If you enjoy playing online slots, you’ve probably found yourself wondering what it would be like to get a big win. You might have daydreamed about what you would do with the money – perhaps a new car, or a family holiday – but have you thought about what it would actually feel like to win?
In this article, we’ll explore the psychological impact of winning big on slots, and what happens in your brain when you win (and lose). We’ll also explain what makes playing slot games so enjoyable for many, and the importance of responsible gambling.
So put your feet up for a few minutes and read on to find out more about the psychology of big wins in online slot games.
What Do We Mean by a ‘Big Win’?
Before we go any further, let’s discuss what we mean by a ‘big win’. The truth is that it’s all relative, so while some players might consider £100 to be a big win, others would not. For the purposes of this article, we’d probably consider a big win to be £5,000 or above, but you can decide what your own ‘big win’ amount would be!
What Happens in Your Brain When You Win?
Dopamine is the chemical in our bodies that is responsible for feelings of pleasure and satisfaction. Anything that you enjoy doing causes a surge of dopamine in the body, making you feel happy. This could be something like listening to your favourite music, exercising, or eating your favourite meal.
When you land a win in a slot game, this causes a dopamine surge that makes you feel good. Even near-misses (for example, if you land two out of the three matching symbols required) stimulate dopamine production. Whether you win or almost win, this creates a cycle where you feel motivated to keep playing because your brain is seeking its next rush of dopamine.
What Does It Feel Like to Get a Big Win?
Thanks to the dopamine reaction we discussed above, it’s very likely that immediately after a big win you will feel amused, elated and happy. You might feel exhilarated, and emotional at the thought of what the money means to you.
However, it’s important to remember that winning a significant amount of money won’t magically solve all of your problems. Although you may be able to pay off some debts and even treat yourself to some new clothes or a holiday, any underlying personal, family or work issues won’t just disappear.
The emotional rewards of jackpots can also cause many players to keep playing. While it may perhaps be more logical to withdraw your winnings and spend it, many players chase the dopamine hit of winning and keep playing, in the hopes of landing an even bigger win. This can be a risky tactic, since you can end up losing the majority of the money you won.
How Can You Get a Big Win in Slots?
Lots of players ask us how they can get a big win when playing slots. The answer is that all outcomes are random, and it’s impossible to predict whether you will win or lose. Online slots use Random Number Generators (RNGs) to determine outcomes, which are complex algorithms that cannot be predicted.
The fun of slot games is their unpredictability – you never know when you could land a big win! The important thing is to enjoy the gaming experience, and treat any wins as a bonus. You should never start playing with an expectation to win, or think of slot games as a way to make money.
However, there are a few things you can do if you want to maximise your chances of winning:
Choose Games with a High RTP
RTP is short for Return to Player, and is usually expressed as a percentage. Percentage return to player (% RTP) is the expected percentage of wagers that a specific game will return to players in the long run.
For example, if a hundred £1 bets were made on a slot machine with an RTP of 95%, the machine would pay out about £95 in total.
Each online slot game has its own RTP, and this information is made readily available by the casinos. Many players are interested in finding high RTP slots, since these are the games that theoretically pay out the most amount of money over time.
Play Progressive Jackpots
If you’re hoping for a really big win (potentially into the millions) we’d recommend trying progressive jackpot slots. These games are called ‘progressive’ because the jackpot prizes on offer are always increasing, or progressing, often into the thousands or even millions. The jackpot prize is usually offered in addition to other fixed prizes in the game – so there’s still a chance to win some money, even if you’re not lucky enough to win the jackpot.
The progressive jackpot value is usually displayed in real time on the screen, so that players can see it increasing. At some point the pot will randomly drop – it could be on a standard spin, or as part of a bonus round. The fun is not knowing when the pot will drop, and as they say, you’ve got to be in it to win it!
It works like this: a small percentage of each player’s bet goes towards the jackpot. The more people that play, the bigger the prize pot grows. Sometimes the jackpot is raised across different casinos and games, meaning that the potential prize can become very big. For example, Red Tiger has Daily Jackpot games, where around 3% of each player’s bet helps to fund the jackpot.
Some jackpots drop daily, whereas others can build up for weeks or even close to a month before dropping. If you’re lucky enough for the jackpot to drop on one of your spins, you could be the winner of a potentially huge prize. Once someone wins the jackpot, the process starts again. Don’t worry – it won’t start from zero – the starting jackpot is often very generous, to encourage people to join in.
If you’re interested in exploring progressive slots, you can visit our Jackpots or Daily Jackpots pages at Spin Genie to browse our jackpot games. Some of our favourites are Dynamite Riches Megaways, Fishin’ Frenzy: The Big Catch JPK, and Eye of Horus Megaways JPK (JPK stands for Jackpot King, and is a popular progressive jackpot network).
Always Gamble Responsibly
Although it can be tempting to get caught up in the promise of big wins on slot games, it’s important to always gamble responsibly. This means never spending more than you can afford to lose, and never spending money on gambling that should go towards bills, rent or other expenses.
Set limits for your gaming sessions – it could be how long you will play for, or how much you will spend. Once you have reached your limits, make sure you stick to them. Take regular breaks from playing, and reach out to friends, relatives or the National Gambling Helpline if you feel like your gambling is becoming an issue.
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