Top Slots Casino Picks and Best Online Franchises

Slot games have been popular for over a century now, becoming perhaps the most iconic of all casino games. From good old one-armed bandits to current high-tech creations, reels have undergone drastic development and evolution, leading up to today’s boom of online slots in all shapes, forms and sizes. And unlike old-school button and lever machines, online reels give you a host of benefits – which is why thousands of people flock to these games at many online slots casinos daily.

The aim of this page is to give you the lowdown on all the top slots and game trends and show you my carefully picked slots casinos recommendations. There’s a little preview of what’s to come in the demo player above, where you can spin some of the industry favourites for free. Still, wondering whether online slot games are the right choice for you? Then read on for an exhaustive summary of the benefits of spinning virtual reels over land-based ones.

How to Spot the Best Casino for Slots

There’s a lot that goes into finding your ideal place to enjoy spinning the reels online. Out of hundreds of online operators, there’s only a handful I would consider for my best casino for slots list. That’s because, somewhat often, the quality of casino’s slot library is eclipsed by factors not related to this game category. This can be anything from inadequate bonuses, a messy interface or monotonous reel themes. Other times, casinos simply don’t target slots players as much as card and table game aficionados, providing frequent additions and upgrades there but tending to its slots selection only sporadically.

So, when browsing the vast sea of gambling sites on the UK market, you want to look for online slots casinos with not only a big roster of reels, but also variety within the category itself. After all, who doesn’t like having the choice of movie-based games next to music-inspired ones next to creative and kooky reels that stir up your imagination? Variety is the spice of life, and this is definitely a huge plus when trying to pin down the best casino for slots games. That being said, it’s also a good idea to scan the site for your favourite themes or even games. It’d be a shame to join a casino just to find out that the one game you were looking for isn’t available. Luckily, most domains let you see the full list of games they offer, with some even allowing non-registered members to spin a few practice rounds.

Another factor to look out for are RTPs. These percentage numbers (short for ‘return to player) tell you roughly how much of your wagered money you’ll get back out in the form of wins over an extended period of time. Unless you’re mega lucky, your wins will come along with some losses, so you should play at a casino with high RTP averages for slots. On the other hand, you might of course be so lucky as to land a jealousy-inducing progressive jackpot win – and that’s why you should scope out the availability of these millionaire-makers ahead of time. That’s the only way to get a shot making it onto the historic wins list.

Jackpot Slots Casino Tips

So what are these jackpot slots, you ask? Well, if one-armed bandits were a rock band, jackpot slots would be the hot-tempered yet charismatic frontman driving the audiences wild with all the big hits. Progressive reels are indeed a thing to keep a keen eye on. We call them progressive because the jackpot pool isn’t static. Instead, it grows with each wager placed by many players at a time – sometimes even with several games being connected to one pool. You can often observe the potential win billowing up from within the game as you play. The lucky player who busts the jackpot can take home the full prize – and that’s also when the pool size shrinks up to zero and starts building up anew. How you enter the big bucks round depends on the game. Some slots trigger the jackpot game at random, others might require you to collect a certain number of bonus symbols or complete some other minor qualifying task.

This is just a humble example of reels and jackpot slots casinos you can find – in fact, most casinos worth their salt offer a variety of these reels with big potential. We should also mention that, in contrast to progressively-growing prizes, there are also games with fixed-sum jackpots that are nothing short of extraordinary as well. Speaking of extraordinary, the wins from these and other slots have been truly impressive, Take, for example the record-busting £13.2 million jackpot win that turned one lucky British soldier’s life around in 2015!

Play on the Go with Online Mobile Slots

Mobile gaming has been on the rise for as long as handheld device development has been pushing these products further – and there are no signs of stopping this trend in the foreseeable future, either. Different online casino app types enable users to find and enjoy their favourite reels no matter the location – though one could also say this growing trend is a sign of moving away from desktop and laptop use for free-time internet browsing, with tablets and iPads being a lot more nifty and convenient (looking at you, couch potatoes with an advanced lounging technique). Luckily, there are hundreds of online mobile slots to choose from. Not only that, actually – software providers churn out new slots regularly and with mobile format in mind, meaning that the level of sophistication in optimising these games only improves. So gone are the days of suboptimal screen use and dodgy graphics!

Major Slot Categories

Whether you’re a fan of mobile gaming or not, you’ve already likely experienced the diversity of the slot genre, either through advertising or by playing a bit here and there. So you won’t be amiss in observing that this game category has contained layers upon layers of ideas, themes and game types, which also lets you see the development of slot gaming over the years. Just because amazingly-rendered slots exist, it doesn’t mean they’re everyone’s cup of tea. And luckily there’s more than enough to dig into from every part of the online slots games spectrum. The industry has kept alive its ties to the original no-frills slots and old-school fruit machine look-alikes, and, of course, market-leading software developers constantly come up with new ways to bring the reel thrill to your screens with innovative adaptations. And the growth doesn’t stop there: many slots have spawned successful spin-off games such as scratch cards or table game variants. This proves that, with a successful game formula, crossing boundaries is a piece of cake.

Classic Slots

Classic slots, as the name suggests, are a real treat for fans of old-school optics and uncluttered interfaces. Variety is the spice of life, as they say, so it’s a good call to keep not only the new and most innovative reels but hold on to retro layouts and game rules as well. And it’s not just lip service – this category of games enjoys a steady following among die-hard fans and those who look for a more stripped-down set of features.

With mostly single-digit paylines, these retro reels are a true throwback to the days of yore when slot machines consisted of the traditional bar, bell and fruit symbols and simple jingles. the ony thing missing here is the mechanical lever or electronic spin buttons that you’d find on earlier models! Though you shouldn’t mistake the simple façade for stingy payouts. Quite the contrary, actually! In some of these reels, you can land x6,000 your stake, not to mention titles like LotsALoot from Microgaming offering progressive jackpots.

Video Slots

A step forward from the classic look are video slots, which have brought an expanded array of visuals, functions, and payline possibilities to the scene. Nowadays, the majority of available reels belong to this category, with many notable top slots such as Starburst, Cleopatra or Game of Thrones. You can look forward to thrilling visuals, crisp audio, and many neat features.

In somewhat stark contrast to classic slots, you’ll find paylines between 20 and 50 with these modern creations. Some games even avoid traditional lines and set up flexible winning combinations which don’t necessarily bind you to the typical payout principles: these include three-digit ways to win by simply having matching symbols on adjacent reels, or payouts going in both directions – left to right and vice versa. Additional features like bonus rounds, side games and gamble features let you make the most of your spins.

3D Slots

There’s been a recent boom of this category in pretty much every major slot casino in recent years, and you don’t need to wonder why. Gaming software providers race each other when it comes to showcasing their game design chops. There are moving elements – either in the foreground or on the reels, and many 3D reels include introductory mini-movies or interludes that truly put the design effort on a pedestal.

3D reels are a true feast for the eyes. There’s life-like animation and smooth movement on the reels which is as yet unmatched, and many of these games utilise special 3D effects to usher extras like bonus features, side games for prizes or short intro movies going along with the theme. These games are a perfect pick for players who enjoy high-level visuals and intricate storylines. Games like Microgaming’s Dragon’s Myth or Jack and the Beanstalk from NetEnt come to mind as fantastic examples of this category.

Unconventional Slots

Lastly, there’s online slots which prefer to march to the beat of their own drum, so to speak. The makers of these games decided to go ahead and toss the traditional grid layout straight out the window in order to create a new experience, often with improved win potential. Boundaries are fluid these days, and games with an unconventional layout prove that that’s not a bad thing.

Within this somewhat niche category, you’ve got games with rows that increase and then decrease again in number, with the middle reels being the fullest. Other creations may even have moving reels, with blocks being added or taken out after each spin. Games with two conjoined grids, one above the other, are another style sometimes utilised to pep things up a bit The sky’s the limit here, so why not enjoy a creative approach to a classic game? Try Reel Rush, Dazzle Me or Siberian Storm MegaJackpots for a unique gaming experience outside the conventional setup.

Why Are Online One-Armed Bandits So Attractive?

Punters sat in front of colourful flashing machines is surely an image you’ve seen before, whether in film or in real life. But trust me in knowing that this is just the tip of the iceberg in the slots industry, with hundreds of titles finding their homes at the websites of slot casino sites. This is one of several reasons why so many people flock to online slots – the selection is massive, and there’s something for every preference, both visually and technically. It’d be silly to claim that the atmosphere is the same, but I’d say the benefits of playing slots online strongly outweighs the drawbacks.

Unlike land-based gambling spots, online casinos face only a few of the constraints of their older siblings. For one, there are much lower property costs, whether rent, taxes or utilities, not to mention the maintenance of the space and staffing. That’s why online slots can offer you much higher RTPs – with the majority moving around the mid-to-high 90s mark. There’s more on this topic in our upcoming guide to what’s what in return to player rates.

On top of that, the aforementioned variety is something you’ll hardly experience at a brick-and-mortar site. Even with multiple game machines, you’re still better off spinning away online, if we’re going by numbers, in addition to having a totally elevated experience when it comes to being immersed in the game’s graphics. What’s more, browsing between games is much, much easier online, where you can swap spots with ease or play multiple reels at ones. and when it comes to bonuses, it’s absolutely no secret that ‘real’ casinos give you zilch as a welcome offering. At the same time, iGaming sites race each other to offer, best casino bonuses UK in order to pick up customers.

How to Spin to Win

Though you might, every so often, find online sources citing insider info on how to trick the system, let’s face it fair and square: there’s no strategy or way to secure a win at online slots. Purely a game of chance, the makers of the first slots aimed for accidental wins stemming from unpredictable outcomes, and that’s not different nowadays. Behind every game there’s an RNG (random number generator) software, ensuring that the way each spin lands is not rigged in any party’s favour. Frequent monitoring obligations ensure this is the case at every UK licensed casino, so it’s entirely up to the RNG/math gods to see whether you land that win.

So is there something, anything you can do in terms of ‘how to’? Well, my advice would be to be smart with your wagers, familiarise yourself with the slot lingo as a means of preparation, pick games with a high RTP, take advantage of titles offering bonus games and gamble features, and, most importantly, don’t pressure yourself to land a big win. Gaming is supposed to be fun – and that’s exactly how it should go for you.

Slots Casino Wrap-Up and Additional Resources

So what’s the main takeaway with this thrilling segment of the wider online casino games market? Whether higher RTPs, great game diversity, quality of online mobile slots, favourable bonus applicability, or jackpot slots casino sites, there’s an upside to every characteristic of online bandits. Faced with so many choices, the key is to find games that fit you like a glove and look out for those when you peruse the five best UK casino recommendations – and don’t forget to check for player-friendly welcome bonuses while you’re at it! If you want to cut to the chase, explore my slots casino pick below for an excellent selection of modern and classic online reels. I hope you have fun spinning!