I personally can’t think of a more common question for casino players: are online slots rigged? The question in itself is a bit silly, honestly, because you wouldn’t be itching to play or even consider playing if you thought there was an issue with these types of games.
Instead of asking yourself if all online slot machines are rigged, ask yourself if you are playing at a reputable online casino. If you find yourself feeling scammed after losing countless hours and hard-earned money, you were not a victim of a “fixed” slot machine but a machine with low and lousy variance.
It will always be the case that players are supposed to lose more than win on slot machines, so casinos have no reason to rig their devices when they are already making money.
If an online casino were solely cheating players out of their money, word would spread like wildfire about that casino’s ethics, and it would be on its way to being blacklisted.
Growth Of Online Slots
The solution to avoiding online casino traps where you have no realistic hope of winning is easy. Play on reputable websites that have private auditors. The private auditors will test a casino’s RNGs and payout percentages. Certain casinos even allow the auditors to publish their findings.
Even before the COVID-19 pandemic began, land-based casinos started to see declines in their revenues due to the rising popularity of online slots. In 2016, Las Vegas experienced a drop in revenue from slots for the 9th year in a row. At 17%, it wasn’t by a small margin either.
This declining pattern for land-based casinos is not just in the United States but is occurring globally. Even more so since the pandemic began in 2020, land-based casinos have faced closures, phased openings, shortened operating hours, and not being able to have as many machines on the floor so patrons can socially distance themselves.
Inconsistent service and the fear of exposure has kept many people out of casinos. Instead, casino-goers have turned to playing online slots. This allows them to play comfortably and safely from their own home, as there is no risk of exposure.
Benefits To Playing Online Slots
Online slots are convenient and accessible. You can access slots from a smartphone, laptop, or tablet from anywhere there’s an internet connection.
1. Huge Game Selection
There are also countless kinds of games to play. Some online slots even feature cutting-edge VR and AI technologies that make gambling feel like you’re playing a video game.
2. Free & Real Money Offerings
The majority of online casinos offer “try-before-you-buy options” to new customers. Free sites that allow you to get a feel for specific games or new player bonuses you can take advantage of when you sign-up.
Keep a lookout for promo codes and in-game bonuses – these are some of the things you can’t get at a land-based casino. Welcome bonuses, reload bonuses, free games or spins, cashback, VIP perks.
3. Big Jackpots
Online slots are known for their larger-than-life jackpots. Players familiar with progressive slot rooms are no stranger to this phenomenon. The largest-ever payout from an online slot machine is the $39.7 million jackpot from MGM’s Excalibur “$100 Megabucks slot.”
Are Online Slots Rigged?
Choosing an online casino is the first vital step to having an enjoyable online gambling experience. The best online casinos have key characteristics that they all share. If you research online casinos, you will want to know how the process of online gambling works, from signing up to playing the games and collecting your money.
You want to make sure the online casinos you play at have excellent safety and security methods. Gambling for real money online requires you to provide the casino with financial information, such as credit card numbers.
You also need to ensure that the casino you’re using has proven they pay off bets made at their site. And they should be able to protect your money in-between sessions, so it is all there when you return.
Every online casino out there has a reputation. You can search thousands of reviews on each one from past and current players. There are select few sites that have the stamp of approval from online gamblers everywhere. The most reputable sites have been in business the longest and have gained their players’ trust.
Top 3 Online Casinos
- Bovada Casino – Read Review
- Ignition Casino – Read Review
- Cafe Casino – Read Review
1. Bovada Casino
One of the biggest names in the online gaming community is Bovada Casino. It was established in 1994. Bovada offers live dealer and standard online casino games with an extensive variety of table games, slots, video poker, and specialty games.
The casino offers new players a deposit bonus of 100% up to $3,000. A wide variety of Bovada’s casino games can also be played for free, meaning you don’t have to wager any money.
By playing free casino games, you are able to learn how to play, practice different strategies or just have some fun without risking real money; there’s no better way to master the tricks of the trade before playing and winning real money.
Bovada is one of the most trustworthy sites around with safe deposits, an added layer of security at sign in, and 24-hour customer support. You can’t go wrong playing here, especially as a first-time online player! You can get started on Bovada Casino here.
2. Ignition Casino
Ignition Casino welcomes new players to its games with a generous $3,000 sign up bonus. Despite Ignition only being open since 2016, they have made quite a name for themselves in the online gambling community.
Like Bovada, they have 24/7 customer service, live dealer games, and nearly 300 slot machines to choose from. Ignition has a total of nine banking methods to choose from for player withdrawals, which makes their pay-out system easy to use.
Players can even use Bitcoin to play with and will get an excellent bonus to start with. As a part of their Bitcoin promotion, players will get an insanely high 200% deposit match. You’ll also gain a 100% poker match, and a reload bonus when you deposit more bitcoin.
There’s also a weekly boost bonus – deposits are matched up to $100. If you deposited $100 every single week of the year, you would end the year with $5,000 of bonus cash.
The only thing Ignition is lacking is a variety of mobile games. Since the company is so new, they are still working on developing mobile capability with their games. You can get started on Ignition Casino here.
3. Cafe Casino
Cafe Casino is also a relatively new to the online casino community. Established in 2016 just like Ignition. Cafe is a part of the Betting Partners network and offers exclusive Bovada games.
Deposit bonus of 350% up to 2,500. Cafe labels itself as the online casino destination with slots, blackjack, table games, specialty games, and video poker. They offer a weekly mystery bonus to all players, $100 referrals. They strive to have the fastest, easiest, and most secure payouts in the industry.
The software brands supporting the site, including RealTime Gaming, are the most popular ones in the U.S. market. Cafes specialty games like lotteries and raffles are among the most popular. There is a Sudoku Box Game and 75-ball bingo.
It’s also easy to play the slots or table games on your phone. You don’t even have to download an app.
You can go straight to the Cafe website and start playing. Despite being relatively new, Cafe has many resources behind it, making it reputable and a top competitor in the U.S. online casino industry. You can get started on Cafe Casino here.
Final Thoughts
It’s a bit ridiculous to think online slots are rigged when it’s just a complete myth. The list of online casinos we provided operate fairly and treat players with respect. They also use random number generators to ensure unpredictable outcomes. Keep in mind when playing any casinos online you will run into your fair share of cold and hot streaks. It’s just part of the deal.
So are online slots rigged? Overall, it is easy to conclude that online slots are better for modern games than their land-based counterparts. You can play whichever slot or table game you want, whenever you want, for however long you choose, and even play on the go.
You also have a much higher chance of winning since the return to player rates are significantly higher by default. The RTP percentages are above the average of 95%. There are also many bonuses and rewards to take advantage of in an online casino.
The variety of payment methods, including Bitcoin, that online casinos accept provide convenience, and you can skip the extra ATM fee. Playing online slots at a reputable casino is a worthwhile, fun experience, and who knows, maybe you will be the lucky winner of an enormous payouts.
