UK Horse Racing Tips

Video slots first came into being in the 1990s, and they have been popular ever since, particularly in online casinos – read more. They are more popular than the mechanical slots, and they are certainly something spectacular to behold.

Their impressive graphics and visuals turn them into a treat not just for the brain but for the senses in general, and their colourful backgrounds, animations, effects, film clips, and more make it easy for people to fall in love with video slots once they discover them. So just what are they all about, and what are the best ones to play? Let’s see.

The History Of Video Slots

Although the 1990s are when video slots really burst onto the scene (due to the prevalence of online casinos, of course), it was in 1975 that the very first video screen was installed in a slot.

This was the Fortune Coin game made by the Fortune Coin Company. Then, in 1979, video poker was created. This was all the idea of Si Redd who built the Sircoma company. Seemingly immediately, video poker is something that casinos are keen to have, and the idea really takes off.

Yet despite this, and despite the Fortune Coin, video slots didn’t come properly into being until 1994. Bally Technologies created a slot that had multiple games on one machine, a feat that could only be achieved by using video slot technology.

By tapping the screen, players could choose the game they wanted to play. Silicon Gaming created The Odyssey video slots in 1996, and it was this that really set the bar. These games had high tech algorithms and bigger screens, as well as some stunning (at least for the time) animations and an exciting soundtrack. Strangely enough, this game, despite being at the forefront of technology, was not widely accepted by casinos.

It was WMS Gaming’s Reel ‘Em slot, introduced in 1997, that broke the mould and made the change. This game was hugely popular, and this was the beginning of the video slots revolution.

Why Do People Like Video Slots?

Why do people like to play video slots? One of the (many) reasons is that you can have multiple bonus games in one slot. In the past, if there was a bonus game at all, it would have been a simple one and there would only have been one to play. Video slots made it possible to have more than one, each one offering something different and each one giving the player an additional chance to win.

Video slots also tend to have exciting themes, often linked to pop culture. So if you have a particular movie franchise you love, a TV character that sparks your interest, a musical genre or artist that you enjoy, or pretty much anything else, video slots will allow you to play a game linked to that.

There are also some huge prizes that can be won when playing video slots. Due to the fact that these games can be linked across the world, they become part of the progressive slot network. Every time a player loses, the jackpot grows, until someone wins a life-changing amount of money.

If you’re interested in playing some great video slots, here are some to work out:

•         Wheel of Fortune
•         Thunderstruck II
•         Mega Fortune
•         Wizard of Oz

·         Avalon II

Unlike the vast majority of other commonly played casino gambling games, slots have only been around for the last century or so, something that is crazy when you think about how large the modern day 21st century slots industry is. Charles D. Fey created the Liberty Bell machine back in the late 1800s, and by the mid 1900s slots had become incredibly advanced, and monumentally popular.

Throughout the short history of slots technological advancement has been responsible for the huge growth of the industry at every time, and one of the main things responsible has been the development of multiplier slot games. These games are adored by slots gamblers all around the world, so keep reading for some top multiplier slot games at Easy Slots.

What is a slot multiplier?

Most people will probably have come across the concept of a multiplier a few times in their life, but if not it is very simple. In relation to slots, a slot multiplier is simply something that lucky gamblers are awarded during their reel spinning session, and it multiplies your slot win by a set amount.

Slot multipliers usually occur during slot bonus rounds, however they are being used more and more frequently as modern slots get better and better. Slot multipliers can go from something small like 2x, all the way up to 100,000x and beyond! 

How can multiplier slot games improve my win rate?

Most slot gamblers will much prefer multiplier slot games to other types of online slot, because they are always a lot more fun, and more importantly they can improve your win rate too.

The reason why isn’t hard to see – with multiplier slot games you can double, triple or 100x your win, which means you will be winning more cash for definite! 

Where can I play multiplier slot games?

Because multiplier slot games are so popular these days most slot developers will include multipliers in their games, which means that multiplier slot games are widely available at pretty much all online casino sites around these days.

Remember, however, some multiplier slot games will only have multipliers that go up to something a bit meagre like x5, however others can shoot up to x1000 at the very least. It’s therefore always important to check how large the multipliers are on a multiplier slot, something we’ll help you do next. 

Some top multiplier slot games to check out

Keep reading for some of the best multiplier slots to play:

•         Mega Moolah: There are few other multiplier slots that can match Mega Moolah in terms of overall jackpot, because Mega Moolah is a progressive jackpot online slot that has paid out over several million pounds on a number of occasions.

·         The Gladiator: Ever seen the box office smash hit motion picture Gladiator? The Ancient Roman themed film drew a lot of plaudits, so there’s no surprise that Playtech have made an online slot in homage to the film. Not only is it a great adaptation, but there are multipliers here that can easily hit 100x.

It might seem hard to believe, but the Cheltenham Festival will get underway in just over eight weeks. The lead up to the festival is crucial for punters, certainly those who believe in getting maximum value for their bets. This is the time when the pieces of the puzzle start to fall into place, and we get more of an idea of where trainers might be putting their entries. It’s also the point where you can clean up with some ante-post value providing your bookmaker offers non-runner, no bet (NRNB). But it’s also a challenge.

One of the more interesting races to look at is the RSA Chase (now called the Festival Novices’ Chase). At first glance, it looks like a cracker, featuring a rematch of the first two home in the 2020 Albert Bartlett, Monkfish and Latest Exhibition. In MansionBet’s initial RSA Novices Steeplechase tips and predictions for the 2021 event, Envoi Allen was also picked out as joining the pair in what would be an exhilarating three-way tussle for supremacy. But there seems to be a consensus now that Envoi Allen targets the Marsh Novices’ Chase.

Monkfish Now a Huge Favourite

Nevertheless, Envoi Allen is still listed as a selection for the RSA Chase, and he is still priced up by bookmakers. This gives us a fairly uneven picture, with Gordon Elliott’s horse as low as 3/1 with some bookmakers and as high as 14/1 with others. That’s a direct consequence of the belief he eventually goes to the Marsh Novices Chase, where he is the 13/10 favourite.

Monkfish has become the unanimous favourite now for the RSA Chase, coming in at around 7/4. Elsewhere, you have Latest Exhibition at 17/2, The Big Breakaway at 11/1, The Big Getaway at 12/1, and Pencilfulloflead also at 12/1. Next Destination, Shan Blue and Royal Pagaille (all 16/1) are also in the mix.

Obviously, if Envoi Allen’s talents are pointed elsewhere, then it is Monkfish who is catching the eye. While he beat Latest Exhibition by only a neck in the Albert Bartlett last year, the pair have been on different trajectories since then. Monkfish has improved further, and, crucially, he looks like he has another gear to move into should it be required. As it stands, he seems a worthy favourite.

The Dublin Festival Should Be Scrutinised by Cheltenham Punters

But is 7/4 the sort of price you want for an ante-post bet eight weeks before Cheltenham? It is more than possible that Monkfish is a shorter price on the day, and you can see why the money has been pouring in already. But for a bit of value, you might want to look at The Big Getaway in the each-way markets. Willie Mullins’ 7-year-old looked a bit shaky on his first appearance of the season at Navan back in early December, but he bounced back with a fine win after Christmas at Leopardstown.

Mullins will obviously have plans for The Big Getaway at the Dublin Festival in February, and his performance there will have a big say over his price for the RSA at Cheltenham. If The Big Getaway can perform at Leopardstown – the Flogas Novices’ Chase has been mentioned as a possibility by Mullins – then you could see him having his odds slashed afterwards.

There is a problem, of course – both The Big Getaway and Monkfish are trained by Willie Mullins. Will the Irish maestro use both his aces in this race? That’s the conundrum for punters right now. There is the possibility that The Big Getaway is used elsewhere, and he has been touted for a drop back in trip by Mullins. But if he runs in the RSA Chase, some feel he can get closest to Monkfish. That doesn’t say a lot for the British contingent in the field, of course.

In the end, the RSA Chase sums up some of the challenges of pinpointing early value for Cheltenham. Pundits are almost certain than Monkfish will run, and he will go off as one of the big favourites of the festival. But we also need to second-guess where trainers will place their best chips, and some might be rightly scared of Monkfish. The best rule of thumb is to keep an eye on the tips and the rhetoric from trainers. If you see a big price with NRNB that fits the narrative of what might happen, then consider getting on early to grab some value.

There are and continue to be countless characters in horse racing, the sport of kings, over the years. From all angles, the riding, the training, the owning, right through to the colourful peripheral characters that have made their mark on racing over the decades (a nod to the late great John Mccririck!). With the magnificent and much awaited Cheltenham Festival just around the corner, it feels like a good time to centre in on someone who has more than made their mark in this prestigious event. And that individual is none over that talented jockey, Davy Russell.

Beyond horse racing circles, David ‘Davy’ Russell is of course best known for his association with Tiger Roll, whom he rode to back-to-back victories in the Grand National in 2018 and 2019. However, the 41-year-old Corkman has an enviable record at the Cheltenham Festival too, where he has ridden a total of 22 winners and ranks and impressive sixth in the all-time list of most successful jockeys. He features in many Cheltenham Guides such as cheltenhamguides.com and for good reason.

Russell rode his first Cheltenham Festival winner, Native Jack, trained by Philip Rothwell, in what is now the Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase and, with the exception of 2019, has ridden at least one winner at every Cheltenham Festival since. In 2018, he rode four winners, including Presenting Percy in the RSA Insurance Novices’ Chase and Balko Des Flos in the Ryanair Chase to win the Leading Jockey Award for the one and only time. A record viewed by many to be beyond impressive.

Of the four main ‘championship’ races at the Festival, Russell has won just one, the Cheltenham Gold Cup (though what a race to win!), aboard Lord Windermere, trained by Jim Culloty, in 2014. However, he in fact was completing a notable double, having won the RSA Insurance Novices’ Chase on the same horse in 2013. Indeed, that year he also rode Tiger Roll to the first of his four victories, so far, at the Cheltenham Festival, in the Triumph Hurdle.

Russell is also, jointly, the leading jockey in the history of two of the most competitive handicaps at the Cheltenham Festival, the Coral Cup and the Pertemps Final. So far, he has won both races three times, in the case of the former on Naiad de Misselot in 2008, Carlito Brigante in 2011 and Diamond King in 2016, and of the latter on Mall Dini in 2016, Presenting Percy in 2017 and Delta Work in 2018. It will take a jockey of quite some talent to overshadow the achievements of Davy Russell.