Slots games have a higher house edge than most casino table games. This is because the RTP on slot games is lower than many other popular casino games. Did you know that penny slots at land-based casinos usually have a payback percentage lower than 90%? This means that the house edge is greater than 10%. Put differently, every C$100 wagered can be expected to return C$90 over the long term. But, of course, anything can happen in the short term.
Online casinos typically have a higher RTP for slot games, but it's impossible to negate the fact of the house edge. That means a slot machine game with a 96% RTP still has a house edge of 4%. That's double the house edge of a game like Three Card Poker ante-play option at 2%. Let's consider the Craps pass line bet with a house edge of 1.41% – that's pretty low too. But no casino game compares to the house edge on blackjack, which ranges from 0.5% – 1% on average when perfect playing strategy and player-friendly rules are in effect.
Despite all this talk of the house edge, millions of players flock to slots games daily. Bricks and mortar casinos across the United States and Canada are peppered with slot machine games and the players who enjoy them. This is also true of online casinos. So you may wonder why slots are universally popular. Let's take a look!
1. SLOTS ARE AVAILABLE TO EVERYONE
Offline casinos typically require a minimum bet of C$5.00 for table games, even with affordable games. Other land-based casinos offer table games at C$10 minimum, but minimum bets can go as high as C$25 a pop during peak hours.
Online casinos make it much easier for players to get started. For example, low minimum bets are standard at virtual casinos because there are significantly reduced costs to contend with, such as physical space requirements, machinery to maintain, employees, or equipment maintenance. But online casinos still maintain higher bet minimums on table games.
Slot machine denominations are usually C$0.01. Players can enjoy multi-line slot games for as little as C$0.30 or C$0.40 per spin. With a modest budget of C$20, you could have a pretty good session of penny slots games. Think of it this way – you could spin the reels 66 times with a bet size of C$0.30. Switching your attention to the blackjack tables, you could burn through that same C$20 playing the blackjack minimum hand value of C$5.00. That's four hands gone within two minutes!
Granted, slots games are much quicker than card games. This is particularly true at land-based casinos. Regardless, suppose you only have a couple of C$20 bills in your bankroll instead of several hundred Canadian dollars for an afternoon play session. In that case, slots give you more opportunities to play and enjoy.
2. SLOTS ADD VARIETY TO YOUR GAMING SESSIONS
Whether you're playing slot machine games online or offline, there are scores of different slot machine games to enjoy. Maybe you don't want to play Wheel of Fortune – no worries – you can play a jackpot-rich video slot, Nightmare on Elm Street, a game of Monopoly, or something like Dinosaur Stampede. It's all in a day's play. Slots add variety to your gaming sessions, thanks to in-game bonus events, unique gameplay, and a thoroughly entertaining overall experience.
Software providers and slots manufacturers are burning the candle at both ends. They are continually developing innovative new ways for you to enjoy fully immersive slots. Over the years, we've encountered single progressive jackpot slots, multiple progressive jackpot slots at up to 12 levels in play, and payouts ranging from a fistful of dollars to millions of dollars in prize money.
There are slot machine games where players pick icons on the screen to reveal bonuses. There are games where you're the top gun, aiming at enemy fighter jets or hunting down aliens. You can build a sizeable payoff meal from a restaurant menu in other slots. It's all fun and games with slot machines. We have enjoyed games with free spins events that restrict the number of reel symbols to high-paying options. Other slots will add wilds onto the reel set, and others have expanding wilds that can cover the entire column.
In our experience, there are innovative ways to win credits with prize wheels, mega jackpots, and additional bonus rounds. With slots, you are assured of loads of innovative changes and a thoroughly immersive playing experience at the click of a button.
3. JUST PLAY - NO LEARNING CURVE IS NECESSARY
Different casino games have complex playing rules and requirements. For example, if you're keen to learn how to play blackjack like a champ, then you need to follow the rule book. Take the time to study up on blackjack tactics and strategy. Similarly, if you're eager to shoot craps like Patricia De Mauro, you must learn how to play craps. Once you know the rules, you'll understand how to get the best craps odds. But first, you'll have to learn about the different craps bets and the table layout.
But here's the thing – with slot games, the odds are identical for everyone who plays. You do not have to worry about complicated tactics and strategies either. Everyone follows the same playbook; you deposit coins and/or the number of lines to play and click the spin button. In addition, the traditional 3-reel slot machine games have a higher payback percentage when players place max bets. That's because there is a disproportionate uptick in the top jackpot for max bettors.
4. OTHER PLAYERS WON'T BOTHER YOU
One of the best reasons to play slots is that you are playing on your machine without any interference from anyone else. You don't have to share slot machine space with anyone – it's player versus machine in a battle royal for the jackpot. Your wins don't impact anyone else in any way – neither do your losses. With blackjack, it's different. Often, players face scrutiny when they make their decisions, even when they make good decisions. This is because other players feel as if they are impacted by what winning or losing players do.
Not convinced? Consider this example: Let's say you are playing blackjack against the dealer and have a 10+2 in your hand. The dealer's up card is a 2. Following the correct blackjack strategy, the player would hit in this case. Unfortunately, a 10-value card may come up. This automatically results in the player losing their hand against the dealer. On the other hand, that same 10-value card might cause the dealer to bust – that would benefit all players at the table. Can you see where we are headed with this reasoning?
Forget that kind of hassle. Nobody needs it. You simply click a button with slot machine games and watch the reels spin into action. Nowadays, it's a rarity to pull one-armed bandits – everything is on screen or uses pushbutton functionality. Better yet, your actions do not adversely affect anyone around you.
But don't let that fool you – slots can be pretty social games too. There is a unique category of slots known as community-style slot machine games. Loads of players congregate at a bonus event simultaneously. But even in this scenario, you can't make any mistakes that will cost anyone anything. When you play slot games, your betting behaviour results in wins or losses for yourself alone. Nobody can criticize you for your betting activity because it has nothing to do with them.
5. JACKPOT SLOTS GAMES
No single bet will make you rich when playing card games like blackjack, baccarat, poker, or table games like roulette and craps. For example, your payout is pretty insignificant if you win a C$10 game of blackjack. Remember, blackjack pays 3:2 on the best tables and 6:5 on the worst tables. That's pretty much as good as it gets. It's slightly different with games like Three Card Poker, where a C$10 bet pays C$400 for a straight flush. If you place a C$10 roulette bet on a single number, you'll be able to win 35:1 if your number comes in. That's C$350.
Now let's turn our attention to slot machine games. You're limited only by the size of the payouts listed on the paytable. Playing a C$0.30 slot game, you can win thousands of dollars with the progressive jackpot slots. But, if you ramp it up a little bit to C$3.00, you can win jackpots worth tens of millions of dollars. Believe it or not, a C$0.25 online slots bet scooped up a payout of C$20 million. But let's be blunt: mega jackpot payouts are a rarity.
Fortunately, players are privy to slot games that pay thousands of dollars daily. Many of these are readily available as guaranteed daily jackpot games. Naturally, the odds are stacked against players, and the house wins. However, it is possible to collect a C$1000 payout when lady luck visits you!
6. SLOTS GAMES ARE SO MUCH FUN
Slots are heaps of fun. That's why millions of people play slots games. The creative genius of slot game developers, combined with their technical prowess (a.k.a. bonus rounds, in-game elements, et cetera), make slot games entertaining from inception to cash out.
The proof of the pudding is everywhere – consider all the fun and games at social casinos online, with millions of players competing for slots jackpots at land-based and online casinos. We strongly recommend setting a budget and session limits for your slots and casino games. Play affordable slots and enjoy them – win or lose. It's all about having a blast!
