One of the most common questions asked regarding slots game is “What’s the best slots strategy?” Truth is though that there are very few real secrets when it comes to playing slots game and it is best to follow a broad, general slots strategy if you plan to spend a lot of time shaking the bandit’s hand.

Unlike volatile, skill based games such as poker or blackjack, slots play are driven by totally random processes that can not be predicted and are based on enormous potential outcome tables. All slots games, whether they are live or online, use the same types of programs to drive them so the basic principles remain the same for both casino and online slots.

This said I should reiterate that there is no real way of developing a sound slots strategy around any part or feature of the game. Quirks and idiosyncrasies of individual games that allow for a bit of an edge are learned with time and can’t really be classed as strategies.

There are, however, ways of maximising your winning potential and minimizing your losses when playing slots. Let’s start with the latter and look at the very first basic principle of how to play slots, which all gamblers need to learn early on in the process. Discipline and restraint are crucial if you want to have some degree of success with slots.

Don’t exceed your “budget” in terms of time or money when playing slots. Set yourself limits regarding the amount of time and money you will spend on a game and don’t exceed them. Chasing jackpots will have you flat broke in no time and will do you no good.

If you want to maximise your chances of getting the most out of any slots game you should always try and play max bet on every spin. I have often seen the look of utter disbelief on the faces of players who hit top award combinations on huge progressive jackpots with 1 or 2 coins bet when they realise they have just lost the opportunity to become filthy, stinking rich.

The random, unpredictable nature of slots means that you have no way of anticipating the “flow” of the game and the big one could turn up on the next spin. It is always better to shorten the amount of time you can spend playing rather than decrease your chances of a decent win on each spin. And don’t neglect to make use of game features such as free spins either.

So, there you have it. There is no sure fire advice on how to play slots and no winning, bandit beating slots strategies. Just be disciplined and keep those bets big. You may not snare the big one in the process but you will keep your shirt and live to play another day!