, at Hard Rock Online Casino.
The Divine Fortune progressive jackpot was worth over $250,000 on the Borgata/BetMGM/PartyCasino NJ online casino network in mid-2020. Plus, it was once again over $140,000 at Golden Nugget Online Casino and over $120,000 at SugarHouse Online Casino and Betfair Online Casino in New Jersey in mid-2020.
A 40-year-old Lititz, Pennsylvania, man also hit the Divine Fortune progressive jackpot at PlaySugarHouse.com in PA in March 2020, winning $278,430.23. That marked the thirteenth Divine Fortune jackpot at PlaySugarHouse.com in Pennsylvania since its launch in the summer of 2019.
The Divine Fortune progressive jackpot at the BetRivers network in PA was up close to $75,000 in mid-2020.
Mercy of the Gods
Mercy of the Gods is NetEnt's progressive jackpot slot follow-up to Divine Fortune and is available at a variety of online casinos across the US.
It's also a three-row and five-reel slot, but Mercy of the Gods features an ancient Egyptian theme.
The jackpot can be won in the Gift of Wealth Bonus Game, triggered when you land three golden heart bonus symbols. Fill the screen with golden heart bonus symbols in the bonus game, and the progressive jackpot is yours.
Players have hit three six-figure jackpots on Mercy of the Gods online in New Jersey:
- $293,839.47 on Feb. 27, 2020, at BetMGM Online Casino.
- $137,351.07 on June 16, 2020, at Borgata Online Casino.
- $131,285.60 on March 27, 2020, at Borgata Online Casino.
The Mercy of the Gods progressive jackpot was also over six figures on the Borgata/BetMGM/PartyCasino NJ online casino network in mid-2020. It was over $40,000 at Golden Nugget Online Casino.
The Mercy of the Gods progressive jackpot on the PlaySugarHouse/BetRivers network in PA was close to $45,000 in mid-2020.
Cleopatra mega jackpots
Cleopatra is an IGT-designed progressive jackpot slot featuring a familiar ancient Egyptian theme. It's a standard three-row and five-reel slot that is available at a host of online casinos across the US.
You can win the jackpot in the Cleopatra Bonus game, triggered when you land three or more sphinx symbols. The Cleopatra Bonus game includes 15 free spins to start. Land the five Cleopatra symbols during your spins, and the progressive jackpot is yours.
Cleopatra is responsible for awarding one of the largest progressive jackpot win at an online casino in the US. It was a $373,500 jackpot at BetMGM in New Jersey on Feb. 13, 2020.
The Big One
The Borgata/BetMGM/PartyCasino NJ online casino network runs a linked progressive jackpot on a series of nine WIN Studios slots. The casinos call it The Big One. The Big One progressive jackpot can climb to over $330,000.
The Big One linked slots include:
- MGM Grand Millions
- Loot'EnKhamun
- Biker Pigs
- Going Nuts
- Melon Madness
- Book of Myths
- Spin Bandit
- The Win Genie
- Luck o' the Jackpot
Chances at The Big One jackpot are awarded randomly on these slots. You are suddenly taken to a Big One jackpot screen where there's a list of five progressive jackpots and a color wheel.
You spin the wheel, and it changes colors until randomly stopping on one. Every color corresponds to one of the five jackpots.
888 Jackpots
888 Online Casino in NJ has a series of linked progressive jackpot slots with a progressive jackpot that can climb to more than $1 million. The exclusive-to-888 slots include:
- Aztec Realm
- Mermaid's Millions
- Oktoberfest Spins
- Rise of the Pharaohs
- Santa's Super Slot
- Saved by the Bells
The games award the jackpot randomly. No matching symbols are required. However, bet size matters, and different bet sizes win different size jackpots. That means the big progressive jackpot is only in play with max bets.
Return-to-player rates and progressive jackpot slots
Normally, you look at a slot's return-to-player rate to determine its volatility and playability. A slot's RTP is the percentage of cash it takes in that it will theoretically pay back to players. A slot with a 99% RTP will eventually pay out 99 cents of every dollar it takes in.
That doesn't necessarily mean you're going to get back $99 out of every $100 you put in the game. However, it does mean someone eventually will. It could be you or some other player who catches the slot at the right time. In other words, a slot's RTP is realized over the long haul, not session by session or spin by spin.
The slot's house edge is the other side of RTP. That means a slot with a 99% RTP has a 1% house edge. That is, the casino ultimately makes a profit of one cent from every dollar put in the game. The higher the RTP and lower the house edge, the less volatile and therefore more playable a slot is.
However, you can throw all that out the window when it comes to progressive jackpot slots.
For the most part, progressive jackpot slots have low RTPs because so much of the money that players put into the game is siphoned off for the progressive jackpot slot.
That means most progressive jackpot slots are considered highly volatile. However, they're still playable, because playing progressive jackpot slots is not about chasing more frequent, though smaller, payouts.
Instead, playing progressive jackpot slots is about taking your shot at the progressive jackpot. That means, when it comes to playing progressive jackpot slots, you can pretty much ignore the RTP and simply go for it.
Max bet is usually required to qualify for a jackpot
Slots are a game of luck, not skill. Therefore, there is no strategy players can employ to help them win a progressive jackpot. There are no guarantees you'll ever hit the progressive jackpot, no matter how much money you put into a slot.
The odds are stacked against you in a big way. In fact, you're going to need an astronomical amount of luck to win a progressive jackpot. That said, you also have to put yourself in position to get lucky. When it comes to progressive jackpot slots, that means making the maximum bet.
You should probably be betting the max on all online slots. This is particularly true when it comes to playing online slots with a progressive jackpot. The thing is, if you bet anything less than the maximum bet, you're likely not even eligible to win the progressive jackpot.
If your goal isn't to try to win the progressive jackpot, there are plenty of other slots more suitable for you. If you're playing a slot with a progressive jackpot, it just makes sense to try and go after it. You simply have to play the maximum credits allowed to get access to the most paylines, bonus games, and the progressive jackpot.
Progressive jackpot slot strategy
Let's face it, slots aren't exactly strategy games. Particularly when you're playing progressive jackpot slots, you're trying to get lucky, and there is no strategy on earth that can help you do that.
That said, you must put yourself in a position to get lucky or you never will.
With progressive jackpot slots, that usually means making the maximum bet on every spin. In fact, to be eligible to win the jackpot on most progressive jackpot slots you must bet the maximum.
Check with the rules of each game to make sure that's the case. If it is, and you understand playing progressive jackpot slots should be about taking your shot at the jackpot, anything else would be a waste of your time and money.
If you're trying to book small wins instead, you should play low-volatility slots with high RTPs.
The thing is, chasing sizable progressive jackpots with life-changing money isn't cheap. Maximum bets add up fast. Add in the fact there's no guarantee you'll ever win that jackpot, and you're going to need to be careful. That means following the principles of a responsible gambling strategy.
Responsible gambling involves setting limits and sticking to them. Only play with money you can afford to lose, and when that's gone, you have to quit. Show some discipline, don't chase losses and you'll survive to take a shot at that progressive jackpot again when you can play with another chunk of cash you can afford to lose. Halloween slot machine game.
Ultimately, this will help keep playing progressive jackpot slots a fun pursuit you do with disposable income. You'll limit your losses and be able to take another shot at that progressive jackpot some other day.
Know your limits, stay within it
The reality is you're more than likely going to rack up heavy losses chasing progressive jackpots online. That money in the jackpot has to come from somewhere. In fact, it's being funded with every losing spin you and others make.
Mindlessly spinning away making maximum bets on a progressive jackpot slot can prove costly over time. Since there's no guarantee you're ever going to win, following responsible gambling principles and some proper bankroll management strategies can prevent you from getting in over your head.
Online gamblers should always set a limit of how much they can afford to lose in a particular session and stick to it. The key is making it a number that won't have an effect on your life.
Applying this kind of common sense to managing your gambling bankroll can definitely help you limit your losses. Plus, that will make sure you can stay in the game long enough for you to get lucky.
If you lose the money you've limited yourself to, accept that today is not your day and simply walk away. Show some discipline. Do not chase your losses, and perhaps things will turn around when you return to play another day.
Free Online Slots – No Download Or Registration Required
Wheel Of Fortune
A staple of the Las Vegas Strip, now free to play online! In the Wheel of Fortune slot, you have 720 ways to win every spin. And two bonus games—the Mini Wheels and the Triple Extreme Spin—keep those multipliers rolling in. Try today!
Quick Hits Slot
Cleopatra mega jackpots
Cleopatra is an IGT-designed progressive jackpot slot featuring a familiar ancient Egyptian theme. It's a standard three-row and five-reel slot that is available at a host of online casinos across the US.
You can win the jackpot in the Cleopatra Bonus game, triggered when you land three or more sphinx symbols. The Cleopatra Bonus game includes 15 free spins to start. Land the five Cleopatra symbols during your spins, and the progressive jackpot is yours.
Cleopatra is responsible for awarding one of the largest progressive jackpot win at an online casino in the US. It was a $373,500 jackpot at BetMGM in New Jersey on Feb. 13, 2020.
The Big One
The Borgata/BetMGM/PartyCasino NJ online casino network runs a linked progressive jackpot on a series of nine WIN Studios slots. The casinos call it The Big One. The Big One progressive jackpot can climb to over $330,000.
The Big One linked slots include:
- MGM Grand Millions
- Loot'EnKhamun
- Biker Pigs
- Going Nuts
- Melon Madness
- Book of Myths
- Spin Bandit
- The Win Genie
- Luck o' the Jackpot
Chances at The Big One jackpot are awarded randomly on these slots. You are suddenly taken to a Big One jackpot screen where there's a list of five progressive jackpots and a color wheel.
You spin the wheel, and it changes colors until randomly stopping on one. Every color corresponds to one of the five jackpots.
888 Jackpots
888 Online Casino in NJ has a series of linked progressive jackpot slots with a progressive jackpot that can climb to more than $1 million. The exclusive-to-888 slots include:
- Aztec Realm
- Mermaid's Millions
- Oktoberfest Spins
- Rise of the Pharaohs
- Santa's Super Slot
- Saved by the Bells
The games award the jackpot randomly. No matching symbols are required. However, bet size matters, and different bet sizes win different size jackpots. That means the big progressive jackpot is only in play with max bets.
Return-to-player rates and progressive jackpot slots
Normally, you look at a slot's return-to-player rate to determine its volatility and playability. A slot's RTP is the percentage of cash it takes in that it will theoretically pay back to players. A slot with a 99% RTP will eventually pay out 99 cents of every dollar it takes in.
That doesn't necessarily mean you're going to get back $99 out of every $100 you put in the game. However, it does mean someone eventually will. It could be you or some other player who catches the slot at the right time. In other words, a slot's RTP is realized over the long haul, not session by session or spin by spin.
The slot's house edge is the other side of RTP. That means a slot with a 99% RTP has a 1% house edge. That is, the casino ultimately makes a profit of one cent from every dollar put in the game. The higher the RTP and lower the house edge, the less volatile and therefore more playable a slot is.
However, you can throw all that out the window when it comes to progressive jackpot slots.
For the most part, progressive jackpot slots have low RTPs because so much of the money that players put into the game is siphoned off for the progressive jackpot slot.
That means most progressive jackpot slots are considered highly volatile. However, they're still playable, because playing progressive jackpot slots is not about chasing more frequent, though smaller, payouts.
Instead, playing progressive jackpot slots is about taking your shot at the progressive jackpot. That means, when it comes to playing progressive jackpot slots, you can pretty much ignore the RTP and simply go for it.
Max bet is usually required to qualify for a jackpot
Slots are a game of luck, not skill. Therefore, there is no strategy players can employ to help them win a progressive jackpot. There are no guarantees you'll ever hit the progressive jackpot, no matter how much money you put into a slot.
The odds are stacked against you in a big way. In fact, you're going to need an astronomical amount of luck to win a progressive jackpot. That said, you also have to put yourself in position to get lucky. When it comes to progressive jackpot slots, that means making the maximum bet.
You should probably be betting the max on all online slots. This is particularly true when it comes to playing online slots with a progressive jackpot. The thing is, if you bet anything less than the maximum bet, you're likely not even eligible to win the progressive jackpot.
If your goal isn't to try to win the progressive jackpot, there are plenty of other slots more suitable for you. If you're playing a slot with a progressive jackpot, it just makes sense to try and go after it. You simply have to play the maximum credits allowed to get access to the most paylines, bonus games, and the progressive jackpot.
Progressive jackpot slot strategy
Let's face it, slots aren't exactly strategy games. Particularly when you're playing progressive jackpot slots, you're trying to get lucky, and there is no strategy on earth that can help you do that.
That said, you must put yourself in a position to get lucky or you never will.
With progressive jackpot slots, that usually means making the maximum bet on every spin. In fact, to be eligible to win the jackpot on most progressive jackpot slots you must bet the maximum.
Check with the rules of each game to make sure that's the case. If it is, and you understand playing progressive jackpot slots should be about taking your shot at the jackpot, anything else would be a waste of your time and money.
If you're trying to book small wins instead, you should play low-volatility slots with high RTPs.
The thing is, chasing sizable progressive jackpots with life-changing money isn't cheap. Maximum bets add up fast. Add in the fact there's no guarantee you'll ever win that jackpot, and you're going to need to be careful. That means following the principles of a responsible gambling strategy.
Responsible gambling involves setting limits and sticking to them. Only play with money you can afford to lose, and when that's gone, you have to quit. Show some discipline, don't chase losses and you'll survive to take a shot at that progressive jackpot again when you can play with another chunk of cash you can afford to lose. Halloween slot machine game.
Ultimately, this will help keep playing progressive jackpot slots a fun pursuit you do with disposable income. You'll limit your losses and be able to take another shot at that progressive jackpot some other day.
Know your limits, stay within it
The reality is you're more than likely going to rack up heavy losses chasing progressive jackpots online. That money in the jackpot has to come from somewhere. In fact, it's being funded with every losing spin you and others make.
Mindlessly spinning away making maximum bets on a progressive jackpot slot can prove costly over time. Since there's no guarantee you're ever going to win, following responsible gambling principles and some proper bankroll management strategies can prevent you from getting in over your head.
Online gamblers should always set a limit of how much they can afford to lose in a particular session and stick to it. The key is making it a number that won't have an effect on your life.
Applying this kind of common sense to managing your gambling bankroll can definitely help you limit your losses. Plus, that will make sure you can stay in the game long enough for you to get lucky.
If you lose the money you've limited yourself to, accept that today is not your day and simply walk away. Show some discipline. Do not chase your losses, and perhaps things will turn around when you return to play another day.
Free Online Slots – No Download Or Registration Required
Wheel Of Fortune
A staple of the Las Vegas Strip, now free to play online! In the Wheel of Fortune slot, you have 720 ways to win every spin. And two bonus games—the Mini Wheels and the Triple Extreme Spin—keep those multipliers rolling in. Try today!
Quick Hits Slot
The Quick Hits slot features FOUR bonus games for nonstop excitement. You might've seen this one at Bally's Las Vegas, where it's made instant millionaires. Now you can get in on all the action from the comfort of home. Get your quick fix of Quick Hits today!
Cleopatra
One of the most exciting rulers of Ancient Egypt is the inspiration behind one of the casino's most iconic games: the Cleopatra Slot. It's no coincidence that she's the most powerful symbol in the game, triggering the bonus feature that delivers tons of coins. Try for free today!
Golden Wolves
Michael Jackson
Monopoly Slot
Divine Fortune Slot
Triple Red Hot 777 Slot
Da Vinci Diamonds Slot
Lobstermania 2 Slot
The traps are set, now it's time to pull in those wins like you're Lucky Larry himself. This slot is like a staycation, with a beach setting and three jackpots, including the motherlode! Hit the ocean and start chasin' crustacean in Lobstermania 2 for free today.
Above, you'll find a selection of free slots that you'll likely recognize if you've ever been to the Las Vegas Strip.
These are the tried-and-true favorites. From Monopoly to Cleopatra, these are loved at both online and land-based casinos for their exciting gameplay, unique themes, and incredible winning potential.
Playing free slots online is one of the best ways to try out these popular titles and practice your strategy. Many players also enjoy free play to relax and experience casino fun risk-free.
Where To Play Online Slots?
Free Slot Machines
The fastest and easiest way to play online slots is to find free slot machines. Of course, this page features 10 of the best free online slot machines that you can enjoy right now.
But this isn't the only site that hosts free slot machines. Thousands of sites host a free version of some of the most popular titles in the world. In fact, if there's a slot you played at a casino that you'd like to revisit, a simple web search would likely pull up the free version.
You can play free slots via your desktop or mobile browser. These streaming versions of the game require nothing more than a click, and you can start playing. Another option is to play free slots apps, and many exist in both Apple's App Store and the Google Play store for Android.
The reason people play free slot machines is for a variety of reasons. The most common is simply for entertainment. Like some would play mobile games like Candy Crush or Words with Friends, fans of slot machines like to play the free versions every now and again.
Another good reason is to practice on the free version and take what you learn to the paid version. The goal is to get more wins or improve your Return to Player (RTP).
Legal Online Casinos
Legal online casinos with paid slots only exist in a few US states:
- Delaware
After recent changes in legislation, online casinos will soon launch in Michigan. If you're not physically located in one of those states, playing real-money online slots is technically breaking the law. At the very least, the online casino operators are violating the law by offering their games to people in the state.
However, the consistent introduction of online gambling legislation in states across the country means that list may grow beyond these five states in the future.
In states where online casinos are legal, you can deposit money, bet on the slots, and withdraw any winnings. Like the brick-and-mortar casinos, the most popular slots at the online casinos have progressive jackpots, which can grow to over a million dollars.
You can also play any of the slots at online casinos for free in 'demo mode,' where you're using practice credits instead of real money. You can often do this before you even create an account.
Sweepstakes Casinos – Slots For Cash Prizes
In all of the US except for the State of Washington, you can legally play at sweepstakes casinos, a category of social gaming that also includes online poker and sports picks. This is a great option in states like California, Florida, and Texas, where real money online casinos are prohibited.
The two main sweepstakes casinos are Chumba Casino and LuckyLand. Both offer a large selection of slots that you can play for two different types of currencies: Gold Coins or Sweeps Coins.
Gold Coins are used simply for fun and can't be redeemed for a cash prize or gift card. However, you can also play in Sweeps Coins. Any Sweeps Coins that you win can be redeemed for cash prizes or gift cards. You just need to have the minimum number of won Sweeps Coins before you can redeem.
To receive Gold Coins and Sweeps Coins, no purchase is required. Once you join, you're given both types of coins for free to play with. You can also purchase additional Gold Coins. Some Gold Coin packages of include Sweeps Coins.
Check this out to learn more about How To Play Sweepstakes Casinos.
How To Play Slots For Fun Online
Playing free online slots is the same as playing paid online slots, minus the need to deposit any money or even create an account. That's why playing slots for fun online is free in every US state, including the State of Washington.
You can play any type of slot for free. This includes classic three-reel slots as well as 3D five-reel slots with immersive bonus games and other special features.
The gameplay, including the odds of winning, is the exact same between the free slots and the paid slots. However, if the slot normally has a progressive jackpot, that will be absent from the free version.
Do you need to sign up or deposit to play free online slots?
No. And, in most cases, there's no way to create an account much less make a deposit.
However, some land-based casino websites, which do offer player accounts, have free online slots on their website. This came into even more prominence during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Can you win playing free online slots?
Yes. Just like in the paid version, you can win without limits on the free online slots. But what you win is additional freeplay credits, and refreshing the web browser will reset your bankroll.
How Do Slots Work?
Slots are by far the most popular casino game for a few key reasons:
- Huge winning potential
- The option to play for low or high stakes
- The gameplay is extremely simple
Once you know the basics of slots, you'll be able to play any type that you'll come across. While each title can seem wildly different, they all work in fundamentally the same way.
The object of a slot machine is for a winning combination of symbols to appear when the reels stop. This is true whether it's a three-reel or a five-reel slot.
Setting Paylines
A winning combination of symbols is based on paylines that run across the reels. A slot can have as few as five paylines or over a hundred.
Usually, the symbol combinations are left to right across the paylines, and each payline can win independently. That means the more paylines you play, the higher your chances of scoring a payout.
In slots, wins are multipliers, not set amounts. So if you're playing a slot with 25 paylines and your total wager is $5.00, each payline would have a value of $0.20. If one scored a 100x multiplier, you'd win $20.
To play all paylines for the highest possible value, you can select 'Max Bet.'
Should You Always Do Max Bet?
No. You should always play with however much you're able to lose.
However, playing max bet does two things: gives you the best chance of winning the highest possible prizes.
Further, you may need to play Max Bet to qualify for certain prizes, including the progressive jackpot. Check the rules of the specific slot to make sure.
Slot Payback (AKA Return to Player)
A slot's payback is how much a player can expect to keep of their bankroll based on the average net wins. This is also known as Return to Player (RTP). A high slot payback is 90% or higher, and a low slot payback is 70%.
No slot has an average lifetime payback that's equal to or greater than 100%. However, some players seek out the games with the highest RTP to ensure the highest chances of regular wins. Others prefer the longshot slots, which have the lowest RTP but normally the highest potential prizes.
Bonus Features
A slot's biggest selling point aside from the jackpot, RTP, and overall theme are the bonus features. These are usually triggered when three or more 'scatter' symbols appear on the reels. You then have the opportunity to win more money, either through free spins, a minigame, or selecting a hidden prize.
Wild Symbols
Free online pokie games. The Wild symbol usually best matches the theme of the game. For example, Cleopatra is the Wild symbol in the Cleopatra slot.
Progressive Jackpot Slots
Wild symbols can take the place of any other symbol aside from the scatter (and possibly other specialty symbols) to create winning combinations. Five wild symbols will often trigger the top prize fixed jackpot.
Progressive Jackpot Slots
When a slot has a progressive jackpot, it means a portion of every bet placed by everyone playing the slot contributes to a running total. The total progressive jackpot continues to increase as people play until it's won by a lucky player, then it's reset and starts again.
How to win a progressive jackpot depends on the slot. In some cases, it's simply randomly awarded at the end of a spin, and you may need to 'Bet Max' to qualify. Others will involve a bonus game.
Different Types Of Slot Machines
Because slots are always innovating, it's difficult to create a list of the different types. Instead, let's look at the key factors that separate one slot from another.
Number Of Reels
Three-reel slots are usually the simplest, where one payline runs across a maximum of three symbols.
Five-reel slots are the most common and can range from a handful of paylines to 743 All-Ways-Pays slots, which covers every possible combination of symbols going up and down and left to right across the reels.
Four-reel, six-reel, seven-reel, and other slots are pretty much nonexistent in physical casinos but you can find some online relatively easily.
Video Vs. 3D Slots
How To Play Progressive Slots
Video slots are the most common form of five-reel slots and often feature bonus and free spin features. 3D slots are the same, except they use 3D animation and graphics whereas video slots use 2D.
Denominations
Penny slots earned their name by allowing players to bet with just $0.01. But some slots can cost a minimum of $1.00 per spin, and betting the max can make your overall wager climb to as high as $125 or more.
Volatility
When a slot is labeled low volatility, it means it pays out low wins regularly. When it's labeled high volatility, it means you'll often go for several spins without winning, but the winning streaks are often larger when they do come.
Coin Play Vs. Paylines
Coin play means you're simply setting the coin value that applies to the multiplier wins. Some variations, called Buy-Your-Pay Slots, won't allow you to win certain amounts or activate certain features unless you increase your coin value.
Paylines are either fixed or variable. For both, you set the value of each individual payline, and multiplier wins apply to that payline. But with variable paylines, you can set the number of lines you want to play as well as their value. With fixed paylines, you automatically play all of them.
How To Play Slot Machines
Brick-And-Mortar Casinos
The most common place to play slots is at a land-based casino. In most states, casinos are either commercially operated or tribal-owned and located on Native American lands.
The ten states that do not have any land-based casinos are:
- Alaska
- Hawaii
- Georgia
- Utah
- Nebraska
- Kentucky
- South Carolina
- Virginia
- Vermont
The highest concentration of casinos and slot machines in the United States can be found in Las Vegas, Nevada. And not only that, it's also where you can find the largest jackpots of all time. In fact, the top six biggest casino wins ever were all on Vegas slots.
Another major hotspot is Atlantic City, New Jersey, where several casinos operate in close proximity. But if you live in the continental United States, there's a good chance that there's a casino with over a hundred slot machines within driving distance.
Why are slots the most popular game at the casino?
Slots can make up 75% or more of a casino's total gambling revenue. That means the rest comes from all table games and poker tables combined. Why? Because slots are fun, attractive, and can turn relatively low wagers into multi-million-dollar payouts.
The Most Popular Slots Offer The Highest Payouts
It should come as no surprise that the easiest way to get people to play a slot is by offering an enormous potential jackpot.
Roulette game for free. Enter the slots area of a Las Vegas casino, and you'll find dozens of options with a top prize that can be well into the millions. All it takes is one single spin to win it all. That's hard to resist.
So it's no wonder that the progressive jackpots are the most popular. The most talked-about usually is.
Free Online Slots FAQ
Yes. No matter where you're located in the US, it is completely legal to play free slots online.
Because you're playing with demo credits rather than real money, it's not considered gambling. And if you download a free slots mobile app, you don't even need an internet connection to play.
Yes, you can win real money playing slots online. However, you'll need to be in one of the three states (DE, NJ, and PA) where it's legal to win money legally. Michigan and West Virginia will soon offer legal online gambling as well.
To win cash prizes, anyone located in the US (except for the State of Washington) can legally play at sweepstakes casinos, which have a wide range of online slot machines.
You can also play free slots using demo credits that cannot be redeemed for prizes right here at bonus.com and elsewhere.
No. You do not need to create an account to play free slot games online. Even if you're playing in demo mode at an online casino, you can often simply go to the site and select 'play for fun.' Only online casinos and sweepstakes casinos require signup to play.
No. You do not need to download anything to play free online slots. The titles are instantly available directly through your web browser. However, there are a number of free slots on your phone whether on your Android or iOS device.
Yes. Most of the popular Las Vegas slots are available to play for free online. That's because a lot of the gaming software developers provide their titles to both brick-and-mortar casinos as well as online casinos. Plus, the demand for the most popular options make them particularly readily available.
Yes. Because you do not have to create an account, you're not providing any of your personal information. Unsafe slots are those run by illegal online casinos that take your payment information. Free slots are always completely safe simply because they don't accept real money.
The benefits of playing free slots include:
- The ability to play simply for the fun of it.
- Testing a game to see if you like it.
- Practicing strategy before risking real money.
- Placing huge bets that you otherwise wouldn't want to do.
