Press "Enter" to skip to content

Online vs offline slots: Payouts, RTPs and experience

It’s no secret that slot games are one of the most popular ways to gamble by a long shot, and their popularity has soared in recent years! And it’s no wonder really, they’ve come a long way from their reputation of being one arm bandits to being loved by millions of players around the world with thousands of different game titles to choose from!  So, who is the preferred method of playing?  We will look at online vs offline slots.

But whether you play online or play slots at a land-based casino, you’ll be able to play exciting, modern video slot games and fruit machines style slots and place your bets the touch of the button. Generally, slots have three or more reels and varying different payline and paytables depending on the slot. Before you start to play slot games, it’s important to get familiar with the mechanics of how online slots at Wizard Slots work and how different paylines work and always read the game description, so you know what features the game has to offer before you play.  

Land-based slot games  

If you’ve never stepped foot in a casino, you will have spotted slot games as they are very hard to miss! In traditionally set out casinos, slot games used to be situated at the front of the casino to catch the attention of casual players passing by, especially casinos within hotel complexes where guests would walk past and be tempted to have a quick casual flitter on the reels. However, you might have also seen slot machines in other places like in pubs or betting shops that have a license. This dates back to the inception of slot games where they used to be played in bars and small scale establishments.  

Online slot games  

Online slots
Photo by Junior Teixeira from Pexels

The beauty of online slot games is that they worked identically to land-based slot machines, except you can play them wherever you are, whenever the mood hits you! This is pivotal and has meant online slot gaming has far overtaken playing slots in land-based establishments. 

Essentially the only real difference is that instead of using cash to play the games, you deposit money from your bank account directly to an online gambling account on an online casino. As you might have guessed, just because they are essentially the same as each other doesn’t mean they offer the same experience – quite the opposite – they offer completely different experiences and often attract different types of players. Let’s take a look at some of the key differences in online and offline slots, and then you can make your decision on which you think is best for you!  

The atmosphere 

Humans are extremely visual creatures and are naturally attracted to bright lights, colors, and visual aesthetics. We are also very musical, more so than any other creature on the plant, and we have a very unique relationship with music. We also place huge importance on the atmosphere, and being in a fun, safe, and social environment is important to most people, whether while they’re eating dinner at a restaurant or playing slots. No one ever wants to eat in a restaurant with no customers without mood lighting or background music to create an atmosphere. We place the same importance on the atmosphere for other aspects of our lives too, even without noticing! Land-based slot games offer many atmospheres, with bright lights, fancy drinks, background music, and enthusiastic crowds. The glamorous casino can offer a buzzing atmosphere that is often unrivaled by online slots. There’s a reason many people choose to go to casinos when they are celebrating a special occasion like a big birthday or a hen or stag party. The atmosphere is brilliant!  

Some players believe that it just isn’t quite the same with online slots as you don’t get this buzzing atmosphere sitting in your own living room! However, not everyone loves the bright lights and the fun-filled atmosphere every night of the week, and much prefer to play slots while they are winding down on an evening after a busy day at work, putting their feet up and playing a few slots. So it’s all down to personal preference and what kind of vibe you prefer!  

The convenience of online slots 

One of the main reasons online slots have shot into popularity is that they are just so convenient to play. After all, they are so readily available. You can play slots on desktop and smartphones and tablets, and more players play slots on mobiles than any other device, showing just how much the convenience of online slot games has made them popular. There’s no need to travel anywhere like you would have to go to a land-based casino, so it’s a no brainer for most slot players to simply play slots online rather than offline.  

Time and Budget 

Set a timer
Photo by Mike from Pexels

Playing slots online can help you to stick to limits you’ve set for yourself in terms of the time you spend playing slots as well as the budget you set for yourself. This is because if you go to a casino and play there, you’re far more likely to gamble for longer and spend more money – let’s face it, you’re not going to go all the way to a casino just for a couple of games! There is more temptation to keep playing at land-based casinos. Many casinos offer free food and drinks for players as long as you keep playing, which makes it more likely you’ll gamble longer than you would if you were just playing casually at home.  

Variety of Games 

This is one way online and offline games are on a level playing field, as both slot games online and slot games in land-based casinos have an abundance of slot games to choose from, so the variety of games for you to choose from is massive! The only downside of this is that if you’re wanting a good choice of slot games to choose from playing offline slots, you’re going to have to go to big casinos and not just down your local pub! 

Featured Photo by Daria Sannikova from Pexels