Slot machines are a great way to spend your free time and potentially make a little bit of extra cash on the side. Slot machines have come a long way since the Liberty Bell was made in the 1890s. You can find the best slots for real money here. but how do the newer features like bonus rounds, free spins, and outlandish themes add to the slot machine experience?
Bonus Round, Bonus Money?
Whether you’re playing the online slots or if you’re at the local venue putting your coins in the machine – it’s a regular feature to see a bonus round. These come in all shapes and sizes. Some of them come with the price of admission (usually known as free spins), whereas some are seen as a bonus bet. I.e. if a player wins, they have the option to wager their winnings on a bonus spin. Depending on when the bonus rounds appear it can give the player an incentive to keep on playing.
How Many Free Spins Did You Say Again?
One of the most common phrases seen around gambling marketing is ‘sign up now and you’ll get [insert number here] free spins!’. The draw is supposed to be that you’ll get to gamble with the house’s money. On the surface, it sounds great when you sign up and get an inordinate amount of free spins. However, more experienced slot machine players and online casino users appreciate the drawstrings attached to these promises. Normally, you can only play on specific machines – which they may have manipulated to pay out less often. It’s usually above board but can be frustrating.  However, to those who might not be as well versed in it the advent of X-amount of free spins could present remarkable value. New players could think that they are getting a good deal and sign up regardless.
Of course, these are usually only available on the online slots. Although, if you know the barman very well he might use his slot machine owner keys to give you a free play on the slot if he can do so.
Hold a Reel
One of the most prominent features of slot machines is the ability to hold a reel or multiple reels. This is where the player has landed on some reels that they would like to keep for the next spin. The remaining reels spin as usual but the held reels stay the same as they were before. This usually costs additional money or currency that is earned online.; sometimes it is given as a reward when a player reaches a specific amount of spins.
Some online slots however are pre-determined results meaning that holding a reel doesn’t change your odds of winning, at all. However, not everyone appreciates that. Some gamblers on the slot machine think it gives them an element of control over the games, meaning that they play such games offering this feature.
Decorative and Appealing Themes for Slots
Aesthetic attributes play a large role in attracting players to play slot machines in both the online and offline worlds. They serve as an important pillar in attracting people who might not be otherwise interested in playing slot machines to part with their money. There are slots based on popular TV shows and musical acts which do that very successfully. There are even a few sports-themed ones which try to attract people, i.e. the ice hockey-themed slot game which must be popular in Canada.
Do More Features Mean More Fun?
Yes and no. As we enter into a world where eSports and online gambling become closer and closer, the demand for bonus playability and features within online slot machines is somewhat needed to appeal to new and younger audiences.
There are however the classic slot machine fans who still enjoy the simplicity of the ‘spin and win’ elements. While none of them want a return to the mechanical slot machines of yesteryear, they don’t see the appeal of having too many extra features. After all, if a slot machine game has ALL of the possible extra features and added play elements then it could become rather confusing and take away from the appeal of what is supposed to be a simple casino game.
Ultimately, it’s down to the audience and what they want from a slot machine experience.
