Expected Reading Time | 7 Mins
Last Updated: May 26, 2026
Written by Stephen Cummings
Slots analyst Stephen Cummings gives us his insight into everything slots and in this article he discusses the online slot games which are the best for beginners.
In these modern times, online slot machines are much more than the one armed bandits of the past. They are full of different bonus games and features which to the layman, can be rather complicated to say the least.
Of course, it is straight forward enough to increase your knowledge by doing some reading on the subject, but for the most part, it is very difficult for newbie slots players to jump straight into modern slot games and not be completely confused.
In this SlotsHawk guide, I will talk you through five modern online slots which are prefect for beginners and newbie slots players. We have already written focussing on how to choose an online slot to play and how to play slots but on this page, I will be specifically looking to help new slots players find a fantastic online slot machine to play.
Top 5 Slots for Beginners:
FIVE MODERN SLOTS FOR BEGINNERS
As the resident slots analyst here at SlotsHawk, I have reviewed and played hundreds of online slots and I’ve loved every minute of it. However, I have noticed that in the last several years, slots have become more complicated to understand due to all of the new features.
I have written a guide explaining modern slot features which delves more into the nitty gritty of a lot of these new and complicated features, but this page will only feature slots which new players can pretty much instantly understand. Also included after each slot is where you can play them.
BIG BASS BONANZA
Big Bass Bonanza is one of the most played online slots of the past few years and is a part of most online casinos catalogues of games. Developed by Pragmatic Play and themed around fishing, (Big Bass Bonanza kicked off a flurry of fishing themed slots) Big Bass Bonanza is modern enough for it to have exceptional graphics and gameplay without being overly complicated and littered full of complex features.
Big Bass Bonanza has all of the best features which are also simple to comprehend – the likes of high paying symbols, a bonus game, free spins as well as retriggers. My advice here is just to make sure you know which the highest paying symbols are, then you will always be aware which symbols you are trying to hit. As with any slot game, it is also important to know a slots wild and scatter symbols, as these are always key to triggering wins.
We would suggest that new player begin playing Big Bass Bonanza by betting the minimum of £0.10. This will ensure that you don’t quickly run through your bankroll and you won’t be worried about losing too much of your casino money.
Play at: Playzee Casino
100% Deposit Bonus up to £25+ 500 Zee Points
18+. Min deposit £20. New players only. T&C's Apply and GambleAware #ad
RAINBOW RICHES
Although Rainbow Riches can not be considered as a modern slot (it was released over a decade ago), it was ahead of its time and even now in 2026, it is one of the best slots around. To begin with, it has three brilliant bonus games which are simple to understand (you can choose which to play too) and there are lot of payout opportunities and high paying symbols. In addition, the graphics are fun with the leprechaun’s and the music helps to get you into the slot too.
As well as being an easy slot to play, Rainbow Riches also allows you to bet the minimum of £0.01 per spin. This means that if you want to spend some time learning to play slots whilst playing for real money, you can do so with as little risk to your bank roll as possible.
Rainbow Riches is also a medium volatility slot, so you should be able to trigger a mixture of large and small wins at a decent hit rate.
Play at: Rainbow Riches Casino
Play £10 Get 30 Free Spins on Rainbow Riches (No Wagering Requirements)
18+. Min deposit £10. New players only.T&C's Apply and GambleAware #ad
STARBURST
The easiest and most-well known slot of all time, Starburst lacks a lot in features, but it makes up for that by its simplicity. Starburst always characterised itself as being a modern version of the old fruity slot machines and its easy to see why. The main difference is that the symbols are all different coloured diamonds.
There is no bonus game and there are basically no real features, but Starburst is a great slot to learn the basics on. There are plenty of online slot operators which will incentives new players to play with them by giving away bonus Spins on Starburst. Therefore, if you do wish to play Starburst, we recommend picking Starburst slot sites to play at where you can get bonus spins on Starburst after you make a first deposit.
Play at: Skol Casino
Up to 500+ Free Spins (No Wagering Requirements)
18+. Min deposit £10. New players only.T&C's Apply and GambleAware #ad
JACK HAMMER 3: DIAMOND AFFAIR
Based around a super hero called Jack Hammer, this is the third slot in the series and the first to come with a cluster pays payline mechanic. Now, don’t be afraid as Cluster Pays actually makes it a little easier to know when wins are triggered as wins are triggered when matching symbols are clustered next to each other. As always, I recommend learning all of the symbols so that you know exactly which are the highest paying ones.
One of the great things about Jack Hammer slots is that a narrative is building whilst you are playing, and this is a fantastic modern feature which I hope more slots will utilise in the future.
Jack Hammer 3 is a good one to play if you are curious about some more complex features such as sticky wins. The game is easy and fun to play but there is a slightly more advanced element in this game compared to the former three slots which I have already spoken about.
Play at: Casumo Casino
50% Deposit Bonus up to £100
18+. Min deposit £20. New players only.T&C's Apply and GambleAware #ad
MEGA MOOLAH
Known across the gambling world as the millionaire maker, Mega Moolah is the slot to play if you are a beginner looking to win life-changing money from a single spin. Mega Moolah is a progressive jackpot slot, which means that a jackpot can be triggered randomly by anyone who plays. The longer it goes without the jackpot being triggered, the higher the total amount will rise. Of course, the likelihood of actually triggering the jackpot is extremely slim – something like 10 million to one, but there are plenty of players who are ready to play jackpot slots such as Mega Moolah.
The main component/draw of Mega Moolah is its progressive jackpot. There are very little features other than that. The theme is nice though as the symbols make up different animals.
If you’re goal is to simply try to trigger the jackpot, then we recommend betting the minimum of £0.01 as there is no minimum or maximum bet which needs to be made in order to trigger it.
Play at: Hyper Casino
50 Cash Spins on Wanted Dead or a Wild
18+. Min deposit £10. New players only.T&C's Apply and GambleAware #ad
TOP TIPS FOR NEW SLOT PLAYERS
I would also like to quickly give you some top tips if you are a new slots player which should help you navigate what can be a rather complex milieu.
Tips for Beginners:
BEGINNERS TIP #1: PLAY WITHIN YOUR BANK ROLL AND NEVER BET MORE THAN YOU CAN AFFORD TO LOSE
Although this sounds obvious, it can be an easy bit of advice to forget whilst in the middle of an exciting online slot. However, it is crucial that you have a set amount of money that you want to play with per day/week/month. For example, I set myself a maximum of just £100 per month to play with. If I lose £100 or more in a month, then I won’t play for real money again until the next month begins.
BEGINNERS TIP #2: WALK AWAY WHEN YOU ARE WINNING
One of the main advantages a player has over a slot machine is that the player can stop playing at whatever moment he/she wants to. I highly advise a player to have the courage to stop playing if they hit a nice win. There are plenty of slots players out there who hit early wins and then feel invincible and play until they see their initial win dwindle away with the excuse that they haven’t actually lost anything as they still have their initial deposit. In my opinion, this is a tactical flaw as the only advantage you have over the casino/slot is that you can walk away when you are winning.
Therefore, if you book an early win stop playing and buy yourself something nice with your winnings or save your winnings for something bigger, a holiday for example. This will ensure that there is more to playing slots than just pressing buttons and that you can come out with positive emotions.
BEGINNERS TIP #3: RETURN TO PLAYER (RTP), VOLATILITY (VARIANCE) AND MAXIMUM PAYOUTS ARE IMPORTANT TO KNOW
Three important aspects of any online slot machine to know are there RTP’s, volatility levels and maximum potential payouts.
The RTP means return to player which I have written in greater detail about in our guide to RTP slots, and this can be found via the information button whilst you are playing an online slot.
The volatility can also be found via a slots information tab. What you need to know is that slots with high variance have less chance of triggering wins but when they ae triggered, the payouts are usually higher. Whilst low volatility slots are the opposite – lots of wins triggered but lower payouts. There are also slots with medium variance which offer the best of both worlds.
Maximum payouts are simple to understand and every slot has one: it is the maximum amount which can be triggered from any one spin. Again, I have written a dedicated guide to what the maximum payouts in slots means, but all you need to know as a beginner player is that every slot has a max potential payout and it is useful to know.
SLOTS BONUSES FOR NEW PLAYERS
To end this guide, I would also like to make any new players who are reading this aware that the majority of new slot websites will give bonuses to new players when they make their first deposit. I recommend taking advantage of slots bonuses which can come in the form of bonus spins and matched deposit bonuses.
Some bonuses are better than others, but the best are the bonuses with no wagering requirements which I have written extensively about. Below, I have included my top four picks of the casinos with the best value for money bonuses for new players.
CONTRIBUTORS
Greetings, I’m Stephen Cummings
Stephen Cummings is often referred to as ‘The Oracle’. What he doesn’t know about slot games isn’t worth knowing. He’s our genius slot machine analyst who spends most of his time reviewing new games & sites.
Slots analyst since 2020
