New Slot Games
See All (64)

Top Exclusive Games

BetMGM’s Online Slots

If you’re new to the world of online casino games, you may be unfamiliar with online slots and how they work. Discover more about these games of chance and how to play them.

What are slots and how do they work?

Slots are casino games of chance where players try to line up matching symbols or specific combinations of symbols on a spinning reel. These symbols differ in appearance and value, depending on the game you’re playing. 

In the past, gamblers would play on a physical machine with a mechanical arm. In order to start the game, they pulled the arm after putting in the right amount of money. Today, these devices no longer have the arm, but may have buttons or require the player to press the right virtual button on a touchscreen.  

Online slots have also taken off in popularity over the decades, with players able to play from any computer or mobile device with internet access.

How do I play online slots?

If you are interested in playing online slots, the first thing you need to do is find a legitimate online gambling site, and ensure that it is legal to play in your region. 

After you’ve verified this information, and taken a look at what is on offer on the site, you’ll need to register an account by providing your personal details to the online casino operator. With your registration completed, you can choose how much you want to deposit so you can start playing for prizes, or you can test out games that offer a free demo mode. 

Once you have gotten to this point, playing online slots is a fairly simple process. You’ll need to review the specific rules for the game you’re interested in, as different online slots have different regular and special symbols, as well as different ways to win. Whether you’re playing for free or have made a bet, once you understand the basic rules of the game, a simple click or tap of the spin button gets the action going.

What is a progressive jackpot?

There are different types of jackpots for slots in a casino. A progressive jackpot is a gambling prize that increases as the game is played until someone wins the jackpot. After this, the jackpot is reset to its original value and then builds up again over time. Usually, progressive jackpots in online slots are connected to multiple machines, with each machine contributing a small percentage towards the ever-growing prize. 

What is a payline?

A payline is the line or zigzag pattern that shows you the combination of symbols you need on the slot reel in order to win. While some games only have a few paylines, others may have dozens. Winning paylines can be found on the paytables of any physical or virtual slot machine.

What is a wild symbol?

There are different symbols in slot games, each with a different value or purpose. The wild symbol is a slot symbol that can replace almost any other symbol in an online slot game and can help the player land a winning payline. However, in most games, the wild symbol does not apply to free spins, scatter symbols, and other bonus symbols. Depending on the game, there are different types of wild symbols. Some of the wild symbols that you may come across include:

  • Expanding or stacked wild symbols – This type of wild symbol will spread across the reel, or may only fill a part of it.

  • Moving wilds – Unlike other wilds that stay in the same place between multiple spins, moving wilds may shift to another position on the reel.

  • Straight and diagonal wilds – A straight wild runs vertically down a reel, while a diagonal wild cuts across it diagonally.

  • Sticky wilds – This type of wild will remain in the same position, even across multiple spins. 

How do scatter symbols work?

Scatter symbols are another type of bonus symbol that allows the player to access various additional features, such as free spins or mini-games. Unlike other symbols, which need to appear in a specific order or position on the reel to activate, as long as the required number of scatter symbols appear the relevant bonus will activate. The actual symbol itself differs from game to game. 

What does the RTP (return to player) mean? 

Return to Player (RTP) refers to the chances of a player winning when they play an online slot. For example, a slot machine with an RTP of 95% means that for every $100 a player spends, the machine will pay out $95. This doesn’t necessarily mean that if a single player bets $1 one hundred times that they will win back $95, as the total number of games for the payout value to be reached may be much, much higher than 100 games.

Enjoy the greatest slots with BetMGM

Now that you have a better understanding of how online slots work and how you can win, it’s time to try the best online slots. Register with BetMGM to try out all our exciting online casino games today.