There are thousands of online slot games around today. More are being released almost daily, too. If you have only just discovered online casinos, you might assume everyone plays these games for a chance to secure some prize money.
However, that’s not always the case. These games are often so entertaining people are happy to try them just for the entertainment value they bring. They’re a good way to pass the time.
This is also a good way to get started if you’ve never tried any slot games before. Even if you have played a few real ones in bricks and mortar casinos and similar locations, the online version has some differences you may not be aware of. Hence why we always recommend trying a demo first if you can. Most (although not all) games have these, which makes it easier to look at all the rules and ideas behind the game before you begin.
The question here, though, is whether you should play online slots that pay cash. They will only do this if you are playing the real version rather than the demo. So, you must consider whether you are happy to make the switch.
Before doing so, consider the following elements.
Remember you could lose more than you get in prize money
These slots are always tipped in favor of the people offering them. You will see each one has an associated RTP value. This means return to player and you will always see it shown as a percentage. It will always be less than 100%, too. The best you can hope for is around 97% to 98%, although those percentages are very high and not attained in all games.
The RTP tells us how much of the cash paid into a game is paid back to players in the form of prize money. This percentage is worked out across all bets placed across the lifetime of the game. So, let’s assume a game was available for several years and took in $1 million in prize money. Let’s also assume it had an RTP of 98%.
That would mean the game would return $980,000 in prizes across its lifetime. The remaining cash would be retained by the casino for providing the game. That’s why the RTP is always below 100%. If it was exactly that value, no casinos would ever make any money to remain open.
Of course, some people will be fortunate enough to scoop a decent prize – perhaps a progressive jackpot connected to the game. That could be worth a five-figure sum. It would probably also mean they would take out of the game more than they put in. However, such instances are uncommon. You cannot assume you would be that fortunate.
What does this mean in terms of placing your bets?
If you want to play a slot game for real prizes, you must place real cash bets on it. That means you must have a budget sorted out to start with. Always choose a budget you would be content to lose if that is the case. Remember, most players will lose out when they play these games. Sure, they might win some prizes while playing, but if they continue to bet, they are more likely to lose out overall.
That means you should only wager amounts you are willing to lose. Work out a budget that fits this description and then go ahead and play.
Choose a game with bet amounts that will make the most of your budget
This is very important because you need to be certain you will get some good gameplay out of your chosen slot game. Smaller bets mean smaller prizes when you do manage to achieve some success. However, they also mean you will make any budget last longer.
For instance, some progressive slots require a minimum dollar bet per spin. If your budget is $10, it isn’t going to stretch very far playing a game like that. Moreover, the odds of scooping that jackpot aren’t going to be worth wasting your budget on that game.
Look at other slots though, and you see lots of them offer cheap bets of just one cent per line. If you’re playing a one-line slot, that means just one cent per spin. Even a 20-line slot would only require a 20-cent bet per spin.
As you can see, it is easy to pick a game that provides you with bet amounts that will stretch your budget as far as possible. This provides more entertainment and still gives you the chance to pick up some prizes along the way, albeit smaller ones than if you were playing with larger sums. Your budget should always come first.
Choose a game you’re going to enjoy
If you are going to try some online slots that pay cash, you should pick a game you know you can have a good time with. There are countless themes and ideas behind all the online slots available today. That means you can be sure of finding a game you can enjoy.
It’s also a good reason why you should try them in demo mode before switching to real play for real prizes. By doing so, you can see how good those games are and whether they are worth devoting your gaming budget to.
If you consider these points before you play online slots that pay cash, you can be assured of a good time every time – even if you don’t get many prizes!
