Online Slot Types Explained: From Classic Reels to Bonus-Packed Games

BetMGM Jun 09, 2025, 8:00 AM
min read
A person intently playing an online slot machine on a laptop in a dimly lit environment. The screen features a bright, animated slot game interface with classic symbols such as sevens, BARs, fruits, and the word “POW” across the reels. Buttons like “CASH,” “DOUBLE,” and a green “SPIN” icon line the bottom of the screen.

Because slots are extremely popular among gamblers, casinos and their partners have dedicated tremendous resources to providing these games. The combination of players’ feedback and developers’ efforts has produced nearly endless diversity under the umbrella of slots.

BetMGM Casino’s guide to online slots highlights several of these types, like jackpot slots, instant win slots, and even live dealer slots. Without consulting a real money online slots guide, the variety of games can be dizzying.

You shouldn’t feel overwhelmed by the assortment at your fingertips at BetMGM, though. The right information can help you identify which online slot types are the best for you.

What Are Class II and Class III Slots?

The United States government established three classes of gambling in 1988 with the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act. Along with many other regulations, that law separated Class II vs. Class III slots.

The big difference is the game mechanic that determines the results of bets. In Class II slots, an electronic game of bingo is the deciding factor.

Class III slots use a random number generator (RNG). In appearance, Class II and Class III slots can be very similar, with the main difference being what’s going on “behind the scenes.”

Class II slots are very rare at legal online casinos in the US. Class III RNG games that invoke a nostalgic feeling are very common, though.

Classic Slots

Classic slot machines are often designed to mimic games that filled gambling parlors in the earliest days of slot games in the US. You’ll find simple game mechanics, relatively few paylines, little variety in symbols, and usually just three reels.

Betting requirements can vary greatly within this category, though, with some of the best online penny slots falling into the genre. Because the betting range is wide, so is the value of possible payouts.

Animations in these games are often minimal, although the graphics are still typically very pleasing to the eye. If you want a slot experience that is more immersive and modern, there are games for those tastes, too.

Video Slots

If you’re weighing video vs. classic slots as a better source of entertainment, nearly all slots in the 21st century utilize a video element. This includes physical slot terminals at land-based casinos.

Additionally, different features in slots make them the best choice for nearly everyone. These features include an array of betting options, bonuses, and game mechanics that make trying your luck simple. Slots are versatile enough that some casinos have even turned them into a social affair.

Live Dealer Slots

Live dealer slots are among the newer concepts in slot gaming. In these experiences, players wager on the result of a real dealer playing online slots for the player.

Studios broadcast these games live, with players accessing the betting platforms via BetMGM’s Android app, iOS app, or website. This should not be confused with people streaming themselves playing slots online, as in those streams, people watching are merely commenters and spectators.

The world of real money slots continues to expand as time passes. Each innovation is a step toward the games’ future, but sometimes developers borrow elements from the past.

Unique Slot Formats & Arcade Games

Online slots give game designers a lot of room to experiment. As long as the slots fit into regulatory structures, the only limits are the bounds of their imaginations and what players will enjoy.

An extreme example of this is LuckyTap slots. Many debate whether these titles qualify as slots, arguing that they are better described as instant-win games.

Fitting better within the norms, Link & Win slots are an interesting use of the common respins feature. With each appearance of the namesake symbol, you get a respin that can add to your winnings.

Slingo games live in the middle ground between Class II and Class III slots. These are hybrids of bingo and slots that many players adore.

BetMGM is also home to many game show-themed slots. These slots do more than just borrow themes from popular game shows, often presenting new twists on how the game shows work, too.

For fans of classic gaming, BetMGM’s casino arcade game collection is a treasure. You can find versions of your favorite arcade games with the slot treatment, allowing you a chance to win some quarters instead of just feeding the machine.

Slots are fun regardless of whether you win, but winning adds to the excitement. Some slots excel in that potential to quickly escalate the thrills.

Jackpot Slots

BetMGM offers many types of jackpot slots. The top Mega Jackpot slots are all at BetMGM, along with fixed-value and progressive slot machines.

Fixed-value jackpots pay out the same no matter when you hit them, or how long it has been since a person last claimed them. Regardless of the type, jackpots have one thing in common: they come with long odds.

Some of these prizes have six- or seven-figure payouts. The odds are commensurate with that value, meaning you can burn through your bankroll quickly trying for these prizes.

Progressive Slots

Popular progressive online slots get a lot of press because the jackpots in these games can be worth eye-popping amounts of money. In progressive slots, part of each wager adds to the value of these jackpots. Some jackpots have limits, while others continue to grow until someone hits them.

Like with any other jackpot, your chances of landing these prizes are smaller than regular payline hits. If you want to get some slot entertainment without risking any of your hard-earned cash, that option exists.

Free Slots

The only thing more affordable than playing penny slots online is enjoying free slots. Online slot game demos are a great source of free versions of these games.

Slot demos are samples of games you’d find at BetMGM for real money. It’s a great way to get a taste of a slot with zero risk, but you also can’t win any money playing the demos.

Regardless, you might weed out some games you don’t enjoy, without spending any of your money on them. You should prioritize entertainment value in your slot play, including how immersive the games are.

3D Slots

Slot graphics are continually pushing the envelope of incorporating better and new technology. This applies in the realm of three-dimensional (3D) animations and graphics. 3D animations and graphics, depending on your tastes, can be very pleasant and add to the experience. 

But there’s another feature that can be just as appealing. 

Multi-Payline Slots

The debate over multi-line slots vs. single-line slots is all about how many options for potential payouts you prefer. Multi-line slot machines don’t necessarily pay out more money or more frequently than single-line games.

Both forms include slots with above- and below-average return-to-player slot percentages. Both forms also contain slots with low, medium, and high slot volatility ratings

In many multi-line slots, only one payline pays out at a time, although some games allow for a combination. 

Experimentation with the function of reels and symbols has also led to one of the most unique slot features.

Megaways Slots

The top Megaways slots at BetMGM have become player favorites due to their unique way of handling slot reels and paylines. Megaways slots randomly cause the reels to change in size, creating new paylines and additional ways to win.

Some of these games boast ways to win in the tens of thousands. Players should be clear that a higher number of ways to win does not equate to improved odds of winning, though.

Even the additional payline possibilities are just that: possibilities. Slots are games of chance with random outcomes, regardless of the number of paths to wins.

Single-Line Slots

While payline abundance is an attractive feature for some, others enjoy a more minimalist approach. For them, slots with a single payline can be ideal.

While many classic slots feature a single payline, that isn’t universally true. Some slots boast special features, like cascading slot reels, for example, while also containing just one payline.

The beauty of a single payline is that you’re only looking for a single combination to trigger features or a payout. There are more choices in how you want to experience any wins you’re lucky enough to land.

Instant Win Slots

If patience isn’t one of your virtues, instant-win slots could suit your taste perfectly. In these games, you set your wager, initiate the game action, and instantly see whether you’ve won, plus exactly how much.

These games typically don’t use symbols to denote certain outcomes, but rather show monetary values. That makes them extremely easy to learn how to play.

For that reason, many people debate whether they’re really slots at all. Either way, the presentation of these games can be cutting edge.

VR Slots

Augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) are pushing forward many genres of entertainment. The same progress is occurring in AR and VR in casino games.

As the technology improves, a day may come when you can interact with game elements projected with light into the air instead of clicking a mouse or tapping a screen. When regulations allow, full projections of slot terminals could go anywhere they’re legal to play.

Evidence of the inevitability of these advancements is already visible in how far mobile technology has come. Online slots were the first leap forward in slots with technology.

Mobile Slots

Mobile slot machines offer all the anticipation, immersion, and potential payouts of their counterparts at brick-and-mortar casinos. Mobile slots pack all that entertainment into any device and go with you anywhere.

Through the BetMGM Casino app, people can experience the same games they’d find on BetMGM’s website throughout Michigan, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia. These games are fully optimized for any device running on the latest Android or iOS operating systems.

You won’t find any scaled-down versions on mobile when you play with BetMGM. You can find some scaled-down betting options, though.

Penny Slots

Besides offering a betting minimum of just a single cent, the best online penny slots have one other thing in common. They’re all at BetMGM.

As the name suggests, penny slots are playable for as little as a penny per spin. You don’t have to sacrifice potential return on your bet, either, to play them.

Many of the titles offer impressive payouts despite the small stakes. BetMGM has options for those who want to wager at the other end of the spectrum, too.

High Denomination Slots

High denomination slots have higher betting maximums than most games. High limit slots mean two things: big rewards and big risks.

Responsible gambling is always important, no matter how much you risk. It’s important to be vigilant even if you can afford larger bets, because larger payouts can be more enticing.

Smart gamblers always know the odds of winning any prize they seek. Playing the right way is an active undertaking.

iSlots (Interactive Slots)

Narrative iSlots games are a fun fusion of gambling and storytelling. Each payline hit furthers the story, with the games’ themes enriching the narratives.

You play the role of the main character in each story, with your decisions guiding the narrative. From there, fate takes over.

You can find slots that fit into all these categories and more when you register for BetMGM. The story of your experience with slots is waiting to be written.