The Best Time to Play Online Slots – Truths and Myths

the best time to play online slots
If you’ve ever wondered when slots pay more and when you have a higher chance of winning that amazing progressive jackpot, now’s your chance to find out. While slots are still fully random, we’ll share a few trade secrets that can still help better your odds of winning big.

The Best Time to Play Slots – Is There One?

You might be expecting to have reached the holy grail of gambling secrets with the answer to this question, but the truth is – there is no “best time” to play slot machines at a casino.

Slots are RNG games, meaning they all have random number generators that do not care what time of day or what season it is. The outcome of every spin is completely random and therefore it is impossible to predict it based on things like the day of the week or the weather outside. Every slot game has its own RTP, and it can never change under the influence of external factors.

With that in mind, however, the time of day you choose to visit a land-based casino isn’t completely irrelevant either. Your own personal wellbeing and mood are just as important to your overall gambling experience as anything. And the time you choose to go play the slot machines does contribute to that.

So if, for example, you’re more of a social butterfly and enjoy the hustle and bustle of a busy gambling scene, then nighttime would be ideal to stop by at the casino. If, on the other hand, you prefer a calmer setting and less people around, then opt for the lighter time of day, when the casino is less crowded and doesn’t have as many patrons on site.

What about Online Slots? When Do They Pay More?

Seeing as how online slot games operate on the same random principle as their land-based counterparts, you can probably already guess the answer yourself. And if you haven’t already – it is exactly the same as with the slot machines in a brick-and-mortar casino. Namely, there is no ideal time to play online slots.

book of oz high volatility2

The RNG that generates the outcome of every spin in these much beloved offerings is random for a reason. If it could be influenced by certain hours of the day or night, the number of players on the site or similar things, it wouldn’t really be random anymore.

With that said, there are ways in which you can still theoretically improve your winning chances, and they have less to do with the slots, and everything to do with you.

An excellent tip when playing online slot games is to play when you’re really in the mood for it – when you’re feeling lucky. Being in a good mental and emotional state when gambling can help you pace yourself and make better decisions, and that’s true for any casino game, not just slots. Besides, who would want to play in a bad mood anyway?

when do slots pay more

Another important tip is to only play slots after you’ve determined a budget for yourself. Once you’ve settled on an amount that you can afford to lose, you can hit the casino. Just be sure to stay within your budget.

And our last suggestion for the best time to play slot games online is – tournaments. Slots tournaments are a fun way to mix and mingle with other players even though you’re still playing on your own. Plus, it adds a competitive edge, and there’s always an attractive cash prize to aim for, too.

Is there An Ideal Time to Play Progressive Jackpot Slots?

Just as is the case with any RNG game, progressive slots are also entirely random. And yes, that implies that the jackpot is also won entirely at random. It can happen at any point during the night or day, during the holidays or on a regular Monday. And it can be won by any player.

book of ra deluxe progressive

However, a good time to try your luck is when the jackpot is high. On the one hand, you can reason that the jackpot hasn’t been hit in a long time. And it has to be won at some point, eventually, right? In theory, the longer the jackpot goes unclaimed, the higher likelihood that it will be hit some time very soon. Although, again, that is sheer probability and the randomness factor still applies.

But on the other hand, a larger progressive jackpot is also simply just more worthwhile to play when there’s a larger prize that you can aim for. If you could choose between risking your bank roll for a $10,000 main prize, or a progressive jackpot that’s grown to the size of $1,000,000 – which one would you go for? We think that example is rather self-explanatory.

chilli heat progressive

Another factor that isn’t often considered is the number of players competing for the progressive at a given moment in time. As a rule, the more spins are made, the higher the chance that one of them will actually trigger the major prize. And generally, the higher concentration of players occurs in the evenings. So, whilst you will of course have more competition if you decide to hit the slots at night, paradoxically, you will also be playing at a time when it’s more likely for the progressive to be won.

Do keep in mind the network of the progressive, though. The very large jackpots can be connected across continents, and in that case the time difference would make this tip all but obsolete.

Do Not Play Slots If…

Gambling can be a really fun and exciting pastime. Especially slot machines can be hours’ worth of great entertainment, especially when you follow a few basic rules. With that in mind, the opposite can also be true.

If you aren’t too careful, it is easy for gambling, even if it is just hitting up the slots, to become an issue. And we never want for any of our users to wind up in a situation where online or live gaming is no longer an enjoyable feat, but a problem. So here are some pointers as to when it’s not a good idea to play slot games.

If you don’t have a prepared budget

We already pointed out the importance of having a set budget before you engage in any form of gambling. So this is us emphasizing on this point.

Step one here is to determine how much money you are comfortable with losing without it affecting your lifestyle. Set that amount aside, and be prepared to stop playing the slots or other casino titles as soon as you have reached it. That way you will have had your fair share of fun without it harming you in any way. And better yet, you get to come back and do it again later.

If you are not in a good mood

Just like playing in a good mood can help you make better decisions and judge your gaming more accurately, playing slots in a bad mood can completely ruin your session. It is easy to let your emotions get the better of you. And all of a sudden you may find yourself acting out of impulse, going over your set budget, making stakes you can’t afford or even playing games that you otherwise wouldn’t.

So if you find yourself feeling stressed or angry, it’s best to resort to other activities and then revisit the casino once you’re in higher spirits.

If you have problems with gambling addiction

This is an obvious point, but a point necessary to make nonetheless. It should be more than clear that if you suffer from any kind of gambling issues, especially if it’s addiction, it is especially important that you refrain from slot games or any other types of casino offerings. Failing to do so will only make the problem worse and solving it will become more difficult.

Instead, if you find that you do have gambling issues, we would advise you to seek professional assistance. All reputable online casinos work with organizations that specialize in offering help to problem gamblers. And an example of such an organization that provides its services to players around the world is Gambling Therapy. With their help, players experiencing addiction can self-exclude themselves from online casinos and benefit from further assistance.

If you don’t have a stable internet connection

When playing slots online, your internet connection is also of importance. On the one hand, it’s a matter of convenience, as a faster connection will allow you to benefit from smoother gaming sessions and often also better graphics quality.

If the connection is slow and instable, then it can not only turn into an inconvenience, but it may also compromise your gaming sessions. For instance, if the image froze as you were about to click on the “Spin” button, you may think the game is unresponsive and you could click on the button more times than you intended to actually bet. As a result, you will have spent more money than you wanted.

So make sure that your internet is of decent speed and the connection doesn’t drop so you can enjoy your favorite slots without any unnecessary hiccups.

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