Tuesday, March 25, 2008

Choosing online slot machine games

By Steve Briggs

How do people go about choosing the slot machine they ultimately play? Do they choose it because of the slot machine's theme? Perhaps they're prompted by the colors of the game? Perhaps they like that game's wild symbol? Finance most likely plays a part for some players. If you're on a fixed budget you may not opt for that high-end slot game. By the same token a player more interested in the bigger payoffs isn't going to be interested in a smaller investment/smaller payoff slot game. So surely there is a financial edge to this decision.

We've all heard that saying about how the slots at the land casinos always pay off best at the front of the casino because people see those machines paying off and are tempted to enter and gamble. There is also the saying that you should never play two slot machines which are side by side because the casino would not put two machines that pay off in a high percentage right next to each other. And perhaps there is some truth to that, it certainly makes sense.

None of the above except finance really comes into play though when discussing the habits of the online gambler. What drives their decision process when choosing an online slot game besides the cost? I'm sure to a degree that word of mouth plays a part. Hearing someone else won a nice chunk of money while playing a certain game will likely drive interest to that game. Microgaming software powered casinos feature some brand name slot games such as "Tomb Raider", that surely carries a following.

What goes into your decision making process when choosing a slot game online? Once a slot game is chosen its pretty easy to guess from there what it is that keeps a player loyal to that game. They hit a nice win at some time while playing the game or else know somebody who won a lot of money playing that game. Other possible reasons for keeping a player loyal to a certain slot game would be some type of option it has which is unique such as serial game where you collect parts to complete a whole. Perhaps it has a unique way of paying out such as a bonus screen, free spins or perhaps a multiplier.

For those still seeking a process for choosing a slot game may I suggest first taking a financial approach and choosing a game which you can afford to play for an extended period of time or more than a few spins. All slot games are designed to payout higher amounts but less often so you will almost surely need more than a few spins before you can reasonably hope for hitting a big win. Of course I wish you better luck than that and some will experience quick wins but any experienced slot player will tell you its unlikely to happen very often.

Keep watching the casino newsletters and websites for the "recent big winners" section. They often will provide which game the big win was attained and in a short period of time you may see the same game appearing more often than others. Of course it is very possible that particular game is just hitting a lucky stride but its a better starting point than just choosing a game because you like its colors. That said when you're feeling lucky go with your gut and you'll seldom have regrets. You may not win but you won't at the end of the day question "what if I'd followed my gut instincts?".

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