This is probably one of the most important questions for slot fans across the globe. Modern video slots look more like video games and strategy games these days, it could make the player feel as if he is spinning the reels for fun, not for real money.

If that happens, usually the game sucks your balance dry, so in order to stick around for a longer period of time and win some cash along the way, in our humble opinion, you will most certainly need a playing strategy.

Try Games for Free and Read Player Experiences

The first thing you need to do before you start playing for real money is to try the slot for free. There is a number of websites that offer video slots for free play nowadays, so you do not have to spend any money before you find out whether a particular slot is the right game for you.

After that, you can also do a bit of research about the video slot in question. When it comes to the experiences of other gamers, we have to say that video slot players are extremely honest when giving their opinion about a game, so you can really trust them. Of course, there will be plenty of opposite statements, simply because some players had better and others had worse experiences with the same game, but the truth should be somewhere in the middle.

Your next stop should be slot reviews, which can be found on plenty of reputable websites. If you decide to enjoy a certain video slot, you should read at least one review of the game in question and see how it works, what extras are on the offer, how big the payouts are, what you should pay attention to, etc. Video Slot has a pretty large list of games you can play and reviews you can read.

Take RTP, Volatility, and House Edge Into Account

When picking the video slot that suits you the most, there are plenty of aspects you need to take under consideration before you actually decide to spend your money on the game. First of all, make sure you find out the game’s RTP. The theoretical return to player will vary from game to game, but the best ones should have an RTP of 96% or more.

For those of you who do not know anything about a theoretical return to player, it is the sum that the game pays back. For example, if a certain video slot offers an RTP of 96%, it means that the game pays back $96 for every $100 wagered.

Next in line is the volatility. Video slots with high volatility will pay more often, but the payouts will not be that big. On the other hand, games that have low volatility will not deliver payouts on a regular basis, but once they do, they will surprise you with bigger wins. It is entirely up to you whether you want smaller but more frequent payouts, or whether you are looking to win big.

The trickiest part of this segment of our story is the house edge, and it can be very frustrating for some players, because you will rarely know how big the house edge is in a certain casino. Of course, when playing in the long term, the house always wins, because they are in the business to win money. Even so, it would be helpful for players to know how big the house edge actually is.

Take Advantage of the Casino Bonuses on Offer

There are plenty of online casinos out there now, and all of them need to attract a larger audience in order to win cash. Due to pretty strong competition, they are forced to offer pretty generous welcome bonuses, promotions and packages, simply to increase the army of their loyal followers.

An experienced gamer would know how to take advantage of the situation, and use the offered bonuses in the best possible way. Also, you can join slot clubs, where you gather points and exchange them for more bonuses. So, while you are spending money in a certain casino, you will be collecting points that will deliver more free or cheap bonuses.

Play Games That You Can Afford and Stay Away From Jackpot Slots

First of all, you need to determine what kind of player you are. This largely depends on your budget. If you have a significant amount of cash you can afford to spend on slots, then your options are quite wide. If you are among gamers that have a bit smaller budget, stick to the games that will not suck your balance dry in only a couple of spins.

If you are playing for fun and looking to win smaller amounts of cash, make smaller bets and play games with higher RTPs and higher volatility. Payouts will come more often, but will not be that big. Those of you looking for a life-changing win will probably go for a game that offers massive progressive jackpots.

If you do, there is one thing you need to know about. All games that offer massive progressive jackpots will not deliver payouts as often as you would have liked. The reason is simple, they need to earn money in order to pay out the jackpot on the offer.

Of course, one player will get the main prize, but others will not be so lucky. So, if you are not prepared to lose money, do not spend time playing slots that offer big jackpots.

The same thing goes for branded video slots. Yes, they look great and offer so many additional features, with plenty of familiar characters on the reels, but there is one important fact to be considered here. Branded video slots cost a lot of money, and both developers and online casinos need to recover their investments in such an expensive branded slot game. The easiest way to recover money is to take it away from the players, so think twice before you start playing.