Slots are amongst the most popular casino games in the world. The game can be played online and offline, both having their advantages and disadvantages. Online slots have more advantages than offline slots with few disadvantages in comparison.
Picking between the two is down to personal preference. However, if you’re looking to make money in slots, here are a few things that can help you make a decision between going online or offline.
The Generational Gap
The generational gap between older and younger people has been set by their understanding of technology. It’s been proven over the years that having less knowledge creates fear in newly built platforms. That’s the same with online slots gambling and the older generation.
The older generations that aren’t tech-savvy usually go to offline casinos to gamble. They don’t know how to use computers properly so it limits them from opening online casino accounts to play slots. The older generation also likes to stick to their old habits and prefer to keep things the same in the way they gamble.
Land-based casinos usually have older people in them. They’ll also have the occasional youngsters in their early 20s who have come in for an evening out. It’s similar to land-based sportsbooks, you’ll find a lot more of the older generations inside than the younger generations.
The younger generations tend to use online casinos more readily than the older generation. It’s because they’re more technology-reliant, so it makes sense for them to gamble online and use online slots rather than offline slots machines.
It’s like they are programmed to use their devices rather than interact with the world at times. The gap between generations does not mean that you’ll find all old people offline and young people online. It’s a mixture of both, but generally, you’ll find that older people prefer to use offline means to gamble.
Online Slots
The first-ever online slots game was made back in 1996. Since then online slots have become extremely popular with lots of people playing the games. Online slots gained in popularity because of its accessibility and benefits.
Players can switch on an electronic device that supports the online casino gaming platform and play slots from the comfort of their homes. It’s never been so easy to gamble at online casinos on slots. Online slots provide players with a ton of advantages that make it really attractive to make online accounts and play.
Advantages
Return to Player Percentage (RTP)
Online casinos have really high RTP that can be as high as 99%. This means for every $100 dollar a player wagers, the online casino will payout $99 on average. Having a higher RTP is what attracts a lot of players online rather than playing offline. It’s because they are more likely to win online and get better payouts.
Game Variety
There are hundreds of online slots to be found across tons of gambling platforms. Game variety is big when online slots are involved. There are always new games being added to online casinos which make things interesting. You’ll never get bored playing online slots. There’s a whole list of themes you can find, those being;
- Movie / TV Show Themed Slots
- Horror Slots
- Fruit Slots
- Egyptian Slots
- Asian Slots
The themes say it all, tons of movie / TV slots like Jumanji, Game of Thrones, the Hulk, and many more are found online. The list is endless when it comes to variations in online slots. One thing to keep in mind is that the themes do vary, but the game stays the same.
Gaming Experience
Playing slots online is a whole other experience. You can sit at home and set the atmosphere yourself by getting a beverage ready and some snacks. You’ll be able to set everything the way you want it to be before placing your first bets.
The great things about online slots are that there’s always game availability. Multiple people can open the same app and play the game simultaneously without worrying if the game will be free for them to play. You can even open 2 windows and play 2 slot games at the same time if you like the look of two games. The options on how you chose to play are limitless when you’re online.
Bonuses and Promotions
Online casinos provide players with amazing bonuses and promotions when they sign up to play. There are a few bonuses to expect when signing up. One of the bonuses is known as the match bonus. This is where online casinos will match the player’s deposit.
Online casinos usually match the deposit with 50% all the way up to 300% if you pick the right websites. The second bonus is getting free money or free spins on online slots when signing up. A lot of online casinos provide both the match bonus and free spins upon sign up.
The online casinos also do promotions on new games and give out free spins to online slots that have recently been added. During festive seasons promotions are also given out to some lucky players in the form of free money, spins and match bonuses.
Lower Limits
Online casinos have extremely low limits for betting on online slots. You can bet as low as $0.01 per payline at most of the online slot games. It’s great for money management if you’re playing for fun because with an average bankroll you can play for hours without running out of cash. However, it also reduces your chances of winning the larger jackpots on some games. Betting more on paylines increases your chances.
Disadvantages
Withdrawal Times
Online withdrawals are easy to make, but it takes a while to reach your accounts. Withdrawals usually take between 3-5 working days for the money to enter bank accounts once the withdrawal is made. Not ideal for players who are looking to have their money enter their accounts within a few hours. Many online casinos take their time to process withdrawals and give players the option to cancel their withdrawals. It leads to players canceling withdrawals and playing for longer.
Too Convenient
Playing online slots is way too convenient for many players. Players end up online for hours eating through their bankroll because they can play wherever whenever. It’s difficult for many players to stop in these circumstances.
Walking to a traditional casino means effort needs to be made, so not as many people are likely to gamble their bankroll as readily and as quickly if they have to move to the casino.
Offline Slots
A man named Charles Fey invented the game of slots. Little did he know that slots would turn into a fan favorite games at both offline and online casinos. Offline slots were first invented in 1895 more than 120 years ago in San Francisco California.
The world of offline slots is a whole different experience compared to its online counterpart. It has its benefits, but they aren’t anywhere as rewarding as you’d get from online casinos. It might be a shock to you, but offline casinos have 68% of the players who come in to play slots. The other 32% of players are at the other available games.
Advantages
Interactions
The vibe and atmosphere are completely different at offline casinos, where interactions with other people happen. Interactions with the staff members and other players in the casino happen frequently and it’s something that’s missing from the online version of slots.
You can’t talk to other players around you online because there is none to speak to. The main reason people go to offline casinos is to sit at the bar with friends, have a few drinks, and then head over to the slots machines and play for a bit to try their luck.
Fast Withdrawal
Withdrawals at offline casinos are extremely fast. There is usually a two-step procedure that only takes a few minutes to complete. First players have to tell the machine they want to stop playing and take their funds.
The machine sends out a ticket for the player to take to the cashier’s desk. Once you’re at the desk it’s as easy as showing the cashier your ticket and watching him count your money.
Disadvantages
RTP Percentages
The RTP at offline casinos is extremely low. The average for offline casinos is between 90-95% however, on some occasions you’ll find RTP’s as low as 75%, which means for every $100 wagered players will get back $75 on average.
These returns are super low and it’s how offline casinos make a lot of cash. If you’re playing slots to make money rather than for fun it’s better to play online to get the benefits of a higher RTP.
Availability
Electronic offline slot machines are pretty big machines because they need to house the mechanics and hold the cash. They take up a lot of space in land-based casinos, so there is a limit to the maximum number of slot machines available in the house.
This means if players’ favorite slot machines are taken then they’ll be waiting around till it’s free. Players could end up waiting anywhere between a few minutes to a few hours depending on how long the slots are occupied.
Final Thoughts
It’s all about personal preference. A lot of players will experiment with online and offline slot games and choose where they prefer to play.
A lot of the time players prefer to sit at home and play, but on occasions, they will dress up and make an evening of it by heading to the offline casinos. Online casinos provide more benefits in terms of bonuses, accessibility, and game variety, whilst offline casinos provide a more social experience for players.
If I had to pick the better option, I’d go for online slots as it brings a lot more to the table compared to offline slots. The benefits are too good to pass on at this point. The only way offline slots could compare is by matching what online slots does and that’s very unlikely.
