Slot Strategy for 3-Reel and 5-Reel Slots

No slot strategy is guaranteed to get you the jackpot. Yet it is still a good idea to have some kind of strategy. You want your money to last longer so you can play slots longer, and a slot strategy can help you do that.

An Easy Slot Strategy

It is important to decide whether you are going to bet max just in case you in the jackpot, or if you're going to assume you won't win and just want to play longer for smaller prizes. Let's explain this a bit.

On a 3-coin slot pay table, you will notice that betting 1 or 2 coins makes no difference because the prize is the same coin-for-coin. But if you bet maximum of 3, you get more if you hit the jackpot. For example, bet 1 coin and you can get 1,000 credits, for 2 coins you get 2,000 credits, but for 3 coins you get 5,000 credits. As you can see, you get the most value for the max bet. So to be safe, it is best to always bet max each spin. The downside is that you will lose money often. You'll probably lose a whole lot of coins before you win that jackpot, if ever.

On the other hand, you can assume you won't win the jackpot. So instead of max betting, you can bet high when you're on a roll and bet low when you're losing. You can also go with pure gut feel here and change your bets as your instincts tell you, but many feel better using a set strategy.

For a high/low strategy, you can stick to a 2-coin bet for starters. When you sense the slot machine is hot, move up to 3-coin-bets. Do this every time until the slot turns cold; then go down to 1 bet. If you feel the slot is neither hot nor cold, use the 2-coin bet. Keep doing this as you the slot changes trends.

It is similar with a 5-coin slot. Bet 2 coins minimum. Bet 3 coins when it is okay. Bet max 5 coins when the machine is hot. But with 5-coin slots and higher, you have to be careful about betting too many coins.

Other Slot Advice

When a slot machine has been on a streak (hot or cold) for a while - say, 7 or more spins, it is generally safe to bet the opposite on the next spin. It is rare for a streak to last very long. So if you haven't been paid well in 10 spins, you can increase your bet in the next few spins.

When you get a wild symbol on a multi-payline, bet on more paylines to get the most possible winning symbols.

Always play slots with bonus games. Bonus games let you win more money.

On a multi-payline of 9 or more, beware of using all paylines too often. You can lose your money and/or your profits quickly.

Finally, set a stop-system for wins and losses. Stop playing when you have made enough money, and quit playing when you have lost a predetermined amount of your deposit. You'll be glad you did. Slots are addictive, so it is wise to use a strategy to regulate your playing.