The top 5 free online slots provide practice rounds for new players

Slots are some of the most popular online casino games offered today. There are thousands of online slots available to play, many of which offer huge jackpots to lucky winners.

Some of the top online casinos allow you to play some or all of their slots in free “demo versions,” which function exactly like the real thing.

Here‘s a look at how to find and play these free slots. We provide information on their average RTP, game developers, and more.

Our top free slot picks

Here’s a snapshot of our top choices for free slots with no download required, including some of the most popular titles in online slot history:

Best free slot games

Here is a closer look at some top free online slots players love. None of these require a download to play the free demo versions:

88 Fortunes

• Year launched: 2016
• Game developer: Light & Wonder
• Average RTP: 96%

88 Fortunes from Light & Wonder is one of the most popular online slots at the best US online casinos today.

The game looks fantastic, boasting an attractive theme replete with colorful East Asian coins and symbols. Don’t let the standard five-reel, three-row look fool you, as the game features 243 paylines available every time you spin.

If you’re playing 88 Fortunes as a real money slots game, it has a maximum payout of $200,000 (if you bet the $88 max). The game’s features include wilds, free spins, and four instant jackpots of varying sizes.

See more: Fast payout casinos

Cleopatra

• Year launched: 2002
• Game developer: IGT
• Average RTP: 95.02%

Cleopatra from IGT is another hugely popular game known for its collection of Egyptian symbols, such as the Eye of Ra, the Crook and Flail, the Cartouche, the Lotus, the Scarab, the Sphinx and Cleopatra herself among the letters and numbers all presented within a frame patterned after the Ark of the Covenant.

The five-reel, three-row slot has 20 paylines and a ton of fun features. That includes scatters and the ability to trigger a bonus game, which has its own multiplier potentially yielding free spins at a high clip. Depending on the casino, in the real money version, the maximum payout can reach $2 million (if the max bet is $200).

Divine Fortune

• Year launched: 2017
• Game developer: NetEnt
• Average RTP: 96.59%

With a theme based on Greek mythology, Divine Fortune from NetEnt also has stood the test of time as a top online slot. The game sports a sleek, stately look that deliberately differs from more flashy slots.

The game features regular and wild symbols evoking the theme (e.g., the Minotaur, Medusa, Pegasus), plus bonus features such as free spins, falling wild respins and a jackpot bonus game affording the chance at three different jackpots (Minor, Major, Mega).

The Mega Jackpot can grow quite large. If you play for real money, the maximum payout can surpass $300,000.

Gonzo’s Quest

• Year launched: 2011
• Game developer: NetEnt
• Average RTP: 95.97%

Gonzo’s Quest from NetEnt is another beloved slot. It stars the humorous Gonzo, a Spanish explorer seeking treasure in the ancient Mayan city of El Dorado.

There are five reels, three rows and 20 paylines, with certain symbols triggering multipliers, wilds and scatters. Instead of reels spinning, blocks fall into place with “avalanches,” increasing your chances of winning.

“Free falls” give you free spins and respins. If playing for real money, you can win as much as $300,000 (depending on the casino).

Starburst

• Year launched: 2012
• Game developer: NetEnt
• Average RTP: 96.09%

Starburst is a classic slot and proven favorite in retail and online casinos. Yet another winner from slot developer NetEnt, Starburst, its outer space theme and sparkling gems are familiar to many slot players, as is the cool cosmic soundtrack.

The game features a relatively simple five-reel, three-row layout with 10 paylines and a maximum payout of $100,000 if you play for real money. The low volatility enables players to stretch their bankroll over long sessions. The game features wild symbols, stacked and expanding wilds, respins and more.

How do slot games work?

Free slots work very much like real money slots. In fact, when you play the demo versions of free slots at NJ online casinos, the games play identically, only you don’t use real money when playing the free versions, and you can’t win any real money either.

Online casinos offer free slots with no download required as one of several strategies to attract players to create accounts and play real money games on the sites.

The ability to try games for free is beneficial to the players. They can decide how they like particular games and the site without risking any money.

Many who enjoy playing the best RTP slots find the chance to win real money a significant part of the appeal. Slots can be fun and entertaining for other reasons, too.

When you play a free demo version of a game, you can experience all of the literal “bells and whistles” and other elements that can make slots enjoyable.

If you do like the games and the site, those in states like New Jersey that have real money online casinos can create accounts, deposit funds, claim your new-player casino deposit bonuses and start playing real money slots.

How to start playing free slots

There are essentially two ways to play free online slots at online casinos:

With most sites that offer demo slots, you can visit the online casino, select the game you want to play, choose demo mode, and start playing. You generally don’t need to sign up for an account, although you will likely be asked to confirm that you are at least 21.

Online casinos that let you play demo versions of free online slots without signing up for an account include:

• DraftKings Casino
• Golden Nugget Casino

For example, if you visit DraftKings Casino, you’ll see all games displayed in categories in the lobby. You can search games by title, too.

Select “Slots” and then choose your game. When you hover your cursor over the game icon, you’ll see “Play” (with a money bag indicating real money play) and “Demo.”

If you click “Play,” you’ll be prompted to log into your account. But if you click “Demo,” you’ll see a prompt asking you to confirm “I Am 21 Or Over” before proceeding. Once you do, wait just a moment and the game will launch.

Your other option is to create an account at the site and then similarly find your chosen game and play it in demo mode.

Types of slot games

Online casinos offer a nice variety of slots, and you can generally find your favorites among the many types.

• Three-reel slots — Also known as “classic slots,” many online slots mimic the traditional three-reel design of the old mechanized one-armed bandits that were the most popular type during much of the early history of slots. Example: Try Double Diamond at FanDuel Casino.
• Five-reel slots — Sometimes referred to as “video slots,” the five-reelers became most popular once casinos began to introduce computerized slots that could accommodate the extra reels. You’ll find six- and seven-reel slots online as well, and even more exotic formats. Example: Try Jack and the Beanstalk at BetMGM Casino.
• Progressive slots — When it comes to progressive slots (or “progressive jackpot slots”), there are various types, but all follow a similar principle of taking out a small percentage of every wager to contribute to an ever-increasing jackpot prize. Many online progressive slots are part of a large network of games, which helps make the jackpots grow especially big. Example: Try Divine Fortune at Caesars Palace Online Casino.
• Interactive slots — These online slots include opportunities to trigger various game-within-a-game scenarios, allowing players to depart from the spinning wheels to play a different video or board game, try to solve a puzzle, or perform some other action that can yield extra winnings or free spins. Example: Try Monopoly 250K at DraftKings Casino.
• 3D slots — Some slot providers have created so-called 3D slots that simulate three-dimensional gameplay with advanced graphics, animation and sound effects, making the slot resemble present-day, high-quality video games with which online casinos are competing for attention. Example: Try Jungle Jim El Dorado for free at Golden Nugget Casino.

What can you win playing free online slots?

Free online slots use “play money” or coins, not real cash, and only pay out winnings with that same virtual currency. You can’t win real money playing the free demo versions at online casinos. You can only play for fun and entertainment.

That said, if you like the slots after trying them, you can sign up for an account and play for real money. When you do, you’ll find most sites have welcome offers, including a no deposit casino bonus that gives you site credit to play the games for free. Some sites offer free spins on online slots as part of their welcome offers.

In other words, once you register at an online casino, there are often ways you can still play the games for free and have a chance to win cash when you do.

Be aware, though, that winnings earned from free play are usually subject to playthrough requirements.

This means you have to wager a certain amount to collect your winnings. Be sure to read all the terms and conditions of any welcome offers when you first create an account, so you know exactly what they entail.

Play online with bonuses and free spins

We mentioned above how real money online casinos often have welcome offers, so new users can play games for free right away. The sites also can have ongoing promotions that involve free play, including free slot play. Let’s break down some types.

• No deposit free slots bonus — The site awards credit or cash with which to play games (including slots), or free spins to use on either any slot or particular slot(s). As “no deposit” implies, you receive this bonus without having to make a deposit.
• Deposit free online slots bonus — Here’s another type of bonus awarding cash, credit or free spins to those who’ve made a deposit on the site. Online casinos also often award “deposit match” bonuses that match your deposit amount with an equivalent in cash or credit.
• Wager-free free spins bonus — This is a less common type of free slot bonus that does not have any playthrough requirement attached.
• Daily free spins — Sites sometimes offer free spins on certain games just for logging into your account each day. These can be “cashable” or “non-cashable,” with the former allowing you to cash out winnings and the latter requiring you to wager your winnings again.
• Free slot play with reward points — Online casinos typically have loyalty programs that reward users for their play, and you can sometimes use the points you accumulate to play free slots with no download required.

See more: Minimum deposit online casinos

Free vs. real money slots

As we’ve discussed, playing these demo versions of slots at online casinos is almost the same as playing their real money equivalents.

The key difference is using “play money” and not real money. Of course, for many people having a chance to win actual cash is a primary reason for playing slots, thus making the distinction between free slots and real money slots a lot more significant.

That said, we can identify some positives for both free online slots and real money slots:

Pros of playing free slots

✅ Chance to try out games without risk

✅ No need to navigate banking methods to deposit funds, nor any need to do the same when trying to withdraw winnings

✅ If you bust, no worry … just reload the game and start with a new stack of (play) coins

✅ Can still enjoy features of game play (entertainment value)

✅ Provide opportunity to learn more about how a particular slot works as well as about slots, generally speaking (educational value)

Pros of playing real money slots

✅ Chance to win cash prizes

✅ Progressive jackpot slots always available (not always the case with free slots)

✅ Freedom to choose between every slot an online casino has available, as sometimes not all games are available for free demo play

✅ Real money slots not only award cash prizes, but also free spins which also have value as potentially resulting in cash winnings

✅ Provide additional means to earn wagering-related bonuses and/or take advantage of site promotions

Why play free slots?

We’ve covered many reasons why playing free slots can be not only fun and entertaining, but also a great way to learn about both individual games and slots in general.

We’ve mentioned how, for new players especially, playing free slots is a great idea. You can try out games for free, decide which ones you like best and learn about the symbols, paylines and pay tables. Then when it comes time to play real money slots, you can do so in an informed way which is always important whenever you gamble.

You may also decide when playing free slots that you don’t like a particular game and won’t be trying it for real money.

Playing free online slots also gives you a chance to get a feel for a particular online casino’s platform and how the software looks and functions. There are many sites with fantastic designs, but your preferences may lead you to one online casino over another, yet another reason to try out the free games first.

Always gamble responsibly

Again, even though you might be playing free slots, you always want to remain mindful of responsible gambling. If you do decide to play slots for real money, always plan ahead and never wager with money you cannot afford to lose.

For information about responsible gambling in New Jersey, visit the National Council on Problem Gambling NJ page. For help with problem gambling or connecting to resources for prevention and treatment options, visit the Council on Compulsive Gambling of New Jersey.

Safest online casinos with free slots

Always prioritize safety when visiting an online casino, even if you only play free online slot games. The sites we recommend below are all licensed and regulated in the jurisdictions where they operate. That means you can regard them as safe and trustworthy sites with fair games and measures to protect their players.

Always be aware and vigilant even when playing demo games. You especially should be aware of unlicensed, unregulated sites offering free-to-play slots and other casino games.

Such sites generally don’t have the same selection and variety of free slot games online that legal platforms do.

In many cases, they will eagerly seek personal information and/or money from those who visit them. Because of the risks that unregulated, “offshore” sites pose, we strongly recommend avoiding them.

See more: Best online gambling sites

Free online slots FAQ

How can I play free online slots?

The easiest way to play free online slots is by visiting an online casino that offers demo versions of slots. Once you’ve chosen the slot you wish to play, click “demo” or perhaps the information link (often a lowercase “i”) and then choose demo mode.

You likely will have to confirm you are at least 21 years old to play the demo slot. Once you do, the game will launch and you can begin playing.

Which online casinos offer free slots?

The following platforms allow players to try out demo versions of free slot games online without needing to create an account: DraftKings Casino and Golden Nugget Online Casino.

Several other online casinos allow for demo play of slots, but only after registering an account.

Do I have to open an account at an online casino to play demo slots for free?

Many of the top online casinos, including Caesars Online Casino, BetMGM Casino and Hard Rock Online Casino, require players to sign up before playing demo slots for free. DraftKings Casino and Golden Nugget Online Casino allow for demo play of online slots before registering.

Are free online slots the same as real money slots?

Yes, the demo versions of free slots online play exactly the same as their real money counterparts. You even can play progressive slots with large jackpots, although, of course, the prizes are all in play money.

What happens if I run out of coins when playing free slots?

When you play a demo version of an online slot game for free, you are typically given a certain number of non-cash value coins to start. If you happen to run out of coins, you can simply reload the game and get a fresh stack of coins.

Can I play free slots on my iPhone?

Yes, all of the online casinos with demo slots are available both on a computer or via mobile devices like smartphones and tablets. For the latter, you can usually either play the free slots on your device via a web browser or download the online casino app.

Are free slots safe to play?

If you stick with licensed and regulated online casinos where you can play the demo versions of slots for free, then the answer is, “Yes, free slots are safe to play.” If you happen across unlicensed, unregulated sites offering the games, you potentially open yourself up to risks, including the loss of personal information and even money.