5 Tips to Find Good Online Slots

A Foolproof Checklist for Finding Great Slots

Finding a solid online slot can sometimes feel a bit like trying to find an oasis in the desert.

You're dying of thirst, and all you're coming across are mirages: slots that look good on the outside, but end up being all smoke and mirrors, with nothing to show for your time except a negative casino balance and a wallet that puffs out dust when you open it. 

Good thing that slots are literally our bread and butter here at Hideous Slots, and we know what a good slot looks (and plays) like!

What if we told you that there's a simple checklist to make sure the slot you're playing is genuinely worth your time every single time?

Here are five tips we recommend using the next time you're hunting for a new online slot.

What To Look for in Online Slots

1. Comes From a Licensed, Regulated Casino

First up, the boring (but very important) bit. 

You'll want to make sure that the online slot in question comes from a reputable online casino that's actually playing by the rules.

We're talking licences – you can check this in the footer of every casino.

Some good licensing bodies to look for include the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) or the Malta Gaming Authority (MGA) as the gold standard. 

Licenses guarantee that the casino is operating under strict guidelines regarding secure payments, player protection, responsible gambling, and – crucially – fair games. This means that the RNG systems have been properly tested and audited. 

To make things easier, every casino recommended on Hideous Slots has already been thoroughly tested by our team of experts. Which is basically a long-winded way of saying we know exactly what separates a good casino from a poor one. 

2. The Maths Model (RTP and Volatility)

So you've found a slot at a licensed and regulated casino. Now what? 

You'll want to check over the maths model before committing any real money. This refers to the RTP (Return to Player) rate and volatility.

The RTP gives you a rough theoretical figure that says how much money that particular game pays back over time, based on thousands upon thousands of simulated spins. 

As a general rule of thumb, you should always opt for a slot that has an RTP of 96% or over, to ensure you'll get decent enough returns over the long term, and you're not just throwing your cash into the void. 

Then there's the volatility (or variance). This decides how often you'll win, and how big those wins will be. There's low, medium, high, and extreme, and some slots that dip between two, like medium-high volatility.

Low volatility games will drip out small wins often, like an extra £2 there or a 70p combo there, while high volatility games crank up the chaos, having long dry spells before exploding into the bonus features with big wins up for grabs – something Nolimit City and Hacksaw Gaming are famous for. 

There's no right or wrong answer here; it all depends on your gameplay preferences and risk tolerance. 

3. Bonus Features That Actually Do Something

You'll want a game with bonus features that actually pull their weight and do things, whether it's multiplying wilds, bonus games, or free spins.

These mechanics need to feel like a natural part of the game's story and overall gameplay rhythm, and not just there to pad out the paytable. 

For example, most slots will have scatters. Collect three, and you're straight into the bonus round with free spins. But this needs to be worth chasing. If it's just the base game with a fresh lick of paint slapped on, it's probably not worth your time. 

Innovative mechanics that really switch up the gameplay are a huge bonus, like Nolimit City's xSeries, Big Time Gaming's Megaways mechanic, or ELK Studios‘ CollectR. These are unique mechanics that keep things unpredictable, so you never know what's going to happen with your next spin.

For players outside of the UK, Bonus Buy features may be available, letting you buy directly into bonus rounds for an upfront cost, usually 10x or 100x your stake.

4. Better Looks, Better Gameplay

If the slot looks stale, that's because it probably is.

Slot themes and their overall aesthetic can make a massive difference to gameplay, especially when the slot symbols, animations, and sound design reinforce the slot's overarching theme.

Take San Quentin from NLC, which scored an impressive 9.6 out of 10 from our team. The slot symbols are standard prison objects, like handcuffs, shivs, and, of course, the inmates themselves, with “don't drop the soap” jokes galore to truly drive the whole gritty jailcell aesthetic home. Only, in this case, crime really does pay with an impressive max win of 150,000x. 

Audio is also crucial. Great slots don't just blast your eardrums off for no reason; the best slots build tension with smart audio cues, marking key moments in gameplay like the tense moment before landing the final scatter for free spins, or tempo increases as multipliers stack. 

San Quentin Big Loss

5. Overall Feedback From Players

Finally, before committing real cash, check player reviews and community feedback. 

You can look at forums, platforms like Reddit, or use trusted slot review sites like ours to get unfiltered opinions.

We review the latest and greatest slots on a daily basis, and always call it how we see it – if a game is boring, poorly balanced, or hard to bonus, we'll say so.

Our reviews break down features, RTP, volatility, and our genuine first impressions, giving you a clear idea of whether it's worth your time (and money). 

Final Thoughts

At the end of the day, finding a great online slot isn't a random shot in the dark – far from it!

It's all about knowing what to look for.

When you choose slots from licensed casinos, check the maths models, and pick slots with solid bonus features and designs, you're already stacking the odds in your favour for a better experience. 

Just remember: slots are meant to be fun, unpredictable, and random at heart. Strap yourself in, enjoy the ride, set your limits, and always play responsibly.