Have you ever felt that you lose too often when you play slots? Sometimes even hear that winning is impossible with slots?

Unfortunately, we know exactly how it feels. We see that many players have lost too much, simply because of poor (emotional) decisions. Dependent on your ambitions, it is crucial to:

• Choose the right type of slot. Play a low variance slot if you prefer to play safe, a high variance slot you aim to win the most massive prizes. Avoid some slots at all times! It makes a world of difference.
• Choose the right stake per spin. Stakes are sometimes too low or too high. Reaching your desired target level could well be a tiny dot in the far horizon, simply because your bets are too small (or too high)
• Stop playing at the right moment. It is best to stop playing after you have reached a target. Have you set a goal?

If you seek pure entertainment and play with minimal stakes, this article is not what you are looking for. However, if you are keen to increase your chances of winning when you play slots, this article is certainly going to help you save money.

We are 100% convinced that making the right choices, improves your chances!

Beware that, over the longer run, you lose money playing slots. Casinos have a built-in house edge as they have to cover their expenses as well. Guarantees don’t exist in the gambling world.

How does the Hit and Run strategy work?

Experienced slot players, often play the Hit and Run strategy.

How does it work?

It is simple: First, you determine your bankroll. Never play with more than what you can afford. Never borrow money for gambling. For simplicity, we assume your bankroll is $100.

Afterwards, you set yourself a target profit. Are you keen to make $5,000 out of your $100 bankroll? Or are you happy with a target profit of $50? It is the difference between day and night.

We only recommend setting (very) high targets, if you can easily afford to lose your entire bankroll and are willing to take significant risks.

After you have determined your target profit and your bankroll, you start spinning on the slot machine.

You continue, until either:

• You have reached your target
• You have lost your entire bankroll

Pros and Cons of the Hit and Run strategy

The advantages of the Hit and Run strategy are clear. It helps you to make clear goals. You decide beforehand what you afford and what you want to achieve. You stop playing at the right time.

The disadvantage is that you don’t know how many spins you will have. It could well be that you finish in 5 minutes…or in 5 hours…

As a rule of thumb:

• If you prefer a short session, we recommend increasing the stake per spin.
• If you seek a longer playing time, decrease the bet per spin.

Which slots are most suitable when you play the Hit and Run strategy?
Choosing the right type of slot makes a huge difference. If you are keen to have an ambitious target (say $5,000 profit on a bankroll of $100), you should choose a slot with a higher variance.

If your target profit is somewhere around $500 (on a $100 bankroll), you are better of choosing a low variance slot.

Choosing the wrong type of slot leads to you:

• Not reaching an ambitious target
• Lose money unnecessarily

Our Hit and Run test with eight slots

We tested the Hit and Run strategy with 8 of the most popular slots. We selected:

• Two low variance slots (Blood Suckers and Starburst)
• Two medium variance slots (Gonzo’s Quest and Thunderstruck 2)
• Two high variance slots (Book of Dead and Reactoonz)
• Two extremely high variance slots (Jammin’Jars and Dead or Alive).

Why did we choose these slots?

Simply because these are top-rated, classic slots with a long and excellent track record.

These slots are popular with both regular players and many slots streamers.

Our calculations started from the bankroll of $100. We played the Hit and Run strategy 100 thousand times, with each of the eight slots. We also played with three different bet sizes per spin:  $1, $5, $10.  In total, we played the Hit and Run strategy 2,4 million times (100 thousand x 8 slots x 3 different bet sizes).

Hit and Run strategy – Results of the calculations

So, the proof is in the pudding.

Here are the REAL results of our test runs on eight of the most popular slots.

By studying and analysing these results, we discovered which slots are best for each different target level.

We found out which slots and which stakes suit the hit-and-run strategy the best

Besides the type of slot, we also found out how much you have to bet on each spin, to increase your chances of winning – crucial information for serious slots players.

Hit and Run with Low variance slots

Below the chances of reaching the target first with the Hit and Run strategy, with two low variance slots: Starburst and Blood Suckers.

Examples:

• If you have a bankroll of $100 and you aim for a profit of $20, the chance of making the target profit is 66% with Starburst and 69% with Blood Suckers. In case you bet $1 per spin. If you choose bets of $5 or $10 per spin, the chances will be lower (with stakes of $5: 53% with Starburst and 50% with Blood Suckers).
• If you aim a target profit of $1,000, the chance of making it with Starburst will be 0% with bets of $1 per spin, 4.7% with wagers of $5 per spin and 5.6% with stakes of $10 per spin.

Hit and Run with Medium variance slots

We did the same calculations with Gonzo’s Quest and Thunderstruck 2. You see that you get the best value with these slots if you aim a target profit of $500 to $2,000. In that case, you need a stake $5 per spin rather than $1 per spin.

Hit and Run with High variance slots

With the high variance slots Book of Dead and Reactoonz, you get optimal value (compared to other slots) if you target a profit of $5,000 or $10,000 (with a bankroll of $100). Chances of reaching your target first are 0.76% with Book of Dead and 0.91% with Reactoonz if your total bet is $10 per spin.

You see that the odds of reaching lower targets (for example $100 or $1,000) are worse with these high variance slots than with the low variance slots.

Hit and Run with Extremely High variance slots

We finished our research with the two extremely high variance slots. The results are fascinating.

It only pays off playing these slots if you aim a massive target profit of $5,000 to $50,000 when you start with a bankroll of $100 (which is 50 times to 500 times your bankroll). With Jammin’Jars you get better results than with Dead or Alive.

For example, the chance of reaching a profit of $20,000 (200 times your bankroll) is 0.18% with Jammin’ Jars if your total bet is $10 (one-tenth of your bankroll) per spin.

Conclusions – high target profits high variance slots, low target profits low variance slots

The calculations show that the ideal slot and total bet per spin, are dependent on what your target profit is.

If you seek a very high target profit, you choose a volatile slot. If you are happy with a modest profit, you are much better off playing a low variance slot.

The table below summarises our conclusions.

It is fascinating to see that it is better to play a low or medium variance slot if your target profit is $500 or $1,000 (which is pretty substantial, if your initial bankroll is $100).

It is because these slots pay out prizes between 50x to 200x the total bet, much more often than high or extremely high variance slots.

The latter slots save the prize money for the real mega prizes (1,000x to 10,000x the total bet) which is why these slots only add value if you have a very high target profit.

Conclusions – the total bet per spin needs to be pretty high if you aim a top target profit

The results show that you require a total bet of $10 per spin (with an initial bankroll of $100) if you seek a target profit of $5,000 or more. If your bet per spin is lower than that, you will not make it.

The downside is that you might lose your entire bankroll within a couple of minutes… No risk, no glory!

Have you ever lost some serious money with slots and felt afterwards, that you played the wrong slot? Or that you played too long? Or did anything else wrong?

Of course, it is easier to say afterwards what could have gone better. Everybody makes mistakes. Most important is that we learn from mistakes.

We made hundreds of thousands of spins with the 50 most popular slots. To get an idea of how slots work and to understand when and how often the massive prizes are paid out.

Prizes paid out by slots are different for all slots, making them unique

We found out that all slots are different.

• Some pay out prizes very often; others don’t.
• Some pay out massive prizes; others don’t.
• Some have bonuses or free spins; others don’t.
• Some have a high variance; others don’t.
• Some have a high RTP; others don’t.

Slots are so different, which makes them extremely interesting. We are not only talking about the graphics and the sounds but mainly about the financials of slots.

Below, we give you some tips and tricks on slots. See these as a guideline to help you choose the right slot and more critical, understand when you have to stop.

Before we do, we will briefly explain some critical measures for slots such as the theoretical RTP and the variance of a slot.

How online slots differ from each other – 4 slot characteristics

Below we describe briefly the four financial characteristics of slots and what makes each of the slots unique.

The Theoretical return of slots

The theoretical return to player of slots (theoretical RTP) tells you how much the slot pays out in the longer term. If, for example, the Theoretical RTP of a slot is 96%, you can expect to get $96 paid out in prizes for every $100 that you stake. The $4 is then in-built casino house edge. After all, the casino also needs to make money.

The higher the theoretical RTP, the better it is for you as a player.  Usually, online slots have a theoretical RTP between 95% and 98%. If it is higher than 96%, we classify it as reasonable.

Don’t play slots that have a theoretical RTP below 95%. In that case, you are giving too much money away, and it makes sense to find a better paying slot – lots of online slots have a theoretical payout percentage of over 97% or even 98%.

The variance of the slot – higher prizes equals higher variance

Slot variance is an indicator of how often huge (or even mega) prizes are won when you play a slot.

A slot with a high variance has more potential to pay out huge prizes than one with low volatility. When playing low or medium variance slots you can, on rare occasions, maybe win up to 100x to 500x of your bet. Compare that to some high variance slots where you have winnings up to 3,000x, 5,000x or even a mind-blowing 10,000x your stake.

High variance slots, when it comes down to it, offer you an “all or nothing” scenario. Win massive payouts or lose your shirt in a hurry.

Prize distribution of slots

The prize distribution of a slot is linked strongly to the variance of a slot. A high variance slot pays out more massive prizes. Low variance slots pay smaller prizes: these are paid out much more often though. The latter is the major advantage of low variance slots.

Features and free spins

Many slots offer attractive features and free spins. Some slots have many of these, and some slots do not. It is not necessarily the case that slots with more features pay out more. Nevertheless, players get a feeling that this is the case.

Slots work with a Random Number Generator (RNG). The features and the free spins are a visualisation of the prize you have won, which is determined (in advance) by the RNG.

What is the best slot to play? How many spins do I need to make?

Now, that we just took you to the more theoretical part of this story, let’s get to the real deal. The key questions are:

• What type of slot do I want to play? A high variance or a low variance?
• How many spins do I want to make?
• How high should the total bet per spin have to be?
• How high is my bankroll?
• When do I stop playing?

Once you have made clear for yourself, what you prefer to do, you can select the right slot and strategy.

These questions look trivial: unfortunately, they are not. We found it is easier to identify ourselves with one of the player profiles we see below.

Do you identify yourself with one of the four slot player profiles below?

PLAYER TYPE 1: RECREATIONAL PLAYERS

Recreational players prefer to take a limited risk. It is more important to have long playtime and not lose too much.

Recreational players don’t expect to win anything more than 1 or 2 times their initial bankroll (with a bankroll of $€100, a profit of $€100 to $€200).

PLAYER TYPE 2: PLAYERS WHO TAKE MODERATE RISK

These are players who like to take some risk but don’t want to overdo it. Typically, these players are cautious. They understand that you need to take some risk when playing slots.

They are happy if profits are doubled or trebled. With a bankroll of $€100, a profit of $€200 to $€500 is more than enough.

PLAYER TYPE 3: PLAYERS WHO TAKE A LOT OF RISK

These are players who accept a lot of risks and accept that there is a good chance that they might lose their entire stake. Nevertheless, they do want some form of entertainment while playing. They prefer to lose everything after a long session rather than lose everything in 5 minutes.

These players typically aim for a profit of 5 to 20 times the initial bankroll (with a bankroll of $€100, a profit of $€500 to $€2,000).

PLAYER TYPE 4: ALL OR NOTHING PLAYERS

These players want to win huge and accept that chances to lose the entire bankroll are much higher than to win big. Recreation is not so important as winning. Doing spins of $€10 or $€100 is not a problem either.

These players typically aim for a profit of at least 50 times or even 100 (or more) times the initial bankroll. This boils down to a profit of at least $€5,000 or $€10,000 (with a bankroll of $€100).

Decide what your player profile is (low risk or high risk) and choose the slot that meets your wishes best

Below you see what type of slot is most suitable for each of the player profiles we described. Choosing the right slot is not everything, though. Equally, as important is to decide how much you stake per spin.

• If you are “recreational,” it is better to stake $€0.10 or $€0.20 per spin (assuming your bankroll is $€100). The better slots are the low variance slots.
• If you like to take more risk, but not overdo it, it is better to have spins of $€1 and play the medium variance slots.
• If you are a “risk-taker”, you can go for the high variance slots and also increase your stake to say $€1 or $€2 per spin. Alternatively, you aim for the extremely high variance slots and limit your stake per spin to $€1.
• If you identify yourself with an “all or nothing” player, you have better chances to reach your (very ambitious) goal if you have spins of $€5 or even $€10 (if your bankroll is $€100). You also need to play the high or even the extremely high variance slots. The result is that your session may end after a couple of minutes!

Conclusions – choosing the right slot and stake per spin avoids unnecessary disappointments.

When you play slots, make sure you select the slot that fits best with your player profile. Also, make sure your stake per spin is not too high or too low.

One way to make the right decision is by finding out what the best player profile is (recreational/cautious, moderate risk taker, high-risk taker, all-or-nothing player).

If you are an all or nothing player and you play a low variance lot, you will not reach your goal and therefore most likely lose your entire stake. If you stake only $1 per spin, you will not reach your target either.

If you are a cautious/recreational player, you have much better chances to make a modest profit with a low variance slot rather than a high variance slot.

In the end, there are thousands of slots to choose from. Below you see a list of the most popular low variance slots, medium variance slots, high variance slots and extremely high variance slots.

How high are prizes of low, medium and high variance slots? And just how often are the massive prizes paid out?

Slots have their mysteries….we all know that some slots can pay out enormous amounts of money.

However, nobody ever tells how often these massive prizes are won.

Is it realistic to win such prizes?

Doesn’t it bother you, if some highly reputable gambling websites or forums tell you that you need to find out for yourself? When you are “advised” to make thousands of spins per slot, to get an idea of the size of prizes paid out by the slot.

So, putting it bluntly, you need to do thousands and thousands of spins. At your expense and your valuable time. Preferable for as many slots as possible, to understand better what the slots payout.

We felt we should do what others failed to do and help you.

We did this research and “tested” over 50 of the most popular slots, by performing extensive surveys (5,000 spins per slot with real money).

Additionally, we examined the web to get more information on prizes these slots payout. Our research was indeed costly and exceptionally time-consuming. It took months! Imagine, you having to do all this work like you have nothing better to do…

In this article, we share with you, our findings. We counted how often certain prizes are paid out. We tried to understand the vast differences between the SIZE AND FREQUENCY of prizes paid out by low, medium or high variance slots.

We classify four different types of slots: low, medium, high and extremely high variance slots

We learnt that there are significant differences in the kind of prizes paid out by slots. Looking more closely, we found out that slots belong to one of the four kind of slots:

• Low variance slots
• Medium variance slots
• High variance slots
• Extremely high variance slots.

What prizes do low, medium and high volatile slots payout?

Below we show you what prizes are paid out by all four different groups of slots.

We selected eight slots in total:

• Two low variance slots (Blood Suckers and Starburst)
• Two medium variance slots (Gonzo’s Quest and Thunderstruck 2)
• Two high variance slots (book of Dead and Reactoonz)
• Two extremely high variance slots (Jammin’Jars and Dead or Alive).

Why did we choose these slots? Simply because these belong to the most popular slots. These are a mix of old classics (slots with a long and excellent track record) and some of the newest slots, that have gained lots of popularity over the most recent years.

With Starburst, you see that prizes of 20x to 50x your total bet is paid out once 180 spins. Starburst stands out for this type of (medium-sized) prizes. Compare this to Book of Dead or Reactoonz. These slots payout this awards of this size, once every 500 and 700 spins respectively.

With Starburst or Bloodsuckers, we did not see prizes exceeding 500x the total bet. If it is paid out, it is a certainly a miracle. These are called low variance slots for a reason: a lack of massive prizes.

On the contrary, with Jammin’ Jars, an extremely volatile slot, massive prizes are much more common. For example, awards in the range of 1,000x to 2,000 the total bet, is 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 payout the smaller prizes more often than high variance slots.

The high variance slots, on the other hand, pay the real massive rewards more often.

Prize distribution on low and medium variance slots:

Prize distribution on high and extremely high variance slots:

How much of the total wins are paid out in small and large prizes?

Another way to look at the differences between low and high variance slots is by watching how much of the total prize money, is paid in small, medium, large or mega prizes.

The larger the share of smaller prizes (green coloured bars), the lower the variance of the slot. The larger the percentage of more massive prizes (red coloured bars), the higher the variance of the slot.

The graph below shows the differences between the eight slots.

The low variance slots (Starburst and Blood Suckers) mainly payout smaller prizes. Around 90% of the total prize money are prizes up to 50x the total bet (the green coloured bars in the graph).

You see that for Jammin’ Jars, around 20% of the total wins are paid out in prizes of at least 500x the bet (red-coloured bars). Reactoonz and Book of Dead, these shares are around 8% and 4%, less but still substantial.  These slots are high variance for a reason!

Looking further at Jammin’ Jars, you see that “only” about half of the total wins are paid out in prizes up to 50x the bet (see green coloured bars). Compare that to the lower variance slots of Starburst and Blood Suckers.

Dead or Alive differs from the other slots, as the share of the medium-sized prizes from 50x to 500x the total bet (the blue coloured bars) is around 5% only, which is very small. This slot is extreme: it pays out a lot of smaller prizes or a massive prize, once in a while. The name for this slot could not have been chosen better!

The medium variance slots (Gonzo’s Quest and Thunderstruck 2) mainly pay out small or medium prizes (up to 500x the total bet). The share of massive prizes (of 1,000x the bet or more) is (almost) zero.

Conclusion – the mystery of the payout of slots revealed

We hope you have more of an idea about what kind of prizes the different type of slots payout. As expected, lower variance slots payout smaller prizes and high variance slots (once in a while) payout massive prizes.

The tables above hopefully give you a better feel of what you can expect. At least, no need to do thousands of spins per slot, to find out…