Your Guide to Slots in South Africa

Slots in South Africa come a vast variety of forms and remain one of the most popular options for gamblers who frequent casinos, both online and in traditional brick and mortar establishments. Research shows that up to 70% of casino revenue is generated from slots.

Interestingly enough, playing Slots doesn’t require much skill from the gambler compared to other casino games such as Black Jack and Poker, yet some of these slot games offer surprisingly large jackpot amounts. So why are these games so popular when a player simply has to press a button or pull a lever and sit back to watch the predetermined result of their bet? In this article we take a look at some of the aspects that make Slots so alluring to gamblers.

Basics of Slots in South Africa:

Types of slot machines

A slot machine has three or more spinning reels with a variety of different symbols. These machines usually come in two variations, either reel slots or video slots. The former is generally found in brick and mortar casinos, and traditionally incorporate fruit symbols such as cherries. After a bet is placed, the reels will begin to spin and will land randomly on a combination of symbols, or symbols which form a particular pattern.  These are called the paylines. The amount of winnings is determined by the amount that was bet and the higher the bet, the higher the winnings depending on the particular payline or combination of paylines that the reels land on.

Video slots

Video slots operate in the same manner, but they offer the player a much more exciting and interactive gambling experience. Not only do they offer a much larger number of paylines, these slot machines also incorporate some exciting computer graphics, and the variety of game themes found on video reel games are practically infinite. These games also offer some exciting features such as scatters, surprise symbols and wilds which are designed to make the gambler’s experience more thrilling and to increase their chances of winning.

Where to play Slots in South Africa?

South African Slots fans can enjoy playing their favourite slots at either casinos or one of the many dedicated slots sites dotted throughout the country. Many of these are located in bars, betting shops or restaurants. South Africans can now also enjoy playing legal slots online at Supabets, the first betting site to offer legal online slots called Supabets Instant Games to South Africans. You’ll need to have an account to access the games, but signing up is free and you’ll a R50 free bet for registering. Check out our list of the best slots sites in South Africa for more great sites.

What is a Random Number Generator?

All slot machines effectively function in the same manner. Once a bet is placed, the reels begin to spin and a Random Number Generator computer chip will randomly select whether that spin is a winning or losing combination. Each spin is a completely new and unique incident and cannot be influenced by prior game play, wins or bets. So, in other words, if the odds of winning the jackpot on a slot machine is 1:30000, each time a bet is placed, the odds remain 1:30000 regardless of whether the player is a first time gambler or whether they have years of experience with slot machines. All slots manufacturers have their software tested and verified by independent third parties to ensure that the mathematics of the games are correct and fair, and that the outcomes thereof cannot be cheated.

Slot Machine Terminology

• Pay Table – this is a table which illustrates the winning symbol combinations and the associated credits for each winning combination.
• Credits – this is what is bet on a slot machine in exchange for money. For example, if you are playing a R1 machine and insert R50, you will have 50 credits available on the machine.
• Max Bet – this is the maximum number of credits that can be bet on a particular game. This also yields the highest possible payout amount, with each machine having a set maximum payout amount that cannot be exceeded.
• Autoplay – the reels will continue to spin, and the player will continue to wager bets automatically until the machine either hits a winning combination or the autoplay feature is deactivated by the gambler.
• Bonus Feature – this is a feature offered on most slot games to increase the player’s chances of a winning combination, free spins or multiplying their wins

How do payouts on slots work in South Africa?

Depending on the manufacturer and type of game, the payouts on South African slots vary, with some being more volatile than others. In general, slots with a higher denomination bet have a higher return to player percentage compared to their lower denomination counterparts. Payout percentages generally range anywhere from 85% to 98%, with the latter being on the higher denomination machines.

This does not mean that for each R1 bet you will receive 85c to 98c in return, it simply means that the longer you keep playing, the closer you will get to the particular machine’s average return to player percentage. Once you take multipliers, scatters and free games into account, you could receive a much higher return. Always ensure that you check to see what a particular machine’s stipulated maximum jackpot amount is because two machines or games could look exactly the same, but the pay tables may be different which results in different winnings calculations.

What are fixed and progressive jackpots?

Fixed jackpots are a fixed maximum amount that can be won on a particular machine and this amount does not change. Progressive jackpots on the other hand are variable and will increase with more game play on a particular slot machine or a series of slot machines linked to the said progressive jackpot. Progressive jackpot machines are generally more popular as the size of the maximum prize will continue to increase until it has been won.

Gamble responsibly

It is always advisable to enter a casino with an amount in mind that you are willing to lose and part with. It is important to not exceed this amount else you may well end up with an empty bank account or gambling more to try and win back your losses. As a general rule, if you are winning, it’s a good idea to stop once you have doubled your original spend. Should you decide to play longer, you are increasing your chances that you may end up losing your winnings and potentially overspending.

Casino Rewards Programmes and Bonuses

Almost all casinos games offer membership programmes and rewards linked to your frequency of play and your casino spending habits. These rewards can be fairly lucrative and usually do not cost anything to join. New members often receive exciting packages and bonuses simply for joining the rewards program and the benefits increase exponentially for VIP members. The types of packages and rewards programs vary from one casino to the next so be sure to find a loyalty program that best suits your play behaviour and spending habits.

 

The Gambler’s verdict on Slots

Slots are the most popular casino games in South Africa because they come in so many varieties of games and denominations and it really does not require any skill. Anyone can win big! Gamblers may seem to think that a particular machine is in a paying cycle and is about to hit the jackpot but in reality this is all a myth. Winning on slots is all by pure chance with every spin, thanks to the Random Number Generator chip, so each player really has the same chance of winning big bonuses!