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The single biggest mistake (nearly) every casino player makes

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We are going to keep it short and simple. We want to talk about the single biggest mistake that nearly every casino player makes. We have all made it. We know we have.

And most of us will continue to make this same mistake, over and over again.

  • It is not about not learning the proper rules of casino games
  • It is not about only never playing pokies with a low return to player
  • It is not about never playing progressive jackpot pokies

While those are all good strategies that will help you get the best odds, there is one thing that most casino players just refuse to do.

What is the number one mistake every casino player makes?

As simple as it is true, this is the biggest mistake made by casino players:

To not stop while being ahead. 

Casino games are a losing proposition. You will lose in the long run. But you will also get ahead of the casino from time to time. How many times have you had a nice profit but decided you wanted even more and kept playing? Only to be out of casino funds 15 minutes later, ready to make another deposit?

How many time were you up $200 and said to yourself: I will stop and cash out, as soon as I reach $250, losing it all in the process? It makes no sense to risk $200 in order to win $50. If that were a sports bet, the team would have to have a pretty unbeatable track record for you to place a $200 wager in order to win just $50, wouldn’t it? Yet, with casino games, we do it all the time, with worse odds.

It is natural to always want more

It is human nature to always want more, especially if you, like us, love to gamble. If you are on a winning streak, it is easy to start believing that you are on a roll that just cannot end. You might even think that you have done something magical, cracked the code or found a pokie that has a return to player of over 100%.

It is all part of what makes gambling so exciting, and in some cases, even addictive.

So, when you find yourself up and have a tidy profit, stop. Cash out half the funds and go for a walk. Treat the lady to a nice dinner. Buy something cool for your kids. Put some money away for that one holiday that you have dreamed of all your life. Keep the rest of your casino funds for another day.

But whatever you do, stop while you are ahead. Gambling can be a lot of fun and can also make you a lot of money.

Just know when to stop playing. The choice is always yours.

20 common thinking mistakes casino players make

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There are many persistent thinking mistakes made by casino players. By hanging on to this wrong way of thinking, a lot of players feel disadvantaged or see game patterns that aren’t there.

It is kind of fun to list some of these thinking errors and find out why we are so convinced of specific casino theories. By increasing your knowledge, you may be able to avoid certain pitfalls in the future.

We hope you can learn from these common mistakes and put your new-found knowledge to your advantage.

These are 20 of the biggest mistakes (online) casino players make

We have listed 20 of the biggest and most common thinking errors. How many do you recognise?

1. If the colour red hits 10 x in a row on the roulette wheel, then the wheel has clearly been tampered with.

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Many people think that the chance of red hitting again is greater than the possibility of black hitting (the wheel is red-oriented). Others believe that the chance of black hitting at the next turn is much higher because red has hit so many times before. Both camps are wrong.

The chance of red hitting in the next turn is precisely as high as the chance of black hitting (18 out of 37, or 48.6%).

Should the wheel genuinely have a preference for a specific colour, then the test sample of 10 turns is far too small to be able to confirm or invalidate this theory.

2. You can base your play on a series of outcomes

This too is a common thinking mistake. Every outcome of a new game is independent of past results.

No matter how many times a number has hit in Roulette or how many times a particular colour has hit in a row, you can only determine afterwards whether there was a trend in the results.

3. The Confirmation Bias: events that support your theory weigh more heavily

Everyone might have experienced this. You play roulette all night, betting on your favourite number 23.

And it doesn’t hit or hardly hits. It’s enough to drive you crazy. And then (this always happens!), just when you go to the bathroom, the number 23 hits twice in a row! How is this possible?

This phenomenon is called “Confirmation Bias”, and it works like this: you give more weight to events that support your theory.

Your theory, in this case, is: “My number always hits when I am not playing”. Because you pay so much attention to “your” number, the times this happens are especially noticeable. Those hundreds of times that your number didn’t hit when you were on your break are conveniently forgotten.

4. Players with big stacks of chips in front of them have a better understanding of the game

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Someone with a large pile of chips in front of them at the Blackjack table, must be very skilled in the game, right? Wrong. Maybe he’s been incredibly lucky, and he’s in a winning flow. Perhaps he’s bought a lot of chips. Only in the game of poker is this line of thinking somewhat correct. Poker is, in the long run, a skill-based game. There, the best players (usually) do have the most chips.

5. You win more often at your favourite casino, even if all the rules are the same as anywhere else

This is another type of Confirmation Bias. And yet some players swear by it: at this casino, I never lose at the Roulette table, and that is a fact. Just last week I had another big win!

However, if a casino has identical game rules, your chances of winning are also the same, regardless of where you are playing.

6. New players always win

Again: this popular train of thought is utter nonsense. New players win (and lose!) just as often as experienced players.

However, you will notice it more often when it happens, because it confirms a widespread thinking error.

Furthermore, new players tend to appreciate winning more than seasoned casino players. Like a puppy dog that feels grass beneath its paws for the first time, they will make every effort to let the whole casino know they have just won a hundred dollars.

7. The choices other Blackjack players make, affect my results.

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Sometimes a player will buy a card at the Blackjack table with a 13 showing against a dealer with 16. The inevitable happens: he hits a 10, goes bust and the dealer draws a 5 that brings him to a 21. The whole table loses, and moans and groans ensue. Had the player stood, he would have made the dealer go bust and people would have been a lot happier.

Sure, this scenario happens often, and yes, it is annoying as hell when players go against basic Blackjack strategy.

But so that you know, wrong player decisions can just as well benefit you. A player may take a low card away from the dealer so the dealer will go bust. It all balances out in the long run, and the game is random and unpredictable. In the end, it doesn’t make any difference.

It is of course always nice to have a scapegoat, when things are not going well for you.

8. Card shuffling is rigged in a casino, to increase the house edge

This is not true either. A casino can lose its license if it turns out that cards are being manipulated. Besides, it would mean that there would be a lot of different people involved in the fraud (dealers, floor managers, suppliers, management), which makes it almost impossible to keep it under wraps.

And let’s face it, the casino already has a healthy house edge, so it really doesn’t need any additional help.

9. It’s smart to split a pair of 10’s at Blackjack

If you’ve got two 10’s, you’ve got 20 points in your hand, right? This gives you, the player, a leg up to win the hand.

If you split the 10’s, the chances of winning are significantly reduced. Long story short? Don’t get greedy; be happy with the 10’s you have. Stand, and look forward to doubling your money (most of the time).

10. If you use a player card, you will receive smaller (or bigger!) payouts.

how-can-online-casino-players-can-improve-4-playerscard-slot machine

Many casino players firmly believe that playing with a player card in the slot machines will result in a lower payout, especially if you won shortly before. This way, the casino can take your winnings back quickly.

Along the same line of thinking consider this widespread mistake: the first day/hours you use the card, you win a lot more, so you will lose a lot more the next day. This way of thinking is wrong.

A player card provides the casino with useful information about your playing behaviour. It allows them to come up with a tailor-made bonus based on how you play your game and to gain insight into the playing behaviour of players in general. But a player card cannot change the inner workings of a slot machine.

11. It is impossible to win real money with bonus money

Whether it’s free game credit at a Las Vegas casino or bonus money at an online casino, it’s possible to win real money with bonus money. All you have to do is abide by the bonus rules. In Las Vegas, you only need to wager free game credit once, and some slots are excluded (often progressive slots) – so it’s best to bet this money on video poker, which has a high payout rate.

At an online casino, you are bound by a maximum bet per spin, and you have to wager the bonus several times before it is released.

Also, some slots are often excluded from betting with bonus money. But if you follow these bonus rules correctly, you can unlock a casino bonus regularly. Especially if the wagering conditions are 35 x the bonus, or lower.

12. Slot machines pay out more on weekends and in the morning

The idea behind this theory is that people are in a party mood during the weekend and the casino likes to add to that.

In the mornings, the slot machines are still full of all the money that has been thrown in the night before, and that has to be paid out at some time, right?

Unfortunately, it doesn’t work that way.

Slot machines use a Random Number Generator, which generates random results. This RNG can’t look back, can’t look forward and can’t see how much you’ve won or lost. In other words, it is impossible to determine when a slot machine will pay out.

13. Rubbing the screen and making voodoo signs increase your chances of winning

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Alas, no.  Rubbing a slot screen while the reels are spinning is a useless exercise. And to be honest, it looks a tiny bit strange, as well.

The same goes for lucky dolls, rabbit feet, your lucky shirt or touching all of the buttons before you press the spin button. None of these actions has any effect. We have even seen players go as far as licking their player card, in a desperate attempt to get lucky.

14. Online casinos can change the payout rates with the touch of a button

Online casinos use software that runs on servers of third parties. In other words, they only function as a distribution channel or portal for a game service provider. They are not able to manipulate the software or the outcome of the games themselves.

An exception to this is if an online casino uses its own software to which they do have access. In the Netherlands, there was a court case where the owners of Amsterdam Casino were convicted of fraud. They were able to rig the system and made sure that big prizes were barely won, and if they were paid out at all, they always ended up with acquaintances and family members.

So make sure you only play at reliable online casinos that use respected, third-party tested software such as Netent, Thunderkick or Pragmatic Play.

15. A so-called cooler can make a “hot” table go dead

We don’t dispute the fact that coolers were used in the casinos of Las Vegas and Atlantic City in the past. A cooler is the name for a casino’s staff member who ensures that bad karma is brought to a winning table. As a result, the players who won before suddenly couldn’t catch a break.

Coolers were indeed used, but a cooler can, of course, never influence the course of a game.

16. By stopping the reels early on a slot machine, you can change the outcome

In many slot machines, you can stop the reels by quickly pressing the spin button twice.

A lot of players think that by doing so, you are mixing up the game in some way, which makes the outcome different. This is complete nonsense. After all, the result of the outcome was already determined at the very moment you pressed the play button the first time.

The rest of it is just bells and whistles. The only thing you do achieve, you significantly reduce the time between spins.

Stopping the reels manually is mainly a way to lose your money faster, and that is precisely why slots manufacturers have included this option.

17. The more paylines, the higher the chances of winning

We regularly read the following sentence on other casino portals: always play the maximum number of paylines; otherwise, a slot (machine) will pay out less.

This is a persistent thinking mistake. The payout rate of a slot (machine) does not depend on the number of paylines you play. The payout rate always remains the same.

However, some players will reduce the number of paylines and increase the bet per line to achieve a higher variance (volatility). But in the long run, a slot (machine) pays out the same, whether you play with 1 payline or 40.

18. Roulette tables have magnets to have the ball drop into specific pockets.

Other popular theories: blowing techniques, suction techniques, deceleration techniques.

Again, roulette tables are regularly calibrated and checked. The casino already has a house edge and will not easily risk its license to further increase the advantage it already has.

19. Online casinos are never to be trusted

Our experience has not been like this at all. There are undoubtedly unreliable casinos. But for every untrustworthy casino, there are at least another 40 that can be trusted. Fortunately, the time of online cowboys is far behind us.

Because it is becoming ever easier for players to find information about the reliability of an online casino via the Internet, it has also become easier to distinguish the good online casinos from the rogue ones.

20. All casino games are ultimately the same: you always lose

Although every casino game does have a house edge, there are significant differences between the various casino games. The most profitable games for the casino are slots, Bingo, Keno and the Wheel of Fortune. In these cases, the house edge can run up to (far) over 10%.

Table games pay out at much better rates, especially if you apply the right strategy in say Blackjack or Video Poker. European roulette also has a low house edge of only 2.7% and therefore a high RTP of 97.3% (100%- 2.7%).

There are several types of roulette, and some are more profitable others are not. Which to avoid? Check out our post “Three types of Roulette you should always avoid”

Also, something to keep in mind, games at an online casino often have a much higher payout rate than at a land-based casino.

If you are looking for the best possible payout percentages, you are better off gambling online, rather than playing at your local land-based casino.19EN17a25

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What is the ‘Hit-and-Run” casino strategy?

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In this article, we examine the popular “Hit-and-Run” casino strategy.

This strategy, whereby you play quick sessions in the casino, and you emphasise quitting while ahead, can be very effective.

We apply the Hit and Run strategy often ourselves, with success, by playing short-run sessions that increase our profitability and, effectively, minimise our total losses.

Among other things, we will explain:

  • What the Hit-and-run strategy exactly entails
  • For what type of player this strategy is best suited
  • Which games fit this strategy the best
  • What the pro and cons are of this casino strategy

What exactly does the Hit-and-run strategy entail?

The Hit-and-run casino strategy is aimed at playing short sessions in the casino, whereby you play the game, (hopefully) make a profit and then immediately stop playing.

You set your profit target before playing the game. It must be a realistic goal; there is no point in setting a €10,000 target when your gambling budget is just €50. We can all dream, but the chances of that scenario happening are slim to none.

Setting a target of 3 -5 times your initial bankroll is a lot more realistic.

The moment you reach your target, you take your winnings and stop the session – Hit and Run

When you reach your target goal, you must stop gambling and cash out.

This, at times, very effective strategy prevents that your gains are lost again by playing longer in the casino. It also ensures that all sessions, where you get on the plus side of the ledger, are ended with a profit. Sometimes it will be a small gain, sometimes a big one, but you will close out every session with a profit effectively as a winner in any case.

The Hit-and-run strategy is exceptionally well suited for play in an online casino.

Here it is possible to quickly deposit cash, grab your winnings and have it paid out to you immediately.

It gets even better when you play at an online casino like Slots Million, where you can have your payouts locked – preventing you from playing with the withdrawal, should you be tempted to play longer yet.

Las Vegas-land-based-casinos

With land-based casinos things become a little more involved, seeing that you incur travel costs and invest time. Not very many players can bring themselves to step into a casino, place a few bets, reaching their target and walk out again after 5-10 minutes.

An example of a realistic profit target using the Hit-and-run strategy is if you were to put down $€ 50 and turn that initial money into $€ 200, you stop playing. Also if you end up at $€ 0 you stop.

For what type of player is the Hit-and-run strategy best suited?

The Hit-and-run strategy can work well but is certainly not suitable for everyone.

If you like long gambling sessions, on low variance games such as Pai Gow Poker, video poker or low variance slots like Starburst, then the Hit-and-run strategy will not work, unless you play for high stakes.

The reason being that for the Hit-and-run to work, you must have a real opportunity to have a winning balance, and the chances of that happening are simply a lot better with medium or high variance games.

Besides that you also have to possess strong self-discipline – you HAVE to stop when you reach your self-imposed gains target.

Many players get greedy, play on and eventually lose it all – both the initial gain and the original starting balance. This phenomenon is called the gamblers ruin: as players do not have unlimited funds or unlimited time, there is always a point where you lose all your funds.

So the strategy is best suited for players that are content with achieving small wins and don’t have the urge to play on.

hit and run strategy

Suitable games for the Hit-and-run strategy

It is essential to choose suitable games, wherein the payouts you can win are substantial enough to have a high possibility that with one good spin you are already on the plus side of things.

So we are talking about table games where you can win at least 15 x your bet or slots where you can win at least 100 x your stake.

  • Medium to high variance slots
  • High-risk Roulette bets such as single or double bets
  • Blackjack, but only if you play stakes of at least 20% of your bankroll
  • High-risk Craps bets, such as the hard ten or the hard eight*

*We know this bet has a lower payout rate than other Craps bets, but you have to remember: this is about short term game, and with that in mind, the difference in payout rate is negligible.

Examples of high variance slots are Raging Rhino, Dead or Alive 2, Immortal Romance and the Falcon Huntress.

Pros and Cons of this strategy

The are several advantages and disadvantages that come with the Hit-and-run approach:

Advantages

  • You stop playing in time with a profit, so there is no risk to lose any winnings
  • The plan is simple: grab and go!
  • It is a strategy where your balance, in the long run, suffers fewer losses than if you were to partake in long gambling sessions.

Disadvantages

  • Not all casino games are suited for the Hit-and-run strategy
  • Land-based casinos are less suited than online casinos
  • You can’t apply this strategy when there is bonus money active that has to be wagered
  • The Hit and Run strategy only works for well-disciplined players, with clear and realistic goals

3 high variance slots that can win you serious money

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3 high variance slots that can win you serious money

Of course, we all dream about hitting the big one on a slot machine. So do we — all the time.

The first thing most people will think of when trying to hit it big is to play a progressive jackpot slot like Mega Moolah or Mega Fortune. Right? Wrong.

Time for a reality check. Although every once in a while somebody does win a huge progressive jackpot, the chances are that you will not be that person. Why not set your goals a little lower? These three high variance slots will not make you a millionaire. But they can make you a whole lot richer than you were before!

All of these slots can pay out 3,000 – to even 100,000 times your bet in the bonus round.

So, let’s get straight to the list!

slots that can pay out wellDead or Alive 2 (Netent)

Netent’s fantastic Dead or Alive 2 slot has, within a few weeks after its release, already become one of the most popular Netent slots. Is that because of the dazzling graphics or the exciting gameplay? No. The graphics and base game of this sequel to the Dead or Alive slot are quite dull, to be honest, although they have improved drastically compared to the original.

But the Dead or Alive 2 bonus game can pay out incredible amounts of money: it’s possible to win over 100,000 times your stake on Dead or Alive 2.

During the free spins bonus, you get to pick one out of three different free spins bonuses: the classic bonus, free spins with unlimited increasing multipliers or a bonus were you can win fixed multipliers on the reels.

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Get one wild symbol on every reel, and you will win five more free spins, just like in the original game. Massive potential, the option to choose your favourite bonus and improved graphics – it is no wonder that Dead or Alive 2 (or DOA 2) has become an instant success. 

Play Dead or Alive now (Slots Million)

win big with these pokies300 shields (Microgaming)

Have you ever played a slot where you had a 300 x multiplier in the bonus? With the 300 Shields slot, that is precisely what can happen. This epic slot, based on the bloody and courageous battle between 300 Spartan soldiers and a vast Xerxes army, can pay out enormous wins in the bonus round.

To trigger the free spin bonus round, you need to land 3 or more of the scatter symbols.

This will give you 5 free spins to start with. All wild symbol winnings have an instant 2 x multiplier value. You can win more free spins by landing 2 or more scatter symbols. This triggers the Battle Bonus Feature and earns 5 more free spins with the Wild Symbol increasing to a 5 x multiplier.

If, during the Battle Bonus round you manage to collect 6 or more wild symbols, you earn 5 more free spins with wins now at a very impressive 25 x multiplier.

300 shields high variance pokie

With even more luck and a lot of perseverance, it is possible to reach the top level of the bonus round and win 5 free spins with 300 x multiplier on all winning wild combinations. This is the highest multiplier we have ever seen in a slot. Just imagine the monster win you will get if you manage to hit a five of a kind at 300 x!

300 Shields from Nextgen Gaming is a high variance slot, so you will get some decent play for your money before hopefully hitting the big one. Don’t forget to shout “This Is Sparta!” every once in a while. Trust us; it will make you feel better.

Play 300 Shields now (Slots Million)

raging rhino wms high variance pokieRaging Rhino (WMS)

Raging Rhino is as exciting a slot as they come. This high variance WMS slot has everything a thrill-seeking slot player will love: stacked wilds, 4,096 ways to win, multipliers of up to 81x and lots of free spins.

Raging Rhino looks stunning and is based on a 6 x 4 grid with all wins scattered from left to right. This amounts to 4,096 possible combinations. The Raging Rhino symbol is the highest paying, land a winning combination, and you not only get a big “Rhino!” shout out but also some pretty hefty wins.

Raging Rhino pokie super big win

Three or more diamonds trigger the free spins bonus, and that is when things get even more exciting. The wild symbols (on reel 2-5) not only act as wilds during the bonus games but also act as multipliers of 2x or 3x. Land four wilds during the bonus game and you could be looking at an 81x multiplier!

Retriggers also come plentiful: two diamonds in the bonus round will award 5 more free spins.

Raging Rhino not only looks and plays fantastic but will surely get your heart pumping, especially in those hyper-charged bonus rounds. Raging Rhino is one of the most popular WMS slots around and is one of the most beautiful, well designed and exciting high variance slots around. Check it out!

Play Raging Rhino now (Cashmio)

Play high variance slots

You can play high variance slots at these trustworthy casinos:

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If you are looking for a more extensive list of high variance online slots, why don’t you check out this list of best high variance slots at Freebieslots.co.uk. They have carefully selected the top 10 of high-risk slots with extreme volatility. 

Where can you find better-paying slots?

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For casino players who are not only looking for entertainment in a slot but also want to look beyond the bells and whistles, it can be very interesting to look at how well a slot pays out.

To get a good understanding of this, it is crucial to know how a slot works.

Unfortunately, it’s not possible to use a strategy when playing slots to increase your chances of winning. It doesn’t matter how many lines you play, whether you use the autoplay button or how much you bet. And rubbing the screen at every spin doesn’t make much sense either, except that your cat might look a little strange at you.

Slots all work according to the same principle: they are random and, on average, pay out a little less than what is put in.

However, there is one thing that you can influence – which slot you choose to play. Although all slots work mostly the same way, they do differ in one respect: they have different payout rates. Some slots pay out significantly better than others.

A higher payout rate can make the difference between winning and losing. The difference between a nice amount in your account or going to bed with your tail between your legs.

What does the payout rate mean?

The payout percentage is also called Return to Player (or RTP). The higher the payout rate, the better it is for you, the player. There are legal provisions on how high payout rates of slots should be. In many countries, a slot machine in a cafe or an arcade has to pay a minimum of 60%. For slots in your local land-based casino, this percentage is at least 80%. Slots in Las Vegas casinos often pay between 88% and 93%.

The difference between payout rates in online and offline casinos

Please note that the 60% and 80% payout rates are a minimum. In reality, the payout rates of slots in pubs, bars and arcades are around 80% – 85% while slots in your local, land-based casino pay out around 88% – 93%.

What about payout percentages for online slots? On average, slots at an online casino payout around 96.5%. But there are even online slots that pay out 98% or even 99%. That’s a huge difference compared to slot machines in pubs, bars and land-based casinos.

Online casinos have much fewer overhead costs such as staff, rent, energy costs, security, etc. and in no small extent give these benefits back to online casino players in the form of bonuses, promotions and, you have guessed it, (much) higher payout rates. If you want to have the best chance of winning a session, you should play at an online casino.

So, if you decide to play a slot machine at an offline casino, you could argue that you are shortchanging yourself.

Have you ever wondered why it seems almost impossible to leave a land-based casino in Las Vegas or your home town with a profit? Now you know why.

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Does a higher payout rate really make the difference?

In a word: yes. A higher payout rate results in a higher chance of winning, more playing time or a combination of both.

For example, if you play a slot with a payout rate of 85%, the slot will take $€ 15 from every $€ 100 that is wagered. The remaining $€ 85 goes back to the player.

However, if you play a slot with a payout percentage of 98%, the game will return $€ 98 of every $€ 100 played. In this case, the casino will be left with $€2.

What do you prefer? A slot where you lose $€ 15 for every $€ 100 you deposit, or a slot where you lose only $€ 2 for every $€ 100 you put in? Exactly.

Remember as well, that payout rates are calculated over hundreds of thousands, perhaps even millions of revolutions. That’s why you may win $€ 500 one day with a deposit of just a tenner, and you might lose $€ 200 the next day. A slot always shows variance in payouts. Some days it looks like you can’t lose and other days it feels like you are going nowhere fast.

In short, the payout rate of a slot is extremely important for a player and as a general rule: the higher the percentage, the better it is for you.

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Payout rate versus the variance of a slot

Another vital factor to consider is the variance of a slot.

The higher the variance of a slot, the more risk there is in the game. High Variance slots may pay out huge prizes reaching up to tens of thousands times your total stake. While the possible rewards are high, the chances of hitting such a big win are low. These massive payouts are rare.

A low variance slot will offer you a high ratio of small and medium-sized wins. You will get plenty of entertainment for your money, but the chances of winning big are slim.

If you like the sound of getting bigger wins while taking higher risks, be sure to have a look at our top 10 high variance online slots list.

Can you trust the published payout rates?

Some people have tried to calculate the payout rates of slots themselves. However, this is very difficult. You have to take into account a lot of different things such as the number of (virtual) reels, paylines, multipliers and bonus games. Some slots are incredibly complicated, making it impossible to calculate the payout rate if you don’t have access to the software and mathematical models.

Another method is to play thousands of spins yourself and keep track of everything by hand: bets, wins and losses. A massive – and tedious – task.

That’s why most online casino players look up the payout rate in the slot rules. Almost all casino game creators include this information in the slots rules. Can’t you find the payout rate anywhere? Then we suggest you choose another slot that isn’t secretive about this essential information.

External parties regularly audit these published payout rates, and contrary to popular belief, reputable online casinos don’t lie about payout rates. There is no benefit in it for them.

In an environment where it is all about the confidence a player has in the casino, it is awful for business for an online casino to be found out that their slots are paying out less than they’re supposed to.

Players would immediately abandon that casino in large numbers.

Where can you find better-paying slots?

If you are looking for slots that pay out better than other slots, we can help you. We have put together a top 10 of slots that pay out the most. Will you win every time you play these slots? Of course not.

But do you have a (much) better chance of winning with these better-paying slots? Absolutely.

Our research shows that some of the best paying online slots are made by Netent, Scientific Games (Barcrest) and Thunderkick. These companies have released several better-paying slots with payout rates ranging between 97% and 99%.

Slots Million: The best place for slots that pay better

Slots Million is a very reliable online casino where you can play thousands of the best online slots from the very best casino game makers such as Netent, Thunderkick, Scientific Games (Barcrest), WMS and many more.

Play all the high paying slots like Blood Suckers, Devil’s Delight and Big Bad Wolf.

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Managing your money better at online casinos

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money management online casino

When it comes to playing online, you should always budget your money to gamble responsibly. The worst thing you can possibly do is gamble more money than you can afford. People get carried away when they’re winning and some get greedy by playing for longer than they should – remember when you lose, you lose everything.

I’ve come across pokie players who have said to me a few times “It should be ready to pay out now, I’ve been playing it for hours” but that is unfortunately not how it works. When you’re playing with more money than you can afford and don’t win, it becomes a very vicious cycle that can be hard to break.

Don’t be silly – set yourself a budget

Okay, so the first really important thing to do is to set yourself a realistic budget – spend only what you can afford. If you can, set your limit aside from your everyday account, this will stop you eating into the cash you cannot afford to spend.

It is also wise to set a target goal – if your budget is $200 for example, your target could be $500. Should you reach your target, withdraw the $500 immediately. Only continue playing with whatever money is left after the withdrawal and don’t forget to set another target goal.

Use separate accounts for gambling

Two online accounts are ideal because you won’t be able to gamble your life savings away if you use two separate accounts. A basic bank account should be used for your everyday activities such as bills and payments.

Use a separate account for your gambling activities. We prefer e-wallets such as Skrill or Neteller as these accounts are easy to use, offer the fastest withdrawal times and can be separated from your day to day life and expenses. This way it is easy to keep track of you deposits and withdrawals. E-wallets are free to use at most online casinos.

Always play at casinos that offer the fastest pay outs

Some online casinos will keep your withdrawals on “pending” status for 24 hours, sometimes even for several days, hoping that you will reverse the withdrawal and spend your winnings in the casino. This is a bit of a sleazy tactic which we don’t approve of. We recommend doing business with casinos that offer fast withdrawals times, preferably within a few hours.

We have tested multiple online casinos on how easy and fast it is to withdraw winnings. The casinos with the fastest withdrawal times are Casumo, GUTS, and Leo Vegas.

Big bonuses aren’t always what they seem

When you’re offered a bonus on top of your deposit, you really should read the terms and conditions attached to that bonus. Sometimes it’s better not to take a bonus at all – trust me! Some bonuses require you to wager an obscene amount of cash before being able to cash out – yes, you’ll be playing longer, but your chances of winning and being able to withdraw are very slim. Make sure you read all of the terms before deciding whether to take the bonus or not.

Spinning good stuff – look for wager free spins!

Most online Aussie casino offer free pokie spins when you join the website, the majority of which have wagering requirements on the winnings of the free spins. This means you will have a lower chance of actually converting the winnings into real cash. The better option? Look for online casinos that offer wager free pokie spins as part of their welcome bonus. 

These are better bonuses to have, because what you win is yours with no play through requirements. Whatever you win is yours to keep straightaway.

Some great online casinos that offer wager free pokie spins are GUTS, Thrills and Lucky Dino.

Know when to stop!

Gambling should be fun and when the fun stops, you should stop! Playing online or in Aussie betting shops across the country can be very addictive, so if you have recognised you have a problem, you should stop and get help.

Do I have a problem?

This is the question you should be asking yourself and there are a few things you can ask yourself to determine the answer.

· Do you find yourself skipping work or other commitments because of the need to gamble?
· How do you feel when you’ve lost? Yes, it’s disappointing but do you feel the need to have that ‘one last gamble’ all the time?
· Are you placing bets to win what you’ve just lost?
· Do you feel like gambling when you’ve had an argument or you’re feeling frustrated?

If you’ve answered yes to a few of these (or all of them), you may have a gambling problem. The good news is that there’s plenty of help available to help you stop. Every casino that we work with offers problem gamblers various solutions for tackling their problems, from setting deposit, time or loss limits to temporary or indefinite self-exclusions.

Why some free pokie spins bonuses are better than others

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vegas-party leo vegas free pokie spins bonus

Most Aussie casino players love themselves some good free pokie spins. We know we do. Throw some free pokie spins on Starburst, Twin Spin or Jack and the Beanstalk our way any time. Free pokie spins are fun, exciting and, well, free. And from time to time we even manage to convert them into real cash. What’s not to love about free pokie spins bonuses?

We have even compiled a huge and extremely popular list of all the free pokie spins bonuses that are available for Australian online casino players. 

When deciding which free pokie spins bonus you wish to use, there are some pointers on what are the best choices you can make. Not every spins bonus is the same and it could be argued that some are even better than others. Now this may sound strange, they are free spins after all, are they not?

Why some free pokie spins bonuses are better than others

When you compare free spins pokie bonuses to each other, there are basically two kinds:

  • The no deposit free pokie spins bonus
  • The deposit free pokie spins bonus

No deposit free pokie spins bonus

The first category, the no deposit free pokie spins bonus is a no brainer. All you need to do is register and you will get some free spins. You do not need to invest any money and everything you win is yours to play with and maybe even to cash out. Just collect the bonus and enjoy your free spins. If you like the casino, there will also be a nice welcome offer waiting for you.

Examples of some great No deposit free pokie spins bonuses are:

Deposit free pokie spins bonus

In the second category, the deposit free pokie spins bonus, things get a little bit trickier. As you need to make a deposit before you get the free spins, you need to decide if the bonus is worthwhile to you. There are several steps you need to take to be able to determine how much the free pokie spins bonus is worth:

  • How high is the minimum deposit to be eligible for the free spins?
  • Always look for casinos with a minimum deposit of $10
  • How many free spins do you get?
  • How high is the match bonus?
  • What is each free spin worth?
  • What are the wagering requirements on the free spins?
  • What are the wagering requirements on the bonus?

An example: Leo Vegas free spins bonus

Leovegas free spins bonusLeo Vegas is one of our favourite casinos. It offers a deposit free pokie spins bonus of 200% bonus + 200 free spins. And the great thing is, you get to choose on which pokie you want to play the 200 free spins.

The 200 free spins can be played on:

  • Starburst ($0.10 per spin, worth $20)
  • Vegas Party ($0.25 per spin, worth $50)
  • Mega Fortune Dreams ($0.20 per spin, worth $40)
  • Drive: Multiplier Mayhem ($0.15 per spin, worth $30)

The minimum deposit is $10. The spins on Vegas Party are worth no less than $50, so we would choose these above the others. For only $10, you get $30 in your account and $50 in free spins, a total of $80. A great deal. Wagering requirements on the free spins are 35x the winnings. The bonus also has to be wagered 35x before you can withdraw. Tough, but fair.

Another example: Casumo free spins bonus

casumo free spins bonusCasumo is another fantastic online casino. However, although their welcome bonus may look nearly the same at first glance as the Leo Vegas bonus, if we examine their welcome bonus a little further we will see it is not quite a good. 

New players get a 200% match bonus and 180 free spins on Starburst on their first deposit. You need to deposit $20 to get the free spins bonus, which is worth $18 (180 spins x $0.10).

For $20, you get $60 in your account to play with and $18 in free spins for a total of $78. Wagering requirements are 30x the winnings on the free spins and 25 x (bonus + deposit). Not the best terms. So, by depositing $10 more than at Leo Vegas, we get $2 less in bonus worth. 

Conclusion: not all bonuses are created equal

The differences between our two examples show that not every free spins bonus is alike, even if they may look nearly the same. The Leo Vegas bonus is worth more than the Casumo bonus, for half the deposit. A difference of no less than $12.   

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How to choose the best online casino

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choose best online casino

Before you decide to wager online, there are some essential things you need to check first.

Doing some homework first before you stake your hard-earned cash is not only the smart thing to do; it is essential.

There are some excellent, trustworthy and reliable casinos out there just as there are crooked ones, which prey upon your money and good faith.

Following these guidelines should be more than enough to make your online gambling endeavours trouble-free:

– Check if the online casino carries a legitimate casino license by a reputable government.

Online casinos that are licensed in the United Kingdom, Sweden and Malta, can typically be trusted. Should you win big, you can rely upon these casinos to swiftly pay out your money without a hassle.

– Before you play for real money, always test the casino for free. What kind of pokies do they offer? What is the overall vibe of the casino? Do they push you (through a pop-up window or live chat) to make the first deposit? If you cannot test out the casino games for free, move to another casino.

– Before you place any bet test the casino’s customer services’ friendliness, professional attitude and willingness to help. Only choose online casinos that list (toll-free) telephone numbers, email addresses and offer live chat. We find that live chat is the easiest and quickest way to get questions answered and problems resolved.

– Look for the best casino bonuses and welcome packages. Every welcome bonus comes with wagering requirements and other conditions (such as maximum stake). The last thing you want is to find out a welcome bonus has impossible wagering requirements after you made your first deposit. Make sure the wagering requirement is 40x the bonus or lower, which games you can use the bonus on and that it is possible to cash out the bonus.

– Always carry the mindset that you will win big. What happens once you try to cash out? Find out what the casino’s daily, weekly or monthly withdrawal limits are. Is it a casino that has fast withdrawals times or is there a long waiting period? Are there any withdrawal fees and if so, are they fair?

– If you like to play progressive jackpot slots, progressive wins must not be included in the withdrawal limit. It is no less than a nightmare if you should win millions and be bound to a monthly withdrawal limit, resulting in a situation where it could take up to 40 or 50 years to get your winnings unto your bank account. Legitimate cyber casinos will always pay out all progressive jackpots in full and not in small bits and pieces over long periods.

– What kind of payment methods are allowed? Does the casino accept e-wallets, Paysafecard, credit or debit cards and bank transfer?

– Find out what software the casino uses. If there are games from reputable companies such as Netent, Microgaming, Thunderkick or Big Time Gaming the casino has invested in the best gaming software that is regularly audited by third parties like TST and iTechlabs on fairness and randomness.

– Determine your bankroll and stick to it. If your bankroll is gone, refrain from depositing more. Good discipline and money management can go a long way.

– Read game strategies to improve your knowledge and skills. There are tips on how to beat the slots, basic Blackjack strategy, what the best Roulette strategies are and more.

Will these guarantee winning sessions? Absolutely not. They will help you, however, to make better decisions. There is always a house edge, but by using the correct game strategy, you can nudge the odds a little more in your favour and vastly improve your chances of winning.

Whether you choose to use one or maybe even several of the above tips, we are confident that your online gambling experience will be safer, more enjoyable and hopefully, more profitable.

Check out these reliable online casinos

If you want to try your luck at an online casino, each of the choices in this list provides a safe, fun and exciting place to play online casino games.

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6 reasons why Netent is failing miserably at the moment

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What’s the matter with Netent, the once so successful and influential Swedish slot provider?

netent-provider-logoThere was a time when online casinos lined up to partner with Netent, the creator of classic slots like Starburst, Dead or Alive, Jack and the Beanstalk, Twin Spin and Gonzo’s Quest.

And this is only a small sum-up of a vast list of their most successful slots.

How about Guns N’ Roses, The Invisible Man, Creature From The Black Lagoon and Piggy Riches?

These are quality slots, too, with well-executed themes, exciting bonus rounds, and entertaining gameplay.

The exciting feeling a new Netent slot used to evoke, has slowly disappeared.

If a new Netent slot used to be released, we couldn’t wait and were full of eager anticipation. The alarm clock was set, we deposited $€ 50 or $€ 100 at our favourite online casino, and with a nice cup of hot coffee, we settled in our seat to give the Netent slot that was about to premiere, a run for its money.

As soon as that characteristic green Netent logo appeared on the screen, we knew we were about to play something extraordinary.

The thrill, the build-up of excitement, it’s all gone.

Netent has slipped from a top-tier market leader to a somewhat dull mid-tier player. Not even in terms of turnover – Netent is still one of the largest providers – but in terms of relevance.

They are no longer determining the direction and new developments of the slot games industry

6-reasons-Netent-fails-Jack-and-the-beanstalk-netent-slot-review

It’s been a long time since Netent released a blockbuster like Jack and the Beanstalk.

Netent’s share price has been free-falling for years

Netent’s market share is declining, and its financial results are also disappointing. This can happen once in a while, but not year after year.

Whereas in the past Netent slots always dominated the online casino lobbies, we see more and more slots from other providers — a telltale of demise.

6-reasons-Netent-fails-netent-faalt-share-price

Netent gets severely penalized by investors for their poor performance. Netent’s share price reached its absolute peak in June of 2016 and was worth just over 91 Swedish Kronor (± $€ 10.92).

On 3 January 2020, the value of Netent shares fell to a very modest 26.1 Swedish kronor (± $€ 2.87). A decline of more than 71%, in just three and a half years.

Netent has always been the “Golden Boy” of the online casino industry but has lost that honorary title.

In 2018 Netent’s Board of Directors intervened hard and sent CEO Per Eriksson home. He was replaced by the former Netent CFO, Therese Hilman.

To date, this significant decision seems to have had little to no effect: Netent’s performance has only deteriorated since the replacement at the top.

6-reasons-Netent-fails-gold-money-frog-netent-slot-review

Slots like Gold Money Frog are nothing more than dull “Oriental” remakes of existing Netent titles.

 

Why is Netent failing so hard?

Netent has had a tough time last couple of years. They have lost a large part of their competitive edge, and market leadership and the companies share value is shrinking noticeably.

How did this happen? What crucial mistakes did Net Entertainment, Netent’s full name, make?

And how does Netent get back on its feet?

1. They focus more on quantity than quality

CEO Therese Hilman announced it at the beginning of 2019: Netent is going to release a lot more slots. The more slots, the more visibility in the online casinos and the more players will choose for Netent games, was the plan.

A simple strategy, you would think. The consequence, however, of Netent releasing a lot more slots in 2019 than we were used to, was an appalling quality of these titles.

Netent released two excellent slots in 2019: Reel Rush 2 and Dead or Alive 2. Indeed, both sequels. That indicates a lack of creativity.

Many of the other releases were Asian versions of famous slots like Twin Spin and Cosmic Fortune. Okay, for the Oriental market, but no use for North American and European markets.

Netent should have focused on developing unique, innovative and eye-catching slots instead of releasing endless spin-offs of old titles.

Even the Ozzy Osbourne slot, which should have been the hit of 2019, we qualified: “Nice, but no blockbuster.” When Netent uses such an iconic rock star as the theme, you have to go for it full throttle; third gear does not cut it.

2. There is too much competition from smaller, eager slot providers

Smaller companies usually much better-motivated employees than large companies. It is easier to get to the top than to sustain your market leadership. And young slot providers don’t feel shareholders breathing down their necks, yet.

So they dare to take risks much quicker. A new Netent slot has to be a success. Developers of a Push Gaming or Nolimit City slot, for example, do not feel that obligation. For them, it is a nice bonus if their slot performs more than okay. No pressure, that’s how most beautiful creations can arise, think of like slots like Jammin’ Jars and Pixies versus Pirates.

3. Players spend less money in their largest markets

Given their Scandinavian roots, Netent has always been enormously popular in countries such as Sweden, Denmark and Norway. Also, in English-speaking parts of the world, such as Australia and the United Kingdom, Netent slots were played a lot.

Mainly the strict regulation of the Swedish and UK markets and the mandatory withdrawal from the (very lucrative) Australian market have hurt Netent a lot.

6-reasons-Netent-fails-netent-fail-live-casino

In the lobby of the live casino, Netent games can hardly be found.

 

4. Their live casino games are no match to those of Evolution Gaming

Although Netent is best known for its online slots, they also have a big branch with live casino games: Netent Live.

Twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week Netent Live offers players the opportunity to play on live roulette, live blackjack and live baccarat. The quality of Netent Live’s games is certainly not bad, but are sub-par to the games of Evolution Gaming.

Again, we see that Netent is less able to innovate and amaze than its big competitor. With Netent Live, you won’t find any traffic-builders like Lightning Roulette and Monopoly Live.

5. Many of their best people started their own company or have been head-hunted by the competition.

It’s a bit like the effect successful national football/soccer clubs suffer from in the European Champions League: if you perform well in the Champions League, you’ll lose all your best players the next season.

Many of Netent’s most talented designers and creative minds became slot developers themselves and started their own successful businesses.

For example, two former Netent employees founded Quickspin. And there are countless other examples.

6. They are too distracted by other matters than making kick-ass slots

Instead of focusing on doing what they were always the best at, making market-leading slots, Netent is sometimes veering off course into a completely different direction.

For example, Netent began to act as an affiliate platform. Netent thinks visitors of their website not only want to try out their games but also want to gamble for real money afterwards.

By redirecting these players to an online casino, they earn a few extra bucks.

There’s nothing wrong with affiliate marketing, and of course, Netent is free to do what they like and to set up their website in any shape or form, but to us, it still comes across as a bit desperate and cheap.

Netent is a slots provider, not a casino portal, and they need to reflect that.

6-reasons-Netent-fails-wings-of-riches-slot-netent-review

Wings of Riches is a perfect example of a very poor, generic, Netent slot.

Is there still hope for Netent?

Can Netent still be saved? Of course, they can.

No other slot provider can draw on so much experience, know-how and contacts and such a broad portfolio of slots and casino games.

However, Netent needs to shift its focus and reinvent itself. Less conventional slots or clones of existing slots and more unique, original slots, with that classic Netent feeling.

Make sure you come up with something that no one has ever seen before – a new Megaways or a Lightning Roulette, something of that magnitude.

Then maybe it will all work out after all.

Always losing at slots? You are doing it all wrong!

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How many times have you asked yourself: “Is this slot rigged?” You can’t seem to win, whatever you try.

Do you get the feeling that the slot is not paying out as much as it should have? You have put in 1,000 or even 2,000 spins, and your winnings are not even close to the theoretical RTP, the return that is “promised” by the slot?

How often have you experienced this?

That’s because you are doing it all wrong.

Even though it may sound counter-intuitive, there are significant differences in the chances of winning when you compare low, medium and high variance slots.

The theoretical RTP is the payout in the longer run, not after a couple of hundred spins

The theoretical RTP (Return to Player) is what the slot pays out over the longer term. For example, if you make 100 trillion spins of $1.00 each, you get close to $ 96 trillion in return (it will certainly not be $ 95 trillion or $ 97 trillion).

What happens if you do fewer spins, for example, only a couple of hundred spins?

In that case, the chances are significant that you get paid out (very) differently. It can be more. Unfortunately, in many cases, also less. We explain this phenomenon further below.

The most obvious questions are:

  • How often do I get paid less? Or more?
  • Is it possible to lose my entire stake? What are my chances of doing so?
  • Do I have realistic chances to double my stake or even get a massive win of say 10 (or more) times my stake?
  • Are there any differences if I play a low, medium or high variance slot?

We will explain what your chances are of winning (or losing) specific amounts of money when you play a slot.

We will also explain why these chances differ per slot.

Expect a payout that differs from the theoretical RTP, especially if you play a high variance slot.

Put in a few words: If you do lots of spins with a low variance slot, your winnings are closer to the “promised” theoretical RTP.

If you do fewer spins with a high variance slot, you get much more widespread results. You can end up with (almost) nothing OR get paid out hugely!

What is slot variance?

Slot variance is an indicator of how widespread the payout of a slot is. The more widespread these are, the more often massive prizes are paid out. There is a downside with high variance slots: chances of losing (a large part) of your bankroll are also higher.

What characterizes low, medium and high variance slots?

The easiest way to explain slot variance (or slot volatility) is by comparing the prize distribution of slots. How often are small, medium-sized, large and massive prizes paid out?

We have selected 4 of the most popular and well-known slots:

  • One low variance slots (Starburst: theoretical RTP of 96.10%)
  • One medium variance slots (Gonzo’s Quest: theoretical RTP of 96.0%)
  • One high variance slots (Book of Dead theoretical RTP of 96.76%)
  • One extremely high variance slots (Jammin’Jars theoretical RTP of 96.83%)

Why did we choose these slots? Simply because these are top-rated slots. They are extremely popular and have a proven track record.

 The prize distribution of slots

Below, we have a table with the size of prizes paid out by each of the four slots.

chances of winning with slots

With Starburst, you see that a prize of 20x to 50x the bet is paid out once every 180 spins. Starburst stands out for this size of (medium-sized) prizes. Compare this to Book of Dead, which pays out this size of the award, once every 500 spins.

With Starburst, we have not seen prizes paid out higher than 500x the total bet. If it is paid out, you should consider yourself not just lucky, but extremely lucky.  On the contrary, with Jammin’ Jars, an extremely volatile slot, such high prizes are expected pretty often. For example, wins in the range of 1,000x to 2,000 the total bet, are paid out once every 20,000 spins!

You see that the prizes paid out of these four slots are the difference between day and night! We conclude that low variance slots pay out smaller and medium-sized prizes more often than high variance slots. The high variance slots, on the other hand, pay the real massive prizes more often.

So, what are my chances of winning with low, medium and high variance slots?

You have seen what type of prizes are paid out by each of the slots. Let’s now examine what your chances are of winning or losing with each of the four slots.

We have done so by playing 100,000 sessions of 100 spins with each of the four slots. We counted how often we won and how often we lost and by how much.

Curious about the results? See the table below for the outcomes.

You see that the results at Jammin’ Jars are much more widespread than with Starburst or Gonzo’s Quest.

With Jammin’ Jars, the chance you lose more than $50 (after 100 spins of $1.00 each) is pretty substantial: 47%.

Compare this to Starburst or Gonzo’s Quest, where the chance of losing $50 or more is much less: 11% and 21%, respectively.

Your chances of having a winning slots session with a decent profit are highest on Jammin’ Jars

With Jammin’s Jars, you have a much bigger chance of winning something extraordinary. The probability is 0.63% that you earn $1,000 or more.

It is a realistic chance, and if you do, you certainly have a great day!

Don’t expect such winnings when you play Starburst.

With Gonzo’s Quest, the chance of winning anything as substantial is also incredibly slim (0.001%).

jamming-jars-slot-review-push-gaming-bonus-win

Which slot should I play? A low, medium or high variance slot?

This is a tough nut to crack. It is because it depends on your preferences. Some prefer to drive a BMW, and others prefer a Ford.

If you like to have a go at a massive win and you don’t mind bearing a risk, you should have a go and play the more volatile slots such as Book of Dead or Jammin’ Jars.

If you are not so keen on taking this risk, as the chances of losing a significant share of your bankroll are too high for you, better play the less volatile slots such as Starburst or Gonzo’s Quest. It implies that you have much less upwards potential, though.