First things first - understanding the difference between real-money slots and free slots.

On the surface, the difference between real money and free slots is simple, one costs money, the other doesn’t. However, there are benefits to both slot types that result in further differences.

Real-Money Slots

To play a real-money slot, you need to bet real money on each spin (or free spins/bonus money from a casino bonus). This risk also brings a potential reward, as any winnings you gain from spins or bonus features will be paid out in real money too.

The main point of an online casino for many is to gamble (safely and sensibly, of course) so real-money slots are the most popular form of slot play.

Free Slots

Free slots take away the real money aspect on both sides, you can’t spend real money, nor can you win it.

That said, free slots give you the chance to get to know how a slot works, get a sense of how the RTP and variance affect the game’s behavior and the ins and outs of any bonus features. Free slots are a good way to decide if betting real money on a specific slot is something you’d like to do, and gives the opportunity to have risk-free slots fun while you do!

When you hear stories of players winning life-changing, multi-million dollar jackpots on slot games, it is normally the result of a progressive jackpot win.

Progressive jackpot slots see a jackpot build up with every bet made on a slot or series of slots, in most cases, there is no maximum amount this jackpot can build up to (although there is usually a minimum). The jackpot triggers at a random point and can pay out huge.

Slots like Playtech’s Age of the Gods series, NetEnt’s Mega Fortune, and Microgaming’s Mega Moolah are some of the most popular progressive jackpot slots.

What Is A Classic 3-Reel Slot?

For fans of vintage, classic 3-reel slots have three reels and usually a small number of paylines with no bonus features. Based on classic fruit machines, wins are gained by matching symbols on a payline.

Relish the nostalgia with 3-reel slots here.

What Are 5-Reel Slots?

Five-reel slots are usually 3D video slots and have a lot more complex design touches than the classic three-reelers. More than just an extra two reels, this slots also involve graphics, animations, and exciting bonus features including free spins rounds and more.

Check out the best five-reel slots and bonus features here.

What Are Multi-payline slots?

With the extra reels in modern slots comes the potential for a greater number of paylines. With 10 or 20 payline slots being frequent, and some (like MegaWays slots) offering ways to win that number up into the hundreds of thousands. Multi-paylines can add a whole new level to the excitement of classic slots.

Experiment with multi-payline slots today.

It isn’t difficult to find a place to play real-money slots of all types, there are thousands of options online. However, finding a good place to play is a different thing. Not all online casinos are created equal and it can be tough to know which sites can be trusted and provide high-quality games as well as enticing promotions.

Luckily, we’ve got your back on this one! Our hard-working reviewers have checked out all the big-name casinos (and many more besides) to bring detailed information about them all to help you make your own decision as to where to play.

Check out our casino site reviews to choose your new favorite place to play.