Slots play a huge role in online gambling. There are now many different mechanics and features that can make the excitement of the game endless. The top games are constantly being updated with new titles that all active players will want to play!
When we talk about slots, almost everyone thinks of classic one-armed bandits. They're not wrong, as today's slot machines are inspired by the traditional one-armed bandits of the classical land-based casinos. Of course, fast technological and technical progress have not left the iGaming industry behind, and since the first physical slot machine was introduced, slot games have undergone significant changes.
The name “slot machine” comes from the fact that these machines have a slot where you insert coins, i.e. where you place your bet. They also used to be called "fruit machines" because the reels of the first free slot machine had fruit symbols on them. Cherries, lemons, strawberries and grapes are symbols that are still commonly found on slot machines today.
Everyone loves free slot games, but interestingly, the first slot machines were not exactly a free slot machine, but instead of real money prizes, they gave you the chance to win some delicious fruit gum. So that's where the fruit symbols on the reels come from. Fruit symbols can still be found in more traditional slot machines today, because the timeless classics never go out of fashion.
Nowadays, you'll find many other symbols on the reels of free slots, in addition to fruit symbols: the legendary red seven, the coin or money symbol, the diamond, the horseshoe, the four-leaf clover, the bell and so on. There are some completely free slot games, as you can try demo versions of most of them, without having to bet real money.
The gaming experience is the same for free slots as for paid slots. The difference is that you can't win real money prizes in free slots.
The goal of every slot is to spin as many winning symbols as possible on the paylines. While in the past the first slot machine was a simple 1x3 reel one-armed bandit with a single payline, nowadays you can spin winning combinations on multiple reels and even more paylines.
While all free slot games have their own characteristics, they all follow the same simple rules:
Free slot games have changed a lot in the past 130 years, since they were invented. Today, they are the heart of the gaming industry not only in Germany, but around the world, and are very popular among casino game players. This is most likely due to their simple rules and easy gameplay.
The history of almost free slot games began in New York in 1891. The machine, dreamed up by Sittman and Pitt, looked very much like the one-armed bandits of later times and quickly became popular in local bars. A spin costs 5 cents, so almost anyone could afford it. At that time, there was no way for the slot machine to pay out the winning amount of money, so winners had to claim their winnings from the bar. This was often free drinks or tobacco products.
Yet the first one-armed bandit was invented in 1894 by Charles August Fey. The free slot machine was such a success that shortly afterwards they began to be manufactured in their own factory. In 1899, the Liberty Bell was created, which set the slot machine industry on the track and from then on there was no stop. The Liberty Bell was the first slot machine to automatically pay out cash prizes.
Around 1907, Herbert Mills began to improve on the existing Liberty Bell, and the Operator Bell was created, and the free slots were soon to be found in bars, saloons and tobacco shops.
The next innovation was the first electromechanical free slot machine, the Money Honey, developed by The Bally Manufacturing Company and launched in 1964. It had a huge money container that could hold a lot of coins and pay out big prizes. Money Honey still had a handle, but this was later replaced by buttons.
The first video slot machine was created in 1976 by Fortune Coin. A converted TV screen was used as a display, and the first electronic slot machine was born. First tried out in a luxury hotel in Las Vegas, it spread like wildfire to many parts of the world, including Germany, and it was received with great interest by the German players. Would you like to test some really good slots? You can try the next ones in demo mode for a good gambling experience:
The year 1986 marked an important moment in the history of almost free slots when Megabucks, the first progressive slot machine, was launched. It means that the jackpot increases with every bet placed until a player wins the jackpot. Since the advent of progressive slots, there have been many examples of players winning real money with these almost free slots.
The age of online casinos started in the 1990s, opening up new horizons in the history of slot machines. Initially, it was greeted with intense skepticism, as authorities feared unpredictable fraud and money laundering.
And players themselves were suspicious because they simply could not imagine that online slots could offer the same gaming experience as the physical, almost free slots they were used to.
Since then, tens of thousands of slot games have been launched by game providers. And as the technology continues to evolve, it guarantees that game providers can develop slots with even more sophisticated designs, music and sound effects, special bonus features and huge jackpots.
Online slots are available in the next online casinos:
2005 marked another significant breakthrough for online free slots, with the launch of the first mobile phone compatible slot games. In 2007, the first iPhone was released, followed by the App Store, which opened up a whole new world of possibilities for both game providers and consumers.
Of course, since then, slot games have become accessible not only on iOS but also on Android devices. Players have a huge range of online slot games to choose from, including many free slot games, that German players particularly enjoy.
Below I have tried to summarize the main types of slot machines. Of course, there can be overlaps between the different types.
| Slot types | Characteristics |
|---|---|
| Progressive | The jackpot is the total of players' bets until someone wins it |
| Fix Jackpot | The fixed jackpot does not change and the amount won can be based on the player's bet or a fixed amount |
| Megaways | Every spin is unique and the number of paylines changes during the game |
| Cluster | Cluster slots let players win when similar characters create a cluster on the game grid |
| Classic | They are inspired by old-fashioned slot machines and mechanics |
| Tumble | Tumbling reels is a feature where the winning combinations disappear from the reels and are replaced by new symbols. |
| Video | They are built around a particular theme, have computer generated images, interaction between the characters, bonus rounds etc. |
| Franchise | Officially licensed games, with familiar brands from the world of music, movies or sports |
| Feature | Officially licensed games, with familiar brands from the world of music, movies or sports |
Volatility shows how often a slot machine pays out winnings and how big the winnings are. A high-volatility slot pays out big wins less frequently, while a low-volatility slot pays out small wins, even several times in a row. Slots can be divided into five different groups according to their volatility: low, medium-low, medium, medium-high and high volatility.
RTP-rate or Return to Player rate is a term used in gambling and online gaming and means the percentage that a player gets back depending on the amount of the initial bet placed on the game. Usually, RTP rates above 96% are considered a good percentage. So, as well as reading the rules of the game, it's also worth taking a look at the RTP of the slot so you know what to expect.
And it's not just these aspects that you need to pay attention to, but also, for example, the size of the jackpot and the minimum and maximum bet you can choose, as this can determine the size of your winnings.
Player favorites are the free spins and the welcome bonus or any other various bonuses that the top rated slots usually offer. These bonus options not only make the gaming experience much more interesting, but can also significantly increase your chances of winning.
You can try the demo versions of the slots without registering and without wagering at various casino sites.
Like most forms of gambling, winning on slots also depends on luck. However if you want to increase your chances of winning, you should take advantage of every possible bonus option the game has to offer.
Everyone has their own preferences and tastes, but my recommendations are Age of Gods, Book of Ra and Mega Moolah slots.
