Ways win slot machines use a different method of generating winning combinations than traditional payline slots. “Ways Win” is shorthand for “___ ways to wins”, with the number indicating how many different winning combinations exist in the game.
The first of these games were the “243 ways to win” games, like Choy Sun Doa Slots from Aristocrat Leisure and the Dark Knight Rises from Microgaming.
Trust no one. You'll hear people tell you that all the winning slots are at the back of the casino or the front. You'll hear that the Wheel of Fortune slot machine around the corner is due to hit any pull now. You'll hear that the house has the machines rigged to have a higher payout during certain times of day. All this stuff that you hear is false.
Traditional Paylines
When Charles Fey designed the original slot machine, Liberty Bell, the game had one single payline. If the symbol on all three reels which landed on the payline matched, then the gambler won.
This remained the basic game mechanic for decades, because of the limitations of mechanical slot machines. When electronic slot machines began to appear in the late-1970s and 1980s, game designers were able to program multiple paylines into the game.
In the decades since, game designers have added more and more paylines. The 5-reel, 9-payline game once seemed exotic. Then the 15-payline, 20-payline, and 25-payline game hit the market. Eventually, it was not surprising to see 50-line or even 100-line games.
The first 100-payline slot machine was Cashapillar Slots from Microgaming, which debuted in 2008. Yet game designers at the online casino software developer stayed within the same mindset — if they wanted to draw attention, add more paylines.
Burning Desire Slots
In 2009, the game designers at Microgaming introduced something entirely new: Burning Desire Slots. Burning Desire dispensed with paylines entirely. Instead, the game simply has 243 different winning combinations, regardless of whether those patterns appeared on a continuous line or not. That freed developers to greatly increase the number of winning results.
243 Ways to Win Slots
Burning Desire was both popular and revolutionary. Within the next few years, most of the top online slot machine developers introduced their own “243 ways” slots. Microgaming still has the largest number of titles in the category, but gaming companies like Net Entertainment and Aristocrat Leisure have scored huge successes with their own version of these games.
Microgaming 243 Ways Slot Machines
- Thunderstruck II – Microgaming – 2010
- Reel Gems Slot – Microgaming – 2010
- Football Star – Microgaming – 2014
- Avalon II: The Quest For the Grail – Microgaming – 2014
- Jurassic Park Slot – Microgaming – 2014
- Games of Thrones Slots – Microgaming – 2014
- The Dark Knight Rises – Microgaming – 2013
- The Finer Reels of Life – Microgaming
- Terminator 2 Slot – Microgaming – 2014
- Starlight Kiss Slot – Microgaming
- Break Away Slot – Microgaming – 2012
- Santa’s Wild Rise Slot – Microgaming
- Untamed Giant Panda Slot – Microgaming
- Bust The Bank Slot – Microgaming
- Battlestar Galactica Slot – Microgaming – 2012
- Playboy Slot – Microgaming
- Cricket Star Slot – Microgaming
- Watts Up Slot – Microgaming
- Girls With Guns: Frozen Dawn Slot – Microgaming
- Girls With Guns: Jungle Heat Slot – Microgaming
- Happy Holidays Slot – Microgaming – 2015
By my count, there are 186 different video slots which have the 243 ways design. The list below is only a small fraction of the full list. The ones I’ve listed are those which are found in the most online casinos. I’ve included the slot machine title, its designer, and the year it was introduced.
243 Ways Slots from Other Designers
- Twin Spot Slot – Net Ent – 2013
- Victorious Slot – Net Ent – 2011
- Ghost Pirates – NetEnt
- Medusa II Slot – NextGen Gaming and NYX Gaming – 2014
- Bridezilla – Microgaming
- The Alchemist’s Spell – Playtech and GECO Gaming
- Taco Brothers – NYX Gaming and ELK Studios
- Electric SAM – NYX Gaming and ELK Studios – 2014
- Cash Spin Slot – Bally Technologies and WMS Gaming
- Event Horizon Slot – Betsoft – 2015
- Basic Instinct Slot – iSoftBet – 2012
- Happy Birds Slot – iSoftbet
- Beverly Hills 90201 – iSoftBet – 2013
- Doubles Slot – Yggdrasil – 2015
- Monster Mash Slots – Odobo
- Pompeii Slot – Amaya Gaming and Aristocrat Gaming – 2012
- Gulliver’s Travel Slot – Amaya
- Khepri: The Eternal God Slot – Leander Games
- Gladiator Wars Slot – RealTime Gaming (RTG) – 2013
- Six Shot Showdown Slot – RTG – 2012
- Valkyrie Queen Slot – IGT Interactive – 2013
- Gypsy Slot – IGT Interactive
- Weekend in Vegas Slot – Betsoft – 2015
- Top Gun Slot – Playtech – 2015
- Africa Simba Slot – Greentube
- Alkemor’s Tower Slot – Betsoft – 2015
- Magic Unicorn Slot – GameART
- Ancient Gong – GameART
- Venezia D’Oro Slot – EGT
- DinoToons Slot – BetConstruct
- Magic Crystals Slot – Progressive Play (Topgame)
Virtually every gaming software company has their own 243 ways slot machine. Companies as obscure as BOG, Saucify, Genii, Playtika, GAN, NuWorks, and Amuzi Gaming all have their versions.
1024 Ways to Win
Once game designers had so much success with the 243 ways slots, it was only a matter of time before someone found a way to top the concept. The next step was the “1024 Ways” slot machine, which has a whopping 1024 winning combinations.
This is really starting to push the limitations of a 5-reel slot machine, at least with a number of reel symbols limited enough to make jackpot wins possible. At the moment, only 35 of these gaming machines exist. Players wanting the latest in video slots design — or the biggest number of ways to win — need to play these machines.
1024 Ways Slots from IGT Interactive
For whatever reason, IGT Interactive, the online division of International Game Technology, has produced more 1024 ways slots than Microgaming. That isn’t so surprising, since IGT is the largest slot machine manufacturer in the world. IGT knows what it’s doing, so the 1024 Ways Slots might eventually be the leader in the industry.
- Treasures of Troy – IGT – 2009
- Secret Santa – Microgaming – 2013
- Crown of Egypt – IGT – 2012
- Pamplona Slot – IGT Interactive
- Crown of Egypt Slot – IGT – 2012
- Miss White Slot – IGT Interactive – 2015
- Miss Red Slot – IGT Interactive
More 1024 Ways to Win Slot Machines
Many other gaming companies have designed their own 1024-ways slot machines. This includes top companies like Microgaming, Amaya (PokerStars), WMS Gaming, and Bally Technologies. As you’ll see, there are several companies you might not know.
- Leagues of Fortune – Microgaming – 2012
- Savanna King – Genesis Gaming, Microgaming
- Reindeer Wild Slots – Genesis Gaming, Microgaming
- Frogs ‘n Files Slot – Amaya Gaming, SkillonNet, NYX Gaming
- Lucky Panda Slot – Playtech – 2012
- Lost Temple Slot – Amaya, SkillOnNet, NYX Gaming – 2011
- Fortune 8 Cat – Amaya and NYX Gaming
- Evangelion Slots – 888casino
- American Buffalo Slot – GSN
- Sumo Kitty – Bally Technologies
- Thunderhorn Slot – Bally Technologies – 2014
- Arctic Tiger Slot – Playtika
- Silver Lion Slot – Lightning Box Games
- Cash Grab 2 – Amaya Gaming
- Barbarian Riches – Amuzi Gaming
- Diamond Tower – Amaya, SkillOnNet, NYX Gaming – 2013
- Wishing You Fortune – WMS Interactive – 2015
- Five Pirates Slots – Cozy Games
- Space Venture: The Big One Slot – Bwin.Party
- Queen of Queens 2 Slots – Habanero Systems B.V., EveryMatrix
- Savannah Storm Slots – GAN
- Fire Goddess Slots – Top Trend Gaming
- Year of the Monkey Slot – AG Gaming – 2016
- Buffalo Slots – Aristocrat Gaming – 2012
- Riches of Camelot – Red Rake Gaming – 2015
- Ragin’ Buffalo Slot – Red Rake Gaming
- American Buffalo Slot – GSN
- Double Buffalo Spirit Slot – Williams Interactive – 2015
- By the Rivers of Buffalo – GamesOS – 2015
Notice how many games have the word “Buffalo” in them. The various companies wanted to copy the success of Buffalo Slot from Aristocrat Gaming, the Australian game designer also known as Aristocrat Leisure. Buffalo Slots is likely to be the most successful game ever produce by Aristocrat, which has been around since the 1950s.
Eventually, someone will find a way to increase the number of ways to win in a “Ways Win” slot machine. For the time being, the lists above are the ultimate in ways-to-win online slot machines. You’ll have a lot of choices, so choose wisely.
How to win at slot machines? Is there a way to do that or it’s just pure luck? The answer is: it’s complicated. Slot machines are by their nature a game of luck and despite what you may read or heard, there is NO way to insure a win on slot machine.And yet, by using the information you can gather online you can significantly increase your winning odds.
By the way, by choosing to play slots online you are already half way there. Online slot machines payout rates are in general much higher than in land slots, therefore by playing real money slots online, you already have higher chances to walk way with some cash than in any brick and mortar casino.
Before we go deeper, here is a quick summary so you could skip to the part that interests you more:
- Picking the loosest slot machines.
- Using No Deposit bonus codes.
- Finding best Cashable casino bonuses with low wagering requiremnts.
- Understanding how online slots work.
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Slot Machine Tips
1. Pick the Loosest Slots
Unlike in land casinos, where there is no official information on the return of the specific game, many online slots providers post exact RTP of each slot. It’s surprising how many players ignore this valuable information. You would never buy a jacket or laptop without checking it’s price, and you shouldn’t do that here as well.
It’s impossible to list the payout of all online slots, but we prepared an updated rating of Loosest Slot Machines available online. Below, you can also find links to loosest slots by software. In the end of the day, playing slot machines with 98% payout vs. 88% will be worth a lot of money.
2. Cashable Bonuses
Not all bonuses are actually beneficial. In fact, many bonuses will only bound you to various terms and lower your odds. However, due to fierce competition, there are some great slots bonuses available online, if you know how to pick them up.
In fact, some of the best online casinos offer welcome bonuses that will bring your expected RTP above 100%. Meaning, you will have have and edge over the house. How is that possible? Simple. Some solid and reputable online casinos are sure that due to their superb service and wide game selection, you will stick around and become a regular player. Therefore, they don’t mind loosing on your first deposits and offer great bonuses. Here you can find a list of Best Cashable Bonuses with lowest wagering requirements.
3. Online Slot Machines are Smarter
You probably heard the word RNG. If not, RNG or random number generator is the algorithm behind all slot machines; program that every time you hit “Spin” chooses which symbols to show. There are many myths surrounding it and many write that it can be predicted in certain way- well, that’s not true. It cannot. Still, there are certain features in online slots that can generate you an advantage.
Hitting “Spin” on land slots is like throwing a coin- it doesn’t matter what happened in 100 previous times, each time the chances are similar. Online slot machines are “smarter”. They do remember what happened before- that way the casino can shorten the periods of loosing and winning streaks and keep the payout rate closer to what its programmed, which is something they want (prevents one player from winning again and again and on the other hand, shortens the losing streaks and gives each player to win from time to time so he will keep playing).
Some might say here: “That doesn’t make sense. That way a player can sit each time till the slot machine pays and cash out and the casino will go bankrupt.” That’s not true of course. First, the casino set’s the payout below 100%, therefore in the long run, the house will keep a certain percentage of the total bets. Second, online casinos and slot machines are different. In land based casinos, only one player can play the specific slot at that time, but online, there can be dozen and even hundreds of players playing the same slot machine at the same time and although the slot would pay up, none of the players can know to whom.
So how we can still use it in our advantage and increase our chances?
Rule #1: Know when to stop. To be more precise: know when to leave the slot machine and move on to the next. If you hit the jackpot or had a nice streak (our thumb rule is that you reached 10 times your original amount)-that’s the time to move on. Personally, after getting a nice win, I make few additional spins and then move on. Eventually the slot needs to level up and after going *10 times up, i don’t want to be there to see that happens.
How To Win On Casino Slot Machines
The last tip, at least in this article is not easy to follow and we suggest it only for those with extreme patience and high bankroll (1000$/£/€).
Rule #2: Don’t switch slots every few spins. The idea behind this rule is similar to the previous one, but this part is harder. If you are playing one slot for some time, eventually it has to pay- so it’s better to stick to one slot machine till it pays. The problem here, as we stated before, is that you are probably not the only one that is playing this specific slot machine. That’s why you should go for slots that are less popular. How to find them- just avoid the ones that are most visible, not the ones at the top of the table.
I am not a very patient man and I rarely use this strategy. The only times i do use it is when I test a new online casino. Since the casino is new, I know that there are almost no players that visit it, combined with some not very popular slot, the chances are high that I am the only one that is sitting on this particular slot. With new casinos, 7 out of 10 times that I tried this method- it worked. And don’t forget, the payout rate of most online casinos is around 96-98%, so you don’t need much. You just need a little bit of patience to turn the odds in your favor.
Last and not least: Slots are not about making money, but fun and excitement.
Chck our best casino bonuses and 5 best payout casinos pages that will help you get started. Enjoy and Have fun!