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Top 10 Strategies and Tips to Play Slots

Discover expert strategies and tips to improve your slot gameplay and boost your chances of winning, with insights from oddschecker.

Apr 13 2025, 7:06pm | 12 read

Slot games use random number generators, which means that all outcomes after spinning the reels are based on chance. In other words, you can’t influence the results in any way. Nevertheless, you can still use a good slot strategy to make your sessions more interesting.

Indeed, skill doesn’t matter in online slots the way it does in card games like blackjack and poker. However, as experts, we recognize that some techniques can support a better playing experience.

If you’re interested in learning about them, you’re on the right page. Our experts at oddschecker have researched and outlined the 10 best strategies you can follow.

Focus on Slots With Low House Edges Below 3%
Play High-Volatility Slots Only with a Sufficient Bankroll
Play Progressive Jackpots When at Peak Values
Bet Low on Multi-Payline Slots to Cover More Lines
Stick to Slots with Clear Mechanics If You’re New
Don’t Fall for the Hot or Cold Myths
Target Cascading Reels for Chain Reaction Wins
Pick Titles With Bonus Buy to Skip the Base Game
Claim Slot Promotions at Casinos
Always Play Responsibly
Bottom Line

Focus on Slots With Low House Edges Below 3%

When we say to seek online slots with a low house edge, we’re referring to titles that give you better odds over time. The house edge is the casino’s advantage; the lower it is, the better your chances of winning are in the long run.

For most slots we’ve tested at oddschecker, the percentage ranges from 4% to 6%. However, there are options with lower house edges below 3%. These titles give you the highest RTP — up to 97%.

One of the best games we recommend with a low house edge is Blood Suckers by NetEnt. It offers an extremely low house edge of around 1% to 2%. For every $100 you wager, you'll lose just $1 or $2 in the long run, on average. You can play this slot at DraftKings Casino in the US.

We can also consider high-volatility slots for this casino slots strategy. A game like Dead or Alive 2 has an RTP of 96.8%, which means there’s a low 3.2% house edge.

Keep in mind that slots with a low house edge don’t guarantee big wins in a short period. Instead, they simply offer better odds after thousands of spins.

Play High-Volatility Slots Only with a Sufficient Bankroll

If you’re familiar with high-variance games, you’ll know that they have less frequent but larger payouts. You won’t hit every time, but when you do, the amount you win will be significant.

High-volatility slots are a good choice if you seek rewarding sessions. The only issue is that you’ll likely experience long dry spells without matching any symbols. Therefore, we advise having enough funds to sustain the periods without payouts. That’s the only way to stay in the game.

We found some of our best slots tips and tricks while trying out Book of Dead by Play’n GO at BetRivers Casino. It has high volatility with a 5,000x maximum win, which you get via the free spins round.

Its variance means it will take a while to trigger those bonus features, which can leave you with extended losing streaks. If you’re not prepared with enough bankroll, you might deplete your funds before you hit the right symbols.

As a rule of thumb, we suggest having at least 100x of your average bet size when playing high-volatility slots.

So, if you’re betting $1 per spin, a bankroll of $100 is the minimum to consider. With this online slots strategy, you can reduce your risk of running out of funds before hitting a potential big payout.

Play Progressive Jackpots When at Peak Values

Next, we have a progressive slots strategy that can help you possibly land huge payouts. Progressive jackpots have prizes that increase over time by collecting a portion of each player’s wager.

Let’s say the jackpot collects 5%. In that case, $5 of every $100 player's bet goes into the pool until someone wins. From our experience, the jackpots can grow to considerable sums. Our tip is to play when the pool is at its highest point so your chances of a large prize are better, even if your chances of winning overall don’t increase.

Consider Mega Moolah by Microgaming, the most popular progressive jackpot slot. It holds the Guinness World Record for the largest payout in an online slot machine at $20 million. Now, imagine if the winner — Jon Heywood from the UK — won when the jackpot was only a few thousand dollars.

Mega Moolah is available at many US real money casinos, so you can check it out and apply our online slots tips. However, we must state that the odds of hitting a progressive jackpot are extremely low. You can only win randomly, such as by landing a certain symbol combination. Also, the higher the jackpot, the lower your chances of winning.

Bet Low on Multi-Payline Slots to Cover More Lines

With multi-payline titles, you get dozens and hundreds of winning lines to match symbols. If you want to get the most out of these games, our slot strategy is to activate as many paylines as possible to increase the number of ways to win. However, our tip doesn’t end there. You also need to place smaller bets per line to stretch your bankroll.

Of course, it will be difficult to cover all lines with big wagers. While checking out slots on FanDuel Casino, we found Stallion Kingdom to be among the best titles. It comes with 30 paylines. Suppose your bankroll is $30 and you choose to bet $1 per line. In that case, you can only afford a single spin if you cover all the lines.

However, reducing it to $0.10 per line means you can afford 10 spins. It’s easy to see how this extends your sessions. At the same time, you won’t miss out on any potential winning combination because a payline wasn’t active.

This strategy is different when playing a Megaways title. Also on FanDuel, we played Hypernova Megaways, a slot with 117,649 ways to win. Since the number of paylines changes with each spin, you don’t need to bet on all of them. Your wager simply covers all possible combinations, depending on the dynamic reels.

Stick to Slots with Clear Mechanics If You’re New

You can skip this tip if you’re an expert at casino games. However, for newbies, it’s one of the best slots strategy techniques to apply. When a slot’s features are too intricate, it can easily lead to confusion, and you won’t get the most out of your session.

Therefore, we recommend choosing games with transparent mechanics. This way, you focus on the gameplay and can make better decisions. For starters, you may want to try simple slots like Starburst by NetEnt or Book of Dead by Play’n GO. Both have 5x3 layouts with standard paylines, clear symbols, and straightforward bonus features.

In Starburst, for example, you get expanding wilds and re-spins. Meanwhile, Book of Dead offers a free spins round with a special expanding symbol. With either of these games, you’ll have engaging sessions that aren’t overwhelming.

On the other hand, some modern titles, like Reactoonz or Jammin’ Jars, feature cluster pays and multiple layered bonus features. Our experts at oddscheckers tried these popular slot games and rated them as ideal for experienced players. However, the mechanics can make calculating winnings difficult if you’re new.

Don’t Fall for the Hot or Cold Myths

If you search online for how to learn basic slots strategy, you’ll likely see many people suggesting you check whether the game is hot or cold. However, as professionals, we know that this is a myth. It’s important not to fall for the gimmick and miss out on a high-quality game.

If you’re wondering, the myth suggests that a hot slot is about to pay out, while a cold one won’t pay for a while because of previous wins. In reality, that’s untrue. As we indicated earlier, outcomes in slots are based on random number generators. Every spin is independent of the last.

Suppose a slot paid out five minutes ago; there’s no technical reason why it won’t hit one right afterward. Likewise, just because a slot hasn’t had wins in hours doesn’t mean it’s due for a payout. When you buy into this theory, you’ll only have unreasonable expectations. Besides, it can lead you to mismanage your bankroll.

Our tips for playing slots are to pay more attention to the RTP and volatility. With a high RTP game, you can get better returns over time compared to lower-RTP titles. Hot or cold status plays no role. Furthermore, the variance is a logical indicator of payout patterns. Low-volatility slots offer smaller, regular wins, while high-volatility slots can bring larger but less frequent hits.

Target Cascading Reels for Chain Reaction Wins

Also known as Tumble or Avalanche, cascading reels can help you land more hits with a single spin. Playing these games can easily qualify as the best strategy for slots.

In traditional games, symbols spin and then settle. However, cascading reels take things up a notch by removing winning combinations and replacing them with new symbols. The newer symbols can match and fetch you more additional wins. The cascade won’t stop until there are no more matching combinations.

Cascading reels cause a chain reaction. Let’s take Gonzo’s Quest by NetEnt as an example; each cascade increases the win multiplier by up to 5x during the base game. In the bonus round, it gets even higher. As a result, a single spin could trigger a series of payouts that is much larger than what you’d get from regular titles.

Based on our checks, many cascading reel slots have medium-to-high volatility. Therefore, you may not score substantial wins when the chain reactions occur. Nevertheless, the games are still worth playing. In addition, software providers like Pragmatic Play usually combine tumbling reels with bonus features like free spins and multipliers.

Pick Titles With Bonus Buy to Skip the Base Game

You typically have to randomly hit special symbols like scatters to trigger bonus rounds. However, if the slot has a bonus buy option, you can bypass the base game and go straight to the bonus. We’ve included this in our tips for winning slots because the bonus rounds have the greatest rewards.

A quality slot for this strategy is Sweet Bonanza by Pragmatic Play. While spinning, you can purchase the free spins round for 100x your bet. So, if you’re playing with $2, you need $200. This can be expensive, but the benefit is that it gives you instant access to the best part of the game.

If you wish to apply this slots strategy, consider high-volatility slots, where the base game often has lower returns compared to the bonus rounds. Additionally, evaluate the RTP in the base game and the bonus rounds. Many slots increase the percentage slightly with the buy option. Therefore, the game becomes more favorable to spin — at least in theory.

To illustrate, Money Train 2 by Relax Gaming has a 96.4% RTP. However, the percentage jumps to 98% if you activate bonus buy. Keep in mind, however, that this is a high-risk, high-reward strategy. We only recommend it if you have a broad budget and are comfortable with the purchase amount.

Claim Slot Promotions at Casinos

Bonuses can be effective ways of extending your gameplay at gaming sites. The good news is that many online casinos have promotions specifically for slot players, including free spins, deposit matches, reloads, and cashback offers. One of the best tips on playing slots is to use these strategically as they can provide extra opportunities to win or minimize losses.

In this aspect, BetMGM Casino has one of the best offers: a 100% match bonus of up to $1,000, plus $25 on the house. You only need a $10 minimum deposit to qualify.

In addition to the match rewards, you can also come across free spins. For example, Borgata Casino offers players 200 free spins on Gonzo’s Quest every Tuesday if you deposit up to $10. Although this offer is linked to a single slot, you can find others that support multiple titles.

A crucial slots strategy is to review the terms of these promotions. Look at the wagering requirements and game restrictions because they influence how you use the bonus. Based on our experience, offers with 35x and lower rollovers are the best. However, those with 40x to 45x are still workable.

Make sure you choose slot bonuses with low wagering conditions that support games you already enjoy. In our opinion, it’s the best way to maximize the offers.

Always Play Responsibly

Many slot players consider spinning the reels to be an enjoyable pastime. We share the same school of thought, but it’s vital to approach gaming responsibly. In other words, practice safe gambling by maintaining control and knowing when it’s time to stop.

To comply with regulations, all licensed casinos in the US feature responsible gambling tools to help players. One of the most common ones is a deposit limit. With this option, you can restrict how much money you add to your account over a specific period. It can be daily, weekly, or monthly.

We advise using the deposit limit tool so you don’t exceed what you’re comfortable betting. Likewise, loss limits will stop your sessions once you lose up to a certain amount. Other useful tools include time reminders and session limits. These will notify you once you’ve played for a set amount of time.

When you feel the need for a break, you can activate a cool-off period and temporarily stay off the slots for a few days or weeks. If the situation is more serious, you should turn on self-exclusion. That will completely block your access to the casino for more than six months — or even permanently, if you want. When you use these tools, it’s easier to maintain control over your betting habits.

Bottom Line

In this guide, we’ve discussed 10 expert strategies that can help you get more out of your slot sessions. Each one was obtained from our experience with firsthand spins on these games.

When you apply our slots tips, be sure to prioritize your safety. Play responsibly and don’t chase losses.

FAQs

Is there a strategy to slots?

Yes, you can apply strategies when playing slots, and the best 10 are on this page. However, they’ll only help you enhance your sessions; they cannot increase your chances of winning.

What triggers a slot machine to win?

A slot machine wins based on its built-in random number generator. There’s no way to influence the results after you spin.

Are slots profitable?

Yes, slot machines can be profitable if you play those with high RTPs of above 96%. They’ll return more of your bets in the long run, but winning is never guaranteed.