Most people play slots because the gameplay is easy to learn, and the variety of features and themes offer almost unlimited arcade-style entertainment. Winning is a simple matter of pressing the spin button, letting the reels spin, and waiting for that big win, which is why we decided to find 7 reasons to answer the question, Why Do People Play Slots?
7 Reasons Why People Play Slots
There are clearly more than 7 reasons we can think of why people play online slots. As a result, we made a shortlist using the reasons we feel are the most applicable.
1. Easy to Play
Learning to play online slots does not take long. Once a new player learns how to read slot machines and gets the hang of the features after a few wins, moving on to another slot with a different theme and features is not so daunting.
After a few hundred spins across a variety of slot games, most new players are already well on their way to becoming slot gaming connoisseur.
2. Variety
Unlike most other traditional casino games like Baccarat, Roulette, and Blackjack, slot developers have far more flexibility when designing a new game and therefore the types of slot machines available are almost limitless.
They can theme the slot on a movie, a popular series like Game of Thrones, or a holiday destination, for example, a Safari in Savannah.
On top of this, slot players get to choose to play 3-reel, 5-reel, or 6-reel slots, all of which come with different reel mechanics like Ways to Win with no pay lines, Megaways, Pay Line slots, and Cluster Pays.
3. The Chance to Win Big
With every spin, there is a chance a big win could land. This is especially true if you are playing jackpot slots, which could, at any point, payout a life-changing win. Even on slots that don’t come with a jackpot, players can win multipliers of their spin bet from 1,000x to 100,000x and more on some games, depending on the maximum win.
4. Entertainment Value
Fun and interactive gameplay is another key reason people play slots. Whether you play online slots or physically play video slots, today’s modern digitalized gameplay can take you into just about any scenario.
Whether it’s a cops and robbers theme or an underwater adventure into the depths of the lost City of Atlantis, modern slot design technology enhances the adventure with crystal-clear sound effects, visuals, and animations that all add to the entertainment of slot gaming.
5. Thrill of the Unknown
Before you start playing a slot game, there is no way to tell whether you are going to come out on the other side with pockets full of cash or whether you’ll be turning your pockets inside out because the slot took you to the cleaners.
Experienced slot players know this feeling best of all, as they’ve celebrated the highs and commiserated with the lows on many occasions. In short, every new session is an adventure into the unknown.
6. Availability of Bonus Games and Features
Once again, we have to compare slots to other traditional casino games like blackjack and roulette. Although game developers are adding bonus games and features to table games in online and social casinos, they can’t match the assortment of features a slot game can offer.
Players can hunt for their preferred features from thousands of slot games. It could be free spins, coin collection games with re-spins, or games with a combination of multiple bonus features.
7. Affordable to High-Risk Gameplay
Number seven on the list is the fact that playing slots is actually quite affordable. Slot developers offer a range of spin bet options, from low-risk bets of 0.10 per spin to high-risk bets for high rollers looking to burn large sums of cash or win big. It is this wide variety of betting options that makes slot gaming accessible to players with any budget size.
The Psychology Behind Slot Machines
Slot machines have a certain dazzle to them. The sounds, the variety of themes, flashing lights, excellent graphics and animations. Just like computer or arcade games appeal to most people, online slots are similar, but also with the chance to win money or social coins.
Social Element
If you play slots in a land-based environment, then there is a social element to playing slots, especially if you are playing in a large high-street slot shop or on a casino floor with hundreds of video slot games.
Cognitive dissonance
Then, there is a term called Cognitive dissonance. Despite players knowing that casinos or slot shops have an edge and the games are there, so the establishment makes a profit, players still believe they can beat the odds.
Dopamine
Finally, dopamine also plays its part. Think parachuting, snowboarding on a black slope, or motorbike racing. There is an element of danger and fun involved, and the same can be said for slots.
The dopamine aspect works in three ways when it comes to slot gaming.
- Chasing Losses: If you are losing, then you may continue to chase your losses because you feel that a big win is coming.
- Making a Profit: When you are winning, you may either walk away with the buzz of knowing you have made a profit.
- Chasing the Big Win: Some players’ dopamine levels are so high they want to continue playing, hoping to build on their win or hit that elusive jackpot windfall.
Why Do People Play Slots Instead of Blackjack?
Most blackjack games come with an RTP of 99.5% or more. In comparison online slots have an RTP of 94% to 99%, but on average, around the 96% mark.
On top of this, we don’t see films about playing video slot games, but there are plenty about Blackjack or those that include Blackjack.
Bearing these factors in mind, you would have thought most players would prefer to play Blackjack. However, most people play slots instead of Blackjack because of the simplicity of spinning slot machine reels.
With online slots, all you need is a bet sizing strategy to ensure you don’t burn through your bankroll by setting spin bets too high.
Then, you simply press the spin button and wait for the slot to pay. There are some slots with complex features that may take time to understand. Yet, even if you understand how features work, this doesn’t give you much of an edge.
Conversely, blackjack might have a 99.5%+ RTP, but you can only achieve this if you know whether to split, hit, double down, or stand at exactly the right time.
This means playing according to basic strategy, which is a set of charts that tell you what your next move is according to your hand total and the dealer’s face-up card.
Of course, the other point we should mention is that the main gameplay involved with playing blackjack doesn’t change. You may play on red, blue, or green felts, but that’s about the only difference.
In short, people play slots instead of Blackjack because slot games offer more straightforward gameplay. Plus, slot games offer more variety and are more engaging, thanks to their sheer diversity in themes.
Limitless Reasons Why Do People Play Slots
There are almost limitless reasons we can use to speculate why people play slots, and there are reasons that are undeniable.
The most common rationales behind why slot players enjoy spinning the reels include the simplistic gameplay and the chance to win big, not to mention the satisfaction of beating the house!
There is also the enjoyment and satisfaction of playing a theme that resonates with the player, for instance, a slot themed on someone’s favorite movie. Moreover, slots give players diversity in gameplay thanks to a variety of features, themes, and reel mechanics.
