How to Play Online Slots With Just $10

Our expert weighs in to answer a question we hear a lot. Have you ever wondered how to play online slots with just $10 and without losing a bundle in the process? If you follow these tips, you're in a much better position to win cash, even if it's a small amount.

Set a Limit and Stick to It

Before you do anything, set your budget. Once you've bet this much, stop. Do not fall for the temptation to keep going. If you're determined to stick to $10, walk away once that's gone. One of the biggest mistakes players makes lies in chasing their losses.

You've wagered all $10 and didn't win anything. You're convinced that just a few more bets will change that luck and win back what you've lost. This rarely happens. If you keep going, the $10 you were determined to stick to is now $20, $30, $40, etc.

Always set a limit and when you've bet that amount, log off for the day. If you were lucky and won more than the $10 you risked, don't fall for the temptation to keep going. Some players will hit a lucky streak and assume it's going to keep going. You risk losing it all doing this. Stop when you're ahead.

Use Bonus Offers to Boost the Money You Have

If you're risking $10, look for casino bonuses that double your money. But, make sure those casino promotions are not overly restrictive. Too many players fail to read and understand the rules. A casino welcome bonus may only benefit you if it is a no-rules bonus. Otherwise, you won't be able to do things like withdraw your winnings until you've met the terms.

For example, your $10 deposit gets a 150% welcome bonus, bringing the amount you have to use in the casino to $25 ($15 free with the welcome bonus). But, you look at the terms and see there is a 40x wagering requirement based on the amount you deposit and the amount you get with the bonus. That's 40 times the $25 ($1,000) that you have to wager before you're allowed to withdraw cash. The $10 you'd budgeted is now going to cost you $1,000 if you want to be able to cash out your winnings. It gets expensive.

Our experts agree that you should stick to a no-rules bonus and carefully read the terms. A no-rules bonus might not have wagering requirements but have a max cashout. You want a bonus that doesn't have either.

Stop Expecting to Win a Fortune

There are slots with giant jackpots out there, but the odds of hitting one are unlikely. It's best to not expect to win a jackpot. Lower your expectations. If you do happen to hit a jackpot, great, but it's always best to aim for winning back your bets.

If you do really want to win a jackpot, try the Hot Drop Jackpots. These games have jackpots that are guaranteed to be awarded every hour, every day, and before reaching $300,000. If you log in and see the hourly jackpot hasn't been won and has eight minutes left, the odds of winning that jackpot are better.

Pay Attention to the Game RTPs

What is the slot game's RTP (return-to-player)? An RTP is the percentage of wagers that are paid back out to players over time. Often, this time period is months or years. It's not calculated on one day or even a week. Games with a low RTP may not have as many winning spins as a game with a higher RTP.

Even if a game has a high RTP, it doesn't mean you're guaranteed to win huge prizes each time you spin the reel. Often, you'll win part or all of your bet back. Suppose your wager is 25 cents per spin and you consistently win 10 cents, you're losing less cash over time. Say on your 12th spin, you win $5, you'll be overjoyed that you've just won back a high percentage of what you risked.

Stick to the Smallest Possible Bet

When you do find some high-RTP slots to play, don't choose the max bet. As tempting as it may be to have bigger prizes, you'll have fewer spins before you're out of money. Stick to penny line bets when possible.

Not sure about that? Take a closer look at what happens when we played ten rounds of 10 Times Vegas slots (96.47%) at the 9-cent minimum bet ($0.90 total for the ten spins) vs. ten rounds at the max $120 bet ($1,200 for the ten spins).

Minimum Bet/Maximum Bet and Winnings Per Spin:

  • 1st spin - $0 / $200
  • 2nd spin - $1.44 / $0
  • 3rd spin - $0 / $0
  • 4th spin - $0 / $0
  • 5th spin - $0.06 / $0
  • 6th spin - $0 / $0
  • 7th spin - $0 / $0
  • 8th spin - $0 / $0
  • 9th spin - $0 / $0
  • 10th spin - $0.15/ $0

With the smaller bet, we won more than we risked. The same was not true with our max bet experience. Bigger is not always better. In fact, the only time it's worth placing a max bet is if the bonus features require it.

Explore a Casino First

Before you risk your cash, claim no deposit bonuses from casino affiliates and try new casinos to see what you think. If a casino isn't a good fit, you should move on to find one that is right for you. Test out the casino support, see what you think of the games selection, and read up on the policies if you do claim a welcome bonus. When you use these tips for how to play online slots with just $10, you'll do better than expected.