Dollar Slots Online
Dollar slots are slot machine games which cost a minimum of a dollar to play. The rule of thumb, when playing slot machines, is to play for as high a denomination as you can afford, because the higher denomination machines offer a higher payout percentage than the lower denomination machines.
Using that logic, dollar slots are perfect for players who are bored by quarter slots but who can’t afford the $5 slots. Keep in mind, though, that on many games, you’ll be making more than just one wager on one payline. Modern slot machines usually have the option to bet multiple coins on multiple lines, so that $1 slot machine could cost you a significant amount of money per spin.
In other words, don’t just walk up to a dollar slot machine and insert $100 and press “max bet”. Look at the machine first to make sure you can afford the max bet. Keep in mind, too, that it’s not uncommon for slot machine games to offer higher payouts and chances at bigger jackpots if you’re playing the max bet. Sometimes it might be better to scale back to the quarter games in order to afford the max.
Penny Slots vs. Dollar Slots
Most penny slots games have multiple progressive jackpots, but in order to win them, you have to make the max bet. That means you’ll be wagering $1 or $1.50 per spin anyway, but you’ll be facing a lower payout percentage overall. When you play for less than the maximum bet, the biggest wins you’ll be able to see will be about $20 or so.
You’re a lot better off playing a traditional three reel slot machine with a single payline at a dollar a spin. The payout percentage overall is higher, and you’ll also be eligible for a jackpot that’s usually in the range of $1000 or more.
Famous Dollar Slot Machines
The most famous one dollar slot machine is the Wheel of Fortune dollar slot machine. It’s a progressive slot machine game with a huge jackpot of over $1 million. Obviously, it’s based on the eponymous game show starring Pat Sajak and Vanna White. The game was designed and promoted by IGT, International Game Technology, which is the largest designer and manufacturer of slot machine games in the world. The dollar version requires you to place the max bet (3 coins) in order to be eligible for the bonus game, in which you get to “spin the wheel”.
Famous online dollar slots include Cash Splash, Fruit Mania, and Major Millions, all of which are part of the Microgaming suite of games. These games are only available outside of the United States; Microgaming sites do not offer online slots for real money to players from within the United States.
Major Millions is the most famous of these. It’s a 3 reel, 3 line slot machine game with a maximum bet of 3 coins ($3) per spin. The game does offer wild symbols and multipliers, but it has no bonus games. It’s similar in many ways to Megabucks, but Major Millions is only available at online casinos powered by Microgaming.
Slotland also offers a dollar slot machine game called Fruit Mania, but it is not the same game that Microgaming offers. It’s a 5 reel, 15 line progressive game that requires no download, which is one of the perks from Slotland. The casino does accept real money players from the United States, which is why we mention it here. Keep in mind, too, that this game is available in multiple denominations up to $4. The max bet button defaults to a $60 bet per spin, so it’s a good idea to pay attention when playing this one.
Win a Day Casino offers a dollar slot machine game called Jackpot Jinni, which is an 18 line game. The max bet is $1 per line, so you could theoretically gamble $18 per spin on this one. Like Slotland, this casino accepts players from the United States, and it also requires no download.
How Much Do Dollar Slots Cost?
One way to manage your slot machine bankroll is to estimate what you think your average hourly loss will be at a given game. You do this by multiplying the number of bets you make per hour by the average amount per bet. Then you multiply that by the house edge.
For example, if you make 600 spins per hour on a slot machine, which is roughly average, then you can multiple that by $3 to determine your average hourly wager. (That’s assuming you’re playing a 3 line dollar slot with 3 paylines and you’re making the max bet per spin.) You’re putting $1800 per hour into action.
You don’t know with any degree of accuracy what the house edge is on any particular game, but if you take a look at Casino Player magazine or Strictly Slots magazine, you’ll see that they list average payout percentages for various locales. If you subtract the payout percentage from 100%, you’re left with the house edge.
The average payback percentage in Las Vegas (for dollar machines) is around 95%. That means you can expect, over the long run, to lose $5 for every $100 you wager. If you’re putting $1800 per hour into action, then you can expect to lose $90 per hour.
So when you’re planning your budget for your gambling trip, you can estimate how much you’re willing to lose and compare it with how much time you want to spend playing. Suppose you’re there for the weekend, and you want to spend a total of 8 hours playing slots. You’ll want to budget at least $700 or $800 for the trip.
Of course, if you get lucky and win, you can get more hours of gambling in, or you can quit while you’re ahead.
