Best real money slots

Slot machines are the most popular games in all land-based casinos, and this applies to online casinos as well. A large part of the game collections of casino sites consists of online slots real money, and the most important reason for this is that these games offer both fun gameplay and great earning potential that does not require any gambling experience. But to get both these advantages, you need to play the best online slots real money: below, we'll explain how you can do this in the easiest and fastest way possible.

Best real money casinos we recommend

Below is our list of trusted casinos. If you want to make more clear choice read some tips further.

888Casino
Casino rating 9.5 /10
Number of slot games: 1500 slot games Free spins: No
100% up to 140€ on 1st Deposit
Payment methods:
  • Visa
  • Maestro
  • PayPal
  • Neteller
  • Booongo
  • Endorphina
  • Big Time Gaming
  • Nolimit City
  • iSoftBet
  • Yggdrasil Gaming
  • Red Rake Gaming
Top 1 Casino
Hippodrome
Casino rating 7.5 /10
Number of slot games: 400 slot games Free spins: Yes
Up to 50€ welcome bonus
22bet
Casino rating 7.6 /10
Number of slot games: 1000 slot games Free spins: No
300€ + 22 Bet Points

How to choose a casino for the game with real money?

It would be best to start your slots online win real money journey at the best casino sites. After all, the best online slots real money is naturally found at the best online casinos. To determine which of the thousands of sites on the Internet would be a better option for you, we recommend that you pay attention to the following:

Check the licence first

We will explain the importance of this in detail below: for now, know that you should only play at licensed and legal casino sites

Take a look at the slots section

Check out the slots section in the casino's game collection and make sure that there is satisfactory content in terms of both quality and quantity. A casino should work with top-tier developers, offer variety, and ensure you can play both the most popular and the newest games.

Read the bonus terms carefully

In almost every online casino you can find bonuses that you can use to play slots for real money. Read the terms of use and pay particular attention to the wagering terms to understand how useful they will actually be. We will share more information on this below.

Check the payment methods

To play online slots real money you need to make a deposit. After you make a profit, you will want to withdraw it too. So, make sure that there are payment methods you can use hassle-free.

How to check if the casino is legal?

As we mentioned above, legality is the most important criterion to consider when evaluating a casino site. If you want to play real money slots and win real money, first you should not worry about the security of your payments and personal information. You can only do this at licensed casinos: the licence means that the casino is legal and regulated by a government agency. Never ever play in unlicensed (rogue) casino sites.
This means you need to check licences before starting to play slots for real money. This is not difficult to do, as licensed casinos share this information on their websites. All you have to do is look at the bottom of the home page: the name of the licensor and the licence number are indicated in this section. (For example, “...ABC.com is licensed by the Malta Gaming Authority – licence MGA/B2C/123/4567.) Often you will see the licensing company logo: clicking this logo will open the licensor's official site and you will be able to verify the licence information.
This also means that you shouldn't be content with just seeing the licence information: always verify the information shared by the casino. If the casino has not shared a clickable logo (or nothing happens when you click on the logo), you can also do this manually. Visit the official website of the organisation that the casino has declared to be licensed. In order to help you, we share the links of some of the reputable licensing institutions where you can check this information.

Which slots are better to play for real money?

You should play the best online slots real money for both an enjoyable and lucrative experience, but how do you know if a slot is good enough? Truth be told, you are the only one who can decide whether something is "best": this is a subjective criterion, and each player's "best" choices will be different from another. Some players pay attention to the high RTP rate, while others are interested in the number of bonus rounds. Therefore, it is necessary to create your own personal top online slots for a real money list. While doing this, we recommend that you pay attention to the following points.

RTP

This term is short for "return to player" and is one of the most misunderstood things about real money slots. Most players think that RTP is about the chances of winning. However, this value determines how much of your investment you can recover in the long run. Let's explain by giving an example: if a slot has an RTP of 96.00%, this means that you can win back 96 EUR/USD of every 100 EUR/USD you invest in that game. So, your average loss will be limited to 4 EUR/USD. As a general rule, we recommend choosing real money slots with an RTP of at least 95.00% – the higher the better.
But do not think that you will immediately start winning in every slot with a high RTP. These values are determined after an average of 1,000 spins. In other words, you can't see how this value affects gameplay by just playing for a short time.

Volatility

The volatility of real money slots is divided into three, as low, medium, and high. To explain it simply:

  • Low volatility: Slots of this type payout frequently, but the payouts are low.
  • High volatility: These slots have a low payout frequency, but they pay out high numbers.
  • Medium volatility: They represent the average between low and high volatility in terms of both payout frequency and payment amounts.

None of these are about the chances of winning. The volatility type of slots is only important to find out which games suit you best. In this context, low-volatility games will be a better choice for those who play on a limited budget, as they can start winning in no time. In other words, they can play efficiently even on a low bankroll. For players who don't have bankroll problems, high volatility slots are a better choice because they can afford the wait.

Bonus features

Video slot games all have a bonus feature. This feature is triggered by a certain symbol combination or action. In any case, triggering a bonus gives the player advantage because they get a chance to win really big. It is possible to list the bonus features in online slots as follows:

  • Free spins round: We can say that this is the most common bonus feature and is mostly triggered by placing three scatter symbols anywhere on the reels. The player earns the right to make a certain number of spins for free (i.e., 20 times). Additional features can be added to these spins (e.g., multiplier). The round starts automatically as soon as it is triggered, and reels start to spin for free. When all spins are completed, the resulting winnings are transferred to the player balance.
  • Gambling round: This is a manually triggered feature, not an automatic one, and is usually found in classic slots. If a spin results in a win, the player can initiate this bonus (or choose not to initiate it and get paid). This is actually a kind of mini-game and asks the player to guess the colour and/or suit of a play card. If successful, the player can double or quadruple his payout. But if they fail, they lose the entire payout.
  • Mini-game round: This is a mini-game, usually called “pick-me”, and is triggered by a certain combination of symbols. The player is asked to choose among the closed symbols. Each revealed symbol can give a different reward (cash, spin, etc.). Sometimes you may also be asked to find three identical symbols: the rules and content of this mini game depend on the creativity of the developer.
  • Bonus buy: This is not technically a bonus feature, but it is possible to see it in many real money slots that have been released recently. If a slot is listed as “bonus buy”, it is possible to start its bonus feature at any time (and as many times as you want) by paying. For example, you don't need to place scatter symbols to start the free spins feature we mentioned above: you can start it right away by purchasing the bonus.

Free spins are a must-have feature in every video slot, as they do not involve any risk and offer serious winning potential. The gambling round offers a very high chance of winning, but if you fail you will also lose the initial payout, so we recommend that you skip it. Minigames provide a more enjoyable experience, but they are not an indispensable feature. Bonus buy is the best option for players who don't have bankroll problems.

Paylines

When you play slots for real money, each spin will have a certain cost. What this cost will be is determined not only by the bet limits but also by the number of lines. Let's start from the beginning: Except for mechanics like "Megaclusters" and "Cluster Pays", all slot games have paylines. These are real lines connecting the two sides of reels and you need to place identical symbols on these lines to get a win. Don't think of straight lines: paylines pass through different points on reels and usually have a zig-zag pattern.
In real money slots, the cost per spin is determined by how many lines you bet on. The higher the number of lines, the more possibilities there will be for winning combinations of symbols, but the cost will also increase. Let's try to explain with a simple example:

  • Let's say a game has 5 lines and the bet per line is set at 0.10 EUR/USD. In this case, the total bet per spin will be 0.50 EUR/USD (0.10 x 5)
  • If we increase the number of lines to 20, the total stake will be 2 EUR/USD per spin at the same cost per line (0.10 x 20)

Ideally, we recommend betting on all lines as long as you can afford it: this will maximise your chances of winning. Classic slots should have 3 to 9 lines, video slots should have between 15 and 20 lines. But there are also video slots where the lines are created dynamically and the bet value is not determined by them: depending on your budget, it may be better to choose such games. For example, you can find slots with 1,024 lines on the market or “Megaways” slots with more than 100,000 lines.

Bet limits

Like all casino games for money, slot machines have minimum and maximum bet limits. These limits are multiplied by the number of paylines, with the exceptions mentioned above, to reveal what the stake per spin will be. Here you will have to decide entirely according to your budget: there are slots with a minimum bet limit of 0.10 EUR/USD, as well as games with 1.00 EUR/USD. The betting limits are not related to the chances of winning, but in general, it is possible to say that slots with higher min/max limits pay bigger. You should decide what the ideal values will be in terms of betting limits according to your own bankroll.
We talked about how to choose the best real money slots, but it will take time to try out thousands of slot games and determine your favourites. If you don't want to wait that long, you can try our recommendations. In the following online slot machines real money table, we list the games that we think will appeal to all types of players, along with the casinos where you can find them.

Providers and their most popular slot machines

Provider Number of games Most popular real money slot machines (RTP) Available at casinos
Pragmatic Play 1500 Gates of Olympus Sweet Bonanza Wolf Gold
100% up to 140€ on 1st Deposit Go to casino
Play'n GO 1500 Book of Dead Fire Joker Legacy of Dead
100% up to 140€ on 1st Deposit Go to casino
NetEnt 1500 Gonzo's Quest Starburst Fruit Shop Megaways
100% up to 140€ on 1st Deposit Go to casino
Betsoft 1000 Fruit Zen The Slotfather Aztec Treasures
300€ + 22 Bet Points Go to casino
Microgaming 400 Immortal Romance Mega Moolah Avalon II
Up to 50€ welcome bonus Go to casino
Red Tiger Gaming 1000 Gonzos Quest Megaways Piggy Riches Megaways Rainbow Jackpots
300€ + 22 Bet Points Go to casino
Amatic 1500 Book of Aztec Book of Fortune Hot 40
100% up to 140€ on 1st Deposit Go to casino
Nolimit City 1000 San Quentin Xways Mental Deadwood
300€ + 22 Bet Points Go to casino

Highest-paying real money online slots

Understandably, your main goal is to win big when you play real money slots. Many different factors determine how much a slot game pays out, such as its volatility, betting limits, and its own paytable. Whether it has a jackpot or not is also important in terms of the total payout size. Like other casino games for money, you can see how much slot games pay out by looking at their paytables. So that you don't waste your time, we list below some of the highest paying online slots real money:

  • Mental by Nolimit City: The highest payout of this game is 66,666x total stake. The free spins feature also awards multipliers, between 15x and 30x.
  • Spartacus Megaways by WMS: Due to its Megaways feature, it is possible to win up to 97,537x in this game. During the free spins round, the wild symbol can expand to fill the entire reel.
  • Mega Moolah by Microgaming: This is a record-breaking progressive jackpot, and its biggest payout has no limits. So far, Mega Moolah has broken the world record by paying almost 18 million Euros in 2016.
  • Sweet Bonanza by Pragmatic Play: If you like to play real money slots with multipliers, this game will be the right choice: you can win up to 21.175 times your stake and the RTP rate is 96.48%.
  • Mega Joker by Netent: A classic slot with an RTP rate of 99.00%. It also offers high volatility, which means the payouts (up to 2.000x) will be more than satisfying.

Casino bonuses for starting your adventure to win real money

Online casinos offer many different bonuses for both new and existing members to play casino games for money. This includes slots, and even the majority of gambling promotions are designed with slot games in mind. Below you can see the most common bonuses you can use to play for real money slots.

  • No deposit bonus: When you create a new account, the casino gives you a certain number of free spins or a certain amount of cash balance. You do not need to make a deposit and you can use both to play online slot machines for real money.
  • First deposit bonus: This is also known as the “welcome package”. The casino will match your first deposit with a certain rate (e.g., 100%) and also credit a certain number of free spins to your account. For example, when you deposit 100 EUR/USD, you get 100 free spins and another 100 EUR/USD.
  • Deposit bonus: This promotion is also known as the “reload bonus”. Existing members can also earn a certain amount of match rate and free spins every time they make a deposit. For example, for deposits you make at the weekend, you get a 50% match rate and 75 spins.

Whichever you prefer, be sure to read the terms of use first. In order to withdraw your bonus or the money you earn with the bonus, you will need to wager a certain amount of money (wagering requirements) and this amount will be specified in the terms of use. For example, if the wagering rate is 25x and your bonus is 200 EUR/USD, you will first be asked to wager 5,000 EUR/USD (25 x 200). In addition, certain restrictions (such as a maximum bet limit and a withdrawal ban) will be applied to your account until you complete this requirement. When choosing a bonus to play for real money slots:

Make sure the wagering rate is low

20x – 30x is ideal

Look at the number of free spins rather than the match rate

Using them, you can win more than the match bonus

Check whether you can use your free spins in a single slot or any slot

Having no restrictions is better

Slot bonuses for the game with real money

We talked about bonus features above that will make your slots online win real money experience more enjoyable, but slot machines have other features as well. If you want to win big, you need to know about them too.

Bonus Feature Role
Wild Symbol A symbol that can substitute for other symbols, and can be used to complete any winning combination.
Scatter Symbol A symbol mostly used to trigger the free spins bonus. However, it also pays even if it doesn't land on a pay line: it only needs to appear anywhere on the screen.
Jackpot This feature means that there is a fixed big prize (jackpot) in the game you play. For example, when you place five symbols on a pay line at the same time, you win 100,000 coins.
Progressive Jackpot Slots with this feature also have a big prize that can be won, but the amount is not fixed. With each game played, the jackpot keeps increasing and can reach millions. While their RTP odds are below average, the progressive jackpots have the biggest winning potential. The biggest payout of a progressive jackpot to date has been €17,879,645 ($20,062,600, £13,209,300).
Megaways This feature is developed by Big Time Gaming (BTG). In Megaways slots, the number of paylines is randomly determined per spin and can be any number between 1,024 and 117,649.
Cluster Pays Slots with this feature do not have paylines. The goal is to create a cluster of identical symbols, and in this respect, their gameplay resembles match-3 games. It is possible to win quite high as they usually pay with multipliers.
Multiplier Payouts Some online slots for real money pay with multipliers, not coins. For example, when you land three scatter symbols, you win not 100 coins, but 5 times your bet (x5). They offer potentially very high payouts but should always be played with a maximum bet limit.

How to play slots with real money?

  1. Choose an online casino that offers the chance to play slots for real money. Use the criteria we listed above or pick one of our recommendations.
  2. Create a new account at the casino of your choice. Make your first deposit so you get an active balance – doing so will also let you trigger the welcome bonus.
  3. Browse the “slots” category of the casino and choose a game: we already explained how you can pick the right games for you.
  4. Launch the game by clicking the “play” button: remember that no download is needed to play real money slots, you can use any web browser (desktop or mobile).
  5. First, read the paytable of the slot so you can learn its bet limits, symbol payouts, and bonus features.
  6. Next, set your stake per spin: you can do so by clicking the relevant buttons on the interface.
  7. Click the “spin” button to start playing and keep spinning the reels until you win or start a bonus feature. Good luck!

Meet our author

Writer, proofreader Will Wood

Will is responsible for English content. Will prepares slot and casino reviews regularly and knows all mainstreams of modern iGaming. Being a talented and diligent writer, he could cope with practically any task. He could fastly switch between different subjects and provide content of the highest quality. Will is an expert with analysis and research, that’s why we are always sure he will produce unbiased content.

Will Wood

FAQ

How to win real money without a deposit?

No deposit bonuses give you real money and let you play games with that money. You can withdraw your winnings from that bonus after completing wagering requirements, which can be quite strict. For example, if you have won 50 EUR/USD and the wagering rate is 20x, you need to wager 1.000 EUR/USD first (50 x 20).

Which slot is better to try with real money in the beginning?

There is no specific slot to mention: all slots that offer a high RTP rate and simplified features will be a good choice. You can try any video slot with Wild & Scatter symbols and a simple yet profitable free spins round. If you are looking for something even simpler, classic slots with no bonus symbols and features would be a good choice too.

Is it better to play one slot all the time or switch from one to another?

Each spin in online slots is independent of the previous one and the outcome is determined at random. Your chances of winning are not determined by your playing time. Therefore, neither of these options is better or worse than the other. If you like the slot you are playing, keep playing. If not, try a new game: your odds of winning/losing won't change unless the RTP ratios change radically.

Can you cheat on an online slot machine?

No, you cannot cheat in real money slots. Do not believe any source that claims this is possible. Note that these games are actually running on a remote server, and you only see the results on your screen: it's not like cheating on PC games. Moreover, keep in mind that this would constitute a crime in many countries.

Are online slots safe?

The security of online slots is related to the casino that offers them. All games you play (including real money slots) will be safe if you are playing at a legal, regulated, and fair casino site. Check the casino's licence, RNG certificate, and security features such as SSL: if they are not missing, then there is nothing to worry about in terms of game security.