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Online Slots Machines

We wanted to do more for you than find the best online slot machines in Canada. Our goal is to help you have the greatest time with every online casino game you play, and to that end we’ve put some guidelines together.

A Little Background to Slot Machines

Slots were first introduced in the bars of Brooklyn and San Francisco, back in the early 20^th century. They were developed from the Liberty Bell, a machine invented by car mechanic Charles Fey. When slots arrived in Vegas, intended as a side amusement for the female companions of the table game-playing men, they were soon attractions in their own right, and the rest, as they say, is history! They quickly spread around the world.

As technology developed, the moving parts of slots machines were controlled by central processing units, and then these were done away with completely. These days, land-based machines use computers, software and video screens to simulate the action of a slots game. This has been done online, of course, where slots games have been popular since the earliest introduction of online gambling in Canada and other countries.

The Basics of Online Slot Machines

All slot games are based on the idea of spinning a set of reels. In the earlier machines, these were physical and turned mechanically; nowadays everything is simulated. There are icons on the reels, and if they line up in certain ways when the reels come to rest, players are paid out a multiple of whatever they wagered in the first place. Unlike table games such as Roulette and Baccarat, there is no betting strategy to improve your chances of a good payout in a slots game, and there are not opportunities to make shrewd moves the way you can in Poker and Blackjack either. The thrills in slots all come from betting, spinning and holding your breath to see if you’ve won.

The specific patterns that the icons need to form are based on certain images filling the reels in pre-set positions. When all positions are filled in this way at the same time, a line of paying icons runs horizontally across the reels. For this reason these winning patterns are called, fittingly, paylines. Sometimes you need to bet on all available paylines in a game, meaning they are “fixed”, and sometimes you can choose which paylines you want to activate. Be warned though; a winning pattern lines up along an inactive payline, you don’t get anything.

Different Types of Online Slot Machines

Over the years, slot machines have evolved and there are now 2 basic types seen in land-based and online casinos in Canada. You’ll find the best online slots of both types at the casinos we showcase. Classic slots are very closely based on the original slot machines, with few paylines, 3 reels, simple icons and minimal special features. They’re perfect for players who are just starting out and getting to know how online slots work, and as you keep playing you’ll find they are also great when you want to slow the pace down a little.

The other type of online slots are known as video slots, and feature more reels, paylines and special features such as Free Spins and other Bonus Rounds. They are also always based on a central theme, which can be anything from Game of Thrones, Bridesmaids and other popular franchises to adventures, fairytales, myths, legends and everyday life. Video slots also have a second kind of payline structure, known as Ways to Win. Rather than all icons on a payline needing to appear at the same time, this structure pays out when any pre-set position on the reels is filled with the right icon. The more positions that are filled, the more you’ll be paid out. When you want to be completely immersed in your online casino game, no matter what else is happening around you at the time, video slots will fit the bill.

We recommend trying games for free before playing them as real money slots whenever you can, to be sure you’re happy with them. Playing for free is also great when you just want to relax and enjoy yourself without any financial stress, or when you want to keep playing and having fun but you’ve used up your daily or weekly gambling budget. When you want to play for life-changing sums of money try the progressive jackpot games, including the record-holding Mega Fortune by NetEnt and Microgaming’s Major Millions. These continue to grow as they are added to with a percentage of every bet made by every player on the network until they are triggered by a very lucky player. The fact that this could happen at any time makes the games especially thrilling!

The instant nature of slots distinguishes them from table games, and together they make for a well-rounded online gambling experience. Their immediate action also makes them especially suited to mobile play situations, where players often find themselves snatching moments for gambling and winning wherever they can. As well as their instant-play rewards, slots work well in mobile casinos because using a touchscreen to operate the controls feels more like playing in a land-based casino. Find the best examples of all online casino games at our recommended sites.