The online casino industry is booming, and a big indicator of this is the surge in the number of games, especially the slots. The number has shot up from a few slots in the early days to 7000+ today. And the numbers continue to grow as more and online casino software providers unload new games on the market.
Why Slots are So Popular
Slots are among the most popular games at online casinos. So much so that they form the bulk of the game portfolio of every online and mobile casino software vendor except the ones that cater to niche audiences like the live dealer gaming. There are a number of reasons for their popularity. The following are the top 3 reasons why.
- They are purely games of luck. Slots are not skill-based games; what you need is a healthy dose of luck. Of course you will need some basic strategy in terms of managing your bankroll but that is about it.
- They are feature-rich. Slots come loaded with features designed to give you ample opportunities to pick up wins. There are wilds, multipliers, scatter symbols, free spins and much more that help you win more. And should you trigger the bonus rounds the wins get bigger.
- They take minimal time to complete. Each spin takes just a couple of seconds, and you can get through a significant number of spins in a minute. This means you can spend more time playing and hope to win more over a period of time.
There are games that you can play for free or for real money and out of the 7000 + slots available these days, everyone will find what they are looking for.
Outstanding Slots from the Most Well-known Software Providers
When the total tally is 7000 and counting, zeroing in on the best slots can be a very intimidating task no matter what parameters you take into consideration.
One way of skirting that challenge is to look instead for outstanding slots that strike you instantly, for whatever reason - the theme they are based on, the bonus rounds they come with, the amazing graphics and animations, or anything else.
One thing that we are not taking into consideration while compiling this list is the progressive jackpot angle. This is because progressive jackpots, while they are huge, come with some of the lowest RTPs and it would not be fair to boost player expectation just based on the fact of the possibility of winning a few million bucks.
Starburst
It is simple, and it is stunning; that effectively describes Starburst, one of the most popular slots ever from NetEnt. This slot comes with 5 reels and 10 flexible paylines and every win you score comes with a multiplier. This means the bigger you bet, the higher the payout will likely be. The biggest payout is 250x the bet amount. Check out this 5 biggest wins on Starburst for some inspiration.
The game comes with superb innovative features. There are the expanding Starburst wilds that appear on reels 2, 3 and 4 and cover the entire reel to increase the possibilities of winning. There is a re-spin feature that can be re-triggered up to 3 times. Another cool feature is the win both ways option.
Thunderstruck II
Thunderstruck II is one of the most popular slots from Microgaming. Released back in 2010, it is the sequel to another Microgaming blockbuster, Thunderstruck. The slot has 5 reels and gives you 243 ways to pick up wins and is themed on Norse mythology.
There are wild symbols, scatter symbols, the cool Wildstorm feature and one of the most epic bonus rounds - The Great Hall of Spins. The maximum win is a massive 8100 times your bet amount. The Wildstorm feature is randomly triggered and can cause up to 5 reels to turn fully wild and give you wins of up to 1000x your bet. The Great Hall of Spins feature gives you free spins based on the 4 main characters of the game, Thor, Loki, Odin and Valkyrie.
Gonzo's Quest
Gonzo's Quest is another hugely popular slot from NetEnt. It is themed on the story of a Spanish explorer on the quest for El Dorado and his adventures. The game has 5 reels and 20 paylines and the highest payout is 2500x your bet amount.
The slot comes with some unique features like the Avalanche Reels. The symbols don't just sit on the reels; they drop down on them from above. Each time, the winning symbols explode on the screen to be replaced by new ones to give you more chances of winning per spin. There are free spins to be had as well: you get 10 of them when you land 3 golden free falls symbols across the reels. Consecutive wins give you bigger multipliers.
There are quite a few other amazing slots from some of the big names in the game like Playtech, for instance. Top Playtech slots include the amazing slots themed on DC Comics, each of which has a million-dollar and more progressive jackpot attached to it. There are also slots themed on Hollywood blockbusters like Rambo, Gladiator and others. Another software provider that has made a big name for itself is BetSoft Gaming, the first provider to release cinematic quality 3D slots, with its phenomenal range of games including titles like Frankenslot's Monster and Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde.
Top Slots from Other Providers
The boom that the online casino is experiencing has resulted in a number of new software providers flooding the market. Many of these are small, with a relatively small cache of games, but what they lack in volume they make up in quality. The following are the top slots from some of these providers:
- Big Bad Wolf from Quickspin
- Wild Toro from Elk Studios
- Castle Builder from Rabcat
- Beauty and the Beast from Yggdrasil
- Hugo from Play 'N Go
Top 10 Slots by RTP
The RTP value is another effective parameter for determining which slots are the best. The following are 10 slots with high RTP values:
- Monopoly: Big Event from Barcrest (99%)
- Mega Joker from NetEnt (99%)
- Uncharted Seas from Thunderkick (98.6%)
- Joker Strike from Quickspin (98.11%)
- Blood Suckers from NetEnt (98%)
- Kings of Chicago from NetEnt (97.8%)
- Esqueleto Explosivo from Thunderkick (97.6%)
- Magicious from Thunderkick (97.6%)
- Simsalabim from NetEnt (97.5%)
- Bork the Berzerker from Thunderkick (97.3%)
