For a long time, gambling has been a favorite pastime in Ireland. Horse racing, in particular, regularly draws large crowds of punters. But in the recent past, there has been a shift in interest among the industry key players and the punters. And though it’s hard to pinpoint the force behind the shift (because of various factors and numbers behind it), we can definitely say that online sports betting, casinos, poker, bingo, and online slots have captured the hearts of punters in Ireland. So much so that the Ireland authorities give about 32 licenses for gaming machines. They wouldn’t be doing this is no one cares for them, right?

Now part of the much-enjoyed gambling involves slot machines. Generally, they have been in use for over a century. However, with every passing year, they’ve received visual and tech updates to transform them into what they are today. Currently, many people in Ireland have interacted many times with slots online than with other games.

But if you are new to all of this, it might be confusing. Luckily for you, we’ve compiled a comprehensive guide to give you a ‘crash course’ on everything related to online slots.

So without much ado, let’s dive right into it.

How do Slots Work?

If you visit online casinos, you’ll quickly learn that the online slots are by far the most popular game in Ireland. You’ll tell this just by the number of slots available in comparison to other casino games, including table games and live casino events. Some of the best casinos have thousands of online slots. It’s basically the rules of demand and supply in play. With that said, the slots are categorized by theme and the number of pay lines they feature.

We mentioned that online slots had been around for more than a century. And though their design and presentation have changed over the years, at their core, they’ve remained relatively the same (only that they are now online). Basically, a player places a wager, spins the slot wheel, and waits for the reels to stop hoping that it has a winning symbol combination.

Usually, rare symbols come with a higher reward. But it goes without saying that they are harder to match. The slots are random. Centuries ago, randomness was mechanized, but ever since the games moved online, they are now determined by Random Number Generators, an element that we’ll explore in-depth later in this guide.

Though the use of RNGs makes online slots a game of chance, it helps if you understand how they work and, over time, pick up on some tips and tricks that will help you improve your winning chances and gaming experience.

How We Review the Top Online Slots in Ireland

Honestly, there are lots of ways one can gain impressions on online slots. However, to ensure our review is accurate and fair, we base our reviews on specific criteria. This helps us to maintain some consistency throughout our reviews and ensure we don’t miss out on specific factors in the best online slots. Below are some of the factors we consider. and that you can use to find the best slots.

Slot themes

One of the most interesting elements of slots is the variety of themes available. Some gaming software companies like Micro gaming and NetEnt are constantly creating interesting themes and graphics. You can come across a simple and old-school fruit slot with some simple graphics or a video slot with detailed graphics and a captivating storyline. The story could be fiction or based on a popular TV show or movie. Slots are all about letting your imagination grow wings, and the theme is one of the first slot elements that will reel you in (pun intended).

Gaming features

The moment you start playing a slot, it is features built-in the game that will keep things interesting. Usually, 3-reel slots are not the most exciting if you are a slot fan. However, multi-level slots featuring Bonus Levels, Scatters, Wilds, Free Spins, and Gambles will have you lose track of time. And the best bit is that these features do not only add to the online gaming experience, but they also improve your chances of winning big.

Paytables and symbols

The paytable is the place punters go to check how the slot game works and how much the featured symbols pay. If a paytable is done well, it’ll paint a clear picture of which symbols are desirable and what combinations you should get. You also get to know which symbols are Scatters and which are Wilds and learn how to trigger Bonus Levels and Free Spins. Every time we review slots and casinos, we scrutinize paytables and explain what every symbol means and what it will do for you in the game.

Casinos offering the Best Online Slots

The online gaming world in Ireland has come a long way. And while there are many casinos online, they will not give you the same experience. Mainly because they work with different online gaming software providers, their terms and conditions are different, and they have varied experiences offering Irish punters what they want and need in slots.

As such, before we consider the slots, we look into the casino offering the game. If the casino passes our test, then we’ll proceed to look into what the online slots have to offer. We’ve come to trust in this process since many reputable online casinos in Ireland almost always have insane and exciting slots.

Online Slot Providers and Security

One of the top reasons why we insist on players reading through online slot reviews is for them to learn more about the online slots and the casino’s safety and security regulations. You know an online casino is safe and secure when they are licensed and regulated by a reputable authority in the gambling industry. Also, the casino should offer 256 or 128-bit encryption to be secure enough for worry-free gaming.

Security and safety are also important when it comes to payment methods. This is the reason why punters are required to verify their credentials when setting up any of their payment methods.

Why Play Slots Online?

The main difference between brick and mortar casinos and online casinos is that you can play games online from any place. In this time and age, Irish players, though dedicated and interested in gambling, have little time to get out and seek a slot machine. And even if they had the time to, many wouldn’t be willing because of the tiresome process involved.

The fact that it’s online allows Irish players to log in and play when and from wherever they choose. And though some experts say that this removes the human element from the game, others still insist that it is the biggest advantage over brick and mortar casino slots.

Aside from this, another key element that many people overlook when dealing with the best online slots is Return to Player (RTP) percentages. The RTP percentage refers to how much a casino gives back to the players. Remember, casino slots run on RTGs and, as such, have to be programmed to let players win a certain amount every other time. When the RTP is high, it means that the casino gives back more money.

To help you understand this better, let’s consider the following example. Many casino slots have RTP values of between 93 and 98%, and some land-based slots have 90% though some even have as low as 80%. At 80%, the casino has a huge edge in the slots.

Last but not least, with online casino games, new games are popping up every other day. This means that the industry is very exciting and constantly evolving to ensure you never get bored. Today, there are new slots released every week.

Different Types of Online Slots

To make it easier for gaming evolution and to find a slot game that excites you, software gaming companies and online casinos have created different categories/types of online slots. Below are some of the most general types you’ll come across.

Video slots

Of all the online slots available, these are by far the most complex, and we dare say the best online games to play. Usually, they have five reels and have 100+ pay lines. This means that there are thousands of winning combinations built into them. Before you play, you need to choose the quantity of coins and the size you want to wager on the pay lines. You’ll then click on SPIN to start the slot. Afterward, just wait, hoping that the reels stop on a winning combination.

3D slots

From your high school biology, you remember the teacher saying that all medicines are drugs, but not all drugs are medicine, right? If you don’t freak out, this isn’t a biology lecture. But we can use the same phrase and analogy to describe the difference between video and 3D slots.

In this case, all 3D slots are video slots, but not all video slots are 3D slots. Here’s why this statement is true. 3D slots are simply video slots designed to offer graphics that mimic 3D technology. No, you don’t have to wear 3D glasses to experience this effect, like in the movies. However, slot designers have come up with a technology that rivals the movie 3D experience. By making the screen action seem more real than it is. The objects and symbols and the screen look like you can reach out and feel them.

With the above description, it’s clear that 3D slots are video slots. Now let’s explore the other part of the phrase, ‘not all video slots are 3D slots.’

We don’t dispute the fact that after classic slots, video slots were the next big and good thing that happened to the slot gaming industry. The latter was a huge leap from classic 5 and 3 reel slots.

But in 2020, you cannot compare the graphics in the two. Even to a newbie, the two run on different systems. Now that we have that definition out of the way let’s look into why 3D slots are a craze. Well, aside from their great graphics, they have a storyline built into them. As you play, you progress through the story and accomplish different goals. Getting punters invested in slots is one of the most genius things slot gaming developers have invented. And in true slot fashion, the games have themes that adds to the fun.

Jackpot Slots

Jackpot games are essentially big money online slots. On these slots, Irish players can win huge amounts of money from a single wheel spin. Because of the large potential wins, they tend to be the most popular type of slot.

But despite being a popular slot type, there is a lot of confusion about how they work. Mainly because they come in two types: standard and progressive jackpot games.

The standard jackpot slot is one that is hosted by the gaming developer or the casino; the host sets up the prize for the game, which will be triggered when a punter gets the winning combination. When someone wins, the casino or developer reinstates the prize money, and the game is back on.

On the other hand, progressive jackpot slots are games that continue to rise the more players wager on the game. The host takes a small cut from every spin and adds it to the progressive jackpots. Over time, progressive jackpots have a lot of money up for grabs.

The fact that the progressive jackpot slots are hosted by game developers means that players on different casino platforms can play and grow the jackpot prize to insane amounts. Some of the stand out progressive online slot games include Major Millions, Arabian Nights, Mega Fortune, and Mega Moolah.

With progressive jackpot games, we recommend Irish players to play in casinos have higher payouts. This increases their chances of winning the jackpot prize.

Fruit machines

The difference between fruit machines and slot machines is the fact that a punter can hold the reels or nudge the reels to increase their chances of landing a winning wild symbol.

This means that after a spin, a player can hold a reel in place on their next spin (especially if it’s a wild symbol). Also, players have the option of nudging the reel downwards. The number of nudges a player can make does not exceed five. It’s not unheard of for a player to nudge a winning combination on the pay line or even unlock three wild symbols on the screen.

Branded Slots

A branded slot is simply a slot with a theme inspired by a TV show, music, movie, board game, superhero, and cartoon games. The branded slots are a little more polished than regular video slots for a couple of reasons.

First, the budget set for making branded games is a little higher than that of regular video slots since they have financial backing from reputable and successful brands. As such, they can use high-end technologies to create more immersive games.

Next, branded games need to meet a certain standard to reflect and represent the brand in their theme. For instance, if a slot is called ‘Jewels’ turns out to be rubbish, then people will automatically avoid the game and might ignore it altogether.

Some of the stand out brand slots include The Simpsons, Batman, The Dark Knight, Jumanji, and Scarface.

Best Slots Software Providers

The slot provider a casino uses is a good indicator of whether their online slots are worth playing or not. A software supplier is simply a third-party company that specializes in creating games casinos. In the partnership therein, they take up the difficult task of creating new slots and pushing the technology on this front while online casinos work on onboarding players to experience the games.

Note: slot software providers do a lot more than just create games for online casinos. They also run jackpot prizes for standard and progressive games from time to time.

Now, there are a lot of software providers in Ireland’s gambling space but below are by far the most popular.

Microgaming

We can call this company the ‘father’ of software developers in the gambling space. The company has been in existence since 1994, and for a couple of decades, they’ve been releasing great games. The company licenses its games to build a solid brand and reputation that players can trust and rely upon. This strategy has worked for them over the years.

So far, Microgaming has over 800 casino games and 500+ variants. It’s worth noting that Microgaming was among the first developer company to come up with a progressive slot. And as a pioneer in this space, they are quick to develop new games. Some of their popular games include Mega Moolah, Game of Thrones, Thunderstruck, Double Exposure Black, and Avalon.

NetEnt

This is yet another developer company that has made a name for itself in the industry by offering quality slots. NetEnt is especially known for creating extraordinary games and beautiful graphics. As for originality, the company stands out among developers.

NetEnt has a great catalog of slot games that players in Ireland and around the world enjoy. They have 200+ games, including South Park, Guns’ N’ Roses, Starburst, Jack & Beanstalk, Blackjack Pro, and Jack Hammer.

Playtech

This is by far the best online slots software developer brand in the industry. Aside from being popular, it’s also among the largest. Playtech was started in 1999 and has, over the years, developed great bingo halls, sportsbooks, poker rooms, live casinos, and slot games.They work closely with popular sportsbooks like William Hill, Sky, Bet365, and Betfair, some of the top sportsbooks in the industry. And as a developer company, they continue to do great things including releasing Marvel, an online slot that has won the hearts of many.

IGT

International Gaming Technology is a great name in the Ireland gambling industry. They have been around since 1971, even though they were first into land-based casinos, not virtual games. Over time they build a solid reputation for themselves through experience and quality games.

Some of the games they’ve released over time include Wheel of Fortune, CSI, Family Guy, and Ghostbusters. For slots, they don’t have a wide range of games in comparison to the other companies we’ve mentioned. However, in the few that they have, they have done a great job.

Betsoft

This company is not the most popular on the list, but it offers exceptional slots. Believe it or not, it’s the leading 3D slot developer.

They have unique ways of infusing unique randoms and bonuses into online slots to make any punter smile. Some of their famous games include True Sheriff, Good Girl Bad Girl, Rook’s Revenge, and At the Copa.

Note: Often, these developers partner with casinos to offer free spins and lucrative bonuses for use on their slots online.

Payouts and RTP

We mentioned this in a different section but let’s have an in-depth look.

Slots are largely a game of chance for players. But since casinos have to make money, they have an edge that allows them to continue operations. So does this mean that the slots are rigged?

Of course not. The outcome of every spin is random courtesy of the RNG software built into the system. So neither the software provider nor the casino can decide if you win or lose. But, because of game odds, the casino can make sure they turn a profit in the long run. This casino edge is calculated and represented as a return to player rate.

The most common slot RTP is 95%. This percentage means that a casino will make a 5% profit on games in the long run. But as you’ll see, this doesn’t mean that players lose 5% – this is merely an average. So sometimes you will lose less and others more, and at other times you will win big. The RTP simply determines a long game outcome for casinos.

Now that you understand what RTP is let’s look at payout. Many players have a hard time grasping this concept, but it’s simple. It refers to the average amount a punter can expect to win on average. In other words, it gives you a picture of the percentage of money players bet that a casino shall payout in winnings.

How to Play Online Slots

Pro tip: even when playing with real money, always take advantage of bonus rounds.

Top-Rated Slots Games 2020

As mentioned before, there are new online slots popping up every week. Because of this quick catalog refreshing, it can be hard to keep track of new and exciting games to play. With that said, below are some of the best online slots to try in 2020.

1. Sunrise Reels – this is a classic 3-reel slot. The slot has a jackpot prize of up to 12,000 credits
2. Goblin’s Cave – despite its name, the Goblin’s cave isn’t frightening. It is a 3-reel slot with three pay lines that you can wager up to $1,500.
3. Starburst – a NetEnt classic slot that rivals candy crush and is one of the best online slots.
4. Private Eye – this is a Private Investigator slot by Microgaming. The slot has 5-reels and about 243 ways you can win. It has great graphics and sound effects.
5. Mega Moolah – it has a minimum jackpot of $10 million. Mega Moolah is a progressive jackpot slot you are bound to remember for the rest of your life.
6. Immortal Romance – if you are into nocturnal drama and sexy vampires, then this is right up your alley. It has a great gothic atmosphere and a better plot than Twilight.
7. Book of Ra – it is an increasingly popular video slot in many casinos in Ireland and around the world. It’s popular because it gives the opportunity to win 5,00x your wager.
8. Gonzo’s Quest – this is a NetEnt top adventure game that has been a favorite for many punters for a long time. The game has an RTP of 96%. It features five reels, three rows, and 20 pay lines.
9. Thunderstruck 2 – this slot is influenced by Norse Gods and has insane payouts.
10. Pots of Gold – this slot uses the Irish Leprechaun theme well. Find out if you can find the pot at the end of the rainbow or not.
11. Book of Dead – This slot is by Play n Go. Play N Go is another popular software gaming provider you should be on the lookout for.

Online Slots Bonuses and Free Spins

The online gambling stage has stiff competition both for online slot developers and casinos. As such, they have to employ creative tactics to reel in Irish players. Some of these tactics include offering a first deposit bonus and free spins.

The free spins and casino bonuses allow punters to test games and to stretch their wagering money a little further. The free spins also make the gaming experience exciting.

However, you should note that any winnings from the bonuses or free spins should meet the wagering requirements before they can be withdrawn. By wagering requirements, we mean that you need to wager a specified amount x-times before you claim the wins.

Note: the wagering requirements are all about reading the details. So make sure you go through the details before you redeem the deposit bonus or other casino bonuses. If you get stuck, be sure to contact customer support.

Online Slots On Mobile

The beauty of online slots like Mega Fortune is that you can play them anywhere you please, provided you have an internet connection. However, we should point out that mobile slots aren’t as many as those on the main site. Luckily developers are working on improving the number of online slots.

With that said, below are some of the most popular mobile slots;

• 40 Super Hot – by EGT
• Wolf Run – IGT
• Flaming Hot – EGT
• Cleopatra – IGT
• Miss Kitty – Artocrat
• Quick Hit Black Gold – Bally
• Double Diamond – IGT
• Lucky 88 – Artocrat
• Charms & Clovers – Betsoft
• Starburst – Netent

There are many other mobile slots you can look into. Usually, casinos will highlight the most popular to help reduce the search time for new players.

Online Slots Tournaments

Slot tournaments sound complicated, but they aren’t. A punter signs up for a slot tournament before it starts, and they are given a slot’s machine number, some credit, and a time window within which they’ll play. Afterward, they’ll compete against other punters to have the highest number of wins by the end of the slotted time. The player who has the most wins is declared the winner of the tournament.

To join a tournament, punters will pay an entry fee of between $25 and $100. Many casinos use this fee to fund cash prizes for the tournament. Depending on the number of punters participating, the prize money can be big.

The great thing about these tournaments is that even if you don’t win the tournament, you might still get something since casinos hand out amounts down as far as the 2000th position.

Aside from winning cash, punters can also win;

• No deposit bonuses
• Free spins
• Welcome party
• Free hotel stays
• Free drinks and meals

Slots Random Number Generator (RNG)

We’ve alluded to RNGs all through this piece, but we haven’t really explained how they work. Well, now, we will. All online slots have RNG in the form of a microchip that generates random numbers even when the machine isn’t being used. The RNG generates numbers between 1 and a couple hundred billion each second. The random number generated will determine the position of your reels in the slots. So when you pull a handle or press the spin button, the slot asks the RNG to display the position of the numbers that it has generated.

What this means is that if a player wins a payout right after you leave the slots, it doesn’t mean if you had stayed longer, you’d have won. Payouts on online slots are randomly generated. Also, the payout percentage and the frequency are programmed to be random. This means that a slot could go for days without a hit then suddenly has two hits in a row or a couple of minutes apart – there’s no predicting it.

Conclusion

Now that you have a better understanding of online slots, all that’s left is to pick your favorite casino and give it a shot. Moreover, you pick the best online slots and be sure to have a blast while at it, even if it’s on mobile. Also, remember to play responsibly and only wager what you are willing to lose.