There are many different types of slots to play online – from high stakes, high risk games with expanding reels and stacks of features, to low stakes, casual games with a more forgiving maths model and regular payouts. Of all these games, Penny slots stand out because of their name – they are alluring to players who don’t want to risk too much of their own cash. In this guide we will explain what a penny slot actually is and the best way to play them to help you maximize your fun.
WHAT ARE PENNY SLOTS?
Simple, really; they’re slots that you can play by betting a tiny amount.
However, don’t be mistaken for thinking that you only need to bet one cent, and that will give you enough to spin the reels. Penny slots basically mean you need to bet a cent minimum for each betting line.
So, this is where it gets interesting.
There aren’t so many slots that let you bet on just one payline, but you can choose how many you want to bet. For example, on a 50 payline slot, you might only want to bet on 25 paylines. And that just means you have to bet 25 cents minimum.
While it might not just be one penny, it certainly is a lot cheaper than some of the big betting slots.
So now you know!
HOW TO PLAY PENNY SLOTS
Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you play penny slots the right way.
- Look for a low-stakes slot. That means it’ll be a slot that doesn’t require huge bets, so it could be anywhere from a dollar or less to bet on all paylines. Once you’ve found a slot like this, then you know you’ve found a good penny slot.
- Read up on all the information on the penny slot. The info section will be easily accessible on the slot’s menu, and it’s always worth checking out. You’ll be able to see the paytable and how to form wins, along with explanations on all the symbols and how they trigger bonus features.
- Next up, select how many paylines you want to bet on. You’ll have to select the minimum amount, but the good news is that you’re only betting a penny on each.
- Hit that big spin button wherever it is on the screen and watch the reels spin away. The paytable will have explained how to form a winning combination, so you know what to look out for.
- The results are in once the reels stop spinning. Matching symbols will give you a payout, while the special symbols can trigger bonus features, such as free spins.
SPECIAL FEATURES OF PENNY SLOTS
Just like other slots, penny slots benefit from special features that enhance your slot-playing experience and help you maximize your winning opportunities. It just pays (quite literally) to be aware of what’s available.
First off, it’s important to understand the multiline function of a penny slot. This is the part where you get to select how many paylines you want to play with – obviously, the more you select, the more chances you’ve got of winning.
Then there are the special symbols that come into play, such as the wild, a symbol that replaces other symbols to help form a winning combination. Look out, too, for the scatter, which often triggers the bonus round when it appears three times or more. Sticky symbols have become popular recently as well – symbols that will remain in place, again helping you to land more winning combinations. These are all inherent within the base game, but there are special features that can be triggered, too. Expanding symbols will expand across the reels, taking up all the space to again help you on the way to winning. Multipliers will multiply your total winnings by a certain amount, and the beloved free spins pretty much feature in any penny slot. You can guess what they do!
PENNY SLOTS BONUSES
When you sign up to one of the casinos we’ve found here, you’ll notice that there will be a welcome bonus, which is usually generous of the casinos and useful. Just by becoming a new player, you’ll get a range of bonuses within this welcome offer, from free spins to a series of match bonuses. Take a look to see what’s available in each, and you’ll find more details on how to use them.
Free spins are the most popular bonus on any slot, not just penny slots, and you’ll soon find out why. You’ll get free spins to use on a certain game, or perhaps a selection of them, and they do what they say – free spins. That means you’re not using up your own funds, and any wins that come your way through the free spins are yours to keep. You can even use your free spins on one slot and end up triggering more free spins within the game, sometimes going into the hundreds!
Match bonuses are deposit bonuses that will match what you put in. For example, if you got a 50% match bonus to use and you deposit 100 bucks, then you’ll get another 50 to play with.
Cashback bonuses are like free spins – self-explanatory. You’ll get cashback into your account. It could be simply a reward for being a loyal player or part of a bonus. Cashbacks are normally calcuated as wager minus wins. So, if your cashback offer was 10% and you wagered $100 and won $90, you would get $1 back (10% of $10).
Penny slots casinos will also often hold tournaments, and these are fantastic fun too. You’ll be able to vie for the top place on the leaderboard and win exclusive prizes. Better yet, along the way, you’ll have the chance to land big cash wins. Climbing the leaderboard is normally just a case of wagering and winning – for every $1 you wager you get 1 point, and the player with the most points at the end wins. Simple!
PENNY SLOTS VS DOLLAR SLOTS
PROS OF PENNY SLOTS
- Low risk as you’re not going to spend loads
- Opportunity to try out lots of slots
- Easy to understand
CONS OF PENNY SLOTS
- Not going to win the big bucks
- Not as much variety
PROS OF DOLLAR SLOTS
- More opportunity to win bigger jackpots
- More slot choices
CONS OF DOLLAR SLOTS
- If you don’t understand slots, you could end up spending quite a lot
- High risk but sometimes without the reward
BEST PENNY SLOTS PROVIDERS
With so many penny slots out there, you can imagine there are lots of penny slot providers, too. We recommend the very best:
- NetEnt – paving the way in digital entertainment for the last 20 years, NetEnt provides an abundance of branded and unique slots.
- Microgaming – known as the very first provider of online slots, Microgaming is always making waves in the industry.
- Playtech – one of the world’s largest providers of online gaming and sports betting software.
- Play n Go – another premier gaming software provider that promises the best experience possible.
- Pragmatic Play – with a focus on mobile slots, Pragmatic Play has a massive portfolio of games for any and all slots fans.
