Different Types Of Online Slots
If there’s one type of game that most people associate with casinos, it’s slot machines. Once only available as large machines in brick-and-mortar venues, these popular games have entered the digital realm in the form of online slots.
Thanks to leading game developers, you can choose from an incredible array of slots online, allowing you to play in a style that suits your interests and preferences. If you’re new to online casinos and their many offerings, the choice of slots can be overwhelming, especially if you don’t know about the different styles available and how they work. If this sounds like you, you’ve come to the right place. Keep reading to learn more about the different types of slots you can find at Black Lotus and other reputable casinos online.
A Brief History of Online Slots
In 1891, New York-based company Sittman and Pitt developed a gaming machine based on Poker. This machine inspired a San Francisco mechanic by the name of Charles Fey to create the Liberty Bell, the ancestor of modern online slots. His slot machines were a huge success, appearing in bars, barber shops, and brothels. Players inserted a nickel, pulled the lever, and watched the reels. If they landed matching symbols, they would inform the proprietor, who would give them their prize of beer or cigarettes.
Fey’s machines attracted attention, and soon enough, competitors created slot machines of their own. These machines featured three reels with fruit symbols and paid out fruit-flavored gum as prizes. The first electric slots were built in 1963, followed by the first slot machines to feature video screens in 1976. In 1986, the first progressive jackpot slot was launched, and in 1994, the first online slots made their debut. Since then, the gaming world has seen the launch of slots optimized for mobile devices, 3D slots, and many others, giving you an incredible range of options to choose from.
The Most Popular Online Slots
The most popular online slots available at the best casinos on the worldwide web include classic, video, progressive, 3D, multi-payline, and virtual reality slots, as well as I-slots. With some games offering different mechanics or more features than others, they cater to a diverse range of player preferences. Let’s take a closer look.
Classic Online Slots
Also known as three-reel slots, classic online slots are inspired by the original gaming machines of the late 19th and early 20th century. As you might have guessed, these games usually have three reels, which often feature traditional symbols such as fruit, sevens, bars, bells, and stars.
Classic slots online seldom come with bonus features such as mini games and free spins. As a result, the gameplay focuses on spinning the reels in the hope of landing a winning symbol combination on a payline. That said, some titles have substituting Wild symbols or Scatter symbols that can create a winning combination from any position on the reels.
Online Video Slots
Undoubtedly the most popular type of online slots, video slots take the action of classic games to the next level. Most games in this genre have at least five reels and multiple paylines. They’re known for their interesting themes, attention-grabbing graphics, animated scenes, special effects, and range of bonus features inspired by video games.
Some of the bonus features you can trigger when playing video slots online include different types of Wilds that substitute for other symbols, Scatters that can pay or trigger a special feature from any position, rounds of Free Spins, and mini games, such as pick-a-prize. Some online video slots also have an optional gamble feature offering you chances to double or quadruple your winnings. There also are games in the genre that use mechanics such as Cascading Reels instead of traditional paylines. Cascading Reels replace winning combinations with new symbols for additional chances to win.
Progressive Slots Online
Progressive online slots incorporate some of the elements that you’ll find in video slots, such as Wilds, Scatters, Free Spins, themed symbols, and bonus games. However, what really sets them apart from other slots are the jackpots they offer.
A progressive jackpot starts as a seed amount that gets bigger as players spin the reels. The jackpots are either standalone, local, or part of a network across multiple online casinos. To win the jackpot, you either need to land a specific symbol combination or trigger a bonus round in which you can play a mini game for a chance to win the jackpot. These bonus rounds sometimes offer mini, midi, maxi, and mega jackpots, with the latter being the progressive jackpot.
I-Slots Online
Properly known as interactive slots, I-slots online incorporate elements that let you influence the outcome through gameplay and various choices. For example, you can reach decision points or play mini games that can influence the storyline of the game as well as the outcome of spins. Like video slots, I-slots appeal to players who enjoy playing video games.
Virtual Reality Online Slots
While still relatively uncommon at most online casinos, virtual reality or VR slots require a VR headset. Once you’ve put on the headset, you will be transported to a virtual casino environment where you can spin the game’s reels and interact with it and its features in the same way you would if you were playing a physical slot machine in a brick-and-mortar casino.
3D Online Slots
3D online slots are a sub-genre of video slots. These games are known for their immersive, three-dimensional graphics and animations, special effects, and bonus features similar to what you’ll find in regular online video slots. They take things a step further by featuring characters and narrative elements that you can interact with while playing.
Find Your Favorite Slots Online
With such a great variety of slots and other entertainment like crash games online available, you’ll have no trouble finding the perfect match for your tastes. The best way to find the games that work best for you is to spin the reels of different types of slots at an online casino you can trust. Find your favorite slots and enjoy playing them in the comfort of your own home or on your mobile when out and about.
