The Value of the Autospin Feature

One of the most popular, and perhaps most polarizing, aspects of online pokies is the autospin feature. With autospin, rather than click your mouse button dozens of times or more, you can sit back and relax while the computer “pulls the lever” for you. To use autospin, you first set the game parameters, and then you set conditions. After each pull, the system checks the conditions. If the player has met one, it breaks, and then turns control over.

Playing for Fun

The reason why autospin is polarizing is that the pokies community is very diverse. Some play online pokies simply for fun, and to them, autospin limits participation. A lack of participation makes the game less enjoyable to them. If you share that perspective, then autospin is likely a poor choice. Many people, however, like the convenience, and many put winning above all else. If winning is paramount to you, then the autospin feature is a very helpful tool.

Efficient Use of Time

Online pokies are games of chance, not of skill, but there are steps that you can take to increase those chances: proper bankroll management, bonuses and loyalty programs, and efficient use of time. If you find a machine with favourable odds, then you should bet the maximum and continue to do so until you exhaust your budget for that period. If you are playing a progressive machine, those odds may change, so in that case, time is of the essence.

Reaching Bonus Plateaus

Many casinos have an in-game bonus structure where the player can access bonus games, better odds and other benefits by reaching a certain plateau. While autospin will not reduce the total number of pulls it takes to achieve that plateau, it does reduce the overall amount of time it takes. A time when this is particularly handy is when a casino runs a timed promotion. If you only have an hour of bonus, autospin lets you get the most out of that hour.

The Conditions

Without conditions, the autospin feature would continue to operate the machine until it exhausted your account. The most common conditions are pull or spins, such as spin twenty times and then stop. Another popular condition is winning a certain amount, such as any win greater than five dollars. The player can set multiple conditions, so if the player won a hundred dollars on pull number fifteen, the autospin feature would stop and turn control over.

Changing Odds

On many pokies, the odds are static, but on machines where the odds change, such as those with progressive jackpots, the odds adjust on the fly. In this case, the player wants to be able to use those odds as a condition. For instance, the standard machine may be the better play usually, so the player wants to quit the progressive machine as soon as the odds drop. Not all autospin features are that advanced, so keep this in mind when choosing.

The Maximum Bet

New pokies players tend to favour small bets. Their instincts tell them that the more often they play the better their chances are of winning. The autospin feature tends to reinforce this behaviour. The truth, however, is online pokies pay out best on the maximum bet and coin size. If you are apprehensive about betting big using an automated feature, then you are much better off playing the pokies manually until you have grown accustomed to it.

The New Player

Pokies are easy to start playing, but it takes a while to master them, especially in terms of bankroll and time management and recognizing odds. New players should not get in the habit of using autospin until they have chosen a permanent casino as well as feel comfortable playing, recognizing pokies types, calculating odds and so forth. If they start to rely on the autospin feature before then, it becomes more than a tool; it becomes a crutch.

Casinos Are In It to Win It

In a casino, pokies are some of the best earners, and this is especially true online. The casino wants you to bet in the manner that is most favourable to them. That is not to say that they mislead you, but they do try to make their most lucrative options the most attractive options. Therefore, never assume that they have configured the autospin feature to favour you. They likely have not, and you should always take the time to configure it yourself.