How to Win at Slots - 9 Helpful Tips

How to Win at Slots - 9 Helpful Tips
By Jon Young

Looking for the best advice on how to win at casino slots? You’re in the right place. On this page you will discover our top 9 tips for crushing online slots in New Jersey.

From finding the right game to reading the paytable and knowing when to stop, we have it covered. Our TopNJCasinos.com experts have been playing video slots for years. We know how you can maximize your casino wins and avoid long-term losses.

Get started the right way with our guide to winning slots. And don’t forget, you can play hundreds of amazing online slots right here with the recommended online casinos at TopNJCasinos.com.

Here are 9 tips to help you win at playing slot machines:

Tip 1 Be Mindful of Slot RTPs
Tip 2 Take Note of the Volatility of Slots
Tip 3 Test Slot Games Before Playing for Real Money
Tip 4 Don’t Get Stuck Playing One Slot
Tip 5 Bet the Max or Close to it
Tip 6 Be Mindful of Bankroll Management
Tip 7 Listen to Other Players and Read Slot Reviews
Tip 8 Try Your Luck with Progressive Jackpot Slots
Tip 9 Know When to Stop

Tip 1: Be Mindful of Slot RTPs

The first tip to mastering the best online slots is understanding the RTP. Every slot has a theoretical return to player percentage, known as the RTP. For example, a slot with an RTP of 95% will pay out on average $95 for every $100 wagered.

Of course, this is a long-term average calculated over thousands of spins. As a player, you may hit the jackpot and cash in, or go bust trying to achieve a big win. The RTP may not factor into your short-term winning and losing.

Regardless, an RTP is a good indicator of whether a slot pays out well over the long term. Good online slot RTPs will be around 96-99%. This is much higher than the payouts you will find in land-based slot machines, which is why playing online isn’t just fun – it can increase your chances of a payout.

You will usually find the RTP details in the slot’s paytable. RTPs are regularly tested too by approved auditing bodies.

Tip 2: Take Note of the Volatility of Slots

If you want to know how to win real money at the casino slot machine, you need to factor in volatility.

All slots have different degrees of volatility. A low-volatility slot will pay out little and often. A high-volatility slot will pay out big jackpots but they will be infrequent.

Typically, slots with lots of bonus features or a progressive jackpot will be high volatility. Some classic slots and 5-reel games will have lower volatility. You can win lots of small prizes without much risk to your bankroll.

So, how do you calculate whether a slot has low or high volatility? There are two ways.

First, simply test the slot out with a few hundred practice spins. Work out a rough “hit rate” to see how often you trigger a win. A hit rate for low-volatility slots might be 20-40% but volatile online slots may have hit rates of between 15 and 20%.

Second, look at the spread of jackpot payouts in the paytable. Calculate the difference between the highest 5-of-a-kind payout and the lowest. If the difference is more than 8-10x, the slot is probably quite volatile. Low-volatility slots will have flatter payouts overall.

Tip 3: Test Slot Games Before Playing for Real Money

One key way to a winning slots strategy is to choose the right games. You need to find games with the right bonus features, best RTPs and most fun and interesting themes.

That’s why it’s important to try slots for free before you risk your budget. Luckily, New Jersey online gambling sites offer Demo Play versions of hundreds of top titles.

When you log in to the casino, you’ll have the option to try free slots before you risk a dime. Get a feel for the gameplay and work out if the hit rate is good enough.

Finding high-paying slots is essential too if you want to trigger casino bonuses. By selecting the right games first, you can clear a welcome bonus much quicker and win real money.

Tip 4: Don’t Get Stuck Playing One Slot!

There are literally hundreds of online slots to play at licensed NJ casinos. So why stick to one title when you can play dozens?

If you want to grasp how to win the slots at the casino, it’s important to keep several titles in your Favorites list. Playing a variety of slots means you won’t get bored, and you can easily switch between high- and low-volatility games with a single click.

We recommend you keep a Favorites list with around half a dozen slots on it: choose two classic slots with minimal paylines and low volatility, then add four 5-reel slots. Two of those can have a bonus feature like free spins or multipliers, while two more can have a volatile progressive jackpot.

Build up a bankroll on low-volatility slots, then take a shot at the big progressives with some larger bets.

Tip 5: Bet the Maximum, or Close to It!

When learning how to win at slots, it’s no secret that the more you bet, the more you can win. In slots with high RTPs (Return to Player percentages), you can certainly maximize your returns by betting the most you can afford.

Every slot has a “Max Bet” button but never overstretch your budget. You should always be mindful of bankroll management when gambling on online slots.

However, betting the maximum can be essential when playing progressive slots. In progressive slots, you will have a better chance of triggering the jackpot if you play the max bet.

When you spin the reels, you receive a virtual token like a lottery ticket. The higher your bet, the more tokens you receive.

Tip 6: Be Mindful of Bankroll Management

Betting the max is a good way of ensuring the biggest profits. However, it’s still important to practice good bankroll management.

Learning how to win at casino slots is just the first lesson to grasp. You also need to manage your budget when gambling online.

First, set a strict budget when you start playing. Set aside real cash to gamble with, and don’t use a credit card to fund your betting.

With a set budget, decide on your stakes. For low-volatility slots, you can risk around 2-3% of your budget on every spin. For high-volatility games, drop your stakes to 1% of your overall bankroll.

When you win, adjust your stakes to reflect the new bankroll. Similarly, if you lose drop your stakes accordingly. If you win big, exit the slot and withdraw your winnings before starting again with your set bankroll.

Tip 7: Listen to Other Players

You know how to win at slots, but it pays to keep abreast of the latest games and developments. New slots are being released every month. You can find reviews and opinions on these pages and discover the best casinos in NJ to play them.

But we also recommend joining a gambling forum. Players will share their experiences of gambling real money on slots and letting you know secrets the developer might not.

Tip 8: Try Your Luck with Progressive Jackpot Slots

The best Atlantic City casinos and online casinos in New Jersey boast a variety of exciting slots. Most casinos offer a few progressive slots offering life-changing prizes.

A progressive slot features a jackpot that builds up over time. The more bets that are placed, the bigger the jackpot becomes. The jackpot keeps growing until it is triggered and won.

The biggest progressives are linked across multiple casinos involving bets from hundreds or thousands of players. And the longer a jackpot goes unclaimed, the bigger it can get.

New Jersey is now seeing progressives well over $1 million. Some jackpots are triggered at random, while other games feature special bonus games that must be played first before a player has a chance at hitting it.

Progressive slots aren’t just for players with large bankrolls, but your chance of winning a jackpot with a big budget.

Tip 9: Know When to Stop

You have learned how to win at the casino slot machine. But perhaps the most important lesson is knowing when to stop.

If your losses are getting out of control, you must learn to take a break. And even if you are a winning player, you should learn to bank your profits and stop playing.

Gambling on slots can be addictive, and the urge to chase losses or hit your winning streak can be strong.

Luckily, all licensed NJ online casinos practice responsible gambling. You can set time limits on your own play as well as stop-loss and stop-win limits. You can also request a cooling off period or ask for complete self-exclusion for up to a year.

The best casinos will also offer comprehensive contacts for problem gambling entities in New Jersey. Keep them in mind if you think you are developing a problem.

Tricks to Win at Slots FAQ

How can I find the house edge of a slot machine?

Most online slots will display their RTP (Return to Player percentage) in the paytable. For example, a slot with an RTP of 95% will return on average $95 for every $100. The difference, 5%, is the house edge.

What slot machines have the best odds of winning?

Low-variance slots pay out small and frequent wins. A slot with low variance may still have a poor long-term payout percentage. However, they offer the best odds for regular wins.

Are slot machines rigged?

No. Slot machines in New Jersey, whether you are playing online or in a brick-and-mortar casino, are overseen by the Technical Services Bureau (TSB). The TSB ensures the integrity of all slots and online casino games. Games that are checked by the TSB will be fair and totally random.

How do I pick a winning slot machine?

Knowing how to win at the casino slot machine is about choosing the right games. All slots are programmed to pay out prizes, but some games pay more than others. Check the paytable first and find the biggest jackpots and work out its volatility. By testing a slots game with demo play chips, you can gauge a slot’s hit frequency too.

How do I win big on slots?

The simplest way of winning big on slots is to bet the max. Every slot has a max bet button that allows you to choose the highest possible stakes. Progressive slots also give you a chance of winning million-dollar jackpots.

Can you cheat a slot machine?

No. Modern video slots can’t be manipulated with magnets, special coins or through source code hacks. There have been cases of slots being hacked by gangs, but most criminals have been quickly caught. In 2020, only reputable slots game casinos are allowed to operate in New Jersey, who use licensed software developers.

Can slots be programmed? Are they really random?

Ever slot machine use a random number generator (RNG) that govern how and when the reels come to a stop. RNGs are tested for accuracy and fairness by the Testing Services Bureau’s Engineering Unit to ensure slots are completely random and your chance of winning legit.

quote

Author

Jon Young is a writer and magazine editor with over 12 years' experience in the gaming sector. He has written on everything from poker and slots to casino, sports betting and mobile gambling. When not trying to take down the Mega Moolah jackpot he can be found playing poker tournaments in casinos.

Cited by leading media organizations, such as:

Scroll to top