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Classic Slot Machines: Background
Classic slot machines have been around for quite some time. The first slot machine was invented in 1894 by a man called Charles Fey. It consisted of three reels, and each reel had five symbols on it. The name of the machine was Liberty Bell.
The five symbols on the Liberty Bell were spades, hearts, diamonds, horseshoes and eponymous bells. Nothing too exotic about those symbols, right? Well, that's a pattern that most classic slots follow and is one of the reasons why they are called classic.
After the Liberty Bell, classic slots continued to sport similarly simple symbols. Most of them had fruits on their reels. That's why players started calling these slots fruit machines. Other names that these classic slots went by included puggies, poker machines/pokies, one-armed bandits, fruities, etc.
But it wasn't just the symbols that made these slot machines classic. Fruit machines were all simple in design. Like their older brother, the Liberty Bell, these early slots all had three reels and up to five paylines.
A bit later, newer classic slots evolved to accommodate five reels. The number of paylines also increased and was now around 20 for a five-reel fruit machine. It's worth noting here that casino purists only call slots classic if they come with a 3-reel layout.
However, despite these minor tweaks in the evolution of classic slots, one thing remained constant - fruit machines were very simple to play, and players loved them.
Classic Slots Move Online
The same stayed true when players moved from land-based Las Vegas casino slots to their online counterparts. When online casinos went live a couple of decades ago, the first slot games they introduced were classic slots. They were great fun and drew crowds of players.
Twenty or so years later, that's still the case. Despite casinos boasting state-of-the-art slots with hundreds and thousands of paylines, many players choose classic slots today.
Classic slots like Hot Burning Wins have been around for some time and still haven't lost their appeal. So, if you want to stay true to the classic casino feel and get your fair share of fun and excitement, classic slots are the way to go.
How We Choose the Best Classic Slot
To get the best classic slot experience, you have to play at top-rated slots. However, finding these top-tier fruit machines is not so easy. But that's where we come in. We list only the best slot games out there and guarantee you will enjoy the vintage casino experience. Read on to find out how we choose the best classic slot machines.
Analyze and examine the slot
First, we shortlist classic slots. To do this, we separate the best value slots from the inferior ones. Here, we look at slot volatility, RTP ratio, user interface, paylines, max win, bet range, bonus features, etc. If a classic slot strikes our fancy, we shortlist it and take it to our next test.
Play and test
Now, we want to check the slot from up close. So, we start playing. We first play the game for free to see how it behaves. If we like what we see, we play for real money. The best casino games have top-notch graphics and excellent sound and video quality. They also allow you to get that big win by combining player-friendly RTP ratios with a decent bet range. We want to see all of these things in the classic slots we feature.
Check for bonus features
After we finish analyzing the main game, we check bonus features. Unlike newer slots, classic slot games don't have exotic bonus rounds and features. However, that doesn't mean they don't have them. Most classic slots have multiplier bonus features like Head or Tails, Joker, Mystery Games, etc. So, we want the slots we list to be that way too. At SixSlots, we only pick casino games that have enticing bonus rounds and extra features.
Review and approve
Once a classic game clears all these hurdles, it makes it onto our list. But that's not all. In our game reviews, we tell you everything we found out about each game. We share our gambling experience and inform you about game features that will be invaluable when you play the game. In a nutshell, all the classic games you can find at SixSlots have been expert-vetted, and all you need to do is to choose the one you like the most. Pretty neat, right?
What to Look at When Playing Classic Slots
When you play classic slots, you want two things. First, you want to win some money. No slot is worth your time and energy if it doesn't allow you to win big.
The other thing is to have fun. Playing online casino games is all about enjoying yourself. So, if a casino game is boring, there's no point in spending money on it. That's especially true for classic slots.
Classic casino slots are drenched in history but are not the most innovative casino games out there. The 3-reel layout coupled with the scarcity of bonus features and paylines makes these slots a little old-fashioned. That means you must choose your classic slots/games very carefully if you don't want to be stuck playing a dull game.
Fortunately, we can help. We will give you all the info you need before choosing a classic slot game. If a classic game ticks all of these boxes, it is an excellent choice for your online gambling adventure.
Volatility
Volatility is the first classic slot aspect you should consider. It tells you how often a slot game pays and is closely related to a slot's RTP (Return to Player) ratio.
If a game is very volatile, it means that it doesn't pay players very often. However, when it does, it usually returns huge amounts of money.
In contrast, if a game is not very volatile, it pays frequently. To compensate for those frequent payouts, though, low volatility slots don't return a lot of money when they produce a win.
In a nutshell, if a classic slot is highly volatile, it will produce long periods of low win amounts and no paying series. If you are patient enough, though, you can wait those periods out and get the out-of-this-world wins you have been craving.
So what is better, a low or high volatility classic slot? Well, it depends on what type of player you are. If you are a risk-taker and can afford to wait for a long time for a huge win, go with highly volatile slots.
On the other hand, if you are risk-averse and want to maintain a stable cash flow, low volatility slots will be just what the doctor ordered.
RTP
RTP is the ratio that tells you how much money a slot pays back over time. For instance, Super Sunny Fruits is a classic slot that has an RTP ratio of 95.70%. That means that 95.70% of the money that goes into the slot will eventually return to players. The 4.30% remaining is the house edge of the online casino.
As a rule of thumb, the higher the RTP ratio of a game is, the more frequent the wins will be. However, as is the case with volatility, it doesn't necessarily mean that a higher RTP slot results in a better casino game or a superior online gambling experience.
Usually, lower RTP slots tend to pay less frequently but produce bigger wins, meaning they have a fan base among casino players too.
Therefore, we leave it to you to decide whether low or high RTP slots are your cups of tea. Both of them come with their unique perks, so you basically cannot make a mistake.
Interface
The best classic slots have one thing in common. They come with top-notch graphics and video and sound quality. They transport you to the good old days of carefree fun on fruit machine games and bring back the excitement of the classic Vegas slots players know and love.
Top-quality slots are immersive and take you into a whole new world where you leave everything behind. They do this by using state-of-the-art graphics that result in the highest video and audio quality possible.
You might think that classic slots would be the exception to this. After all, they usually involve several simple symbols and a 3-reel layout. However, that's not the case.
The best game developers take great pride in creating top-quality slots, and classic casino games are no exception. The best among them are smooth and polished and sound and look the part. Therefore, never settle for anything but perfection when choosing classic slots based on their interface.
Bonus Features
As we already mentioned, classic slots don't abound in bonus features, but they do have them. Most of the time, these bonus features include things like multipliers and jackpots that double or triple your money or increase your winnings even further if you get lucky.
However, don't expect to be blown away by a classic slot's bonus features. In essence, they are there to increase your winnings and make the main game a little bit more exciting. If you expect more, you might be disappointed.
Provider
When you play classic slots, one of the most important things to consider is the game developer's name. The best classic video slots usually come from the most renowned software providers. These include popular online casino game creators like NetEnt, Microgaming, Play'n GO, Betsoft, Playson, Playtech, Quickspin, etc.
As you can imagine, these software providers got the means and knowledge to create top-quality casino titles, including the so-called fruit games. They churn out excellent classic slots from their production lines regularly and are your best bet when looking for an unforgettable online gambling experience.
Classic Slots Free Spins
Do you want to spice up your classic slot machine experience? Then why not combine it with an enticing online casino bonus? And what's the most enticing casino bonus, we hear you ask? Free spins, of course. There aren't many better bonuses than the classic slots free spins ones, and we strongly advise you to opt-in for them.
So how can you get a classic slot free spins bonus? Well, there are two ways. You can get them at the start of your online gambling adventure, or you can get them when you become an existing customer.
Online casinos have enticing welcome bonus offers, and in most, if not all of them, you can find free spins. And that's great. However, it's just the beginning.
As soon as you become an existing player, you can also get free spin offers. You can get them when you reload your casino account, during special occasions, for your birthday, or as part of a casino's loyalty program. In a word, the free spin opportunities for classic slots are endless. All it needs is for someone to trigger them. And who better to do that than you.
Features of Classic Slots
Classic slots share many of the same features as their younger multi-reel and multi-payline cousins. However, a few distinct characteristics make newer casino titles such as Megaways and jackpot slots completely different from classic fruit machines. Here are some of the unique attributes of classic slots.
One of the trade-offs of playing on classic slots is the number of winning paylines you can trigger. Unlike modern slots, when you play 3-reel games, you agree to a much lower number of paylines. These usually range between 5 and 11. Needless to say, that can reduce your gambling excitement.
However, most of the other bet options remain the same. For instance, you can use a wide range of coins on most classic games. The coin denominations usually start as low as £0.01 and can go as high as £100. Most of the time, though, the maximum bet players can make on one spin is about £3 when playing classic slots.
Conclusion
Do you prefer the vintage feel of classic casinos ahead of the allure of modern multi-payline slots? If you do, classic slots will be exactly what you need. Classic slots may not offer mega jackpot winnings, but they offer everything else real casino aficionados need.
They come with just enough winning opportunities to keep casino players happy and feature unique bet options that will always keep you coming for more. Factor in their clean and smooth interface and festive sounds and music, and you suddenly see why so many casino players choose these classic real money gambling options over more attractive-looking new casino titles.
So, if you want to put your worries and troubles behind, classic slots are your best casino options. Pick your favourite games now and turn back the clock to simpler and happier times. Oh, and let's not forget about the massive winnings you can get. Let's start!
FAQ
1. What is a classic slot?
A classic slot has three reels and around 5-11 paylines. Classic slots have more rudimentary bonus rounds and don't have as many features as new slots.
2. Can you win money on classic slots?
Yes, you can. Even though classic slots don't have as many paylines as newer slots, they allow you to win quite a lot of money on them. If you get lucky, you can win big on classic slots.
3. How do you get free spins on classic slots?
You get free spins on classic slots the same way you get free spins on other slots. Be on the lookout for enticing free spins promos and opt-in for a classic slot offer when you see one.
4. What is the best time to win on slot machines?
There is no such thing as the best time to win on slot machines. Slots use RNG (Random Number Generator) technology to produce random outcomes at all times. That means a slot may pay ten times in a row, or it might not produce winnings for hours on end.