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Bonus games are one of the biggest draws to online slots games. It is in these bonus games that players are able to boost their bankrolls back up or to pick up some extra cash.

But not all bonus games are played the same way, and because of that some have the potential to be more rewarding than others. We are going to take a look at what types of bonus games are out there for online slots games over the course of my next few posts.

My personal favorite type of bonus game, after the bonus games of iSlots which are their own kind of bonus game, are the Pick Until Popped type of bonus game. This type also has the potential to pay out quite a bit, but it is all up to chance, like most bonus games.

After the slots player has triggered this kind of bonus game, the player is whisked off to a second screen that lays out a scene that ties into the theme somehow. In the scene are a bunch of hiding spots for bonus prizes. Players then pick hiding places, accumulating their bonus prize until they pick the hiding spot with the kill item behind it. Once the kill item is found the bonus game ends.

For example Microgaming’s Age of Discovery has an explorer’s theme. When its Pick Until Popped bonus game is triggered slots players are taken to a screen that shows them an old map with a bunch of Xs on it. Players keep choosing Xs until they reveal the skull and cross bones. When the skull and cross bones is chosen the bonus game ends and the slots player is shown their total bonus prize before being returned to the reels.

The upside to this kind of bonus game is that a player can accumulate quite a large bonus amount before revealing the kill item. On the flip side, if luck is not with you, you can also wind up with a small bonus prize, but I suppose that is the trade off of a bonus game that has the potential to usually award a upwards of 10 or 15,000 coins in a single game.

It is because of this potential and because I as the player get to do the picking and have a certain degree of control over the outcome and how much I win I like this type of bonus game found in online slots games.

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Better late than never.

I know it is the end of the month and most other developers of online casino games have already released their new online slots games for the month of October. But despite being the end of the month that is not stopping Playtech from releasing their newest slots game: Frankie Dettori’s Magic Sevens.

Frankie Dettori’s Magic Sevens is a five reel slots game with twenty five paylines. Its theme is centered on the astounding feat of Frankie Dettori, who won all seven horse races in a single day at the Ascot races thirteen years ago.

That was a big day in horse racing history. And Playtech has decided to commemorate it by creating a new online slots game themed from it.

Aside from the usually exceptional graphics, Playtech has made sure to include a free spins feature and a bonus game.

The free spins feature is triggered when three or more of the Frankie Dettori’s Magic Sevens Logo are landed anywhere on the reels. Before the free spins can begin the number of free spins must be determined.

Players are temporarily taken to a second screen where they choose one of three horses. The horses then race around the track. If the player’s chosen horse comes in first, the player is awarded thirty five free spins; second place is worth fifteen free spins, and third will get ten free spins.

Either way, the player will receive free spins regardless of where his horse places. Once the number of free spins

As for the bonus round it is triggered when the Race Track appears on reels one and five at the same time. This bonus feature also requires a second screen, but at this one players will find a ‘pick and reveal a prize’ sort of bonus game. But to spice it up, Playtech included a video clip of Frankie Dettori as he won one of the Ascot races.

Playtech has done a good job in creating a commemorative theme for their new online slots game.

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Under the sea themes are quite common for online slots games. It seems that every software manufacturer of online casino games has created at least one—yes, there are some software providers who have created more than one.

Today we are going to take a look at the under the sea themed offering from Vegas Technology: Mermaid’s Quest.

Vegas Technology is one of the newer software providers in the online casino game industry. But just because they are new does not mean they are not good. In 2005 they won Top New Casino Software in a reader’s poll in Gambling Online Magazine.

So just because they are a newer software provider does not mean they are not capable of producing quality online slots games.

In fact, Mermaid’s Quest is one of their highest rated online slots games. This is because, with only eight paylines, it is an easy to understand game with a profitable bonus game. And we all know how much online slots players like their bonus games.

Naturally all of the graphics and symbols are of creatures that live under the sea and include the Mermaid, King Neptune and a Treasure Chest.

That bonus game I mentioned is triggered by landing at least three of the Mermaids. Players are then taken over to a second screen pick-your-prize bonus game for what is considered a strong bonus game when compared to how simple the regular play is.

There are also free spins in this online slots game. These ten free spins with a 2x multiplier are triggered when three King Neptunes are landed.

Naturally there is a wild in Mermaid’s Quest as well: the Treasure Chest. While it does not have a multiplier on it, it does offer a rather large 10,000 jackpot for landing five of them on an active payline.

Mermaid’s Quest is a fine online slots game offering from Vegas Technology, and it continues to be one of that software provider’s highest rated online slots game.

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We have seen what other online casino game developers have dished out this month in the way of new online slots games, and now it is time to see what Rival has for its partner online casinos.

For slots players who are fans of the iconography of the 1950s the new online slots game from Rival, called Doo Wop Daddy-O, is sure to become a favorite. There are Pink Poodles, Records, Jukeboxes and Classic Cars. Oh, and lots of neon sign letters.

It is like the malt shop exploded and turned into an online slots game. The graphics are colorful and have captured what everyone likes to remember about the 50s. True to Rival Gaming’s style, the graphics are well-done and the animation smooth.

The Motorcycle is the Scatter offering an easy payout for landing as little as two of them.

Naturally there is a Wild in Doo Wop Daddy-O, the letters of Wild spelled out in pink neon sign letters. It will substitute for any symbol in the game except for the two bonus symbols.

Yes, I said two bonus symbols. Instead of free spins, Rival put two bonus games into this new online slots game, and they each represent to iconographic things from the 50s: the soda fountain and racing.

The Soda Fountain bonus game is triggered by landing three or more Milkshakes. Players are then taken to a second screen where they are behind the counter of a soda fountain. They task is to make a dessert for a girl whose name is probably Judy.

Various pieces that make up ice cream sundaes will glow. Players have to click on the glowing pieces to build the probably-Judy’s dessert. The more pieces that make up her dessert, the bigger the bonus prize.

The other bonus game is the Drag Race bonus game and it is triggered by landing three or more of the Red Classic Truck. I hope you can drive stick.

On a second screen players will see a steering wheel and a gear shift knob along with a plus and minus symbol. Players have to click plus to shift up and minus to downshift when the arrow points to a new gear. When the game says ‘Honk’ click the steering wheel to give an extra boost to the bonus prize. Crossing the line first also gives an extra bonus prize.

Having two bonus games rather than one is what stands out in this new online slots game. Not to mention all the 50s iconography. Two bonus games will help add to players’ bankroll, which will most likely make this a popular new offering in Rival powered online casinos.

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What do you get when you cross a British spy with an online slots game?

You get Vegas Technology’s latest online slots game Agent Cash.

This five reel, thirty payline online slots game is one of two new online slots to join the Vegas Technology line up. It features a theme with a British spy working to save the world. Very Bond, yes?

Vegas Technology is beginning to step up their bonus features with this new online slots game. Agent Cash feature no one, but two Wilds and one of those Wilds is an Expanding Wild.

The Brunette is featured on reels one and five. Players who land her on both at the same time will see her symbol expand into Wilds that cover both reels. It is not just one Expanding Wild, it is two.

The standard Wild is that Aston Martin. This Wild will payout 1,250 coins if five are landed. The Aston Martin will substitute for all symbols except for the Villain and the Blonde.

And speaking of that Blonde, she is the Scatter that, when landed on reels one, three and five, will trigger the bonus game. Of the three Blondes, the player will choose one symbol which will then reveal either free spins, bonus coins or will trigger the beginning of the Pick or Die bonus game.

The Pick or Die bonus game shows the player thirty face down cards. All have bonus prizes and one is the stopper card. Your mission is to flip as many cards as possible to rack up your bonus prize before flipping over the stopper card, which ends the bonus game.

As for the Villain, he is the jackpot symbol. Landing five of him will award a 10,000 coin jackpot. But players only need three of him to be awarded the minimum, which is 100 coins.

With the double Expanding Wild and multiple possibilities for the bonus game, Vegas Technology is definitely starting to step up the features in their new online slots games. Agent Cash is hopefully a sign of the slots games to come from Vegas Technology.

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Okay so we are back to talking more about what players can do in terms of slots strategy to manage their bankrolls.

This morning I talked about playing only one coin per line on non-linked and non-progressive slots games. The cost of playing these cash cows does not have any decent odds for you to win the huge, life changing jackpot that thousands of others slots players are spinning for.

Nothing comes for free. And progressive slots games are meant to take your money. After all, that totally amazing jackpot has to come from somewhere.

So now we move on to other ways to manage your bankroll.

Going along with the ‘play one coin per payline and avoid linked and progressive slots games’ is ‘also avoid slots games that reward players for wagering extra coins.’

There are some slot machines and online slots games out there that only make certain bonus features triggerable when the maximum amount of coins is wagered.

This means that if you are playing one of these slots games and the maximum number of coins per line is 10 and wagering $0.01 per payline, that twenty five payline game will not cost you $0.25 per spin. It will cost you $2.50 instead.

On top of wagering a lot more than you probably intended, the chances of triggering this now unlocked bonus feature is still slim. The odds of triggering this special maximum coin wager only bonus feature does not balance out the cost of the spins it will take. It is not even close.

These ‘triggerable only with maximum coin wager’ slots games are like the linked and progressive slots games. They are meant to suck your money out of you faster without paying you hardly a thing back.

Smart players who want to use an effective slots strategy to manage their bankroll will do well to avoid any slots game that wants a maximum coin wager to make bonus features available.

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It is not a brand new online slots game, but it will be brand new this month at Virgin Casino, owned by Virgin Games. The online slots game in question here is called Alice’s Wonderland.

And, no, it does not have a shred of Tim Burton in it at all. In fact, its graphics are a curious cross between the original illustrations in the Lewis Carroll books and the Disney characters from the 1951 animated movie.

But graphics aside, this online slots game comes from Ash Gaming, and features five reels and twenty paylines.

This being Wonderland we are talking about, naturally the fun of this online slots game does not end there.

Alice’s Wonderland offers up an incredible bonus game and progressive jackpot all rolled into one. Only in Wonderland, right?

The Tea Party bonus game and progressive jackpot is triggered by landing three or more of the Mad Hatter scatter symbols. Players then choose one of the four guests: the Mad Hatter, the March Hare, the Dormouse or Alice.

At that point the tea party begins. The more your chosen character drinks the larger your bonus winnings are. When a player’s first guest is done drinking their tea, the player can choose another character to drink. This repeats until all four tea party guests have drunk their full.

As for that tea party progressive jackpot, if a player sees one of the characters reach towards the sugar bowl to put sugar in their tea, it means that the progressive jackpot has been won. The winnings will then be added in at the end of the bonus game.

But there is another bonus game: The Rabbit Hole bonus game. The Rabbit Hole symbol only appears in the middle reel, and if it appears players then take a trip down the rabbit hole with Alice, collecting bonus winnings as they fall. At the bottom of the hole, the winnings are totaled and added to the player’s bankroll.

Then there are the White Rabbit free spins. Land at least three White Rabbits anywhere and the White Rabbit pops up with his pocket watch. Wherever he stops the hand on his watch is the number of free spins the player wins. He then hops across the reels randomly changing symbols into Wilds that remain fixed throughout the free spins.

Player’s will be glad to know that an enhanced set of reels is used in these free spins which should create more winning combinations than normal. However the bonus symbols disappear down the rabbit hole and the bonus games cannot be triggered during these free spins.

Ash Gaming as certainly put together quite the online slots game, full of bonus features and chances to win. Players at the Virgin Casino are sure to be pleased once they get their hands on this online slots game.

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It is Monday again, and that means that it is Online Slots Tournament Monday.

This Monday I clicked my way over to VIP Slots to see what they were offering online slots players. I found a rather nice sounding online slots tournament—and it begins today.

VIP Slots is hosting a freeroll online slots tournament that will begin today, Monday, August 23rd, and run through next Monday, August 30th. And as stated, this is a freeroll online slots tournament, so there is no entry fee and no reason not to play. Especially since this tournament is running for a whole week.

Typically an online casino will host a freeroll tournament to bring in some tournament traffic and create a little excitement. They are not meant to be big time tournaments with big rewards; typically they will only award bonus money or small cash amounts.

However, VIP Slots is treating this differently. They are going to be giving away a $3,000 prize pool. That is an unusual amount for a prize pool being given away to winners of a freeroll online slots tournament.

This freeroll online slots tournament will be played out on Wheel of Chance. This is a five reel online slots game with twenty paylines of play. Wheel of Chance offers players the chance to trigger the bonus game and free spins.

Both features certainly help in tournaments, giving players a little extra boost. Again, the choice of online slots game is another thing that sets VIP Slots above when considering that many online casinos will choose a game for their tournaments that does not offer a bonus game.

The combined freeroll element and the larger than normal prize pool for such an online slots tournament is just the sort of player pleasing that VIP Slots is known for.

This week’s freeroll online slots tournament was the fourth week long freeroll tournament that VIP Slots has offered this month. We can only hope that they continue this type of online slots tournament in September.

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Monopoly. You either love it or you hate it. Personally, I like the game. So I was quite happy to learn that Wagerworks had created an online slots game based on the Milton Bradley classic.

As an online slots game, Monopoly is a five reel online slots game with nine paylines. The regular game is a little on the basic side. It features Monopoly themed-graphics, but the classic fruit symbols are there too.

With the Monopoly online slots game it is the bonus features that truly make this game.

Naturally there is a Wild: Mr. Monopoly himself. He will substitute for all symbols in the game except for the two bonus symbols. Sadly, he does not offer a multiplier on combinations he completes. I guess he has got to keep a little money to himself.

But the Pass Go bonus game more than makes up for a lack of a Wild multiplier. The Pass Go bonus game is triggered by landing three Dice on a payline. Once triggered the regular playing screen vanishes and players find themselves with a Monopoly board on their screen.

The Dice that triggered the bonus game then each reveal a number of dice rolls for the actual game. Players have the allotted amount of rolls to travel around the Monopoly board to collect bonus prizes to add to their starting bonus amount of 10 coins.

Each deed on the board has a bonus amount assigned to it, and landing on that deed automatically adds that bonus amount to the player’s total. Every time Go is passed the amount of the deed bonuses increases. If you land directly on Go you receive a 2x multiplier.

Free Parking will award a random bonus amount for landing on it. And Chance will move the player to a random spot on the board to collect that bonus and continue from there.

Even Jail is not bad in this bonus game. Players have three chances to roll doubles to not only get out of jail, but to get a multiplier for their bonus. Rolling doubles the first time awards a 5x multiplier; the second time awards a 3x multiplier; and the third time awards a 2x multiplier. If you do not roll doubles you get to leave Jail anyway and continue on your way.

When the bonus game is over any multipliers you have won are factored into your bonus prize before returning you to regular game play.

Thanks to that Pass Go bonus game, the Monopoly online slots game is quite full of fun features and chances to win money.

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Shh.

There are bugs in your online slots game.

More specifically, there are beetles.

Actually this is another 9 reel, five payline online slots game called Beetle Frenzy.

While Chinese Kitchen was a graphically entertaining online slots game, it lacked features that online slots players expect online slots games to have. Those features being free spins and a bonus game. Oh, and a Wild.

Actually this online slots game has several bonus features.

There are two bonus games to begin with:

The Bug Collector bonus game is triggered when three Glass Jars are landed on a payline. Then there is the Flower Frenzy bonus game. There are three different colored flowers in this online slots game. Landing three of the same color on a payline will trigger the Flower Frenzy bonus game.

As for the free spins, any symbol can trigger them. Which is why this is called the Lucky Spin feature. All that needs to happen is to either land the same symbol in all four corners, or land the same symbol in the middle space of all four sides.

The Lightening Beetle is the Wild. This little guy will substitute for any symbol in the game other than the Scatter.

And speaking of the Scatter, it is the Golden Apple. The multiplier on its payout starts at 2x for two Golden Apples, and maxes out at 400x for eight Golden Apples. And nine Golden Apples is the trigger for the jackpot: 500x the triggering wager.

One thing of note though is that the wagering works a little bit differently on this online slots game. All five paylines are active. The only wager controls the player has it the amount he is wagering and how many coins he is wagering.

The good thing about this is that players are not going to have to increase their wager to activate all the paylines. Think of it as similar to betting on one payline, but getting all the paylines active.

In short, players are only paying to spin the reels on this online slots game without worry over what paylines are active or not.

On the whole, the range of bonus features on this online slots game could make a player quite happy. Not to mention the slightly unique slots betting method here. I do not think I mind having beetles in my online slots game.

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