Online slot machines differ in a number of ways, some more obvious than others. Here is a closer look at some of the easiest ways you can tell the difference between slots. For example, some online slots have just 3 reel slots, and others have 5 reels. Some come with a standard payline structure, and others come with either a Win Ways payline structure or Megaways game engine.
You can also tell the difference between slots in several other ways. For example, you will notice that the online casino software providers that develop these games and supply them to the casinos have crafted their own unique style, which helps tell certain games apart. Take a closer look at what to look for right here.
How do online slots differ?
If you’re new to new online slot machines, at first glance, they may all seem the same. However, online slots differ in a number of ways, some more obvious than others. There are literally thousands of online slot machines out there today, and they have been produced by hundreds of different online casino software providers and independent game development studios. One thing you will notice is that each software provider tends to have a certain style.
For example, seasoned pros who have played many online slot machines will instantly be able to tell the difference between online slots from Pragmatic Play and online slots from NetEnt. Similarly, those same people would also be able to point out an online slot that was made by Play’n GO, Microgaming, or Playtech. The providers all have their own unique take on a game, and some of the main things that help identify which company has produced a game are the general layout, for example, how the player controls and reels are laid out, the sound effects, the style, and the special in-play bonus features the game might have.
Some of the most popular online slots themes out there today are Ancient Egypt-themed slots, Luck O’ The Irish & Leprechaun-themed slots, Norse Mythology & Viking-themed slots, Greek Mythology-themed slots, and Horror-themed slots. You can also find Movie/TV Show-themed slots, Pirate-themed slots, Sci-Fi-themed slots, Sports-themed slots, Animal-themed slots, and Asian-themed slots, to name just a few top themes.
What are some of the other things to look out for?
Some of the differences between the best slots online today are much easier to spot than others. For example, some slots only have 3 reels, and others have 5 reels. Some may be stacked by just 3 symbol positions high, and others might be stacked by 4, 5, or more symbol positions high. This means that some slots may only have 1-5 paylines, and others can have anywhere from 10 to 50 paylines.
You will also find that some slots come with a slightly different payline structure known as win ways, and these games may have anywhere from 243 different ways to win up to 3,000 or more different win ways. One of the most famous online slots that most slot fans are familiar with by now is NetEnt’s Starburst slot, which can now be found at hundreds of fully licensed online casinos. This popular slot has 5 reels and just 10 paylines.
What are Megaways slots?
A ‘Megaways’ slot is an online slot machine that comes with the Megaways game engine. This innovative online slot technology was originally pioneered by Big Time Gaming, and the company has since licensed out the Megaways technology to more than 50 other slot developers, such as NetEnt, Red Tiger Gaming, Blueprint Gaming, Playtech, Microgaming, NetEnt, and Pragmatic Play, to name just a few.
With this technology, you never know exactly how many different ways to win the next spin will be played with. In most Megaways slots, there can be anywhere from 324 Megaways up to 117,649 Megaways. Each time you hit the spin button, each of the 6 reels will spin to reveal anywhere from 2 to 5 symbols. It’s random each time. Some of these games out there today have been known to have 248,832 Megaways (different ways to win per spin), others have 586,971 Megaways, and a handful have up to one million or more Megaways!
Progressive slots, bonus rounds, and wilds
Some online slots have fixed coin jackpots, and others have progressive jackpots, the latter of which can climb to no fixed amount; it has the potential to reach well into the millions of dollars before being eventually won. Some slots have Expanding Wild Symbols or Stacked Wild Symbols, and others have Exploding Wilds or Multiplying Wilds. You will also find that some slots come with Free Spins Bonus Rounds, and others come with second screen Picking Bonuses.
The more online slots you see, the more you will start to realise how different these games really are. Each slot is different, which is one of the main reasons why they are so popular at online casinos. There’s basically something for everyone.
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