The Best Online Slots UK and Where to Find Them
Compared to other games of chance, casino slots are a young form of gambling. The first slot machines were conceived in the late 19th century USA. These one-armed bandits didn’t even have a direct payout mechanism, yet they quickly became the main attraction at saloons across the New World.
Despite their status as relative newcomers, slots are now the most popular type of casino entertainment. Brick and mortar outlets often have hundreds of machines at one place, but they can’t hold a candle to online operators. If you’re looking for the top UK slots sites, this guide is just the thing you need.
Our extensive review will provide you with everything you need to know when playing at slot sites. You will:
- Learn which real money slots offer the best bonuses and largest jackpots
- Discover the most essential features of a casino slot
- Find out how to check if a game is safe and certified
- See who makes the best virtual casino slot machines
- Get a grasp on the importance of high RTP rates
- Check out our recommended list of the UK’s best slot sites and their various promotions
Online Casinos with the Best Slots
best of the best
online casino
Casino | Bonus | Slots | RTP | Software | Action |
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bet365
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50 Free spins | 157 | 97.48% | Playtech | reviewget bonus |
#ad Registration required. Deposit and stake £10 on eligible Casino games to get 50 Free Spins. Time limits, game restrictions and T&Cs apply. |
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Unibet
|
£40 Bonus Funds | 1300+ | 95.9% | Evolution, Pragmatic Play | reviewget bonus |
18+. BeGambleAware.org. New Customers Only. Minimum deposit £10. 50x wagering requirement apply. Bonus will expire 30 days after opt-in. Further T&Cs apply. #AD |
There is also a FAQ section at the end of this page. Feel free to jump right to it if you need a quick answer to a common question. We also frequently update our website with new information, so make sure to bookmark Online-casinos.org.uk to be in the loop. Now, let’s check out some of the best slots to play in 2020.
All you Need to Know About Slot Casino Bonuses
Did you know that the top gambling sites give out awesome welcome bonuses to new players? Most online casinos will match your first deposit up to a certain extent. For example, a new customer who initially deposits between £20 and £100 at 888 Casino will get double the amount of money to play with. SlotsMagic can match you up to £50, but it also throws in 50 free spins on the Book of Dead slot!
However, it’s important to note that there are T&Cs and wagering requirements associated with these offers. You often have to wager your deposit between x15 and x40 times (depending on the casino) before you can withdraw the winnings from your bonus. Also, most gambling games will not even contribute 100% of your wagered amount to the gambling requirements except for slots. For this reason, playing slots is one of the best ways to get your bonus money!
What’s even better is that some operators provide free spins to new players without requiring them to deposit any money. Casino.com gives out 20 free spins you can use on any Age of the Gods slot game for just registering at their site. If you decide to deposit £20 or more, you can get an additional 180 free spins!
The amount of UK casino slots you can find online is staggering. Thus, it’s always a good idea to spend some time playing different titles to find the ones you like the most. But how can you try them all without going broke?
One significant benefit of playing at the casinos we recommend is that you’ll always have access to a demo version of their games. In a nutshell, this free-to-play mode will allow you to test anything that catches your eye without spending a penny. We strongly advise you to try these demo modes before investing real money.
How to Improve Your Winning Odds
If you want to have better odds of winning bigger prizes, your best bet is to play top slots online. An online operator will always have a lower house edge than its brick and mortar counterparts. However, always check the Return to Player (RTP) value of the games you play. The higher it is, the more often you’ll win from your spins.
The way a slot is structured is also important. For example, five-reel slots are most common, but there are many games with 3 or 6 reels. The number of reels and rows can affect pay lines, with some games boasting thousands of ways to win.
Another vital term every gambler needs to know about is slot variance/risk. Low-variance slots will reward you with decent and token wins more often and are better suited for low budgets. Medium and high-variance machines will pay out smaller sums for 3 or 4 of a kind less frequently but can sometimes land you colossal prizes. Thus, you should go high-variance if your budget can support it.
Variance does not affect RTP. However, using the right strategy in accordance to risk levels will yield better results. Not all game developers list the variance of their slots, so if you can’t find it, do a Google search.
Whatever your favourite slot game might be, always choose to play it with an operator that is safe and certified. After all, seeing big wins on your screen won’t matter if you can’t cash out at a shady establishment. The casinos we recommend are regulated and tested by many renowned agencies. They are also certified by the UK Gambling Commission, a part of HM Government.
A legitimate casino will always display its licenses and certificates issued by the agencies that test it. You can find these logos on the gambling website itself, most often at the bottom of a page.
What are the Biggest Progressive Jackpot Slots?
When it comes to jackpots, not all slots are equal. Every game has a jackpot, i.e., the highest prize you could potentially win, but some titles have progressive jackpots. What makes progressives different is that they get larger over time. A small percentage of each bet placed in such games contributes to the swelling of the grand prize.
Microgaming’s Mega Moolah holds the world record for the largest pooled jackpot payout. A British soldier won a whopping £13,213,838.68 back in 2015. In March of 2019, the same game paid out two jackpots that totaled more than £11 million in less than 48 hours.
Age of the Gods – Also One of the Best Online Slots
Playtech’s Age of the Gods is also known to drop juicy pooled grand prizes quite often. There are multiple Age of the Gods slots and even a live dealer roulette version of the game. All of these branded titles contribute to the four shared progressive jackpots and you can win one from each of them.
A jackpot game can occur randomly on any spin, but larger bets have a higher chance of triggering it. Once you’re in the jackpot game, a win is guaranteed. All you have to do is match three identical symbols to claim the corresponding jackpot.
The Software Developers behind the Best Online Casino Slots
Few businesses are as cutthroat as the casino industry. The majority of online gamblers visit only a small number of respected venues. Software developers have no choice but to produce top-quality slot games in the hopes of being chosen by the best casinos. Many providers crash and crumble, but those that survive are responsible for driving innovation. This makes them well-deserving of our attention.
As seasoned slot aficionados, we’ve played games from many different studios. Many developers have produced a hit game or two over the years, but some of them manage to release masterpieces regularly. Check out our favourites below!
NetEnt is a premium maker of casino slots. UK players love to spin the reels of games created by the Swedish studio. The company’s products are beautiful, full of exciting features, and often include cinematic trailers. Some top NetEnt releases you have to try are Starburst, Asgardian Stones, and Warlords.
Playtech’s status as a giant in the iGaming industry has allowed it to secure many licenses, including the right to produce slots with famous fictional characters. See if Superman will help you land a big progressive jackpot in Man of Steel, sing “Eye of the Tiger” while playing Rocky, or have a laugh with Ace Ventura’s wacky reels.
Mega Moolah might be the brightest star in Microgaming’s portfolio, but the colossal studio also supplies slot sites with many other outstanding titles. The Game of Thrones slot is a sensation among gamblers, while the 2019 releases Zombie Hoard and Shogun of Time are some of the best online slots real money gamblers can play.
We can’t have a proper slot discussion without mentioning IGT. This veteran of the casino industry has been designing, manufacturing, and distributing slots since the ‘70s! Aside from its global brick and mortar presence, IGT is also dominant online. Some of the top slots from IGT include Indiana Jones, Cleopatra Megajackpots, and Jeopardy!
It’s hard to make it as a young software producer, but boy has Thunderkick succeeded. If we have to describe the games of the Swedish studio with one word, we would say that they are STUNNING. Aside from boasting excellent graphics and sound, every Thunderkick title is unique in its own way. Some of our favourites include Pink Elephants, Arcader, and Esqueleto Explosivo.
Casino Slot Features Explained
The days of the classic three-reel, one pay line slots are long gone. Nowadays, the variety of online slots UK players have access to is mind-boggling. The plethora of gimmicks and features might overwhelm the uninitiated gambler, but the truth is that most modern reel games share the same core mechanics. Here are the terms you need to be familiar with:
- Payment symbols – Every slot game features several different symbols. Align three or more in a certain way (see pay lines below), and you win money. Your prize will depend on the size of your bet and the type and number of symbols you align in a spin. You can check a game’s paytable for a full breakdown of the potential prizes.
- Wild symbol – a special symbol present in most modern slots. It usually substitutes regular symbols to help form winning combinations. Wilds generally don’t interact with other special symbols such as scatters. Most new games feature different mechanics that rely on wild symbols. You can see a wild stick to the reels, expand to the left or right, take over an entire reel, etc.
- Scatter symbol – another significant symbol loved by all gamblers. You don’t need to align a scatter in a certain way to benefit from it. If two or more appear on the reels, they usually trigger a special feature. Scatters can get you free spin or activate a bonus round or minigame for increased winnings.
- Multipliers – In some games, wilds and scatters can act as multipliers. When they appear in a winning combination, they can multiply a payout by a certain amount. However, keep in mind that some titles require higher bets to activate this feature, so always check the rules and paytable.
Now, let’s quickly review how most online casino slots are structured:
- Reels – The part of the slot machine where symbols appear. The majority of new casino slots have five reels.
- Rows – When the reels stop spinning, the symbols that are visible and can form winning combinations remain on the rows. The number of rows can affect the number of active pay lines.
- Pay lines – Back in the day, pay lines were few and simple. Aligning three symbols horizontally would get you money, and that’s all you needed to know. Modern slot games are a different beast. Most slots stick to double-digit pay lines, but some of them feature more than 2,000 that can take various shapes. Paylines can also be toggled on and off depending on the size of your bet.
Finally, let’s quickly cover the essential functionalities of the best online slots. Every title should allow you to adjust your volume and tweak your bets and pay lines. Some even have a max bet button that can spare you some clicks or taps. The best games have an autoplay function – it eliminates the hassle of having to spin the reel by yourself every time. You can set the number of auto spins. Some games even allow you to customize autoplay functions depending on your balance and wins.
You Asked, We Answered – Questions About Online Casino Slots
Here you can find quick answers to the most commonly asked questions regarding online casino slot machines.
Which Online Slot Machines Pay the Best?
You would ideally want to play a slot with a high Return to Player rate. An RTP of 96% or above is considered good, but games with big progressive jackpots usually sit below this point. Slot variance and your strategy can also influence payouts greatly, read about them here.
Can You Win Real Money on Online Slots?
Yes. Online slots from respected internet operators are real money slots. In fact, the house edge is lower online, and some casinos even give out free spins as part of their welcome and/or no deposit bonuses. You can check out our list of top slots to play in 2020 here.
What are The Best Online Slot Sites?
The best slots UK can be found at a trusted and licensed online casino operator. The British market is full of decent gambling sites, but the top ones are those that offer excellent bonuses in addition to a premium portfolio of titles. The houses we rank fulfil both of these requirements.