Play The Best Free Demo Slots Online

As we mentioned before, to play a free slot game, you must click on any of our demo games, set the bet size, and hit the spin button. But a lot is going on behind the reels that are good to know.

On some games, you will notice that payouts come frequently but are small in size. Even when you hit a bonus round, the payout rarely exceeds 100 times the stake. On the other hand, on other slots, you only get winnings every 10-15 spins, but they are bigger in size. And when a bonus round lands, the payout can be 500 times the stake or even more. 

This isn’t random. All slots are run by an RNG, ensuring every spin is independent of the previous one and ensuring there is no way to predict the outcome of the next spin. But also, every slot has a set RTP (Return to Player) value and a variance/volatility level. We will explain these two in the following section and why checking them before you start playing for real money is essential. 

• You can also read our detailed guide on how online video slots work here.
• If you’re new to playing? you can also learn how to play online slots.

Return to Player

illustration Showing How RTP works on slots

Understanding slot payouts involves checking the RTP (Return to Player) value, typically found in the help or information section of the game or on the provider’s page. Most modern slots typically have an RTP of 95% or higher, indicating the percentage of all bets returned to players as winnings over time. Generally, a higher RTP means better payout potential. Remember, volatility also affects payout frequency and amount.

For convenience, we’ve compiled an overview of various providers and their slot games RTPs, helping you find games that potentially offer better payouts. Check out our list of real money slots with the highest RTP for more details.

Slots Variance/Volatility

The slots variance is simply the frequency of the payouts that occur on the reels. The standard rule here is that games with a lower variance will produce frequent wins on the reels. This may sound great, but when you play the free-play slots, you will see that the payouts are small in size. Many times, it’s not even enough to cover your bet. So, on these games, you can play for a much longer time, but it’s tough to make a big profit. 

On the other hand, high variance games are known to produce fewer payouts, but they are much more prominent in size. These games are also known as money eaters and high-risk games since you can lose a lot of balance playing them without hitting a big win in return. But when these games decide to pay, the wins can be massive. You can easily score a payout of 2,000 times the stake and even more. In the end, it all comes down to risk and reward. This is why it’s best to play free slots first, without risking any bonuses or real money of your own. You will quickly see how each game works, the payouts it can produce, and the bonus rounds it has in stock. With this experience, you can quickly develop your own strategy and put it to work when you start playing for real money. 

Some of the Most Common Features of Online Slots

There are many different slot features, and new ones come out each year. The features are what make the game more exciting and fun to play.

Let’s look at some of the most common features and what they do.

1. Wild Symbols: These special symbols can substitute for other slot symbols, helping to create winning combinations. Some games offer wilds that can expand to cover reels, known as expanding wilds. There are also sticky wilds, which stay on the screen for the next spin, and walking wilds, which move across the reels with each spin.”
2. Scatter Symbols: Many slot games have Scatters. These are the symbols to keep an eye out for. Scatters are responsible for triggering bonus features, and you usually need 3 or 4 of them on the screen to trigger the bonus game or free spins
3. Free Spins: This feature rewards the player with a number of free spins, often accompanied by additional features such as wilds. Players typically need to land a specific number of scatter symbols on the reels to activate free spins. Free spins offer the potential to win bigger prizes.
4. Bonus Rounds: Many video slots have bonus games that offer prizes and excitement. From pick-and-choose style games to mini-games, these bonus rounds offer players a chance to win more.
5. Multipliers: Multipliers will increase the payout of a winning combination. So, for example, if you have a two-times multiplier, the payout would, instead of $10, be $20. Multipliers can be integrated into symbols and often the wild symbol; you will also usually find them in free spins and bonus rounds. Multipliers can, on some games, be combined, making some big wins.
6. Cascading Reels, also known as rolling reels, avalanche reels, falling symbols, or tumbling reels: The way they work is when you get a winning combination, the winning combination is replaced with new symbols. Replacing new symbols can continue as long as you have a winning combination. It’s a popular feature and can lead to some massive wins. You can try Gates of Olympus 1000 to see how it works.
7. Megaways: Big Time Gaming introduced Megaways, where the number of symbols on each reel changes with every spin. This dynamic feature allows for thousands of winning combinations. Tip: Megawyays are very popular; however, keep in mind they are mostly high volatility slots, so the risk is higher.
8. Progressive Jackpots: These jackpots progressively increase with each game played until someone wins the jackpot. Some of the jackpots can go up to millions of dollars. They are often won through bonus games or randomly triggered events. Remember, they often come with lower RTP. Tip: So I only play them if a jackpot is way over due to payout. See the average payout amount on online casino progressive jackpots to know when it is best to play.
9. Gamble Feature: After securing a win, players have the option to take a chance and gamble their winnings in a game of luck, such as guessing the color of a card. It’s an opportunity to double their winnings or risk losing it all. Some games also have the option to gamble your free spins. However, this can be risky as you can lose them all. Tip: what I always do is test the gamble free spin feature on the demo version before playing for real money, to see if its worth a gamble and how often I win.
10. Pay Both Ways: Typically, slot wins are paid from left to right. However, some games offer pay both ways feature where wins can be achieved from right to left well. It adds a level of excitement and more opportunities for winning combinations.
11. Cluster Pays: Some slots incorporate the cluster pays feature whereby wins are achieved by forming clusters of symbols instead of relying on paylines. It introduces a twist to gameplay mechanics, and also very popular at the casinos. Some of the most popular Cluster Pays games are Sugar Rush 1000 and Pirots 2.

Each feature brings flavor to slot gaming, ensuring that every game offers a unique experience.
To fully appreciate the game and increase your chances of winning, it’s crucial to grasp the functioning of each feature.

You can also read our ultimate guide to slot machine features.