Crypto slots are the most popular and easy-to-play online casino game around, with the added bonus that they boast some of the biggest prizes you can win. We’re talking up to eight figures in fiat currency, or hundreds of BTC. In this guide to crypto slots, we’ll walk you through every step of how crypto slots work, starting with how to play and then diving into RTPs, variance, paylines and more.
Unless you’re a hipster who goes out of their way to use needless descriptions (it’s a half-built wall, not feng shui-boosting rustic exposed brick), you almost definitely know these games as slots. But crypto slots are also known as coin machines, pokies, fruit machines, fruities, jackpot machines. And, possibly the most unforgiveable of all slot names, “one-armed bandits”. Just, why?
Whatever you call them, slots are by far the most popular type of casino games both online and at brick-and-mortar casinos. And with good reason. It’s incredibly easy to learn how to play crypto slots, you can play using loose change or a mega bankroll, and there are some giant jackpot slot prizes.
Slots at online crypto casinos usually work in exactly the same way as regular online slots. You’ll find the best slots at crypto casinos and regular casinos, with the only difference being that you bet and win cryptocurrency instead of fiat funds like USD or GBP.
Every crypto slot is different, but the basic premise is that you spin the reels and hope to hit the right combinations to win an instant cash prize.
Here’s how to play a typical crypto slot:
There are many variables and unique aspects, but if you’re new to crypto slots and just want the most reductive of overviews, you essentially hit the button and hope for the best.
You can find out more in our guide on how to play crypto slots.
But not all crypto slots are born equal. And if you understand how they work, you can increase your odds of winning at the slots. Here’s what you need to know.
You’ll see some common terms used a lot when crypto slots are discussed, but you might not know what they mean. Let’s cut through the waffle and briefly explain what they mean:
There are thousands of different slots at the best online crypto casinos, and these can be categorised into a few different types of slots.
Here are the main crypto slot categories and what they mean:
Essentially, there is no major difference between the slots you’ll play at any top online casino and those you’ll find at crypto sites. Same big-name titles, same providers, same odds.
Video slots are a juiced-up version of standard slots. Instead of basic fruits and cherries, you’ll see in-game animations and even cutaways to full animated scenes, like those in Nolimit City slots.
A high percentage of players want the potential to hit a big win when playing slots. Some of these jackpot slots have multiple tiers of jackpots, like ‘Mini’, ‘Medium’, ‘Main’ and ‘Mega’.
If a bog-standard jackpot isn’t enough for you, you can try progressive jackpot slots. In these games, players from different sites all pool their contributions. A tiny fraction from each spin is added to a communal jackpot. This leads to a much bigger prize.
We’re into new territory here, but some of the best crypto casinos have VR slots. You might have seen VR used in poker games, giving a lifelike experience at the tables. With crypto VR slots, you’re immersed in the action like never before. But these are still pretty fresh, and you won’t find many of them just yet.
RTP stands for return to player, and is an objective way to measure how often a crypto slot is going to pay out.
A crypto slot will never have an RTP of over 100%. If it did, it would mean that you could beat the house as that crypto slot would – on average – pay out more than it collects. And as we all know, crypto casinos would not like that one bit.
However, the RTP of crypto slots can vary greatly. Lower-paying crypto slots will have RTPs in the 80-85% range. The best crypto slots have an RTP of 99%, which means you should theoretically come close to breaking even over time.
RTP is very important, as it affects your bankroll and applies to all types of online crypto casino games. The higher the RTP, the more often you’re likely to win.
In crypto slots, a payline is a line on the reels where, if you match the right symbols, you’ll get paid out. These paylines could be in any direction and any shape. Standard paylines run from left to right across the reels, but they can also be vertical, zigzagged, or any direction the software provider chooses.
By default, you can’t see paylines – although they’ll often pop up after you hit one as you’re being paid. The more paylines there are on a crypto slot, the more ways you can win. In many crypto slots, you’ll be able to increase the number of paylines by increasing your stake.
It would be nearly impossible to memorise the paylines across every crypto slot you play, but the good news is that you don’t have to. When you land winning symbols in the right places, you’ll be paid automatically. If you like, you can usually check the available paylines by reading the in-game information in a crypto slot. Look for an ‘Info’ or ‘Help’ button to see them.
In crypto slots, a reel is the spinning cylinder on which all of the game’s symbols appear.
Just as crypto slots can have different numbers of paylines, they can also have different numbers of reels. The most common number of reels is three or five.
Three-reel crypto slots often have a classic feel. If you picture a traditional slot with cherries, bells and bars, you’ll probably think of a three-reel slot. But five-reel slots have become increasingly popular in recent years.
You might think that more reels means more chances to win, but this is always factored in by the best software providers and so a better way to judge this is the RTP. However, it is true that five-reel crypto slots have more opportunities in terms of bonuses and jackpots, as it creates more possibilities for the game’s creators.
Oh, and if you see something like ‘5×3 crypto slot’, that’s simply telling you the number of reels and number of symbols. In this instance, you’d be playing a crypto slot with five reels, each displaying three symbols at a time.
There’s high, medium and low volatility in crypto slots. The lower the volatility, the more often you’re likely to win. High volatility crypto slots tend to have bigger gaps between wins.
But there’s an important caveat. Low-volatility crypto slots may pay out more often, but the wins will be smaller. With high-volatility games, you might not win as often, but when you do there’s a higher chance you’ll land a big prize.
If you’re on the hunt for a big jackpot, you’ll want to target high volatility crypto slots, while accepting the risk of not winning as often. But if you want to stretch out your session at the reels, focus on low-volatility slot games.
Crypto casino slots give you everything you’d get from ‘normal’ online slots, plus more. You can still play all your favourite games from providers like NetEnt and Games Global, but you’ll also unlock access to VR slots and more.
Moonshot Slots offers impartial information about online casinos and games. Our expert team creates reviews and guides based on their best knowledge and judgment. However, these resources are for informational purposes only and should not be considered legal advice. Prior to playing in any casino, ensure you comply with all relevant regulatory requirements.
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