Top 10 Tips for Slot Machines Online

With so many online slot machines available in 2024, it's hard to know which ones to try and which to avoid.

The best casinos for South Africans today offer hundreds of slots in various shapes and sizes. But where should you play, how can you make your money go further, and how can you ensure you win the most cash?

Let's take a look at some common things to remember when playing slot machines online. With our tips you'll be more prepared to take on the latest 5-reel or progressive games and come home a winner.

1 - Find a Great Online Casino

Top of our list, and the most important piece of advice, is to sign up with a good, reputable online casino.

Respected, properly licensed casinos like the ones you'll find at SlotMachines.co.za, have top security to protect your money, audited Random Number Generators to ensure fair games at all times, and a wide range of payment methods for ZA players like you.

Good casinos will also have deals with the biggest slots developers around so you can be sure of a lobby packed with the best games.

Finally, if there's anything wrong with your casino or slot machine experience, you can contact a friendly customer support agent any time to discuss your problems.

2 - Try Free-Play Games First

Most top slot machines will have a 'free play' version so you can try games without committing real cash.

These are great for trying out software, testing the reels, or seeing if the bonus features deliver. The best part of all? There's absolutely no risk to your bankroll!

Once you've tried a game out, simply find the real-money version in the casino lobby and start taking down some jackpots.

3 - Read the Paytable

Each game had a pay table packed with information on the slot machines. Here you will find pay-outs for different winning paylines plus information on how to trigger the game's bonus features.

It's worth having a quick read of the paytable to see if the jackpots are even worth playing in the first place, plus memorising the bonus Scatters and Wild symbols.

4 - Find the Best RTPs

Each slot has an RTP (Return to Player) percentage. This is theoretically what the slot pays out to players over the long-term for every $100 put in.

So, for example, online slot machines with an RTP of 94% will pay out $94 for every $100 paid into the game.

Most casinos list the RTPs of their games, but it's worth checking first before you play. The difference between an RTP of 92% and 95% can be huge and may affect your decision to play at all.

5 - Don't Play Progressive Jackpot Slots Without a Budget

There are hundreds of slots online that carry progressive jackpots. Progressives are built up with portions of every bet that are wagered on the game. The jackpots can then be won by hitting a certain payline or bonus combination.

However, most progressive jackpots can ONLY be triggered when playing at the maximum bet possible. While this is fine for the high roller South African players among you, more casual players may want to avoid the progressive slots altogether if you want to keep your bets low.

6 - Don't Get Stuck With One Game

Slots come in all themes and styles, and if you find a theme you like it can be easy to get stuck on one game.

The beauty of online slots in 2024, however, is that you can play slots with every theme imaginable. Whether it's sports, ancient Egypt, Hollywood movies or crime, by changing slots regularly you'll never get bored with one theme.

7 - Play The Bigger Paylines

In the old days, slot machines came with minimal paylines. Soon, players were going broke trying to hit the one or two winning lines to bag some cash.

In 2024, online slots come with 20 or 30 paylines as standard. You will even find Internet slots from big developers that carry 500-1,000 paylines.

While playing the 'all ways to win' slots can often be expensive, it's worth sticking to slots with around 25 paylines. Play all the paylines; this way you can cover multiple lines and help to ensure a nice long-term profit.

8 - Find a Top Welcome Bonus

Top online casinos offer new players attractive welcome bonuses when they sign up. These can be 100 or 200% match bonuses where SA players' first real cash deposits are matched by the casino - just for playing slots!

Some casinos reward slots players by throwing in a few free spins on sign-up too. Sometimes, they can be played on a new release, exclusive to the casino.

Finding a lot of free cash is just the start, however. You need to check the wagering requirement too.

Each bonus has a wagering requirement where certain games qualify towards your bonus. Some sites allow online slots to contribute 100% towards your requirement; others only accept 50% of your slots play. Make sure you read the Terms & Conditions first and sign up to the 100% sites.

9 - Play Within Your Limits

Gambling on slots sensibly is important to ensure you don't go broke and get into trouble.

Before you play, set yourself a budget and stick to it. Slots online have lots of friendly minimum stakes, often starting at $0.01 a coin, so there should be no reason to bet a lot when you play.

Consider opening a separate bank account just for your gambling cash. This way, you can keep a good account of what you're betting with, and what winnings are coming in from your South African slot machine sites.

Of course, every so often, take a punt at the big progressive jackpot and have some fun, but never get out of your depth.

10 - Never Drink and Gamble

Drinking and gambling have never been happy bedfellows. If you're playing at home on your PC and beers are a short fridge-walk away, don't be tempted. Drinking lowers your inhibitions and makes you feel like you can win at the slots all the time. Play sober and stay focussed on the games.