Slot machines present one of the toughest challenges with regard to preserving your bankroll. They invite you to move at a fast pace and carry high house edges, especially in land-based casinos.

Therefore, you may not think that it’s possible to play slots cheaply. This thought is especially true if you’ve seen $100 vanish in less than 20 minutes on these games.

Nevertheless, you can enjoy slots for a relatively cheap amount.

Thread: 7 steps to slot machine success. Similar things have been said about psychics not winning the lotteries on a daily basis. I asked one about it, and she said that she could not use her powers for financial gain.

1. 7 Secrets to winning on Slot machines. Which Slot machines pay the best. Once you know what to look at, picking a winning Slot machine is easier than it sounds. Every game comes with a specific set of requirements that can tell you how likely is the machine to pay. And if you can expect to win often or not.
2. If you’ve been looking for slot machine information you’ve probably been bombarded by misconceptions, mis-truths, and all out lies regarding slot machines and their operation. You’ve probably heard phrases like “Beat the slots,” or “Make $1000 a day playing slot machines.” These are, of course, marketing hype.

In fact, you can actually last on them for quite a while with just $10.

How in the world is this possible? The following tips will help you stretch a tiny bankroll out over the course of an entire session.

1 – Focus on Online Slots

The most-important thing that you must do with regard to preserving your bankroll involves playing online slots. The reason being is twofold:

Free Seven Slot Machine Games

• Online games have flexible betting options
• Internet slots feature higher return to player (RTP)

Beginning with the first point, you must be able to adjust your betting options in order to play frugally. Online slots give you this ability by offering customizable coin size, paylines, and/or coins per line.

Secondly, online slots typically offer much higher RTP on average than slot machines in land-based casinos. Playing these games improves your long-term prospects of winning.

I’ll get into these aspects more later on. But the key point is that you can place lower bets and win more often at internet casinos. Both of these factors are crucial to you winning more frequently in gaming.

2 – Look for Slots with Low Volatility

Volatility refers to how often slots make payouts on average. The less volatile a slot is, the more frequently it will deliver prizes.

Now, slot machines will never pay as often as baccarat or even video poker. But certain ones do pay more often than others.

You might want to start with online slots that actually give volatility ratings. For example, a developer may rate the volatility of their slots from 1 to 5 lightning bolts, with 5 being the highest.

Unfortunately, the majority of slots don’t come with these ratings. You must use different variables to make an educated guess en lieu of this information.

These Variables Include:

• Jackpot size — A smaller jackpot indicates less volatility
• Number of small payouts — More small prizes than average suggest frequent payouts
• Number of bonuses — Fewer bonuses also indicate lower volatility

No industry standard exists on what constitutes a big or small jackpot. Generally speaking, though, anything over $100,000 is big.

As for small payouts, you should consider these to be any prizes that are worth 10x your stake or less. A large quantity of these suggests that you’ll be earning lots of small payouts over the course of your session.

Bonuses generally make slots more entertaining. But several features can also drive up the volatility, especially if they lead to huge payouts.

One last point here, you need to find a gaming site that actually accepts $10 deposits. Most online casinos do take deposits this low. But you want to make sure before wasting your time learning the deposit process.

3 – Pay Attention to Slots RTP

RTP isn’t very important in terms of how often you get paid in the short run with slot machines. Volatility is much more notable in this regard.

However, RTP still plays a small role in how frequently you receive prizes. The higher the payout percentage, the more often you can expect to get paid.

As mentioned before, online slots have an advantage in this department. The average internet game typically pays around 96% RTP.

Compare this to land-based slot machines, which only offer somewhere between 88% and 95% payback. What’s more is that you have to wager a higher coin denomination (e.g. $0.25 to $5) to achieve the upper RTP.

But you can’t blindly assume that you’ll be privy to the best payout percentages. You instead want to do some research into the matter by looking up whatever games you’re interested in.

Here’s an Example:

• You’re playing Betsoft’s Sugar Pop
• You google “Sugar Pop RTP”
• You find a source that shows the RTP at 97.6%

You can see that online slots payout percentages aren’t difficult to find. The only catch is that a small number of games don’t have uniform RTP.

Realtime Gaming, for example, allows their casino clients to choose from different pay schedules. Play’n GO also does the same in some instances. But for the most part, you’ll find the payback for whatever online slot you’re playing.

4 – Slow Your Play Rate

As mentioned in the intro, you can play slots at a really fast rate. You may be able to spin the reels between 500 and 800 times per hour.

However, you don’t want to play this fast if your main goal is to stretch out $10. A better idea is to spin the reels at a conservative rate and take frequent breaks.

Of course, this plan is easier said than done when considering the addictive qualities of slots. The animations and sound effects are designed to keep you immersed in the experience.

But you still need to resist the urge to play too quickly when considering the house edge. Here are a couple of scenarios to illustrate how much less you’ll lose by playing at a moderate rate:

Scenario #1: You Spin the Reels Quickly in a Trance-Like State

• You play a game with 96% RTP for 2 hours
• You log 600 spins an hour
• 600 x 2 = 1,200 total spins
• 1,200 x 0.04 (house edge) = $48 in theoretical losses

Scenario #2: You Play at Moderate Rate and Take Several Breaks

• You play a game with 96% RTP for 2 hours
• You log 200 spins an hour.
• 200 x 2 = 400 spins per hour
• 400 x 0.04 (house edge) = $16 in theoretical losses

The big challenge is actually making yourself take breaks. A good way to do this is by setting alarms on your smartphone every 30-60 minutes.

These alarms will serve as reminders of how long you’ve been playing. You’re more likely to snap out of any potential trance with these shrill awakenings.

5 – Keep Your Bets Low

One nice quality to online slots is the flexible betting options. In comparison, most slot machines in brick-and-mortar casinos don’t offer options.

Thus, you’re forced to wager between $1 and $3 per spin. Given the general volatility of slots, these bet sizes just aren’t going to work with a $10 budget.

Internet slots are a lifesaver when you have a tiny bankroll. Many allow you to adjust the coin size and coins per line. Some games even let you change the number of paylines too.

I don’t recommend that you go with one line just to lower your spin costs. You’d win at an incredibly slow rate and take the fun out of slots.

But you should at least lower your coin size and coins per line close to the minimums. Here are scenarios to show how much longer you stand to last with smaller wagers:

Scenario #1:

• You play a slot with 50 lines and no customizable betting options
• Each line costs one cent to play
• 50 x 0.01 = $0.50 per spin
• You perform 1,000 total spins
• 1,000 x 0.50 = $500 total wagered
• The RTP is 96%
• 500 x 0.04 = $20 in theoretical losses

Scenario #2:

• You play a slot with 50 lines and flexible betting options
• You use 25 lines at $0.01 apiece
• 25 x 0.01 = $0.25 per spin
• You perform 1,000 total spins
• 1,000 x 0.25 = $250 total wagered
• The RTP is 96%
• 250 x 0.04 = $10 in theoretical losses

The less you bet per spin, the stronger chance you have at making your $10 last. While the prizes may not be as large, you’ll get more overall entertainment out of your bankroll.

6 – Pick up Bonuses & VIP Rewards

Bonuses and VIP benefits alone won’t keep you afloat. But they can definitely help if you’re able to keep winning and accumulate a lot of play with $10.

Online casinos typically start you off with a welcome bonus. Oftentimes, these deals are worth a 100% match on your first deposit.

You’re obviously not going to earn much with a small $10 deposit. But you could at least double your money if everything goes right.

Here’s an Example:

• You qualify for a $10 bonus
• Wagering requirements are 40x the bonus
• 40 x 10 = $400 must be wagered
• You play a slot with 97% RTP (3% house edge)
• 400 x 0.03 = $12 in theoretical losses

You can see that the theoretical losses are a bit higher than the bonus is worth. Therefore, you’ll need some luck on your side in order to meet wagering requirements and release the bonus. Nevertheless, you should still go for such deals just in case you do get this luck.

Despite what happens with your bonus, you can at least look forward to loyalty rewards on a regular basis. Many of these programs award cashback, free spins, and more.

You should also check out the promotions section of your favorite casino to see what’s on tap. Many gaming sites feature regular promos, such as deposit bonuses, free spins, and leaderboard races.

7 – Be Fine with Losing — Slots Are Unpredictable

You can follow the first six tips to a T and still lose your $10 rather quickly. Slots are volatile and can be quite unpredictable in the short run.

That said, you have no way of actually knowing how long your money will last. You can only follow the advice discussed here and hope for the best.

The good news is that you can at least expect your funds to last somewhat longer than normal. If you get on a hot streak, then your $10 could suddenly stretch into $100 or more.

The aforementioned bonuses and VIP rewards and also help you play longer with less. The loyalty benefits can especially help your short-term bottom line.

But again, you have to accept that things could go wrong and your small deposit will vanish. As long as you’re okay with this, then you won’t feel bad if the worst does come to fruition.

Conclusion

You shouldn’t expect to last on slot machines for hours upon end with a $10 bankroll. However, you can at least get 1-3 hours of enjoyment if you take some precautions.

The first thing worth doing involves finding an online casino that accepts a $10 deposit. You want to focus on internet slots so that you can change your betting options and enjoy higher RTP.

The next step is to find games with low volatility. Playing slots with lower volatility boosts your chances of earning frequent payouts and better sustaining your bankroll.

RTP doesn’t bear as much significance when you’re only playing with $10. However, high RTP can still give you some benefits in the short run.

You certainly don’t want to spin the reels like a maniac with such a small deposit. Instead, you should slow your play rate and take more breaks.

Low bets are another crucial element to playing frugally. You want to lower the coin size and, possibly, the number of lines to extend your play.

You should also look for bonus opportunities when possible. Bonuses, along with loyalty rewards, can give your bankroll a boost.

One final thought is to get comfortable with the fact that you might not do very well, even when following this advice.

Slots are really unpredictable — even when they’re not very volatile. That said, have fun and don’t get too upset if your $10 disappears rather quickly.

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Winning in slot machines is generally considered to be about luck because there’s nothing you can do to influence spin results. And this game isn’t like blackjack or poker where you can improve by studying strategy.

But while it’s true that luck plays a large role in slots results, there are some things that you can do to win more often.

Let’s look at seven tips that will make you a better slots player.

1 – Research Slots Payback

Slots payback, or return to player (a.k.a. RTP), indicates how much a slot machine will pay back over the long term. Here’s an example:

• You’re playing a game with 95% payback.
• You bet $100.
• The game will theoretically pay back $95.

Of course, slot machine RTP doesn’t normally work out this neatly. But payout percentages give you a good indication of what to expect from a specific game.

Obviously, you stand to win more money by playing slot machines with higher payback. But how do you find the best payout percentages?

This is easiest to do with online slots because providers normally offer uniform payback across every internet casino. Here’s an example of how you search for online slots RTP:

• I want to find out about NetEnt slots payback.
• Google “NetEnt slots payback.”
• One of the first websites features a list of NetEnt games and their payback.
• Mega Joker pays the highest at 99.00%.
• Relic Raiders pays the worst at 90.0%

You can easily find out about other online slots by switching the name of the provider during your Google search.

7 Steps To Winning Slot Machines

Finding slot machine RTP in land-based casinos is a more difficult task. The reason is because the same game can have different payback from casino to casino.

You can find lists of RTP averages in Vegas casinos. But you won’t find an organized list showing exactly how much every game pays.

Nevertheless, you might still get a general idea on payback by researching specific casinos that you visit.

2 – Pay Attention to Payout Frequency

Another concept that goes along with RTP is payout frequency, which refers to how often you’ll win payouts.

This is an important concept for slots players with small bankrolls. After all, you want to know how often you’ll win prizes and replenish your bankroll.

The only problem is that slot machines don’t list payout frequency. Instead, you must use clues to figure out how often you’ll get paid.

Here are some indicators that’ll help you figure out the frequency of payouts:

• The number of small payouts (1 to 10 coins).
• The number of big payouts (500 to 10,000 coins).
• The size of the jackpot.

If you’re playing a game with several small payouts, one big payout worth 500 coins, and a jackpot worth 5,000 coins, the payout frequency will be high.

If you’re playing a slot with three small payouts, three payouts ranging from 500-10,000 coins, and a jackpot worth $100,000, then payout frequency will be low.

Some players don’t care about infrequent payouts as long as they have a chance to win big. But those playing with $20-$50 will extend their entertainment by playing games with high payout frequency.

3 – Read the Info Screen to Understand Jackpots & Other Rules

Slot machines have a help screen, which may also be listed under an info screen or pay table. In any case, you should always check this out so you can understand the rules behind slots games.

This is especially important with regard to knowing how to win the jackpot. Most slot machines have specific requirements on how you qualify for the top prize.

Here are some of the jackpot qualifications featured in various slot machines:

• Play all of the pay lines.
• Win the jackpot in a bonus round.
• Play max coin size.
• Jackpot is awarded randomly and has no requirements.

It’s important to know this information because you don’t want to play under the assumption that you qualify for the jackpot when you don’t.

Likewise, you may not want to bet more than you have to when a jackpot is awarded randomly.

The info screen will also fill you in on other important info such as what triggers special features, how to play bonus rounds, and the game RTP.

4 – Take Advantage of Slots Rewards

Both online and land-based casinos offer rewards to slots players. But they also differ in terms of what rewards they deliver and how the freebies are awarded.

Land-based casinos require that you sign up for the slots club before receiving awards. This can be done in a few different ways:

1 – Sign up at the player’s club desk in a casino.

2 – Visit the casino website and see if you can join there.

3 – Call the casino and ask to sign up over the phone.

You’ll receive a slots club card after you’ve signed up for the loyalty program. You use this card to pick up comps whenever you play a slots session at the casino.

Online casinos begin giving you slots rewards as soon as you start playing for real money. All you need to do is make a deposit and begin spinning the reels.

You’ll then receive loyalty points that can be exchanged for rewards like cashback and free spins. The number of points that you must earn depends upon the casino.

This is why it’s good to shop around different online casinos and find the best rate.

Most casinos are similar in terms of how many points they award for your slots play. But you can find some separation if you look long enough.

5 – Look for the Best Online Slots Welcome Bonuses

In addition to delivering loyalty rewards, online casinos also offer players welcome bonuses. The typical parts of a welcome bonus include free spins and a match percentage bonus on one or more deposits.

Most casinos require that you make a minimum deposit of $20 or more to qualify for the welcome bonus. And you may have to make multiple deposits to earn the entire reward.

Here’s a sample welcome bonus:

• 100 free spins upon deposit
• 1st deposit – 200% deposit bonus up to $500
• 2nd deposit – 100% deposit bonus up to $300
• 3rd deposit – 50% deposit bonus up to $200

Overall, this bonus is worth up to $1,000 and 100 free spins. Most players don’t deposit the max on bonuses, but the large amount of cash is nice for high rollers.

Another factor to consider beyond the max amount is the wagering requirements.

Every welcome bonus has wagering requirements that must be fulfilled before you receive money. And the lower the conditions, the quicker you’ll be able to cash out the reward.

Standard wagering requirements are 20 times the bonus plus deposit amount. In the case of $100, you’d need to wager $4,000 [20 x (100 + 100)] before receiving your money.

If you can find a large bonus with 20 times wagering requirements or less, then you’ve found a good one.

6 – Have a Bankroll Plan

Most people don’t have a plan when they sit down to slot machines. And they’re surprised to find out that their $100 doesn’t go very far on a $1 denomination game.

This is why it’s important to have a plan for both your bankroll and what slot machines you play.

We all hope to be winners at the end of a session. But slots are negative expectation games, meaning you’re more likely to lose.

Because of this, I suggest having hundreds of units to cover your time at the machines. And a unit is the minimum bet per spin for our purposes.

The minimum spin cost takes into account the number of pay lines, coin size, and how many coins per line you must use. If the minimum spin works out to be $0.30, then $100 would equal 300 units.

The next step involves figuring out how much time your units will buy you on the machines.

As a general rule of thumb, you can play for about an hourwith every 100 units you have. But this can change based on how fast you play and the machine you’re playing.

Let’s look at a quick example below:

• You have $100.
• The minimum spin is $0.25, which gives you 400 units
• You’re betting $150 (600 units) per hour.
• The game’s payback is 92%, or an 8% house edge.
• You stand to lose $12 per hour (150 x 0.08), or 48 units.
• You would theoretically last for 8.3 hours (400/48) with this bankroll.

But slot machines are more volatile than this because they must offer larger payouts at the top.

This is why I suggest doubling the units lost per hour, which would be 96 units in the example above.

In any case, I suggest planning out what machine(s) and how large of bankroll you’ll have before a session.

7 – Look for Growing Progressive Jackpots

One of the best ways to gain more value from slots wagers is to chase progressive jackpots after they’ve grown larger. The reason is because you’re betting the same amount of money to win a bigger potential prize.

Let’s check out an example:

• Microgaming’s Mega Moolah jackpot is seeded at $1 million.
• The minimum bet is $0.25 per spin.
• Mega Moolah payback starts at 88.1%.
• The RTP rises along with the jackpot amount.

Mega Moolah’s top jackpot has grown over $20 million in the past. I’ve seen it worth over $10 million plenty of times too.

This means that players are getting far more value from each bet as the jackpot continues growing.

Of course, this is an extreme example that involves online gaming’s biggest progressive jackpot. But the key is that you should wait before jumping in to play for a progressive payout.

Another point here is that you should only follow this tip if you enjoy chasing progressive jackpots. After all, the odds of you winning are still extremely low.

Conclusion

Many slots players fall into one of two classes:

1 – They believe that there’s absolutely no strategy in slots games.

2 – They rely on superstitions in hopes of winning.

Both types of players are wrong because there are real techniques that you can use to win more in slots.

This is especially easy in online slots, where you can search by provider to find the top paying games.

Another thing that’ll help you greatly is to pick up rewards. Online casinos automatically dole out rewards, but you must sign up for the slots club in land-based casinos.

You’ll still need luck to win even if you follow all the steps that I’ve outlined in this post. Slot machines don’t have any real strategy once you push the Spin button.

But you’ll at least stand a much better chance of winning by paying attention to the 7 steps listed here.

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