Free Online Video Slots Games

Short History of Video Slots

Slot machines are somewhat new compared to other casino games that have been around for decades and even centuries. The first video machine was created in the 19th century by a New York company called Sittman and Pitt. It’s not exactly clear when the inventor, Charles Augustus Fey, created the first slot machine, however, it is believed to be between 1887 and 1895. 

This first slot machine called Liberty Bell featured 5 symbols and allowed automatic payouts. The game gained huge popularity and continued to be manufactured even if in 1902 slot machines were banned. 

By 1908, slot machines could be found in all shops, saloons and bars. The BAR symbol present in classic slots also appeared around this time, and was based on the logo of the Bell-Fruit company. 

The transition from a fully mechanical machine to a video slot was made by Bally in 1964 with the launch of their fully electromechanical slot machine called Money Honey. The entire reel system was electronic but the game was still operated by pulling a lever. This game also introduced a much bigger payout of up to 500 coins. 

It was in 1976 when we can say that the first true video slot machine was created. This game was developed by a company called Fortune Coin from Las Vegas which was later acquired in 1978 by IGT. Fortune Coin developed a video slot using a 19 inch Sony Screen as a display and the game was first available at the Las Vegas Hilton Hotel. 

While Fortune Coin was the first one to create a true video slot, this game offered quite simple and straightforward gameplay. That’s why in 1996, WMS launched a new game called Reel ‘Em In which offered a second screen bonus round. 

With the evolution of the internet in the mid 90’ online slot machines also gained a lot of popularity becoming quickly the most played casino games. In the beginning, the style of these games was quite similar to land-based slot machines or the so-called classic slots. 

However, with more software providers emerging and the players quickly becoming bored of playing variants of the same game, the harsh competition led to the development of a new slots generation. These new games started featuring more and more bonus rounds, intricate mechanics, more paylines and diverse themes. 

The Difference Between Video Slots and Classic Slots

Nowadays the line between video slots and classic slots is quite thin. Since online video slots offer so many features and come in so many shapes and sizes it is somewhat expected that they would be preferred by players. That’s why even classic slots have begun offering a couple of features or special symbols, a Wild here and there, or even some Free Spins rounds. 

The main difference where you can draw a line between modern online video slots and classic slots is brought by the themes. Classic slots tend to stick to the classical fruit theme with slight modifications or additions like Bars, Diamonds, Precious Stones or Gems. 

On the other hand, modern video slots games will take spinners throughout all sorts of adventures, from the depths of the seas to the scorching dunes of Egypt and even to outer space to meet some alien life forms. 

The second big difference is the design. Classic slots have their worthy mention for their bright and bold colors and flashy aesthetics that can make you feel like you just crossed through the doors of a casino in Vegas. 

However, video slots come with complex aesthetics and recently even animated intros or trailers. The design of some of these modern slots is so stunning that it breaks the barriers between slots and console games. 

Where Can You Play Free Video Slots?

Online video slots are highly popular due to their wide variety as there are literally thousands of slot machines from different software providers at almost every single online casino. They come in different shapes and sizes with various themes, numbers of paylines and bonus features. 

It’s easy for a beginner to get lost with so many choices available and it’s a great idea to play video slots for free before investing real money. The problem here is that online casinos only offer players the ability to play free video slot games for fun through a sort of a free spins promotion or no deposit bonus.

To come to your aid, here on CasinosLists.com we offer a huge variety of free video slots with bonus rounds that you can play free of charge without having to invest a dime. 

Pick one of these free online video slots and give it a go to see all it has to offer. Spin those reels and explore any strategy or bet that crosses your mind until you are fully sure of yourself and you decide that it is the best video slot for you. 

Best Online Video Slots Casinos

Once you played some free online casino video slots and you found the one you like, you can open an account with one of the online casinos on our lists and start playing the video slot there for real money. Our lists are made taking into consideration both the experience of our team and real players’ ratings and opinions. 

We understand that not every single one of these online casinos is everyone’s cup of tea since players’ tastes and needs vary a lot. 

However, all these gambling websites have in common the most important criteria as they are deemed safe and trustworthy and have no bad events in the past and they also provide a wide variety of video slot games from reputable software providers.

It’s important to note that all the trusted software providers have their online video slots games periodically tested by independent auditing companies to ensure that every single player gets a fair and unbiased gameplay experience. 

If you want to see which of these online casinos were rated as “the best” you can check the “Top-Rated” box in the filter options. Instead, if you are more interested in newly released gambling websites in the hope of claiming a no deposit bonus, you can check our New Online Casino page. 

Best Video Slots to Try

Today there are thousands, even tens of thousands of online video slots which range in complexity and design, from the most simple slots which can be easily confused with classic slot machines and up to the most complex of them with console-like graphics and packed with bonus features. 

In this wide pool of titles, there are some that are just more popular than others, either because of their staggering potential payouts or for their intricate mechanics which offer an unforgettable gambling experience. Without any further ado, here is a short list of the best video slots to try:

• Book of Ra Deluxe (Novomatic) - When the first video slot of the Book of Ra series hit the market it simply blew players’ minds. The title quickly became popular so it was somehow expected that Novomatic will soon launch a sequel. Book of Ra Deluxe features small wagers as low as 0.10 per spin and a thrilling Egyptian theme to make you feel like a true explorer searching for artefacts. This title offers Free Spins, Wild symbols and special Expanding symbols. 

• Gonzo’s Quest (NetEnt) - This title doesn’t feature any sort of Progressive, however, it managed to become one of the most popular video slots games in the world. It managed to do that with plenty of multipliers, up to x15, a Free Spins feature and the incredible Avalanche mechanics.

• Immortal Romance (Microgaming) - Over the course of several years, Microgaming brought a lot of incredible games on the market and Immortal Romance is one of the most popular in their catalogue. The title doesn’t feature a progressive jackpot, however, it has 243 ways to win, offers a top payout of up to 60,000 credits and it’s literally packed with bonus rounds. A player can spend countless sessions playing this video slot and still find a new combination to be made or a new strategy to explore. 

• Good Girl, Bad Girl (Betsoft) - This 5 reels and 15 lines online video slot game features a quite big progressive jackpot, charming graphics and plenty of bonus rounds. Besides a Click and Collect feature, a Money Wheel Bonus, Scatter and Wild symbols, there are also multipliers of up to x4. 

• Thunderstruck II (Microgaming) - There have been quite a few years since this title first hit the market but it continues to be highly popular and enjoyed by gamblers worldwide. It has 243 ways to win, Scatter and Wild symbols and plenty of bonus features including Free Spins with x5 multipliers.

How to Win at Online Video Slots Games

This is one of the most common questions that crosses the mind of every single online casino player. Over time, there were plenty of spinners who tried to find the secret of success and a certain way to win at casino video slots. 

While some early tricks offered a form of success since the first physical video slots were poorly designed and had some gaps in their functionality, nowadays it’s impossible to trick the algorithms.

Online video slot machines function after a programmed algorithm called an RNG (Random Number Generator) which guarantees their randomness and ultimately fair gameplay for players. There aren’t a lot of foolproof strategies that we can give you and they do not guarantee a win, however, if applied right, they can make a difference in the long run.

The first piece of advice is to always check the RTP (Return to Player) of the slot you want to play. The higher the RTP, the greater are your chances to win. 

In some jurisdictions, software providers or online casinos are not allowed to offer on the market a video slot that’s under a certain RTP, around 90% for most cases. An average video slot will have an RTP of around 94-95%. 

However, some video slots with huge progressive jackpots or very big potential payouts may go lower, around 91-92%. A good payout slot is everything that goes above 97% and there are, very rarely, even titles with an RTP of 99%. 

The second piece of advice is closely related to common sense, however, it is still ignored by many beginners. Video slots are fast-paced games designed to charm you. It’s easy to lose track of the budget when you keep on hitting the spin button. 

Slow down and calculate your budget, especially if you are a spinner with a small play balance. A big loss can take you out of the game for a good period of time and we all know that if you don’t play, you can’t win. It’s better to spread the budget because, at the end of the day, smaller, more frequent wins can mean more than a big one after a long series of losses.