I’m sure everything has heard the Bruce Springsteen track ‘Born in the USA’ that have become something of a patriotic soundtrack stateside over recent decades. Interestingly the song is actually more of a critique of the nation, but when people are bellowing it out in stadiums nobody seems to pay much thought to that. Of course everything is up for interpretation though and nations have good and bad in their approach to most things.

Gambling is certainly one area this applies to stateside. I’ve always found it curious that in country where life is viewed through a prism of ‘freedom’, that there are or rather have been so many different rules relating to restricting online casinos and the like. Ever since George W Bush crowbarred internet gambling laws which make depositing funds for gambling difficult into ‘SAFE Port Act’ legislation, a long struggle was ahead.

Thankfully though its a changing world. With the growing popularity of ‘fantasy sports’ and the like, the light has now once again been shone on the stateside limitations on online sports betting, casinos and so on. As such the tide is gradually starting to turn and USGamblers are finally seeing laws pass across states allowing for online casino and sports betting to once again occur. Legal online gambling can now take place across numerous states, such as Nevada, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, West Virgina and Delaware. No doubt more are to come.

Poker, slots, live casino and sports fan alike will no doubt be elated to finally be able to access the same kind of online casino options that others have been enjoying for a good few years. It will bring parity across nations and allow American citizens to have moments of care free and convenient casino play from the comfort of their own home!

If there’s one thing that can be said with certainty it is that, in both land-based casinos and virtual casinos, slots are considered the most popular game among players.

When you think about it, out of all the types of casino games that exist, the card games are actually the only one that relies the most on your mind, skills, and strategy.

Then why is it that the slot machine is the most played game among gamblers?

There are certainly three reasons why people prefer to play slots:

1. Entertainment 

2. Challenge

3. Aesthetic

The first reason and also the biggest reason why people gamble at all is to have fun. Gambling is an activity like any other. Just like someone likes to go to a club and spend money on whiskey and vodka, others like to sit and play Renoir Riches slots.

Next, we seem to prefer to compete against mathematically pre-calculated machines than against humans. There is certainly a sense of challenge that gives us a certain dose of adrenaline when we manage to win.

Finally, the design itself is certainly the next reason why people love to play slots.

All those excited different lights are displayed on the screen with even more exciting sounds that people hear when they get a combination, bonus, or jackpot. 

It can be said that long-term players’ brains are wired in a way that when they hear the familiar sound of a jackpot or bonus, a certain dose of dopamine and serotonin is released. 

And maybe that’s what attracts players to keep playing. Of course, in addition to being aesthetically pleasing to the eye. 

Types of Slots

As with everything else in life we ​​tend to become obsessed with something until we become masters at it, or at least to think we have become masters. 

And we can’t do that until we dedicate a certain amount of time and attention to what we’re trying to master. Some games like Vikings Go Berzerk will have 25 or more playlines meaning that you can simply ‘’spray and pray’’ if you wish. But, others can be more difficult and challenging.

It can be said that there are 5 basic types of slots:

1. 3 reel slots

2. 5 reel slots

3. Progressive slots

4. Mobile slots

5. Mega spin slots

3 reel and 5 reel slots are classic slots that are also known as “fruities” due to numerous symbols such as lemons, oranges, and cherries.

Although traditional classic slots are ones that had three reels – more reels equal higher chances of more cash prizes. Therefore 5 reel slots are the best type of classic slot. 

The progressive slot is a type of game where with each spin of the reels you increase the value of the jackpot. Odds are much smaller but the rewards are much bigger. 

Mobile slots are specifically designed for players to play on their mobile phones, tablet, or computer. 

For example, if you play Super Flip real money on your mobile phone the game itself doesn’t lose the visual effect even though it is played on a smaller screen. 

Finally, for those for whom just one game is not enough,  mega spin slots allow you to play several games at once. 

Can I Cheat on Slots?

If there’s one thing people like to do is try to find loopholes and potential workarounds that will make things easier. Regretfully for the players, cheating on newer games like Vikings Go To Hell is next to impossible.

Slot machines are made in a way that ensures profitability to casinos. They are mathematically pre-calculated machines so technically you cannot cheat on slots in any way short of hacking the system of the operator entirely.

On the other hand, one thing that you can do is increase the chances of winning by getting familiar with some tips and tricks. The best tip that has been proven to be right is to always choose a slot machine with the highest RTP.

The RTP is basically a percentage of all the wagered money that a slot pays back to players. And it’s calculated on a scale from 1 to 100.

The RTP for most slot games is usually above 92%.

If you are playing Fire Joker real money, you’ll be facing a 96,15% payback percentage, which is very good. Obviously, this is calculated over an infinite number of games, meaning that it will always be luck that will place you above or below that 100% threshold.

Why are Slots so Popular?

It can be said, without exaggeration, that one of the most popular things that are taking over the gambling world right now is playing online real money slots. While it’s really obvious that slots are popular, the question that arises is why?

Primarily, there are the games with a staggeringly high RPT. Games like Vikings Go Wild offer 96.3% Return-to-Player, which is one of the top scores in gambling in general.

There are numerous other reasons for its popularity, but three main ones are:

1. Emotion

2. Accessibility 

3. Easiness

Like with everything else in life, playing slots arouses certain emotions in a person. Yes, there can be bad emotions such as anger and frustration. But, in most cases, the emotions are happiness, anticipation, and excitement.

The next thing is accessibility. The ability to play whenever and wherever you want brings music to the players’ ears.

Finally, no one likes to get tired while doing something they love. Hence the fact that playing slots is so easy that, if you want to, you can totally turn off your brain for a moment and just enjoy.

Image source: Pixabay

Casino games over the years have built up a cult-like following, and some folk will only stick to the game they know best. The likes of poker, blackjack, and roulette are synonymous with the opulent pastime and are at the epicentre of any casino. However, over the years, different titles have cropped up, and variants have developed, some to the point of taking elements of established games to make entirely new ones. These game fusions or crossovers have thrown up some casino classics with a compelling twist, many of which have become sought-after.

Slingo

Slingo was created way back in 1994 by Sal Falciglia. The effervescent online game combines the two legendary vintage casino classics of bingo and slots. The game’s basics are that a player has 20 spins, each spin produces five numbers; if a number on their card appears, they can knock it off. As with many online classics, there are special features, and, since its creation and subsequent take-over, there have been many iterations and spin-offs (pardon the pun).

It began on its own website, but it started to skyrocket in popularity in the U.K. As such, in July 2013, RealNetworks bought Slingo for $15.6 million, and, later in July 2015, it sold to London-based Gaming Realms. Its popularity didn’t stop, and it made its way to a myriad of the top gaming sites, so you can now find slingo bingo on Paddy Power, for example, alongside its classic slot and bingo brothers.

21 Duel Blackjack

Blackjack is one of the most intense but gratifying games you can lend your hand to in the casino. Its simplistic nature allows anyone to understand it, but it takes real skill to play it well. One variant of the game that has assumed a creditable mass of favourability is 21 Duel Blackjack. It’s similar to the original, but all of the features make it seem like a new game. It’s played with six decks; players can place bets on three separate hands; after placing the bets, two cards get dealt. Like blackjack, one is face-up, and the other down; however, two more cards get placed in the middle of the table, and they’re communal.

With only one card visible, you choose one communal card to add to your hand. You can hit or stick from there. Trying a demo before playing for real is recommended. Sometimes it’s a good idea to test a game before you play for real; it’s worth trying out in order to get to grips with it.

“Poker!” (CC BY-ND 2.0) by Viri G

H.O.R.S.E. Poker

Probably one of the more confusing games when it comes to picking it up, HORSE poker is a multi-game format. It combines some of the best know variants of poker and amalgamates them into one game. The game comprises Texas Hold ’em, Omaha hi-low, Razz, Seven-card stud, and Seven-card stud Eight or better. Of course, those who know how to play poker and these games might find it easy, but many take time to adjust.

The casino world has always been inventive when it comes to making up new games for its players, and there is a multitude out there. Sometimes though, it seems the best games can come out of crossing over some classics.

Of course approaches differ by country but I’m sure at some point over the past 12 months we’ve all been in a situation where the world is on pause. It’s a strange new reality where ideas of having a drink or bite to eat with friends simply aren’t possible and past occasions when they were now almost feel like a dream!  Life can become a bit monotonous in such circumstances and I’m sure we’re all crossing our fingers that in a few months time (or 2022 at the latest!) normality starts to return to our day to day lives.

One plus side, (if we want to call it that) of life in the slow late is that we can all pick up hobbies and interests that we simply didn’t have as much free time for previously. Learning a language, a musical instrument, reading that book they’ve been putting off. There are a number of work arounds too. I love nothing more than heading to the casino, but right now that isn’t possible in many countries. Online options aplenty are still available though, and many faithfully replicate their bricks and mortar equivalent. And as the internet is of course worldwide, there are online casinos and offers for Finnish players and others too all around the world.

By mention of offers and incentives I mean to say that, if anything, online casinos are more generous than offline. This is because it’s such a competitive environment and so impressive sign up bonuses, free spins and the like are often on offer. By making the right choices you can ensure that you get the most ‘bang for your buck’. Some sites even have ongoing incentives for players such as cash back, or free poker tournaments and the like to join.

And what of the games themselves? Well in a real world casino granted there is the atmosphere to enjoy, but at the same time, you’ll struggle to find such as impressive range of new and exciting slots options, whereas online new games frequently appear overnight. In fact, if you can think of a slots game theme it likely exists online and so the world is your oyster. There is the convenience factor too. Sometimes I just want to few quick spins of the roulette wheel for instance. Online I can do that immediately and in the convenience of my own home. Offline, it’s not quite so simple (especially now)!

And so despite the troubling times we’re living in, maybe having a little more time on our hands combined with the convenience of online life (and those conversations with loved ones over Zoom!) does have something going for it. Until life returns to normal, it at least provides us with options at our fingertips and adds a bit of excitement to our days!