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Do you know the best slots? Or do you keep circling back to the same old few?

With thousands of options out there, it can be tough to separate the good from the bad. But fear not! Thanks to the team at SlotsHawk.com, this Roger guide is here to give you all the key info for choosing the best-rated slot games.

👉 First, we’ll show you how to spot a great game. Then, we’ll walk you through three top online slots perfect for new players.

For this article, we've tapped into the expertise of Stephen Cummings from SlotsHawk, one of the leading experts on UK slot games. Let’s get into it.

The telltale signs of a good online slot machine

Online slots come in all shapes and sizes. In other words, not all slot games are the same these days—you never know what you’ll find!

In the past, old-style fruity slot machines were a dime-a-dozen, says Stephen.

“They were not particularly fun to play online. Fortunately, times have changed, and the mechanics and features of a modern slot far outweigh their predecessors.”

There are several characteristics which all online slots have in common. All have:

• An RTP (return to player) value
• An average hit rate
• A volatility level
• A maximum payout

Below, we’ll break these down so you approach the slot catalogues like a pro.

1. A high RTP and a stable hit-rate

Whilst all slots share some common traits, each one has its unique features. A key factor is the RTP (Return to Player), which varies across games.

Here’s what Stephen has to say:

• “All slots have a return to player characteristic, representing the amount that will be returned to the player over an infinite number of spins. Let me give you an example:
• “The slot game Dragon Hopper (which we discuss more of below) has an RTP of 94.28%. This means that over millions of spins, for every £100 you put into the game, you will receive £94.28 in return.
• “You must be aware that, in reality, slots are heavily reliant on luck, so any player can easily win higher or lower than the RTP amount.”

The average RTP of a modern online slot is 96.00%. So, our first tip is to stick with slots that have an RTP of at least 96%, unless you have a good reason not to. These games give you a slight edge right from the start if your goal is to maximise your winnings.

If you're aiming for high RTP slots, we recommend checking out SlotsHawk’s list of games with the highest RTPs.

👀 Pay attention to a slot's hit rate as well.

A higher hit rate means more frequent wins, usually shown as a percentage. For example, hit rates between 20%-35% are common.

But keep in mind, a high hit rate doesn’t always guarantee more payouts—volatility/variance also plays a big role. Speaking of which…

2. The volatility factor

Every slot has a volatility characteristic. Volatility, also known as variance, comes in three forms: low, medium and high.

Slots with low volatility will almost inevitably have a higher hit frequency, whereas slots with high volatility will have a lower hit frequency.

“High variance slots have a lower hit rate but when they do trigger wins, the payouts will be larger,” says Stephen.

In comparison, low variance slots have high hit rates, but this comes at the expense of lower payouts for each win triggered.

Where volatility is concerned, a good slot machine can have any level of variance. So, it ultimately depends on what you’re looking for.

3. Maximum payouts and multipliers

The best online slots will offer the chance of large maximum payouts.

Although hitting a max payout from any slot is unlikely to occur, the best ones will at least offer the slim opportunity to win life-changing money, as Stephen tells us:

“Modern online slot machines have absolutely huge maximum multipliers, the largest of which is currently Deadwood RIP which offers an albeit unlikely max payout of 300,000 times the player's bet.

“In my opinion, you shouldn’t consider playing a slot which has a max multiplier/payout of anything less than 2,500x. Hitting a max payout is unlikely for any slot, but should it happen, you want to make it worth your time.”

The best online slot games will always come with high multipliers so if you see one which has a max multiplier of below 2,500x, then we recommend avoiding it.

4. Extra features galore

What often separates slot machines from one another are the bonus features.

Different slot developers are known for adding extra features into their slots and some have even created their own features, as Stephen explains for you below:

“Major developers such as NoLimit City have created their own features which are only used in their own slot games.

“Fun and excellent features such as xBet, xSplit and xWays are unique to NoLimit City slots and these features make people want to play slots from NoLimit City.”

The characteristics of a perfect online slot machine

So, what have we learned? The best online slots will have the following features/characteristics:

• An RTP of 96% or above.
• A high variance slot will ideally have a hit rate of 25% or above.
• A low variance slot will ideally have a hit rate of 35% or above.
• A maximum payout of 2,500x or above.
• Modern and fun features such as cascading reels, unlimited wins and xBet.

SlotsHawk’s top 3 slots for new players

Not all slots are the same, of course. Some can be rather complicated to understand at first whilst others can be very straightforward and simple to play.

For new players, we recommend looking for something in-between. A slot should have enough features to make it interesting, whilst also not being overly complicated.

The SlotsHawk team has shared their top three slot picks for beginners below. It's hard to find many who would disagree with these recommendations!

Dragon Hopper

Whilst it goes against our rule of sticking to 96%+ RTP slots, Dragon Hopper by Push Gaming is definitely worth it. Its great base game and easy, high-potential features keep the gameplay exciting, not tedious.

• Dragon Hopper is a Cluster Pays slot, meaning there are no traditional paylines. Wins happen when symbols cluster together, explode, and new symbols cascade down. Without paylines to worry about, it’s super easy to play—you’ll always know if you're about to hit a win.
• Dragon Hopper also has great features like Dragon Wilds and Cloud Fire symbols, boosting your chances of hitting multiple wins per spin. Plus, the Push Bet feature guarantees at least one of these symbols every spin.
• Overall, Dragon Hopper is our top pick for new players. It’s exciting and offers huge potential payouts, up to 10,000x your bet.

Thoro

Despite having only 94% RTP, Thoro is a superbly enjoyable slot with a high hit frequency of above 30%, which makes it great for new players.

• At first, the slot might seem a bit complicated, but you’ll pick it up quickly as you play and won’t take long to understand how it works.
• Thoro’s features, like Walking Wilds, let you win multiple times from one spin, and the paytable boosts your win multipliers. It was SlotsHawk’s top pick for 2024 and, in our opinion, trails only Dragon Hopper, our favourite for 2025.
• With a max payout of 10,000x, high hit frequency, and high variance, Thoro is an excellent slot. The only downside is its lower RTP of 94%.

Oodles of Noodles

Oodles of Noodles has a standout theme that’s hard to miss. It’s perfect for new players with its easy gameplay and a very rewarding bonus round. The SlotsHawk team spoke to several Redditors who agree that the features and simplicity make this slot one of the best.

• Landing three or more scatter symbols triggers the bonus spins and gives you access to the bonus sushi reel, where the biggest wins happen. You can also trigger respins to extend the free spins. Landing Panda symbols ensures you win all five rows on the Sushi reel.
• With a hit frequency of once every 6.68 spins, this high-volatility slot stands out for its solid win rate compared to other games.

SlotsHawk and Roger helping you to find the best

At SlotsHawk and Roger.com, we’re dedicated to helping our readers discover the best gambling games in the UK market. We hope you’ve found this page as helpful as we’ve enjoyed creating it.

We’ll be back with the SlotsHawk team for more in the future. Until then, please remember to gamble responsibly.

See more of the best online slots here.

Or keep learning via the Roger blog.