Here are a few pointers to help you optimize your game and get the biggest possible bang for your buck.

When you sit down to the video slot machine, don’t just insert the money and start spinning like there’s no tomorrow. Take a look at the payout percentage of your machine (it has to be displayed on the machine somewhere) and don’t be shy to hit that “help” button. The help sections of slot machines will let you know which the paying lines are, and they will thus make the game more enjoyable for you. They’ll also fill you in on whether or not you need to play maximum bet to be eligible for bonus games. The bottom line is, the better informed you are, the more you’ll enjoy the game and the easier you’ll find it to maximize your odds.

Always play maximum lines. One mistake that beginners often make is that they bet on a minimum number of lines to save some money on the bet and thus to prolong their bankroll. With that move though they minimize their chances of hitting a winning line and thus the strategy turns right around and bites them. The game experience will suffer as well: there’s nothing more disheartening than seeing a high paying line come up that you didn’t bet on.

Every slots guide tells you to play maximum coins whenever possible. Certainly, if the jackpot size justifies it, or if it carries other such benefits, you should definitely play maximum coins, however, there are slot machines out there which allow you play several coins on a per line basis. In these instances, even if the coins we’re talking about are pennies, money can quickly pile up. If there’s no special reason for you to play maximum coins, often it is not called for.

Don’t be caught up in the bonus rounds. Sure, these mini games are entertaining especially because you’re made to feel like it’s a reward that you can play them in the first place. Bonus rounds however are designed to keep you playing for longer and the house edge on these rounds may even be bigger than on the regular spins. Don’t forget to take your slot card with you, so that you get full credit for the money that you spend. This is important because casinos often feature comp deals. These comp deals work like rakeback in poker (for more information on poker rakeback check out Best Poker Rakeback): they give you a rebate on money spent. In online casinos, these comp deals are mostly automatic, so all you need to do is to pick the casino with the most generous loyalty setup.