They’re easy to play - even for beginners - and the best online casino sites will host a huge selection to choose from with bonus offers and free play modes. You will find that the best slots also offer the opportunity to win big through free spins and bonus games. Plus, with stakes as low as a few cents per spin, you could potentially play for hours without worrying about going broke.
While most slots look relatively similar, you will find they are quite different in terms of gameplay, payouts, and rewards. Your only mission is to find the best online casino for slots, search through the game portfolios, and familiarize yourself with the themes, reel mechanics, and features.
PROGRESSIVE SLOTS
For most players, the best online real money slots are those that offer the chance to win a life-changing sum of cash. If that’s what you are looking for, then progressive jackpots are the answer. With the ever-growing demand for bigger wins at the casino, there are now numerous jackpot networks and stand-alone slot titles available at the best slot sites. Depending on the title you play, it will come with the chance to net 4-, 5-, 6-, 7- and even 8-figure wins. For example, check out the Mega Moolah network, which was responsible for a €19.4 million record-breaking payout.
Here’s how progressive jackpots work: Each time a player places a bet, a small percentage contributes to the jackpot. The jackpot will then progressively increase. A lucky winner in the right place at the right time will then take the entire jackpot. After this, the process of building the jackpot back up starts over.
The best casino online slots known for paying life-changing wins are part of a jackpot network. Age of the Gods by Playtech has over 25 casino games connected to four jackpots. Each one has a common theme based on Greek Gods, Norse Gods, Dwarves in fantasy worlds and other popular mythological themes. The Microgaming (Games Global) Mega Moolah and WowPot jackpot networks are added to this. They are rated as the best slots networks with jackpot wins thanks to their million Euro wins.
If you like the sound of competing for the chance to win a life-changing win, then you can find the best slot machines online for jackpot payouts using the ‘progressive jackpot’ filter on this page.
MULTIPLIER SLOTS
As the name suggests, multiplier slots allow players to multiply their winnings by double, triple, or even 100 times. In some cases, only the bonus rounds can be multiplied. Other times, all spins give the potential for multiplied payouts via wild symbols or combination wins during the free spins bonus.
Determining how much you win when playing on a multiplier slot is easy. Simply multiply the number you got by the prize amount. The best way to learn exactly which multipliers are on offer is to play the best slots free demo mode option, check the pay table for information, and then spin the reels to trigger some of these multiplier features.
For example, if you win $-€-£50 with a multiplier of X3 you win $-€-£150. Multiplier slots can also differ based on the specific casino game you play. Oftentimes, multipliers are wild symbols meaning they can be substituted for other symbols to achieve a winning combination.
Of course, the best slots online are those that offer the highest multipliers with a favorable RTP of 96% or over. We would suggest checking for casinos that feature the Wazdan Hold the Jackpot and Playson Hold & Win casino game titles. They are non-progressive jackpot multiplier slots, and you can win fixed multiplier wins worth up to 1,000x your bet.
VIDEO SLOTS
Video slots are the modern take on the mechanically driven classic slot machines. Today, all the best slot games online no longer use mechanical reels. They are computer coded and available on arcade-style video screens at land-based casinos and other gambling venues. Many of them also come with the choice of multiple titles on one machine if you play land-based slots.
Adding to this, when it comes to the best slots online, these are also video coded so you can spin the reels on your desktop or mobile device via a casino app or internet browser.
Most modern online video slots have 5 reels, allowing for more symbols, pay lines, and combinations compared to the original 3-reel classic slot titles. For high rollers, having more pay lines also means higher max bets in most cases and bigger wins for players of all budgets.
Video slots available at land-based and online casinos also improve on the original LED-style bonus games that the older classic slots feature. You will find that the best online slots will have an army of varying bonus features with high-quality 3D graphics and animations, and some even come with interactive pick-me instant wins, treasure trails and more.
BEST SLOT GAMES
While there’s certainly no shortage of top slots to choose from, it can be hard to narrow down your choice to just one. If you need help getting started, check out one of these popular slot options, which are generally available at almost all online slots sites with MGA, CEG and/or UKGC licenses.
STARBURST
Released in 2012, Starburst by NetEnt, rates as one of the best slots online today and one of the most played. It has 5 reels and 10 pay lines. Most importantly, its main attraction is that it uses the ‘Pay Both Ways’ feature. That means symbol combinations pay from left to right and right to left. And to top it all off, Starburst has an attractive theoretical RTP (return to player) of 96.09%.
CLEOPATRA SLOT
With 5 reels and 20 pay lines, the Cleopatra Slot created by IGT is one of the software provider’s best slots to date and is popular in the U.K. both online and as a land-based casino game. This is an Egyptian-themed slot with a theoretical RTP of 95.02% and bonus rounds that you can trigger by getting three or more Sphinx symbols.
KING KONG FURY
In the King Kong Fury title by NetEnt, casino players must battle with dinosaurs in a place known as Skull Island. This popular slot has 5x4 reels, and up to 50 pay lines have also made this one of the best slots online. It was developed by NextGen and offers a range of fun features that will keep you in gameplay mode for hours. It also has a theoretical RTP of 96.7%.
MONOPOLY MEGAWAYS SLOT
Based on one of the famous Hasbro board games, Monopoly Megaways is an action-packed game with 117,546 ways to win on 6 reels that host 2 to 7 symbols on each on any given spin. It is a Big Time Gaming slot title and earns the label as one of the best slots online today thanks to its array of features which includes a Monopoly bonus board game with multipliers, cascading reels, symbols swaps, additional free spins, theoretical RTP of 96.5% and a huge potential max win of 14,700x your spin bet.
JUMANJI
If you love the 1995 film, you’ll undoubtedly enjoy this NetEnt title based on the action-packed comedy. It features 5 reels and 36 pay lines with themed symbols from the film, like the rhino, crocodile, pelican, and lion. You’ll also appreciate the low variance giving you small wins often and a theoretical RTP of 96.33%.
HOW TO GET STARTED
Start slow if you’re ready to test your luck at an online casino. First, look for a casino with the best slots portfolio. The casino should offer a wide variety of game titles, themes, features, and reel mechanics. Your next step is to use the free play options. You should play these free-play demos as if you were betting real money so you can create a playing pattern and strategy. With that, you should also set yourself a realistic budget. This means deciding on your per-spin bet amount so you get as many spins as possible. Lastly, and most importantly, the first thing you should get into the habit of doing is checking the default spin bet size. This often starts quite high, so you’ll need to adjust this before you start spinning.
TOP FEATURES OF THE BEST ONLINE SLOT GAMES
With today’s modern computer programming, features are part the parcel of the gameplay. The best slots will come with multiple features giving you exciting gameplay and the chance to win big. Also, before you choose an online casino, check to see if the platform offers the chance to sort its casino games by features such as ‘Bonus Buy’, ‘Megaways’, ‘Cascading Reels’ and/or themes.
Here is a list of the top 5 features to look out for when searching for the best slots to play:
- Cascading Reels: Every time you win, the winning symbols disappear, and new ones drop in to replace them. This is free, and if new combinations form, you get paid. You’ll also see this feature as tumbling reels, and you will find it on almost all Megaways and Cluster Pays slot titles.
- Bonus Games: A.k.a., bonus slots, the gameplay will feature a bonus round. Free spins are the most popular. Commonly you will have 10 to 25 free spins depending on how many scatters you land. Other popular bonus games include trail maps, pick-me, instant wins, re-spins and more. Some of the older BetSoft game titles are the best slots for bonus rounds. Try Monster Pop, Mystic Hive, Gemmed!, Quest to the West, and Back to Venus slot titles.
- Multipliers: There are several ways to win multipliers on your spin bet or combination wins. You’ll find wild symbols with a multiplier, scatters multiplying your spin bet, respins features, and bonus games with multiplier payouts.
- No Pay Lines: An ingenious way to enhance your winning opportunity is to replace pay lines with ‘adjacent reels’ symbol combos. A winning combination would need alike symbols anywhere on reels 1-2-3 or 1-2-3-4 for 3-symbol and 4-symbol wins, respectively. Some of the best slots using the no pay line feature include Jurassic Park, Game of Thrones and Narcos.
- Wilds: The wild symbol is one of the most popular video slots features out there. It is a substitute symbol for regular. Variations include wild reels, expanding wilds, spreading wilds, multiplier wilds, moving wilds, stacked wilds and more.
THE BEST ONLINE SLOTS PROVIDERS IN 2024
Video slots first made their first appearances in casinos in 1994 courtesy of Microgaming (check our collection of Microgaming slots reviews). This software provider was the first to bring casino games online. Next came NetEnt (our NetEnt slots reviewed here), and after this, a flurry of online slot sites and software providers came online, creating what is today a buyer’s market with thousands of casinos hosting 40 and sometimes up to 100 software providers.
FYI: Check out this list showing you some of the best slots developers in iGaming right now:
- Play’n GO
- Wazdan
- Microgaming
- NetEnt
- Red Tiger Gaming
- NYX
- Big Time Gaming
- Blueprint Gaming
- Novomatic
- NetGame Entertainment
Online Slots FAQ
What are the best slots to play?
When it comes to choosing the best slots, the decision is entirely up to you. Some people prefer to play slots with fantastic graphics and animations. Then there are bonus features, including free spins, expanding wilds, and multipliers to choose from. As for reel mechanics, most players prefer Megaways, Cluster Pays, or Infinity Reels, while others may prefer classic 3-reel slots.
Can I really win playing online slots?
Yes. Licenced online casinos undergo algorithm and software security tests. The tests guarantee all casino games are fair and random. Moreover, the best slots developers like Pragmatic Play, Wazdan, Microgaming, Playtech and others will hold licensing from multiple iGaming licensing authorities.
How do I withdraw when I when win?
If you play at a reputable and licenced online casino, you will have no issues withdrawing your winnings. Be sure to read the T&Cs before playing so that you avoid breaking any rules – especially when playing bonuses.
Which slots have the highest chance of winning?
Casino games that offer the highest chance of winning come with a high theoretical RTP. RTP tells you how much the game will pay out over an extended period. The best slots have an average RTP of 96%.
Do I need to download an app to play the best slots online?
You can access and play casino games via a web browser like Chrome or Safari on your desktop computer, smartphone, or tablet. However, you can also play via a downloadable casino app at some casinos.
