The best online slot games on online casino sites these days come with a whole range of features that improve your experience while playing. The autoplay feature is one of the most popular of these innovations, and you’ll struggle to find a modern online slot machine that doesn’t feature it. But is autoplay a good or bad thing? Let’s find out more.

What is the autoplay function?

If you’re familiar with any modern online slots game, and you like to lean back and let lady luck take the wheel for a few spins, then you’re probably familiar with the autoplay function. But if you’re new to the world of online casino slots, then you might want a bit of an explanation as to what “autoplay” actually means. 

The autoplay feature does exactly what it says on the can – it plays the game automatically for a specified number of spins without stopping, and without you having to hit the “spin” button each time. Sounds convenient, right? 

Well, some gamers will agree with you, and even go so far as to say that autoplay is crucial to the game. Other bettors, however, believe that autoplay takes the thrill and the excitement out of the game, or may even decide that it makes it boring. Either way, the autoplay function exists, and it’s up to you to decide whether you want to use it. 

So, let’s dive right into some pros and cons of the autoplay feature in online slots.

Autoplay pros

Let’s face it, autoplay wouldn’t be included in (almost) every modern online slots game if it wasn’t in some way a positive experience, so here are a few reasons why autoplay can be a good thing for casino slot games. 

Convenience

Developers of online casino games are constantly trying to make their gameplay easier and more convenient – autoplay accomplishes this and then some. Not everyone who plays slots online is sitting on the edge of their seat; sometimes you just want to sit back and let the reels spin away. Autoplay doesn’t change the way the game plays (or the outcome), and it can also still trigger bonus features, so you won’t miss any of the real online slots action.

Players with large bankrolls would much rather have their spins triggered automatically, rather than get carpal tunnel by pressing the spin button hundreds of times in rapid succession. Autoplay is also useful to players who have more going on in their browser than just one game, or who are playing on a mobile device and don’t want to be constantly staring at it. With this function, you simply select the number of spins you want to play, and then you can go back to watching funny cat videos on YouTube while your spins play out. 

Time-saving

While most people play slots online when they’re relaxing, not everyone has all the time in the world to watch spinning reels. One of the most valuable features of autoplay is the amount of time you can save by having the spins trigger automatically, and not having to click and wait for every spin. 

Playing manually – by clicking the spin button every time you play – will slow you down over time if you aren’t concentrating, or if you look away from the screen. The autoplay function, however, will trigger the next spin the instant the previous one is done, and won’t waste any of your valuable gambling time. Because after all, time is money. 

Variety of settings

Depending on the game you’re playing, you’ll find that there are a range of options that you can choose from that will determine how the autoplay feature plays your spins out. Typically games will allow you to choose how many spins the autoplay can make, but some have deeper mechanics than that. 

Some autoplay features allow you to set win and loss limits, control the speed at which the game plays out, or even stop the autoplay if you hit a bonus feature or a jackpot. The more flexibility and control a player has over the autoplay feature, the more comfortably and easily they can control and manage their budget, while not having to lift a finger. 

Autoplay cons

There are a lot of positive things to be said about the autoplay feature, but there are downsides to letting your game continue unchecked too. Let’s take a look at a few of the drawbacks of the autoplay feature. 

‘No more fun’

This is by far the most common issue punters have with the autoplay feature. A lot of players feel that the best part of playing online slots is the experience itself, and that the autoplay feature, while convenient, detracts from the fun and the anticipation of the results of each spin. 

Online slot machines aren’t demanding in terms of input from the player, and so handing over one of the few moments of gameplay required by the player to the machine gives you even less to do; for some players, this feels like they aren’t involved in the gameplay at all. What players want is to be immersed in the game, to feel like they have control and that their input affects the outcome, even though they know it’s random.

No variance in bet size

The algorithms that drive the autoplay function can do a great many things, but there are a few things that the player is solely in control of, which means that the autoplay won’t be able to change a few settings without your help. 

When autoplay is activated, the bet size you selected for those spins is set and the game won’t be able to change it. So, if you run strategies for betting that require you to change the size of your bet after a loss or a win, then autoplay is going to interfere with that strategy. Similarly, bet sizes can determine a number of other factors that players can use to their advantages, such as more paylines and larger multipliers with larger bets.

The risk of losing big

While you can set win and loss limits for autoplay when playing some online slots for real money, not all games have that functionality, and this can cause problems if you hit a bad streak on a large bet. If you’re playing 100 spins on autoplay, and have placed a fairly large bet on each spin, you could end up depleting your bankroll before you hit 50 spins. 

The key is bankroll management, and understanding the risks of playing a large number of spins with the autoplay feature. Make sure that, even if you’re not concentrating on the game, a string of losses won’t bankrupt you – because autoplay will just keep playing as long as you can afford the bet. 

Play – or autoplay – at Borgata Online

Now that you have a better idea of some upsides and downsides of the autoplay feature, why not try it out for yourself at Borgata Online? Register with us to gain access to some of the best online slots available, as well as some fantastic table games, live dealer games, and massive jackpot slots.