There are many reasons why you never win at slots, including:
Common Reasons for Failing to Win at Slots Online
Reason #1: You don’t understand the rules of the slot game
Yes, most slot machines work almost in the way – you spin the reels and win when a winning combination of symbols lands on the payline. That should be simple and easy enough. However, not all slot machines are created equal.
If you never win while slots at online casinos, perhaps you are not aware of the rules of the game . When does the slot payout?
Which symbols have the highest or lowest value? What happens when wild or Scatter symbols appear on the reels?
You should read and understand the game rules in order to play the slot correctly. The learning usually starts with checking the slot machine’s pay table. The benefit of carefully reading through the paytable is that it gives you tips on how to activate and play free spins, bonuses, jackpots, and other special features that will eventually help you win.
Reason #2: You are playing a rigged slot game/slot machine
Some untoward or fraudulent casinos may offer rigged slot games. You won’t be able to win at the slots because they are designed to make you lose and turn the money into the house all the time.
Reason #3: You are playing at the wrong casino
On a similar note, if you play slots at a scam, illegitimate, or illegal casinos, you cannot expect transparency, fairness, and integrity from the games. These are the casinos that will likely use rigged slot games, use unsafe gaming software, or compromise your data.
If you play at the wrong online casino, your chances of winning at a slot game are slim to zero. You will find yourself suffering multiple losses day after day. After all, the fraudulent casino is out to take your money, so you don’t stand a chance of winning right from the start.
Reason #4: You picked the wrong slot
As a general rule, we advise you to try out as many slot games as possible using the free versions. This will help you determine which slot games are right for your style, budget, and level of play. If you play a complex slot game with complicated paylines, multiple reels, and other hard-to-understand features, you might end up losing because of a lack of experience.
As a novice player, you want to choose a basic slot game, such as three-reel classic slots like Hot Chilli, Diamond Duke, 777, Triple Diamond, Bread Da Bank, and Mega Joker.
When you gain enough experience, you can play advanced games like multi-payline video slots, cascading reels slots, multiplier slots, and multi-reel slots.
Reason #5: Choosing a slot with unfavorable RTP
Return to player (RTP) percentage is an indicator that tells you if the slot game is winnable. A slot game with an RTP lower than 90% is more likely to take your money. You should opt for slot games with an RTP higher than 96%.
For your information, the best slots based on RTP include:
- Blood Suckers by NetEnt
- Starmania by NextGen
- Ugga Bugga by Playtech
- The Catfather by Pragmatic Play
- Jokerizer by Yggdrasil Gaming
- Mega Joker by NetEnt
- Ooh Aah Dracula by Barcrest
- White Rabbit Megaways by BTG
- Rainbow Riches Pick n Mix by Barcrest
Reason #6: Not taking advantage of casino bonuses
If you are playing slot games online, it is imperative to claim and utilize casino bonuses, promotions, and free credits to increase your chances of winning at slots. These usually include:
- Welcome bonus – this is a sign-up bonus that you will be given for opening a new casino account
- No deposit bonus – You will be granted no deposit bonus cash simply for signing up with the casino. It is typically a small amount of bonus money.
- Deposit match bonus – The casino can award you a percentage of your first, second, third, or other subsequent deposits. This is usually given as a deposit percentage that ranges from 50% to 200%. For instance, you can receive a 100% bonus on your first deposit of up to $100.
- Free spins – These are free spins that drop during play. Sometimes the free spins can be awarded to you during sign-up or as part of the welcome bonus.
- Cashback bonuses – The casino will return part of your losses
Reason #7: You are playing a slot with a big house edge
The house edge is essentially the advantage the casino has over the player in a particular slot game. It reflects the disadvantage the player has when playing a slot game, as it tells you the average loss you will make relative to the original bet over a long period.
Unfortunately, some casino slots can have a very unfair house edge of up to 30% or sometimes higher.
That means you stand to lose $30 for every $100 you spend playing the slot for a long time. In fact, the house edge is the primary reason why you never win at slots, especially if you play for hours.
Reason #8: You are chasing losses
The worst thing you can do when playing online slots is to chase your losses. It is best to cut your losses and take a break; otherwise, you will never win at slots.
Reason #9: You never know when to stop
Again, you should never chase losses. For that, you should set a loss limit and spending budget before you start playing. More than that; you should stop playing and walk away from the slot machine when you have exhausted your budgeted money, or have reached your loss limit.
However, if you have never won at slots, the chances are good that you don’t know to stop when you are ahead of the casino. You should set a win limit, too. In that way, you will be able to stop playing when you are in the green (that is, when you have some profit).
Reason #10: You are playing with the wrong mindset
If you play while drunk, intoxicated, irritated, angry, hungry, or when anxious, you will probably never win at slots.
Reason #11: You are playing at a very high pace
Slot games are a form of entertainment. They are designed to be fun, exciting, and engaging to play at a leisurely pace. Unfortunately, gameplay features like Fast Play and Auto Play make it easy to spin the reels at too speedy a rate.
Most modern slot machines can let you play well over 800 spins an hour. This design makes for constant adrenaline pumping, stimulation, and action. Unfortunately, this high pace also pits your bankroll against the ever-present casino advantage more frequently.
You might consider a $5-a-hand blackjack table to be too pricey. However, what you may not realize is that an average brick-and-mortar blackjack table handles no more than 80 hands in an hour.
Wagering a dollar per spin on slots may not seem like an expensive ordeal compared to plunking down $5 a hand in blackjack. In the grand scheme of things, however, you’ll likely perform around 700 spins per hour, so you’re essentially betting $700 an hour. That is much more than you’d spend on blackjack at the same.
It doesn’t help that slot games have a lower payback percentage than most other casino games, including blackjack. The higher house edge combined with a fast pace can result in grave losses when you play online slot machines.
Reason #12: Pursuing complimentary or loyalty rewards too much
Online gambling sites and land-based casinos use a variety of tactics to entice players. Loyalty rewards or comp points programs are among the top ways they do so. It’s no wonder casino players consider comps or loyalty points the most rewarding aspects of playing slots.
After all, who doesn’t love being lavished with freebies like cashback money, complimentary hotel stays, free drinks, and meals after long play sessions?
There is absolutely nothing wrong with picking up comps when you play slots. However, you should not go overboard and get caught up in the excitement of earning loyalty points. They are not incentives in any sense of the word, as you will end up losing more money playing slots than what you’ll gain from the comps.
Reason #13: Ignoring your bankroll
If there is one crucial aspect of slot gambling that you should never relent, it is bankroll management. The odds are already stacked up against you, thanks to the fairly high house edge that slot games have. You should keep an eye on your funds right from the word go.
Bankroll management is a skill that you can learn and hone over the years. It involves developing money management strategies for when you are gambling. It is particularly useful with slot games because they’re fast-paced, have a lower payback percentage, and can be highly addictive.
Good bankroll management starts with setting an honest budget and sticking with it. An actionable plan lets you stay on top of your spending from the first to the last bet of the session. By budgeting properly, you can avoid falling victim to betting more than you can afford or chasing losses.
The unfortunate thing is that way too many slot gamblers ignore the power of good-old bankroll management. They just spin the reel and hope things will pan out for them. This approach may work just fine for a player with a bottomless budget, and it won’t go down so well with someone with a small to medium-sized bankroll.
Are slots a waste of money?
Yes and no. Yes, playing slot machines can be a waste of money because they are built to always pay the casino a small portion of your bet due to what is called the house edge. Besides, there are no tangible skills, betting systems, or strategies you can use to win at slots.
On the other hand, slots are not a waste of money because they are an excellent form of entertainment if done in moderation. Don’t forget that there is a possibility of winning at slots if you use tips, such as:
- Choosing games with the highest RTP
- Picking slots with the best odds
- Using bonuses and promotions to build up a bankroll
- Quitting when you are ahead of the casino
- Focusing on special features like bonus rounds, free spins, etc.
- Covering as many paylines as possible
- Choosing games based on volatility
- Managing your money wisely
Can you make a living playing slots?
The ugly truth is that it is nearly impossible to make decent living playing slots. This is especially the case if you depend on winning at slots to generate livable income. Slots are, first and foremost, meant to be a means for having fun and entertainment.
However, there are other creative ways to make a living playing slot games …
- Start an online course or class in which you teach others how to play slots
- Create how-to, explainer, and real-time videos showing your playing slots. You can then upload the videos to YouTube, Facebook, Twitch, Instagram, and other multimedia sharing sites, so you can earn income from them.
- Create a blog sharing tips for playing slots
- Join an affiliate program to earn commission from your referrals and network
Why do I never win at online slots?
You never win at online slots because they have a house edge, meaning they are created in a way that the odds favor the casino. With a casino advantage of between 3% and 25%, you are going to lose an average of $3 to $25 for every $100 you put into online slots in a long time.
When playing online slots, you can expect to see lots of wins and losses. If you don’t know when to quit, you will end up never winning at all. Sometimes you may not win if the online slot is rigged, malfunctioning, or has poor odds.
Why do I never win at the casino?
You never win at the casino because all of the games and machines on the gaming floor have a house edge. They are designed so that the house always wins.
Why do I never win at an online casino?
You never win at an online casino because you probably stop only when you have exhausted your money (aka the bankroll). The trick to winning at an online casino is to walk away or log off your account when you are ahead of the house.
