Online slots are by far the most diverse casino game category. That is the reason why millions of players from all around the world are fond of these games. Thanks to their massive diversity, the gaming experience is never dull. What’s even better, is the fact that online slots are powered by the latest HTML5 technology, meaning that they are optimized for mobile and desktop use, hence, they can be accessed at any time and place.
Game providers are always innovative and are looking to make the most unique slots every chance they get. That is what I wanted to discuss in this article. I’ll be taking a look at all of the major types and variations of online slots available. The diversification will help you figure out what are your personal preferences, so let’s dive into the details.
Standard and Progressive Slots
The first categorization of slots depends on the featured jackpot. As you surely know, slots are known for providing decent jackpots with small bets. There are two main types of jackpots – progressive and standard/fixed.
If you are playing a progressive slot, you will see that the jackpot has several levels and the maximum exposure keeps increasing over time. Progressive slots are known for being highly volatile and they have higher bet limits.
On the other hand, fixed/standard slots are online slots that feature a jackpot, but their maximum exposure is fixed.
Low, Medium and Highly Volatile Slots
Speaking of the volatility rate, that is the next diversification of online slots. The volatility rate is an indicator of how often the jackpot drops and how high the bet limits are. With that being said, there are three main types of slots:
- Low volatile slots
- Medium volatile slots
- Highly volatile slots
The math here is simple – the higher the slot’s volatility rate is, the higher the jackpot exposure will be. However, it will not drop often. On the flip side, the lower the volatility rate is, the less rewarding the jackpot is, but it drops far more often. Additionally, the higher the volatility rate of the slot is, the higher the bet limits will be.
Slots with a low volatility rate are the perfect pick for newbies, whereas high-rollers are fonder of slots with a high volatility rate. Classic slots feature a low volatility rate, whereas progressive slots have a high volatility rate.
Due to the fact that medium volatile slots feature rather decent jackpot rewards and they drop often, they are the most popular category.
The Theme of the Slot
One of the things that set slots apart from the other casino games is the fact that they have countless themes. That brings diversification to a whole new level. Game providers have come up with various types of themes and some of the most popular ones are:
- Aztec
- Wild West
- Adventure
- Jungle
- Irish Luck
- Fruity
- Ancient Egypt
Some other themes that you can come across quite often include jungle, oceanic, nightlife, money heist, as well as slots that are themed based on movies, TV series or some types of sports.
Payline Systems
Categorizing slots based on their payline system is rather interesting. Up until recently, there were three types of slots, depending on how you form winning combinations. You could come across slots that pay left to right, right to left or both ways.
However, online slot providers got bored of these three systems, which is why they decided to come up with something new. Hence, Big Time Gaming invented the Megaways system where each spin can result in up to 117,649 paylines. ReelPlay invented the Infinity Reels system where the number of reels and paylines keeps increasing as you form winning combinations.
Finally, NetEnt came up with the Cluster Pays system where instead of forming winning combinations from left to right, right to left or both ways, you form clusters of at least 5 winning symbols.
Most recently, Big Time Gaming also introduced the Megaquads payline system.
Classic, Video Slots and VR Slots
The most general slot diversification is between classic slots, video slots and VR slots. Classic slots are usually slots that have a 3×1 or 3×3 layout and do not include any bonus features. Video slots, on the other hand, feature various grids and include newer payline mechanics. Additionally, they are usually packed with in-game bonuses such as free spins, bonus rounds, Wild symbols, expanding symbols, jackpots, etc.
Finally, VR slots are a rather new invention that is set to take over the online gambling industry in the near future. As the name of the category itself suggests, players require a VR set to play a certain slot.
Number of Reels
The final slot diversification that I am going to talk about concerns the number of reels. A majority of slots feature 3 or 5 reels, but as I mentioned earlier, providers have become extremely innovative in the recent period, which is why you can come across slots that have 6, 7, or even 8 reels. Infinity Reels slots can have more than 10 reels, making the gameplay all the more exciting,