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Written by:
Ryan Mitchell
Last Modified:
2024/10/30
Casino games are simple enough to load on your web browser for a gaming session. Online slots are among the most popular options, thanks to their appealing visuals and broad themes. For example, football fans can relieve the vibes with the Football Champions Cup and other games with a similar theme.
Classic slots, modern 3D takes, and progressive jackpots are all available at various online casinos. We’ll cover them in more detail. In the meantime, let’s see how these casino games work and their peculiarities.
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Reel spins are at the center of online slots. All the action occurs within the reels, with a few controls to adjust the bet and volatility (in some cases).
You’ll find symbols on the reels. For example, a 3-reel, 3-row online slot has nine symbols in all the spots. These symbols will spin on their reels and reveal new, random icons at the end.
Most online casinos provide free play by offering casino credits. You won’t win real money, but you can always switch to real cash for your bets.
The random number generator ensures each reel spin produces a random result. It operates by generating a random number or numbers. Then, the software provider inputs that result into the symbols we see in the play area.
Random number generators control most online games, except where live dealers physically deal the cards or throw the dice. Software providers use them to produce their online slots.
The spin button sets the reels in motion. Some online slot machines allow you to control the speed of the reel spin. You might find this option as “turbo mode” in most cases.
Most online slots place the reels in the middle. Then, the functions and information bars will surround them or stay at the bottom. For example, jackpot slots often display the reward above or beside the reels.
Several things come together to make the gameplay of online slot machines enjoyable. They include the following:
Here’s how these components contribute to the gameplay:
This aspect covers what you see and hear. The use of audio dates back to the physical slot machines in arcade halls and casinos. Today, modern online slots use varying soundtracks to augment the immersive feel.
The soundtrack draws you into a rhythm while gambling. Then, the graphics give it a visual appeal.
We get the theme of a slot game from its graphics. That extends to the symbols, which are often derived from the theme or backstory. An example is the potion symbol in The Power of Merline Megaways, which signifies magic.
The theme and sound are viable indicators of game quality. Modern slot games lean towards 3D characters and well-mixed soundtracks.
You can play a slot today and win C$100. That doesn’t mean you can cash out that amount. Online casinos keep back a part of your winnings.
The RTP determines how much you’ll get from your real-money winnings. It is expressed as a percentage, with some games having as high as 99%. The remaining percentage is what the casino takes away when withdrawing from your account. Let’s remember that a casino is a business.
As a rule of thumb, 96% is widely accepted as the industry average. Online slots with lower RTPs are not necessarily of poor quality. The RTP does not affect the gameplay or the in-game bonuses.
Winning real money in an online slot game is easy. The volatility determines how often a slot pays out and the value of those wins.
Online slots often have low, medium, and high volatilities. Some have low-to-medium or medium-to-high.
Low-volatility slot machines produce more frequent wins. Despite the high winning frequency, the value will be low. High-volatility slot machines stay on the other end of the spectrum, producing high-value wins but at low frequencies.
Some slots have adjustable volatility. Examples include Good Girl Bad Girl from Betsoft and Lucky Fish by Wazdan.
The primary requirement to play real money slots is to have a bankroll. That comes after complete registration on a reputable platform. Then, you can split your deposits to cover the bets.
With that in mind, here are the typical steps to playing online slots in Canada:
#1
Find a reputable online casino.
#2
Complete your registration and verify your account.
#3
Make deposits into your account. One should be enough to get you started.
#4
Go to the slots page and load your preferred game.
#5
Adjust your wager per spin. Some slots have direct adjustments, while others use coin value, number of coins, and bet level.
#6
Hit the spin button.
#7
Continue until you make sufficient wins.
Payouts will be available once you’ve accumulated enough winnings above the withdrawal threshold. The same steps apply to free online slots. That said, you don’t need funds in your account to play the latter.
The payout from playing online slots can come in several ways. Some software providers use the regular payline mechanism, while others opt for something different. Here are the ways you can win when playing online slots:
These are designated lines drawn across all the reels. To win, you must land matching symbols on these lines from the leftmost reel. Slots will add your winnings if you have matching icons on multiple paylines.
Another variant of the classic payline system is the pay-both-ways mechanic. This variant awards wins whether you match symbols from the leftmost or rightmost reel.
This system awards a payout when you have matching symbols in a cluster. They are often available in slots with six reels and up to seven or eight rows. Also, there will be a minimum number of matching symbols to award the payout.
You can see the payout system in the information or help section. Always review it before playing a new game.
The value of your wins depends on the symbols involved. That applies to the basic slot gameplay. Jackpots often pay differently than the regular symbol payout.
You’ll find the payouts in the game’s pay table. Regular symbols will have increasing values until you get to the high-paying ones. Wild and scatter icons can also have payouts in addition to triggering bonus features.
Once, fruit machines were innovative. That has changed with the development of superior graphics, payout systems, and bonus features. Today, we often regard fruit machines as the classic slots.
You’ll notice the varying number of reels when playing slots online. Some have three reels, while others have up to six. The latter has more paylines or can be large enough to implement the cluster-pay mechanics.
With that in mind, the following are the prominent online slots you’ll find on casino sites:
These games have regular gameplay with no additional action on the reels. They can have bonus features, like free spins or respins. Despite that, they’ll have fixed paylines.
You can find online slots that pay as much as 5,000x in this category. Still, their fixed paylines have limited payouts.
Online slots in this category bring flexibility in their paylines to the gameplay. Their reel spins are still fair, but each spin will have a different number of paylines. For example, one spin can have 100 paylines and another 5,000 paylines.
Most megaways have more than 100,000 paylines. Each reel can expand to accommodate eight rows during a spin. Also, these games often have six reels.
Cascading reels are prominent in Megaways. In this feature, winning symbols will give way to new ones on the reels. It is a gameplay feature that can produce multiple winnings in one spin.
Most casino sites in Canada classify Megaways games into one category for quick location. Otherwise, search for the games by name.
Games in this category are our top recommendations for high payouts. The progressive slot games can have over C$1 million as the payout. Their maximum win keeps increasing until the lucky player triggers the jackpot.
Most casino sites in Canada feature network jackpots. That means the games connect on multiple sites, with Canadian players contributing to the increasing payout.
Some casino sites have exclusive jackpots that are only available on their platforms. Whether networked or exclusive, these jackpots have relatively higher returns than regular slots.
Jackpot slots often have bonus wheels that trigger randomly. The jackpot prizes will be in different segments. Then, all you have to do is spin the reel for the prizes.
The rest of the gameplay in jackpot slots looks like regular games. Some even have typical bonus features like free spins and respins.
The Mega Moolah series from Games Global is a prominent networked jackpot slot. Some sites offer free spins as welcome bonus deals for these games.
Canadian players can get more from their slot experience through in-game bonus features. Bonus rounds carry higher winnings than the base game. You can always jump on a free play to test these features.
With that in mind, here are some prominent bonus elements in a typical online slot game:
This feature is often tied to the game’s scatter symbols. Landing a specific number on the reels will trigger free spins. Some game providers increase the free spins as you land more scatter symbols.
The free spin round will occur with your current bet. For example, you will continue with C$10 if that bet triggers the round. All winnings will be multiplied by that value for the final payout.
Free spins can be retriggered in some games by landing scatter symbols before the round ends.
Wild symbols can substitute for others, allowing you to grab winning combinations. Expanding wild icons expand to fill entire reels. Hence, the possible winning combinations increase.
Expanding wild icons can be present in the bonus round or during free spins. Whichever way, they add to the fun and increase your winning potential.
Software providers use multipliers differently. For example, some casino slots have increasing multipliers during the tumble or cascading reel feature. Others include them during free spins or bonus games.
Multipliers are numbers that multiply your final win. For example, a 3x multiplier on a 100x win equals 300x. Then, the final value will multiply your bet for the final payout.
These are similar to what we described in jackpot online slots. They can carry prizes like real money, free spins, respins, jackpots, multipliers, etc.
You must spin the wheel to get the prize. The game will apply the reward, and the round will continue.
Bonus wheels can be triggered or random. The approach depends on the software provider.
This bonus boosts the fun but comes with a risk. It offers the chance to double your win before moving to the next spin or round.
Most games use a pick-a-card minigame where you pick cards to match a suit or color. The more picks you get correctly, the higher your wins. Conversely, you’ll lose your entire win if you pick the wrong card.
Casino sites provide a platform to win real money. The software providers bring the gambling experience to their games. With sufficient funds in your gaming account, you can access their offerings.
Some providers have proven track records of quality slots that are fun and rewarding to play. The industry leaders include the following:
Some providers produce other games besides slots. For example, Pragmatic Play has blackjack variants in the table game category.
Some games bring fun in such a way that you never miss a beat once they are loaded. Their visuals are stunning, with groovy soundtracks to keep you going. Most importantly, they have substantial payouts and favorable volatility.
With that in mind, here are the best slots to play in Canada:
Casino sites offer promotions to new and returning Canadian players. You can use these bonuses to play online slots. The prominent promos include the following:
These deals may have deposit requirements. They will also have wagering requirements to prevent abuse. You can only withdraw your winnings after fulfilling these terms and conditions.
Real money wins are random, but you can take steps to improve your chances. The first tip is to play responsibly. Set a budget for your gambling sessions and stick with it.
Some online casinos provide tools to limit how much funds you can deposit into your account. You can use the daily, weekly, or monthly deposit limits to regulate your spending.
Here’s what you can do on a casino site to improve your winning chances:
Slots have different themes, in-game bonuses, layouts, and payout systems. Megaways offer adjustable paylines, which can be fun to play. Otherwise, you can pick jackpot slots with their mega wins.
A win involves having matching symbols in a cluster. That is what you’ll look forward to whenever you hit the spin button. Besides that are the bonuses, like the gamble feature and the jackpot prizes.
Software providers and online casinos have made access to slots easier by launching mobile apps and free modes. Hence, you can enjoy your favorite titles on your mobile devices (smartphone and tablet) without risking your finances. The random number generator will continue to produce fair results when you want to use real money.
Play video slots only at registered online casinos in Canada. Check their licenses before registering. Then, fund your account and hit the spin button.
Some casinos provide free slots without the need to register. Play the game with the free casino credits until you are ready to register.
Load the slot game and look for the – and + buttons. Click them to adjust your bet. Otherwise, look for the stacked disc button.
Complete all wagering requirements. Go to the withdrawal page and select your preferred payment option (ensure it is available in Canada). Input the amount and follow the prompts.
Free spins and cash rewards can access slot games. Nonetheless, adhere to the site requirements to activate the bonus.
We recommend assessing your gameplay. Casual players are fine with low and medium volatility slots. Conversely, high rollers can make do with high-volatility games.
Casinos provide secure access through their websites or mobile applications. Slots are optimized for smartphones and tablets. Hence, you can access and play online slots at your leisure.
Author information
Ryan Mitchell is a 30-year-old casino expert with over 10 years of experience in writing reviews and articles for the online gambling industry. As former roulette dealer, Ryan brings first-hand knowledge and insights. He provides our readers with detailed and trustworthy content.
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