Real money slots are slots that require players to make real-money bets when they spin the reels. This type of gaming has become quite popular on the web ever since the first online casino appeared on the web.
This article is an ultimate guide to real money slots that will help you understand how they work.
At NJ Pala’s online casino, when you play online video poker real money is on the line with every game so brush up on your video poker strategy, perfect your craft, and get ready to win big! Play video poker. Millionaire Genie is an impressive game available on 888casino to players from the UK, Germany, Canada, and Ireland. When you choose to play Millionaire Genie on 888casino, you get $88 worth of. However, when you play online slots for real money, you set yourself up for the chance to win life-changing prizes. For example, Georgios M of Greece won about $8.62 million playing Mega Moolah at the River Belle Casino.
Of all the online casino games that pay real money, jackpot games aren't the one with the best odds — by a mile. Playing jackpot slots is expensive and risky. The RTP of these games is below average,. Mentioned by several Casino sites as one of the best online, free games to play this year, Extra Chilli is a real money Slots that you can play with free spins at PartyCasino and still win real.
Once you know all the mechanisms behind this type of casino game, you’ll be able to choose the best possible titles for you and maximize your success in playing online slots with real money.
First of all, let’s take a look at what you’re going to learn by reading this guide.
If you want to get the most out of playing slots, carefully read this article!
Best USA Casinos for Real Money Slots
The only way to play online slots for real money is to sign up to an online casino. There are many casinos on the web, and not all of them are worthy of your time or money.
First of all, you want to go with a casino that offers the slots that are fair, trustworthy, and, above all, entertaining. This is done by finding casinos that have slots from some world-leading casino content developers.
Casino | Offer | Devices | Play Now / Review |
---|---|---|---|
$5,000 Welcome Bonus | |||
First 3 Deposits, Get Up To $6000 | |||
350% Match up to $3500 | |||
First 3 Deposits, Get Up To $3000 | |||
$5500 Welcome Bonus | |||
$5000 Welcome Bonus | |||
255% Bonus up to $2555 | |||
First 3 Deposits, Get Up To $6000 | |||
$3,000 | |||
300% up to $500 |
Moreover, you should make sure that casinos themselves are safe and secure, meaning your personal info or transactions won’t fall victim to a cyberattack.
It’s always useful to aim for the casinos that offer great overall RTP, lucrative bonuses and good customer support. Ideally, the casino should also be available for mobile devices.
Finally, casinos tend to be geo-restricted. This means that players from certain countries are blocked due to various legal reasons.
That’s why we made a list of sites that meet all the criteria we listed above and are available in the US. The thing that makes all of them similar is a comprehensive offer of high-quality slots.
8 Must Know Basics For Real Money Online Slots
There are several ways to categorize online slots. Let’s take a look at them!
Slot Volatility
Slots are divided into high and low volatility titles. The ones with high volatility offer bigger wins, but these wins are not very frequent. On the other hand, low-volatility slots usually don’t offer big wins but the win frequency is increased.Number of Reels
The first one is to sort them by the number of reels.The most common type of online slots has five reels that players spin in every round. Most of the time, they have three rows.
However, the reel grid can be different for many slots, as there are more non-standard variations such as 6×3, 6×4, and more.
Those who like old-time slots such as the mechanical ones can opt for three-reel slots that are also very much present on the web.
Some slot developers even go a step further and offer huge slots that have 7+ reels and 7+ rows. These games resemble titles such as Candy Crush, and often offer numerous additional features.
Number of Paylines
Vintage slots used to offer just one payline, meaning that a player had to make a combination of three symbols on all three reels. With the expansion of the number of reels and rows, there was room to add more paylines.Nowadays, there are real money slots ranging from one to a couple of thousand paylines (or ways-to-win, as some slots go beyond lines). Slots that offer a 5×3 range usually offer between 10 to 30 paylines. However, new technologies allow some slot developers to offer a lot more than that.
Betting Amount
Players get to adjust how much they want to bet per each spin. Some slots allow them to bet bigger amounts, while others don’t have a betting range that high.Slot Themes
There are literally thousands of slots nowadays, and many of them have some rather unique themes. One way to sort these games is by the theme they cover. Some themes such as Ancient Egypt or the Irish luck, are more popular than others.However, there are themes that are not standard for slots at all, including fishing, sports, and more. Ultimately, it’s up to you to choose what slot theme you prefer the most.
Progressive vs Non-Progressive Jackpots
Another way to approach slot categorization is to divide them into those that offer progressive jackpots and those that aren’t.Progressive jackpots are a type of prizes that grow with time. Every time a player makes a bet and spins the reels of a slot, a small portion of that bet is added to the pot. The luckiest player gets to win the progressive jackpot.
PC vs Mobile Real Money Slots
This division has nowadays become somewhat obsolete, as the majority of online slots are available both on PCs and on mobile devices. However, it’s always wise to check whether that is the case.Bonus Features in Slots for Real Money
There are many types of slot bonuses that lucky players can find in this type of games such as free spins, multipliers, Wild symbols, Scatters and more. Some might not offer any of these bonuses, some might offer one or two, and some slots offer a wide variety of bonuses.Top 3 Online Casinos for Playing Slots for Real Money
Out of all the casinos offered here, three of them deserve your special attention. Let’s take a closer look at them.
- Real Money Slots: 80+
- Bonus: 100% up to $1,000
- Progressive Jackpots: Yes
- USA Players Accepted: Yes
Slots.lv is a heaven for real money slot lovers, as it features two bonuses for newcomers, as well as 50+ games with progressive jackpots. It offers an instant-play option for both desktop and mobile users, and a wide variety of other games, including bingo and keno.
- Real Money Slots: 160+
- Bonus: $22 no-deposit and 200% up to $5,000 deposit
- Progressive Jackpots: Yes
- USA Players Accepted: Yes
BoVegas (also spelled Bo Vegas) is a popular US platform featuring games made by Real Time Gaming. Its primary focus are online slots, but players can also enjoy various table games, video poker, specialties, and more. There is a huge selection of progressive slots, with some of them being very lucrative.
- Real Money Slots: 150+
- Bonus: Up to $5,500 in Bonuses
- Progressive Jackpots: Yes
- USA Players Accepted: Yes
How to Get The Most When You Play Slots for Real Money
Before we proceed to discuss what a good slot is, it’s important to take into account that it’s ultimately up to you to decide which slot you like. However, there are a couple of things you should take into account when choosing slots. Let’s take a look at them.
RTP
RTP stands for Return to Player and denotes the percentage of all bets that are returned to players via slot prizes. Therefore, if RTP is 95%, it means that the slot will, theoretically speaking, return $95 for every $100 that players invest. The remaining 5% will be taken as the house edge, which is one of the ways slot developers and casinos make a profit.What you want to aim at are slots with the higher RTP, as the probability of winning a prize is higher with them. This is especially true for low-volatility slots, as the prizes are more common when compared to the high-volatility ones.
RNG
RNG stands for Random Number Generator. It’s a piece of code that makes sure that the slot is truly random, meaning it is not rigged in any way. All reputable online casinos, including the ones in our list, will offer slots that use the RNG. Therefore, they cannot be tampered with in any way, and the outcome of every spin is really based on the element of luck.Developer
Finally, it’s safe to say that some developers simply make better slots from others. We’re not going to promote any casino content creators here. However, all the casinos we chose feature some of the best games from leading companies in the industry. Licensed and reputable developers will always make sure to create secure and fair online slots to keep their reputation high.Tips & Tricks for Playing USA Real Money Slots
First of all, you should understand that, unlike poker or real money blackjack, online slots are pure games of chance.
Therefore, you cannot actually improve your skill in playing this type of game in order to reduce the luck factor.
However, there are some things that you can definitely do to avoid pitfalls and enjoy spinning the reels as much as you can.
Choose a Slot That Meets Your Needs
Do you like getting small rewards often or big rewards from time to time? Do you prefer multipliers or free spins? Would you like your slot to offer a progressive jackpot? What themes are you interested in?Once you answer all these questions, you can narrow down the list of slots you want to play and play games that you truly enjoy.
Get The Most Out of Casino Bonuses for USA Real Money Slots
Casinos usually offer various welcome bonuses to new players who decide to join them. Once you receive your bonus amount, you can use it to explore the titles and make free spins with them. This is a perfect way to determine which slots you like.Don’t Fall for Myths
Although many people think that slots can be “hot” or “cold” this is not really true. It all comes down to your luck and the numbers behind the slot (RTG). If a slot hasn’t awarded a big jackpot in a while, it doesn’t mean that it has gone “cold”. It only means people were out of luck.Managing Your Bankroll
Real money slots receive real money bets and pay real prizes. However, you should know that spending a lot of money on slots is never a good strategy. Every player should have a bankroll that would be dedicated to playing only slots and nothing else.
Since the majority of slots allow players to set the amount they want to bet per spin, you should definitely adjust the betting amount to your bankroll. As long as you stay within limits, you can consider your slot session successful.
In order to prevent spending too much money, you should always know when to end your session. Slots are such games that they can last forever if you have enough money. Yet, as soon as you hit the upper limit to your budget, you shouldn’t be afraid to walk away. The only scenario where you really lose in online slots is if you invest more than originally planned.
Final Thoughts
Online slots are undoubtedly one of the most popular types of casino games at the moment. To support this claim, you only need to calculate the number of slot titles offered on every casino compared to other casino games. There are thousands of slots on the web, meaning the choice is pretty great.
Naturally, not all slots deserve your attention. Simply put, some game developers make much better games than others. Luckily, we made a list of real money casinos on the web that currently offer some of the best slots available now.
Once you understand how they work, you’ll have no problem exploring new titles and having fun as you spin the reels of “one-armed bandits.”
Frequently Asked Questions
If you’ve made it this far with the text, it’s only natural that you have a couple of questions related to real money slots. We covered some of the most frequent ones below. Read on!
If there are real-money slots, are there also free slots?
Can I play online slots in the US legally?
Are online slots rigged?
Are there any strategies for playing slots?
How much should I bet per spin?
What is the best alternative to slots?
There are so many real money casinos on the web that it can be difficult to know which one to choose. That’s why websites like this exist.
Luckily, our team of experts has decades of experience in the industry and is trained to spot rogue casinos as well as world-class ones.
We’ll explain to you how we pick the best online casinos for real money to recommend, how the various games work and your chances of winning them, whether or not you can gamble for real money for free, and we’ll answer some frequently asked questions about real money gambling.
The casinos listed below all have:
- Top-Quality Graphics and a Large Variety of Games Available
- Excellent Ratings for Safety and Security
- Proven Real Money Payouts
Rank | DE Gambling Site | Sign Up Bonus | Get Started |
---|---|---|---|
#1 | Betway Casino | 100% up to €250 | |
#2 | Europa Casino | 200% up to €500 | |
#3 | Jackpot City Casino | 100% up to €400 | |
#4 | Spinia | 100% up to €250 | |
#5 | Spin Casino | 100% up to €400 |
Best Real Money Casinos by Location
If you’re unsure if the above accept players from your country, don’t worry; we still have lots of top-rated online casinos for real money which we can recommend to you. There are also some we definitely won’t recommend, and we want you to be aware of those, too.
It’s crucially important to pick a real money casino which accepts players from your country for a few reasons.
First, it’s possible that your government has some sort of minimum standards a casino needs to meet. That’s definitely the case if you’re from the UK or some other European countries.
Second, you don’t want to face unnecessary restrictions such as not being able to claim bonuses, not being able to play some games, or not being able to sign up at the given casino you have spent time researching.
Finally, this will help you stay on the right side of the law. Some countries prohibit players from their countries from signing up at anything other than state-sanctioned online casinos. While these laws are difficult to enforce, they do exist in some countries.
Take a look at some of the regions listed below. If you’re from there, click on the relevant button to see a list of online casinos for real money which accepts you.
Beating the House Edge
Every online casino game has a house edge. This is the casino’s built-in advantage and means that it’s mathematically guaranteed to make money over a long enough timeline.
In the long run, you honestly can’t beat it. It’s pure mathematics. Ever heard the saying “the house always wins”? Well, it does!
However, that doesn’t mean you can’t win in the short term. If everybody lost at online casinos constantly, it wouldn’t be long before people stopped playing at them. The fact is, some people do win real money at casinos.
While the majority of winners will simply double or triple their money and walk away after having had a great time, there are some crazy stories of life-changing wins that enter the realm of the almost unbelievable. If they weren’t documented, they might seem like fiction.
A Spin from Heaven
One such example is the story of the biggest online slots jackpot ever won. A British soldier playing Mega Moolah slot won £13,200,000, which shattered all existing records and hasn’t been topped since. Best of all, he won it with a £0.25 spin.
That’s just one headline story. There are many more, and it’s no coincidence that video slots are involved in many of them. If Lady Luck is going to visit you and then change your financial destiny, there’s a good chance that this type of huge win will come while playing slots.
These colossal wins aside, we’ve all heard stories of people winning enough to buy a house while playing poker, paying off debts after a great night at the blackjack tables, or going on a roll while playing roulette and buying something they’ve always dreamed of afterwards.
Even when these insane wins happen, the casino still makes money because of house edge. The majority of players won’t win, and you can be sure that over the long run the casino makes a percentage no matter what.
Not All Games Have the Same Edge
It’s important to recognize that house edge is not a fixed number across all games. Different games have different math involved in them, and understanding this can be the key to winning more often.
For ExampleIt’s widely accepted that some variants of video poker have the lowest house edge, whereas keno and lottery games have the largest house edge, meaning the worst odds for you as a player.
We’ll talk a little later about the odds of various games and their pros and cons. For now, just be aware that not all games are mathematically equal. There are some you have a much higher chance of winning than others, and there are some in which you have a greater degree of control over the outcome as compared to games of pure chance.
Safety and Legality
It’s essential to know how to stay safe while gambling online. There are a few potential pitfalls which you may not be aware of if you’re not an experienced online gambler.
Luckily, you have us to show you the ropes. Here are some of the things you have to be aware of to gamble safely online.
Risk Associated with Sharing Financial Details
Sharing your credit card, debit card, or bank details with any online merchant carries some degree of risk. If that merchant is untrustworthy, you could find yourself in a world of trouble quickly.
You can immediately find out if a casino site is trustworthy by reading our reviews.
Take the time to look around, and you’ll see that we certainly don’t recommend every site we review, and we aren’t afraid to call out scam casino sites when we discover them.
Financial predators are everywhere online, and sadly the casino industry attracts its fair share of them. Stick with expert-recommended real money online casinos to avoid falling into their clutches.
Predatory Terms and Conditions
There are real money online casinos which aren’t direct scams in that there are real games to play and you can win actual money.
Warning:Win Real Money Slots
However, they can make it extremely difficult for you to get your money out when the time comes to do so, even if it’s technically possible. The idea is to make you give up and go away without collecting.
Usually, a site will state in its terms and conditions that withdrawals can be held for no reason, that the casino can drag its feet before paying, or that they can simply void winnings on a whim without justification.
Believe us; we’ve seen it all in our years of reviewing real money online casinos. This type of casino site preys on the fact that nobody takes the time to read endless pages of legal jargon before registering.
Once again, having experience in dealing with casinos online can solve this problem.
Our experts know exactly where to look in the terms and conditions, and our casino reviews show you all of the deposit and withdrawal methods and any good or bad sides to the terms and conditions of the sites we review. If a site is going to try to screw you, we’ll let you know.
Fixed or Pirated Games and Software
As you gain experience in playing at real money online casinos, you get to know more about the software companies that provide the games. In time, you’ll know instantly by looking at the range of games whether or not you can trust an online casino.
This can help you avoid the fixed games which are run by some rogue software companies in order to fleece you.
Note:However, it takes a little bit of more time to get to know how to spot pirated versions of legitimate games.
By assessing a real money casino’s licenses and looking at some other factors, our experts can instantly tell if the games on a casino site are pirated. By playing the games and assessing them against the published return-to-player figures, we can quickly figure out if they’re fixed.
You probably don’t have the time to figure this all out for yourself, and by the time you realize the games are fixed, it will likely be too late.
Once again, that’s where we come in. It’s our job to figure this out, so you don’t have to.
The Legal Situation in Your Country
While online casino gambling is a global phenomenon, each country is still sovereign and has its laws and regulations. This can confuse the matter of whether or not it’s illegal to gamble online in some places.
You can check out our gambling laws page for the latest and most up-to-date information on the legality of gambling in your country.
You won’t only have to contend with the authorities if you get caught, but scam artists know you have no legal recourse when they hustle you out of your hard-earned cash.
After all, if gambling is illegal in your country, you can’t exactly go to the police and report that you lost money to a scam artist while gambling on the internet.
Keeping things legal is one of the keys to gambling safely online.
Online Casino Bonus Offers
There are a few different types of real money casino bonuses available to new and existing players. We have an entire page dedicated to explaining the differences between these bonuses. Check it out by clicking the button below:
There are pros and cons to taking casino bonuses. Let’s start off by looking at the reasons you might want to take them before turning our attention to why they might not be suitable for you as an individual player.
Whether casino bonuses are right for you depends on what your goals are.
The Positives
You Can Test the Waters Without Risk
It’s nice to be able to play the games available in an online casino and to be able to check it out in general without having to make a financial commitment.
While some bonuses do require you to deposit to activate them, there are many which don’t. These are known as no-deposit bonuses and are the ideal way to test an online casino without risking your own money.
Once you’re sure you can trust the casino site and have decided you would like to play the games, then you can start playing for real money.
Some Bonuses Can Increase Your Chances of Winning
In the casino bonuses and promotions page we linked to above, we explain the concept of wagering or rollover requirements. Bonuses which have these attached make it difficult (without serious luck) for you to withdraw the bonus amount and are designed to allow you to simply test the casino.
However, there are plenty of casino bonuses with no wagering requirements available online these days. If you take these, you’ll more than likely be required to make a deposit, but they increase your chances of winning by giving you free spins or free games with no strings attached.
They may only slightly increase your chances of winning, but hey, any increase in the chance of winning is always welcome.
The Negatives
You Can Become a Marketing Target
If the casino figures out that you are a bonus hunter or that you like a particular kind of bonus, they might decide to pitch you regularly.
This can be a good thing if you like taking these offers, but if you sign up at multiple casinos, take the bonus, and don’t play, you can expect your email inbox, and sometimes your cell phone, to be bombarded with offers. The more accounts you create, the more intense this will become.
Some unscrupulous casinos will sell your information on to other operators who will pitch you, too. This can become a serious annoyance, and so if you’re going to take bonuses with no intention of becoming a real money player, we suggest setting up an email address specifically for that purpose.
Most Bonuses Have Terms Which Favor the House
If a real money casino bonus has rollover or wagering terms, there’s a very little chance you’ll ever be able to withdraw it or anything you win while playing with it.
You have to remember that bonuses are a promotional and marketing tool. The casino doesn’t want to let you play with house money and walk away with the multimillion-dollar jackpot. They also don’t want you to take the free casino chips and walk away without playing. That wouldn’t be very good business, would it?
Rollover requirements are explained in greater detail on the casino bonuses page linked to above. Basically, they mean you have to bet the bonus cash a number of times before you can withdraw it. For example, if a bonus has 20x wagering requirements, then you need to bet the total amount 20 times before you can withdraw it or anything you win while using it.
Real Money Casino Apps
Mobile casinos have become a huge deal in the past several years. Real money casino apps and mobile casino sites can now boast that they serve the majority of players. This trend will undoubtedly continue for years to come, at least until something comes along to replace mobile devices (chips in the head, perhaps?).
We’ve written an entire page to help you decide which casino app is right for you. Check it by clicking the button below.
Online Casino Games for Real Money
New players are often bamboozled by the vast range of casino games on offer and how to play and win them.
We’ve created game-specific pages on each popular real money casino game to show you how to play, how to give yourself the best chance of winning, and what the rules of each game are.
Take the time to familiarize yourself with the games listed below. Click any of the buttons, and you’ll be transported to a wealth of information on that specific game.
We also cover a bit about each game in the “which casino game is right for you?” section below.
Real Money Online Pokies
Real Money Baccarat
Real Money Slots
Real Money Roulette
Real Money Blackjack
Real Money Craps
Real Money Video Poker
Real Money Sic Bo
Playing Free Casino Games to Win Real Money
Is it possible to win real money playing free casino games? The short answer is no.
A casino is a business, and usually, it’s a very profitable one. You can’t expect a casino to let you play real money games and assume all of that risk without getting anything in return.
It’s true that some bonuses will allow you to play real money casino games for free. However, these bonuses will have terms and conditions which favor the casino and make it almost impossible for you to withdraw all that money. See the page about bonuses for further details.
We’re telling you straight that if anyone tells you that you can win real money without any risk, they’re lying to you. They might be scam artists waiting to empty your wallet, or they may have merely misunderstood a bonus offer they read about online. There is no such thing as a free lunch. That’s an old saying for a reason, primarily because it’s always correct!
With that said, it is possible to play free casino games to win things like virtual points and virtual money. These can be enjoyed at social casinos, and sometimes the points can be traded in for prizes. Just don’t expect to cash out real money jackpots, or you’ll be disappointed.
Which Casino Game Is Right for You?
There are lots of great online casino games to choose from. They may be digital variants, but they’re not that different from what you would find at a real Vegas casino, or a casino anywhere else, for that matter.
Let’s take a look at some of the most popular casino games you might be interested in playing. We’ll look at your chances of winning them, how fun they are, and some other things you might want to be aware of.
Hopefully, by the end of this section, you’ll have a better idea of which game you would like to play.
Please note that the “house edge” figures listed below can vary depending on how you play the game, the game variant, and the casino itself.
Baccarat
This is a fun card game with a simple objective – bet on either the player or the banker to get closest to nine, or bet on a tie between the player and banker. If you place a bet on the banker hand to get closest to nine and the banker does so, you win your bet for that hand.
It’s fast-paced, fun, and you just bet on the outcome, rather than actively participating.
- If you bet on the player, the house edge is 1.24%
- If you bet on the banker, the baccarat house edge is 1.06%
- If you bet on a tie, the house edge is 14.36%
Don’t bet on a tie! Also remember that if you bet on banker and win, the house can take a 5% commission.
Blackjack
This might be the most popular card game in the world. It’s a game with some degree of skill involved, and there are professional blackjack players out there. Entire movies and books have been made about this game.
The objective of blackjack is to get a hand totaling 21, or as close to it as possible without exceeding it. You play against the dealer, and whoever has 21 (or the highest hand not exceeding 21 in cases where neither has 21) after all the cards have been dealt wins.
Going by Vegas rules, the house edge is a tiny 0.28%. This will change if you play another variant of blackjack such as Atlantic City rules or Suit ‘Em Up.
The tiny house edge is what makes it possible for some people to make a living playing blackjack.
Keno
This is a fun lotto game, but it’s known for having the worst odds in the house. The objective is to pick between one and ten numbers from a pool of 80, and then wait for the draw.
The house edge in keno can be between 25% and 29%, depending on the variant and the casino itself. This game is okay for switching off and having a little fun, but it’s highly unlikely you’re going to win money playing keno, at least in the long run.
Roulette
This is one of the most fun casino games, period. The objective is to predict where a ball will land on a spinning wheel when it stops.
You can pick a color or a number between 1 and 36 (or the zero) if you want to make basic roulette bets. It’s also possible to select clusters of numbers, rows, or entire columns as you gain confidence and learn to understand the game.
- If you’re playing American Roulette (Double Zero), the house edge is 5.26%
- If you’re playing European Roulette (Single Zero), the house edge is 2.7%
You have a decent chance of winning roulette, but you are guaranteed to have a lot of fun whether you win or lose.
Video Poker
This is a machine-based game based on 5-hand poker. There are many different variants with different pay tables and slightly different rules, but the aim is always to make as valuable a hand as possible according to poker hand ranks. No matter the variant, a Royal Flush will always pay the most.
Covering some popular versions of video poker, you can expect the house edge to be:
- 0.46% when playing Jacks or Better with an optimal strategy.
- 0.71% when playing Deuces Wild with a perfect strategy. In this case, you as the player have the advantage.
- 0.64% when playing Joker Poker with perfect strategy. Once again, you have the advantage here.
If you are patient and want to make money playing casino games, video poker is your best bet. You’ll need to develop skill, though, and learn video poker strategy first.
Don’t expect to have the advantage when you’re new to video poker and don’t know what you’re doing. Even in these cases, though, the house edge is significantly lower than in most other casino games.
Video Slots
These are probably the most-played casino games online. There are tens of thousands of video slots ranging from simple 3-reel games with no features to 5-reel new slots with bonus rounds, free spins, and progressive jackpots.
They’re fun, highly entertaining, and if you’re lucky, you can win a fortune playing slots.
The house edge depends on the game in question. It can range from 2% to 15% – that’s no small difference! Knowing this, it pays to do your research on which slots have the best RTP.
A Quick Summary Before Moving On
Which casino game is best for you ultimately depends on your goals as an individual player.
If you want to real money playing casino games, then pick the games with the best odds and lowest house edge.
If you just want to have a little fun and relax, then any of the above games will do.
Choosing the Right Real Money Casino
If you already know what games you want to play, then it’s time to look at picking an online casino. If you’re new to playing casino games, there’s a lot more to this than you might initially think. As you’ll see, most of the top real money casinos have some things in common.
Consider the following factors before registering at any casino site.
1 – Reviews
Are there reliable, trustworthy casino reviews on the site? If so, what do the experts say?
It pays to pay attention to these reviews. If a casino expert says a site sucks, there’s a great chance you’ll want to avoid it.
If you were looking for a new car, you would probably talk to someone who knows a thing or two about cars before making a decision, or at least read a few reviews on various models, wouldn’t you? The same should go for choosing an online casino. There’s more to it than you might think, and reading a review can be a great way to get all the information in one place.
Be suspicious of reviews which are overly positive, though. Sometimes there’s an agenda at play. If a review site gives a real money online casino a glowing review, check out some of the other reviews, too.
If they’re all overly positive, that could be a warning sign. If the reviewers throw some terrible casinos under the bus, you’re probably dealing with an honest casino review site.
2 – Legality
Is this casino operating legally with a valid gaming license?
If so, what jurisdiction is the license from? Believe us when we tell you that not all casino licenses are equal. UK, Malta, Alderney, Gibraltar, Curacao, and Puerto Rico licenses are all respected and are good indicators that a real money casino can be trusted. Others, we don’t have that much faith in.
Also, make sure the casino isn’t accepting players from your country even if it’s illegal to do so. If they’re willing to break the law, what makes you think they’re going to be honest with you?
3 – Safety
A valid license is one way to make sure you’re dealing with the safest real money casinos.
There’s more to it than that, though. We advise checking that the website is operating on a secure, encrypted connection. You can do so by looking at the web address. If you see HTTPS:// in front of the domain, you’re dealing with a secure casino. If it’s just HTTP:// (no “S”), then the connection might not be protected.
Also look for published game payouts verified by third parties. This is a hugely positive sign, and it means that it’s highly likely this is a safe casino site. If the games are verified by eCOGRA, you’re in safe hands.
4 – Preferences
It would be a shame to go through the registration process only to find out the casino doesn’t offer the types of games you want to play or doesn’t offer very many of them.
Make sure the exact games you want to play are offered, make sure the casino accepts the types of bet you want to make regarding size, and check which betting services are provided. For example, some casinos also offer Texas Hold’em poker tournaments or sports betting as additional services, whereas others don’t.
We would also suggest taking some time to familiarize yourself with the site. If you like how it “feels,” that’s a great sign. A user-friendly website likely means the operator actually cares about its players and has invested time in figuring out what makes you happy. That’s likely to show across the casino as a whole.
5 – Bonuses
First, you’ll need to figure out if the online casino offers real money bonuses at all. Most do, but some don’t.
After that, you’ll need to look into exactly what types of bonuses are offered and their terms and conditions.
Don’t just look at the welcome offers, which are always emphasized to attract new players. Look at the ongoing weekly and monthly offers, too. These will give you an insight into what kind of casino you’re dealing with.
Also look at the terms and conditions of any bonus offers. Pay attention to minimum deposits and wagering/rollover requirements. If they’re excessive (40x or more), think twice about taking the offer.
If you like playing slots on weekends, it makes sense to find a casino which offers free spins on weekends, doesn’t it?
6 – Service
Everybody likes to feel like they matter, casino players included. It’s essential that a casino has top-notch customer service if you’re going to enjoy your experience playing there.
Check the number of customer service options available. Email and live chat are a necessity, but if a real money casino also offers telephone support, that’s an excellent sign.
Don’t be afraid to test the customer service if you wish. Ask a question or two. You’ll soon see how fast the responses are and how helpful (or unhelpful) the customer service agents are.
You know that old saying that goes “When someone shows you who they are, believe them”? That applies here. If an agent is slow to respond, avoids answering questions directly, or acts in an unhelpful manner, move on.
7 – Banking
You wouldn’t believe how many people register at online casinos for real money without considering the most important thing of all – withdrawing your money!
Most casinos will make it as easy as pie for you to deposit, but only the best real money online casinos make it as easy for you to withdraw.
Look for a roughly equal number of deposit and withdrawal methods, low (or no) fees, and fast withdrawals.
The last thing you want is to be sitting around waiting for weeks to get your money, or worse, never getting it at all!
Feeling Overwhelmed? Don’t Worry!
If all of this makes your head spin and you wonder how on earth you’re going to go about finding all of this information out, don’t worry; we have plenty of top casino reviews where you can find the information all in one place.
We don’t want you to think that all real money casino sites are scams out to get you. There are lots of world-class online casinos worth playing at. It’s just that you have to wade through a fair deal of not-so-great ones to find them.
Our job is to make that as easy as possible for you. If you see a casino on this site that you like the look of, there will be a full, in-depth review attached.
Other Real Money Sites to Consider
While playing at real money casinos is arguably the most fun way to gamble, there are other ways to have fun gambling and hopefully make a little money in the process.
Betting on sports, playing poker, playing bingo or lotto games, and even betting on financial markets are all possible thanks to the global connectivity the web facilitates.
Why not check out some of the other options? We have sections dedicated to each form of gambling. If you want to know more, click any of the buttons below.
Real Money Online Casinos FAQ
Q. Will I need casino bonus codes to claim the bonuses offered by online casinos?
A. In most cases, you won’t need a casino bonus code, but where one is required, the casino will make it abundantly clear before you register.
Sometimes casinos run temporary promotions which do require bonus codes. In these cases, the codes are often emailed directly to you or are listed in the terms and conditions of the offer. If in doubt, ask the customer service agents.
Q. Do real people win the slots jackpots, or are they fixed?
A. Real people most definitely win slots jackpots from time to time. Big slots software companies like NetEnt, Microgaming, and IGT are independently audited, and random number generators control the games. There is no possible way that these games could be fixed.
It’s unlikely that you’ll become a millionaire playing slots, but you never know! Many more people win hundreds or thousands, and you never hear about them. This is a far more likely outcome.
Q. Is it illegal to gamble online as an American player?
A. This is somewhat of a grey area. The relevant regulations (UIGEA – 2006) make it illegal for financial institutions to facilitate real money gambling online, or for casinos to accept deposits from US-based players.
That does not make it illegal for you to gamble online. There are still many casinos which do accept deposits from US players.
Don’t worry; nobody wearing a S.W.A.T. vest with a machine gun is going to come through your door and shoot your dog before arresting you just because you played a little blackjack online.
Q. Are there any real money casinos which accept Bitcoin?
A. There are indeed. In fact, the number of casinos accepting Bitcoin is growing by the day. You could say Bitcoin is trending in the online casino world. It’s becoming a hugely popular way to make deposits and withdrawals quickly and safely.
If you’re looking for a Bitcoin casino, we have reviews on several. Feel free to check out our real money Bitcoin gambling sites page.
Q. What’s the number-one sign that a casino is a scam site?
A. Having no valid gaming license is a big warning sign. Having had a permit in the past, but having had it stripped for some reason is even worse.
Where Can I Play Casino Games Online To Win Real Money
We don’t recommend casinos to you which don’t have valid and legal gaming licenses. Without them, it’s the Wild Wild West, and casino operators can do whatever they want without fear of repercussions.