Resource for Casino and Slot-Players (original) (raw)
Although the iGaming market is full of high volatility slots and the winnings are 100% based on luck, some games paid millions of dollars in the last decade. Most of them were paid online on low stakes and others were paid at brick-and-mortar casinos. We will add up the progressive video slots that caught the public’s attention and attracted lots of players lately. Some of them are represented by the all-mighty Mega Moolah, Arabian Nights, and Mega Fortunes. How much they paid in time and who are the luckiest players that managed to hit epic winnings is to be found in the following article.
Mega Moolah
Welcome to the jungle! Mega Moolah is an animal-themed slot created by Microgaming. Although its RTP is around 88% (a pretty low rate) players try their luck wishing to catch the jackpot. The graphics and the soundtrack are old, but the jackpot is growing and growing second after second until a lucky one hits it and becomes a millionaire. Below, here’s one story that proves small bets can move mountains.
A British soldier named J. Heywood hit the MEGA jackpot of 13.2 million back in October 2015. Little did he know that in less than 25 minutes he would manage to win this money at 26 years old. He played with a small stake of 0,25 pounds. The jackpot activated randomly, the wheel started to spin, and it stopped on the white lion paw (the Mega prize). At first, he did not believe his eyes, but once he took the prize, he was convinced that everything was real. Moreover, he offered an exclusive interview about his win publicly.
Fact: Unlike other players that won the Mega Moolah jackpot, he did not choose to stay anonymous.
Mega Fortunes
Catch 3 wheel symbols in the NetEnd slots, and activate the bonus round at Mega Fortunes. Unlike Microgaming slots, there are progressive jackpot games triggered by specific symbols – scatters. A gigantic wheel appears on the screen, and it starts to move.
To move on to bigger prizes the wheel should stop at the arrow, and lastly at the golden arrow. This one unlocks the Mega Fortune jackpot. Although you should be super lucky to trigger the last wheel spin, nothing is impossible. This is also proven by a young player who tried Mega Fortunes for the first time.
Another successful story comes from another player that bet 25 cents per spin at Mega Fortune. A Finnish punter hit an epic win of 24 million dollars at a Scandinavian online casino. He chose to remain anonymous and stated that this money will be helpful for his family and to build a business from scratch. It is said that this man was a poker fan and used to play in many tournaments before betting on slots machines.
Arabian Knights
Another game that caught everyone’s eye is Arabian Knights. Yes, the jackpot is the main attraction of it but let’s not forget about the free spins feature that comes along the way. This NetEnt slot is inspired by the beautiful tale of the 1001 Arabian Nights, Alibaba, and Aladdin’s story. This all-in-one story combo was, and it still is an instant eye-catcher. Not to mention the hefty winnings that were triggered by some lucky players. Nowadays, this game is often found in offline casinos.
If you did not know, back in 2011 a Norwegian punter age 20 won a whopping prize of 11,7 million euros. Peter played online at a reputable casino licensed in his country and triggered the jackpot in Arabian Knights. Rumor has it that he played at the smallest bet and that furthermore, he used the money to buy a house and to help out his family.
With outstanding progressive jackpots, there are lots of video slots that create millionaires along the way. Above, you saw which were the slots that managed to make history and some interesting winnings of millions. You saw that at any moment, any spin and any stake, gamblers can hit up a jackpot that can pay millions of dollars/euro.
And, if you fancy one of the slots described above and want to try them, don’t forget to do that responsibly at safe at licensed casinos. Please note that not any casino will have these video slots in their portfolio. If you are a fan of Mega Moolah, MegaBucks, or Arabian Knight, verify if these games are at your favorite online casino first.
Online casinos attract new customers through the bonuses they offer for new and existing clients. You need to realize that not all of them will suit your gambling needs or desires. Maybe you will opt for a bonus that can not be used on the live casino section or take some free spins that could not be used on your favorite slot.
Before we tell you what the best promotions are, you need to know one very important thing! Here’s a golden rule you need to know before taking a casino offer – read the terms and the conditions first and then decide if you want that offer or not.
What do you need to know about bonuses and which are the best ones?
Note that each bonus comes with wagering conditions, deadlines, and minimum/maximum bet you can use during your gambling session. Also, deposit codes may be required to activate the welcome bonus or other casino rewards. For newcomers, it is important to know that some bonuses may not be available for them, as they did not make a deposit first or they aren’t eligible for it. That’s why it is very important to be aware of the general terms and conditions first.
Registration Bonus
The registration bonus is often given in money, free spins, or money and free spins. It’s up to the casino you choose to impose deposit limits and how many spins are available for the newly registered punters. In most cases, a gambling platform will allow you to play with double money. Many registration bonuses are going to give you 100% up to “x” money. It means that once you deposit funds, you receive the same amount of money to play. To this, you can even claim some free spins that will be available for a few slots or just for a game the casino selected.
Please note that aside from the deposit registration bonus, there are also offers that won’t ask you to deposit money. Usually, those who register for the first time and verify their phone number or pass the KYC process without a problem will receive a small amount of money or free spins. Each registration bonus can be used only once, and it will follow terms and conditions.
No deposit bonus
Next in line is the no deposit bonus. Except for your registration at a new casino, some gambling platforms offer this reward once in a while. Maybe it’s your birthday, Christmas, New Year’s Eve, or other special occasion and the casino wants to reward you with some free spins or money. The bonus value depends on the T&Cs of the casino you are currently playing at.
Maybe you were given 100 free spins at a single slot and the wagering conditions are much more friendly and easier to complete or maybe you received some pounds to try your luck on some games. For as long as you don’t want to risk your budget, these types of offers will be the best ones to try out. Using a no deposit bonus comes with benefits. You can win lots of money if you are lucky and discover plenty of games with great payout potential.
Deposit bonuses
Deposit bonuses are quite popular lately. People like the idea to play with more money while depositing less. There are 50%, 100%, 200%, or other bonuses given. They activate at a minimum deposit, and sometimes they need a special code, just like a welcome bonus does. Not to say that deposit bonuses are great for each casino gambler no matter if they are new or experienced. Why? They will let you play with extra money. Your budget increases its value, and you can gamble with larger stakes.
Also, you can not ask for a withdrawal if you did not complete the wagering conditions first. Usually, a bonus like that will start its turnover requirements from 20x (or more) and usually, it can be wagered at slots or other table games selected by the casino. Punters who try to ask for a withdrawal before wagering will have their bonus and winnings canceled.
Each bonus has its type of player. Although wagering conditions scare most gamblers, people will be surprised to know that with a little bit of luck and the right choice of a game, they can be completed faster. Of course, if you take a bonus it does not mean that you will always win but, with it, you can increase your winning chances and discover new games.
When you’re selecting a slot to play, what is the first thing that draws you to it? The RTP? The reviews? The bonus features? The developer? If you responded with any of these, I’m very sorry to say that you’re a big, fat liar! I mean, don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying that they’re not important, quite the opposite – you should be very aware of all of them before you settle on a slot to play. But they’re not the first thing that grabs you. They’re not what initially catches your eye and makes you want to check a slot out. No, that first impression always – and I do mean always – comes from the name. In a market that is so completely oversaturated by slots, most of which are almost identical due to heavy regulations, it’s precisely the name that first makes you want to check a slot out, which is why having a recognizable name, one that can stand out from all the rest, is so important. And what better name than one that the entire world is talking about already, like, say, “Game of Thrones”? Licensed slots, or ones that are based on existing properties, and as a result developers tend to put a lot more effort and money into them than in their non-licensed counterparts. And even better – because of their popularity, many of them can be found in UK Casino Sites like bestcasinosites.net, which should make finding them pretty easy! So, without further ado, what are the best of the best?
3. Gladiator Jackpot
Today, most people remember Russell Crowe for his awful singing in “Les Miserables”, but believe it or not, 2000 he actually earned an Oscar for “Gladiator”, a movie that pretty much kick-started the modern craze for all things Roman. I’m very happy to say that, even though it has been so long since the movie’s release, its slot adaptation from Playtech is nothing short of stellar! It’s rather surprising that many licensed slots don’t actually use the faces of the actors portraying the characters, but I’m happy to say that this isn’t the case for “Gladiator” – its symbols are beautiful, detailed and accurate to its source material, and it even shows clips from the movie when you activate a bonus! I honestly can’t think of too many slots that reward you in such a creative way. Speaking of bonuses, “Gladiator” offers several bonus games, as well as a gamble feature which allows you to wager your winnings on the flip of a coin, double-or-nothing style! And to top it all off, as the name suggests, you’ve also got a pretty big progressive jackpot waiting for you if you’re lucky enough to win it! Overall, “Gladiator” really has a bit of everything, and if I were a Roman emperor, I’d give it a thumbs up!
2. South Park: Reel Chaos
Okay, I’ve got to be honest – the first “South Park” slot is AWESOME. Like, seriously great, you guys. It’s got tons of bonus games, great graphics, high winnings, it’s true to the source material… But it’s also a bit… How do I say this without hurting anyone’s feelings… Outdated? I mean, it only makes references to characters and events from the first few seasons and the movie. Hell, it even opens with an animation of Kenny being killed, which is a joke that “South Park” stopped making, what, ten years ago? But have no fear, for its updated sequel, “Reel Chaos”, is here to fix all that! This time, the theme is superheroes like in the later seasons and the upcoming “South Park: The Shattered But Whole” videogame, and honestly, it’s a brilliantly selected one, since the slot kind of turns into a parody of the numerous superhero slots floating around now, with heroes like Mintberry Crunch giving you bonuses. Better graphics, more games, more features, bigger payouts… What’s not to love here, honestly? While the original slot will always have a big place in my heart, this updated sequel pretty much improves upon it in every single way.
1. The Avengers
How could “The Avengers” not be number 1? I mean, seriously, for a long while it was the single most popular slot in the UK… And with good reason, too! For the longest time, “The Avengers” were only known as the second best superhero team of all time, but after 2012, it all changed when Joss Whedon made them the stars of one of the highest grossing movies ever. Naturally, Playtech could pull no punches when adapting Earth’s Mightiest Heroes into their own slot, and they did a more than brilliant job touching up every single aspect of the slot to perfection! The graphics? Perfect! The bonus games? Numerous, varied and fun, not to mention once you activate them once you can just keep on playing them again and again until you get a symbol that ends the bonus. Hell, even the music is great! How often have you heard THAT about a slot? It’s very rare for all elements of a slot to come together so neatly, but when they do, it’s a fantastic treat! Slots like “The Avengers” make us mourn the fact that Playtech no longer make Marvel slots, but also optimistic for their future with DC!
So in my previous post, I mentioned that there are 3 main types of roulette that you will find at online casinos. Well, in addition to American, French and European Roulette, there have also been some unique and innovative spin off games created. Here, I would like to introduce you to 5 unique games that any fan of roulette should try out at least once. If any of these sound like your cup of tea, then you will find some of the best casinos that provide them at www.casinoroulette.co.uk which is the best online roulette site available.
Marvel Roulette – This roulette wheel has an additional “Marvel Bonus” bet position. When you make this bonus bet and the ball lands on this position, a special bonus game is triggered. This is a 3 reeled slot game, where you have 3 spins to line up identical Marvel super heroes to increase your payout. Playing this unique variant also gives you a shot at winning the Marvel Mystery Progressive jackpot, which regularly pays out tens of thousands of pounds.
Pinball Roulette – This variant differs significantly from traditional roulette, as there is no wheel. Instead, you launch the ball into a pinball machine, which has all the numbers you usually find on a roulette wheel lined up along the bottom of the machine. The ball works its way through the machine and lands in one of the numbered slots at the bottom, determining the winning number. Although you can place all the same bets you can in a traditional game, the unusual game play makes this an exciting and interesting way to play roulette.
Deal or No Deal Roulette – Based on the hugely popular TV game show, this game has an additional bonus outer wheel with two special symbols, on which you can place a bonus bet. If the box symbol lines up with the ball, the Deal or No Deal bonus round is triggered. Here, like the show, you take your pick from the various red boxes, each revealing various bonus amounts. There is also the Banker’s Spin Bonus, which is triggered when the telephone symbol lines up with the ball. This gives you up to 3 spins to collect the best bonus prize.
Immersive Roulette – This game is played with a real dealer. It boasts some unique features that make it stand out from other live games. There are numerous camera angles and slow motion close ups of the ball as it comes to land on the winning number, which gets you up close to the action as it happens. The games are also streamed in HD quality, for the ultimate playing experience. You can find out more about this unique variant along with other live roulette games here.
Mini Roulette – The wheel on this game looks remarkably different to that of a traditional variant, as it has only 13 chambers, with the numbers 0 – 12. This means there are less types of bets that can be made, and it also swings the chances of winning in your favour. Of course, given that there is more likelihood that you will win on a single number bet, the payouts are also reduced.
Welcome to another installment of my favorite show, in which I tell you that everything you’ve ever known about casino games is totally and completely wrong! Oh, I love it! This is better than “Game of Thrones”, let me tell you! If you don’t believe me, just wait until we get into our own version of the Red Wedding – trust me, you’ve never seen so many myths about gambling being assassinated to the tune of “Rains of Castamere” before! Seriously though, you’d be surprised about just how many little tips and tricks you pick up on when you’ve been playing casino games for a really long time. They’re not necessarily things that are going to make or break your game (if you have bad luck, then I’m sorry to say, but my advice probably won’t help you), but they’re enough to give you that extra edge you need to turn loss into profit. And one of my absolute favorites has to do with roulette.
Now, let me make one thing absolutely clear first – this trick will not work in physical casinos, alright? Physical locations tend to have only one type of roulette depending on where in the world they are, which is why roulette never really managed to take off in America. The reason, of course, is that American roulette just plain sucks! What, you didn’t know there were differences between the versions of roulette in different regions? Read the title of this article, dude or dudette, seriously! The thing is, there are three main types of roulette – American roulette, European roulette and French roulette. I mean, sure, there’s stuff like “low stakes roulette” or “Deal or no Deal roulette”, but we’re not really going to be looking at those right now.
Online casinos typically have all three main versions of roulette (and by “typically” I mean “literally every single online casino I’ve ever visited has had them”, but I obviously can’t speak for each one in the world), so the question falls down to which one would give you the best odds. The only difference between them lies in the number 0, which, coincidentally, is also the number of girls I’ve impressed with my gambling knowledge! The thing is, that beautiful green zero serves as the house edge – it’s neither red nor black, neither odd nor even, so unless someone has specifically bet on 0 the house takes all of the bets for that particular spin. European roulette only has one Zero, thus giving players a 1 in 37 chance of losing everything to the house.
However, the Americans have decided to get fifty shades of greedy, and as such have actually gone ahead and added a second zero to the roulette wheel – the 00. That way, now we have a 2 in 38 (or 1 in 19) chance of being screwed by the house – significantly bigger than in Europe. Which is why, when faced with a choice between European and American roulette, European is always the right choice (but then again, that is true for most things in life). But what if I told you there’s an even better option? Enter French roulette, which plays exactly like its European counterpart (which makes sense, I mean, France IS in Europe, last time I checked), except for one tiny difference – when the ball lands on 0 and you lose, you actually gain half of your bet back. And sure, that doesn’t sound like much, but it’s an extra advantage that the otherwise identical European roulette simply doesn’t have. So when playing roulette online, French is the way to go!
Let me guess – you’re a strong, independent man or woman who knows all there is to know about slots! Whether they’re physical one-armed bandits or online slots, there’s not a thing about them that you don’t know! After all, slots aren’t exactly rocket science, right? You pull the lever, you line up the symbols, you lose all your money, try again! And besides, they’re all the same anyway – once you know one, you know all of them! Bah, why are we even talking about this, anyway? Slots are literally the most boring casino activity ever! We should talk about blackjack, or roulette, or that cute croupier’s behind! Don’t worry, my dear, two of these topics will be touched upon here in the very near future, but for now, I’ve got some news for you, and I’m going to deliver them in the form of a song accompanied by the great Weird Al Yankovic – EVERYTHING YOU KNOW IS WRONG! Believe it or not, chances are that many of the things you think you know about slots are a bigger myth than the Moon landing hoax! And we’re talking some pretty major things, like…
1. Mechanical Slots Are Rarer Than Ever
When most people hear the word slot, they imagine those big, bulky machines with spinning reels attached to them. You pull the lever, watch the reels spin and then maybe you get your quarter back or whatever the kids use these days. Well, the thing is… Those are A) not really known as slots, and B) exceptionally rare. Mechanical slots with physical reels that spin are known as fruit machines (a nice homage to the history of slots, which we should totally discuss sometime because it’s awesome), and they’re outnumbered by slots pretty much 10 to 1 in most casinos, if they’re even available. It’s typically bars and other smaller places which have fruit machines, because they’re often cheaper to buy than slots. Slots, on the other hand, are entirely digital – you see the reels on a screen, all the calculations are done by a computer, and in most cases there’s not even a lever! And that’s not all!
2. Online Slots Are More Popular Than Physical Ones
In physical casinos, slots are mostly there for decoration. I mean, sure, there’s quite a lot of people who put every cent they have into the one-armed bandits, but they’re the exception rather than the rule. Most profits in physical casinos come from high rollers playing blackjack, or from taxes on poker games. Slots are mostly there because they’re flashy, a casino staple and, most importantly, can serve as a gateway drug to more serious gambling. Imagine this scenario – you and your friends decide to go to a casino one evening and have some fun. You have little intention of playing, but decide to play some slots so that you don’t look out of place in front of your friends. A decent win will most likely motivate you to join the big leagues of blackjack and roulette, ultimately leaving with less money than you had before despite the fact that you won. And a big win at slots is very probable, because…
3. Slots Are Surprisingly Generous
Now, I’m not talking about all slots here – some, both physical and online, have pretty low return-to-player percentages and generally like to keep a lot of the money invested into them. But the majority tend to be fairly generous with their winnings and jackpots. A good slot designer understands that if the player doesn’t win, then they’re not going to play, and if they don’t play they’re not going to pay. So if you play for long enough, chances are that eventually you’ll end up with more money than you started with. Jackpots, bonuses and mini-games are all various ways of increasing and multiplying your money, and while they’re far from guaranteed (in theory you could play forever and always lose, if your luck is bad enough), they’re rather likely.
So, I was sitting one night drinking a nice bottle of chardonnay (by myself, because you don’t have a problem unless you admit it), and, as it often happens when alcohol is involved, I got into a deep conversation regarding the future and the meaning of life. With myself. I wanted an intelligent conversational partner, what can you do? Regardless, my arguments basically boiled down to weeping uncontrollably and repeating “Mother was right, I really AM a failure!” over and over again. The thing is, I’m 25 years old, I’ve never had a stable job, and instead I spend a lot of my free time playing online casino for money. Remember – you don’t have a problem unless you admit it!
I can actually afford to be a lazy bum all day because when I was 21 I managed to score a preeeeetty big jackpot from one of the slots that I played at the time (I’m afraid I can’t say which, since my name is associated with it and I’d like to preserve my anonymity and keep whatever little respect my family has for me), and suffice to say, that has allowed me to live pretty comfortably. Since then, I’ve dedicated myself to exploring the worlds of online casino and improvisational comedy… Suffice to say, one of those explorations was considerably more successful than the other, but I’m going to leave which one it was to you. And thus we go right back to that fateful night in which, in my drunken stupor, I decided that I needed to do something with my life! And that something… Is my own online casino blog! Introducing Kompol! Why Kompol? It was the cheapest domain I could get! Hey, you don’t stay rich by spending needlessly! In any case, let’s get started!