Every slot machine you’ve ever played usually has a ‘max bet’ button that lets you bet the maximum amount possible for the number of coins, the line bet, and the bet lines.
But using the max bet on slot machine will not increase your odds of winning on a basic paytable. The only exception is if the slot has a jackpot or a bonus featured that is triggered by playing the max bet.
Generally speaking, this is the exception to the rule. Most video slots online have a set return to player rate and hit rate.
Whether you bet a penny or 100 a spin, the maths of the slot machine should stay the same and payout according to the paytable, regardless of how much you can bet.
When to Play Max Bet on Slots to Increase Your Odds of Winning
We know what we said. Most of the time, there are no real benefits to betting max bet on slot machines. Any fair slot regulated by proper gambling authorities will not change math models according to how much you bet.
So whether you bet £€$1 and win £€$20, or bet £€$10 and win £€$200, statistically, the results are the same. One looks more impressive than the other, but both players have won 20x their bet.
There are exceptions to the rule, and any well-regulated game should tell you what you get for increasing your bet in the paytable. Here are a few exceptions.
1. Big Bet Slot Machines with Bonus Triggers
These are rare as online slots but far more common at land-based casinos. Still, you find them, and the clue in the big button is called some variation of “Big Bet”.
The Legend of Big Foot slot and the Mighty Black Knight review are obvious examples. Both will lump together 5 or more spins at a higher bet amount, forcing you to bet 4/6/10 a spin.
What do you get for the bigger bet? With a better RTP, you are more likely to trigger the in-game bonus that leads to the bigger wins of the game.
2. Progressive Jackpot Slots
Just because you bet max on progressive slots does not mean you will win the jackpot.
But it’s true that the higher you bet on certain machines, the more likely you are to trigger the jackpot. Why? Because every bet buys you a chance to trigger the jackpot. The higher your bet, the higher your odds of winning the jackpot slot.
Think of it like this: if 0.10 a spin buys you 1 ticket into the lottery raffle to win the jackpot, 0.20 a spin wins your 2 tickets.
The more tickets you buy, the better your odds of winning the jackpot. Slot machines generally tend to announce this loud and clear – think the Mega Moolah slots by Microgaming or Jackpot Giant game by Playtech.
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3. Slots with Bonus Buys
These do not necessarily as you to press the max bet, but slots where you can buy free spin bonus rounds do allow you to increase your odds by betting more.
You should check the paytable, but for the most part, any buy-free spin slots will increase the Return to Player rate of the overall game when you buy the bonus.
It’s not cheap – for the most part, you get to pay around 100x your bet to instantly play the bonus round in a slot machine, bypassing all the in-game spins, scatters, or triggers.
But it can still be the more affordable option – after all, you can bet 0.10 a spin and for £€$10 buy entry into free spins where the top win could be over 10,000x your bet with a higher RTP.
That said, buying the bonus doesn’t mean you will win as much as 100x your bet. It’s still a gamble, and there’s no guarantee of returns.
One of our favourite slots with bonus buy is Money Train 4 slot game with its huge 150,000x bet max win and Money Cart Bonus which can continue to entertain for a while.
Why you shouldn’t play Max bet on slots
The first piece of advice we always give players when they start playing video slots is to set a budget and stick with it. The second piece of advice is to set a time limit to your gameplay and stop when you hit your time limit or run out of budget.
It is easy to get swayed by the idea that if you bet more, you’ll win more. 99% of the time, that’s not true. Most of the time, you can win big even on a small bet.
Look at the millionaire who won £13.3 million on a 0.25 bet. Most of our big winner stories are about gamblers who won by betting what they could afford to lose.
And that’s at the heart of responsible gambling.
Because it’s easy enough to avoid slot games where playing the max bet increases the odds of winning. They are the exception to the rule, meaning most slots should treat you fairly regardless of whether you bet a penny or 10.
Where to play slots with good odds?
The best place to go play slots with good odds is at casinos that allow you to see the RTP of a slot machine.
Videoslots casino lets you see the theoretical RTP of all their slot machines, meaning you never have to play on any gaming machine with less than a 95% RTP.
You can even filter by slots with an RTP of 97% or more. Or look at our best high RTP slots list.
More than the max bet, the game volatility, hit rate, and RTP will dictate how likely you are to win on a slot machine.
So bet smart at a great online casino, on some great slots that let you play how you like to play.
