3 Reel Slots

Play the best online slots with three reels for real money or free with no download or registration here! Learn every information of the three-reel slots and get to understand how they work. Start spinning today!

The online gambling world has been largely dominated by the 5 reel slots relegating the 3 reel slots to a second slot. While many reasons may be attached to this, the free 3-reel slot machines remain popular among ‘old-school’ players who wish to reminisce the old times of visiting a brick-and-mortar casino to pull a lever and having BAR, fruit, and bell symbols. Gambling enthusiasts will find out that despite the vintage and nostalgic look and feel, the payouts are also good and the adrenaline rush experienced in the 5-reel slots is also present in these slots. Read More

While they lack incentives such as a diverse range of themes, numerous bonus features, hundreds of paylines, and animated symbols, modern 3-reel slots are providing an exciting outlet with some of them offering a jackpot feature.

Depending on the 3-reel slot machine one is playing, they may hit a fixed jackpot or a progressive jackpot. To make the deal sweeter, some of these machines may have a blend of the aforementioned two jackpots.

So, what are 3 reel slots? Also called classic slot machines, 3 reel slots are what the name suggests. They are slots that provide three (3) vertical lines (reels) and are among the first online casino games that gained popularity across the globe. With the three (3) vertical lines on the grid, the number of potential winning combinations is massively reduced in the classic slots but doesn’t limit the value of the payouts one can grab. The other aspect that is massively limited with the classic slots is the features. As opposed to the popular 5 reel slots, 3 reel slots have no advanced features but that notwithstanding, players can take advantage of standard features including wilds, scatters, and free spins.

Best 3 Reel Slot Machines

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  • Collect Symbols
  • Colossal Reels
  • Colossal Symbols
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  • Expanding Symbol
  • Expanding Wild
  • Extra Reel
  • Extra Spins
  • Extra Wild
  • Free Spins
  • Gamble
  • Increasing Multiplier
  • Jackpot
  • Locked Reels
  • Megaways
  • Multiplier
  • Mystery Symbol
  • Nudge
  • Pick Bonus
  • Random Wild
  • Respin
  • Retrigger
  • Scatter
  • Select Volatility
  • Shifting Wilds
  • Single Reel Respin
  • Split Symbols
  • Stacked Symbols
  • Stacked Wild
  • Sticky Reels
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  • Switching Symbols
  • Symbol Removal
  • Synced Reels
  • Transferring Wilds
  • Walking Wild
  • Wild
  • Wild Reels
  • Win Both Ways
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  • 1x2gaming
  • 2By2 Gaming
  • Ainsworth
  • Amatic
  • August Gaming
  • Bally
  • Belatra
  • BetSoft
  • BF Games
  • BGaming
  • Big Time Gaming
  • Blueprint Gaming
  • Booming Games
  • Booongo
  • Crazy Tooth Studio
  • EGT
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  • ELK Studios
  • Endorphina
  • Evolution Gaming
  • Evoplay
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  • Eyecon
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  • GameArt
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  • Genii
  • Golden Hero
  • Green Jade Games
  • Habanero
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  • High 5 Games
  • IGT
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  • iSoftBet
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  • Kalamba Games
  • Leander Games
  • Lightning Box
  • Mancala Gaming
  • Mascot Gaming
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  • Microgaming
  • MrSlotty
  • NetEnt
  • NetGame Entertainment
  • NextGen Gaming
  • Nolimit City
  • Northern Lights Gaming
  • Novomatic (Greentube)
  • Oryx Gaming
  • Pariplay
  • Peter & Sons
  • PG Soft
  • Platipus
  • Playson
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  • Rabcat Gambling
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  • TrueLab
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Devices
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Themes
  • 3D
  • Adult
  • Adventures
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  • Animals
  • Arabian
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  • Future
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  • Myths
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  • Retro
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How to Play 3 Reel Slots

3 reel slots can be played by all categories of players. Beginners can try out the games since they are less complicated and experienced gamblers who wish to invoke the nostalgic feeling of the old Vegas trips to the offline casinos can also try the classic slots. To play the classics, slot lovers can do so in two popular modes. One, players can use the demo mode to play the 3-reel slot machines for free on our platform. This will incur no cost since no deposit or registration will be required. Additionally, these games will be instant meaning that no download will be required.

The second mode of play will be to play for real money which as the name suggests, players will make real money deposits and expect real money prizes. Slot lovers can try out the different bet sizes as they spin the reels. If luck is on their side and they form a winning combination, a payout can be grabbed which is the ultimate goal of slot gambling.

On to the mechanics of play, it is vital to check the paytable of the game before beginning to spin. This will provide information you need to know before using your money. The information will range from the stats, symbols, bet sizes, to the paylines. The 3 reel slots paylines are different. Some have one pay line, three paylines, with others having ten (10) paylines. The bet size can be changed in the coin value section and with these classic slots, having bet levels is rare. However, it doesn’t mean one cannot find them. Bet levels will signify the number of coins a player can wager per line. Some can take one coin per line, others five, with others taking up to ten (10) coins. If the classic slot features bet levels, slot lovers are advised to take advantage of them.

How to Win 3 Reel Slots

To trigger a win on three-reel slots, three matching symbols must land on the pay line. The payout will depend on the value of symbols that land. If the highest symbol is an apple and landing on three of them pays out 600 coins on a one-coin bet, a player will receive 6000 coins if they made a ten-coin bet. A one pay line slot has to match up three symbols horizontally while multiple pay line slots can match up diagonally.

The trick with the classic slots is to bet on all paylines to improve the chances of winning, and at the same time, getting the best possible payout.

History of 3 Wheel Slots

The invention of slot machines generally dates back to the 1890s when Charles Fey from California made the first true slot machine. The machine known as the Liberty Bell featured three (3) mechanical reels and five (5) symbols among them the Liberty Bell that was the highest paying symbol. 

The mechanics behind the three-wheel slot machine was simple. A player would insert a coin in a slot provided to unlock a lever that would be pulled. This would then have the reels spun and would randomly stop. If a winning combination was formed, players would receive a payout depending on the value of the symbols. The highlight was that the payouts were automated.

Many years later, more improvements were done on the 3 reel slots and with many developers coming into the market, a variety of three-wheel slot machines came into existence. Technological advancements led to the accessibility of these slots in many places and in the 90s, a milestone was marked as the online casinos’ era started. Players would now access three-reel slots online on desktops without visiting brick-and-mortar casinos. While in this era most slots leaned on the five-reel slot machines, three-reel slots were also accessible online and as time went by, they started being adopted on mobile phones. 

Today, multiple software providers are in the online gambling space and are providing classic slots playable on multiple devices. The transition from the mechanisms of pulling the lever to the use of microprocessors that only require clicking a button is one of the greatest achievements. The implementation of random number generators (RNGs) is another milestone that helps in the fairness of results on these slots.

3 Reel Slots Common Features

While classic slots are known for their limited features, it doesn’t mean that they lack some of them that interest a bunch of players. In reality, they are miles away from the new generation online slots but some common features are there to look forward to. Here are some of them:

  • Wilds – Among the most common features offered on the online 3 reel slots. They may come in different variants but the main purpose of these symbols is to substitute other symbols to help form a winning combination. However, wilds will not substitute scatter symbols or bonus symbols in most 3 reel slots.
  • Scatters – Yet another common feature available on the 3 reel slots online. They are special symbols that will play a role in triggering bonus rounds. A player must land on a number of them and this largely depends on each slot title. Classic slots may require three of them to trigger free spins. If the slot offers no free spins feature, a payout can be activated.
  • Free Spins and/or Respins – A combination of symbols, mostly scatters, can trigger free spins that will be used to spin the reels with no additional cost. If a winning combination is hit during the free spins round, players are still eligible to win real money payouts. A re-spin feature may also be offered on the 3 reel slots. They provide a second opportunity to spin with the reel that the feature was triggered on remaining sticky or locked to improve the odds of the 3-reel slot machine hitting after the spin(s) is completed.
  • Jackpots – Both fixed and progressive jackpots can be found on classic slots. Gargantuan prizes are associated with jackpots and once triggered, the returns are life-changing. 
  • Nudge and Hold – Nudge feature helps out in making a potential winning combination from a near miss. It gives a chance to move the reels down by a position to help in forming a combination. The hold feature will act as the name suggests by holding one reel in a position while the others are in motion. 
  • Bonus Rounds – Bonus rounds are also present in some classic slots and will play a great role in unlocking progressive jackpots. 

Tips for Choosing 3 Wheel Slots

Want to benefit from the best free three-wheel slots? Here are the tips to check out:

  1. Max bet – The best tip is to bet the maximum denomination on all the paylines to increase the chances of winning. Chances of landing on a jackpot prize are also high for players who bet max (betting on the highest denomination on every line)
  2. Opt for high RTP slots – RTP signifies the average returns the slot game gives to the players. High RTP signifies high returns and for a slot with above 97% RTP, jump on it!
  3. Volatility – Depending on the type of slot you wish to try, volatility is vital. Beginners and low stake players who do not wish to take risks can try low volatility three-reel slots. They offer frequent returns albeit the value being lower. Experienced gamblers with a huge budget and who are motivated by huge wins can try out the medium/high 3 reel volatile slots that pay out less frequently.
  4. Try demo mode – Before committing real money on the slots, try out playing for free to gain a better insight into everything the slot is about. Players get to learn how to trigger the features and deciding if the slot is a perfect match for them.

Advantages of 3-Reel Slots

For their long existence, 3-reel slot games have braved the evolving gambling space and besides the existence of 5 reel slots, they have remained popular for several reasons. Here are the advantages of 3 reel slots:

  • Simplicity – The first and main advantage comes from the simplicity of these slots. With only 3 reels, limited features, and paylines, it is easy to track every gameplay.
  • Jackpots – The slots also provide jackpot features that offer life-changing amounts in returns.
  • Low volatile – Most 3 reel slots are low in volatility meaning that frequent returns are activated in small amounts.
  • Preferable for beginners – Due to the simplicity they boast and the low volatility of the titles, they are perfect for beginners.
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