What Makes A Good Slot Machine?

Learning what makes a good slot game is essential to avoiding bad titles.

Use the shortlist below to know what to look for to find a great game.

• High RTP: Games with a high RTP of 95% or more will help to produce more regular payouts.
• Big Payouts: Slots with big payouts are more fun since they allow you to earn big wins.
• Bonus Buy: Some slots include a bonus buy feature where you can trigger the bonus round by purchasing it.
• Immersive Theme: Many slots offer intricate themes with quality storylines, graphics, and features for an all-around experience.
• Multiple Features: Look for slots with free spins, bonus rounds, multipliers, wilds, and other features to enhance the experience with more win potential.

What Slot Machines To Avoid?

Now that you know what to look for, what should you avoid?

There are certain types of games and factors that you should consider to avoid playing the worst games at a casino. We have listed a few factors to avoid below.

Do keep in mind that wins are not guaranteed from reel spinning. Games are luck-based, so the outcome is completely random, no matter your decision.

It doesn’t hurt to avoid certain game types or features, but it won’t necessarily ensure you earn a win.

Progressive Slots

One option for slot gaming that some players skip is progressive slots.

These games offer huge payout potential, but the RTP is generally really low, around 92-93%.

It is highly unlikely that most players will win the top prize, and you are better off going with high RTP titles.

Low Progressive Games:

• Coins of Fire 94.24%
• Action Jack 92.34%
• Fire Drake 94.913%
• Golden Goddess 91.01%

High RTP Games:

• Blood Suckers
• Steamtower
• Reel Rush 2
• White Rabbit
• Quadruple Da Vinci Diamonds

Low RTP Slots

Slots with an RTP of less than 95% are considered to be in the low category.

These games offer fun themes and features, too, and you will find that the titles do not always payout based on the listed RTP.

You can win big or lose big, as the outcome is random and down to luck.

Examples of low RTP titles include:

• Super Lucky Frog 92%
• Gorilla Go Wild 92%
• Treasure Box Kingdom 94%

It’s smart to avoid low RTP games as they are known to pay less than other slot games.

Stick to higher RTP games for more win potential.

Slots With Adjustable Paylines

Some slots offer adjustable paylines where you control how many paylines are active as you spin.

You can play one payline to 30, 50, or even more, based on how many are available. The fewer paylines you activate, the less chance you have of earning a win.

Generally, you have the same RTP, no matter how many lines you play. It’s best to avoid adjustable paylines and play as normal.

Games with fixed paylines are your best bet, offering affordable minimum and maximum bets for a set number of paylines per spin.

High Volatility Slots

A high volatility slot is one where the win rate is low, but the prize amount is high. You won’t earn as many frequent wins, but it should be large if you hit a prize.

This type of game is not a good option if you have a low budget or are a casual player.

Wins don’t come as frequently, so you could play for a while and never win a prize.

You most likely can’t afford to wait for a win, so stick with low-volatility games for more payout potential.

Top 3 Worst Slots I’ve Ever Played

Below are a few examples of the worst slots I have ever played.

A mix of poor graphics and horrible RTPs made this list, giving you a good example of game types to avoid.

Action Jack

This slot has a low RTP of 92.34% and features an adventure theme.

I knew it would be awful from the moment I loaded this title. The game grid is yellow and does not match the overall theme.

The symbols are old-style, and the graphics and animations are extremely outdated. The paytable is not very large, and the top symbol pays out only 1,000x for a five-of-a-kind win.

I didn’t like anything about this game and could not earn any payout except a handful of wins for mere pennies.

Worst Features Include:

• Super low RTP at barely over 92%.
• Poor setup with simple graphics and unappealing coloring.
• Medium variance, so it is hard to earn a payout.

Golden Goddess

While this online slot game is visually appealing and offers nice graphics and animations, the title has a super low RTP.

I would not normally play a game with such a low win percentage. It comes in at 91.01%, making it hard to trigger a prize.

I played the title for twenty minutes with a low-range bet and only landed a $2 prize.

I would not play this title unless you do so in demo mode to see what it offers.

Worst Features Include:

• Super low RTP of 91.01%.
• Low to medium variance, so prize potential varies.
• Mega Jackpots component is misleading combined with low RTP.

Jenson Matlock and Gold Peacock

This is another one of those slot games where I seriously wondered what the designer was thinking.

The storyline has potential, an old Hollywood-style crime theme, but the visuals are severely lacking.

The game includes a beige grid, which allows the character symbols to pop but does nothing for the overall visual appeal of the game.

The minimum bet is a bit high at $0.40 for low rollers. I could not earn a win after five minutes, and I disliked the graphics so much that I just tried a different game.

Worst Features Include:

• Minimal features with only free games and tumbling reels.
• Higher starting bet at $0.40.
• Unappealing coloring used on the game grid.

Find out what are the best slots machine payouts at online casinos.