Best Penny Slots Online: What a Spin Really Costs & Which Games to Play
A penny slot is a slot that lets you wager as little as $0.01 per payline, not, as many imagine, $0.01 for the entire spin.
The true cost of penny slots is $0.01 per line multiplied by the number of active paylines. That could be anywhere from a few cents to several dollars per spin.
In this guide, we’ll show you four of the best penny slots online, complete with their betting ranges, paylines, RTP, volatility, and maximum wins.
What Counts as a Penny Slot
Before we get into the games, what are penny slots, exactly, and how do penny slots work?
Penny slots online are slot games that let you set your bet per payline to $0.01. But that doesn’t mean every spin costs one cent. Your total spin cost depends on how many paylines are active.
The formula is:
Bet size X number of active paylines = total cost per spin
Take a slot with 10 adjustable paylines. If you wager $0.01 on each line and activate all 10 paylines, your total bet is just $0.10 per spin. Now compare that to a slot with 50 paylines. A $0.01 bet per line adds up to a $0.50 spin.
The number of active paylines depends on the game.
Some slots have adjustable paylines. In this case, you can take control and lower the number of active lines to the lowest-possible bet.
Others have fixed paylines. Every payline remains active, and you cannot adjust the number. This sets the minimum bet at a fixed value.
If a slot claims to be a penny slot, be sure to check the bet display to see if that means one penny per line and if those lines are adjustable, because that affects how much you’ll actually spend.
Remember that changing your stake does not change the slot’s RTP or volatility; it simply changes the scale of your wins.
Top Penny Slots to Play Online
1. Leprechaun Legends
- Minimum bet per line: $0.01
- Paylines: 50 fixed
Leprechaun Legends offers fixed 50 paylines at $0.01 per line, making your minimum total cost per spin $0.50.
There are four bonus rounds, which you progress through one by one. With a smaller bet size, you have more opportunities to unlock each bonus round and experience the features.
- The first has 1x to 10x multipliers.
- The second has respins with sticky scatters.
- The third has up to 15 free spins with sticky wilds.
- The fourth has extra free spins.
2. Awesome 7s
- Minimum bet per line: $0.01
- Paylines: 15 fixed
- Max win: 1,201x your bet
- Volatility: unconfirmed
- RTP: 96.24% -97.24% with the buy bonus
Born from a classic fruit machine, Awesome 7s costs just $0.01 per line. With 15 fixed paylines, it comes out to $0.15 per spin.
The lower number of paylines and higher RTP make this a good game to play in longer sessions, as the spins cost you less and it’s designed to pay you back more over a long period of play.
Your low bet goes farther in this game as well, since it offers a high max win, which the minimum bet is also eligible for.
You can unlock up to three walking wilds that trigger respins and a 2x multiplier, which can be triggered automatically through the buy bonus.
There is also a gamble feature to double your previous win.
3. Bess & Becky
- Minimum bet per line: $0.01
- Paylines: 15 fixed
You pay just $0.15 per spin in Bess & Becky when you bet the minimum $0.01 on all 15 fixed paylines.
Your smaller bet has the chance to grow in the base game, since most of your base-game wins come from 2x, 5x, and 10x wild multipliers. When you land three or more scatters, you unlock 10 free spins with a 3x bet multiplier.
There’s also a bonus round, which you trigger by landing three bonus symbols.
4. 8 Lucky Charms
- Minimum bet per line: $0.01
- Paylines: 50 fixed
- RTP: 93.2% RTP
Lower your bet to $0.01 per line, and with 50 fixed paylines, spin for $0.50 per round in 8 Lucky Charms
While the RTP is lower in this game, the features are simple and easy to trigger. Many multipliers help boost even small bets, keeping you in the game longer.
Three or four wild tigers on a winning line award a 3x or 5x win multiplier, respectively.
Land three or more scatter symbols, and take your pick of a round of 5, 10, or 20 free spins, possibly with a 2x or 4x win multiplier and expanding wild.
Best Penny Slots Comparison: Cost per Spin, RTP, and Features
Compare the features, minimum bet, paylines, RTP, and volatility of the best penny slots below to determine which would be a good fit for your bankroll and session goals.
| Leprechaun Legends | Awesome 7s | Bess & Becky | 8 Lucky Charms | |
| Min bet per line | $0.01 | $0.01 | $0.01 | $0.01 |
| Paylines | 50 fixed | 15 fixed | 15 fixed | 50 fixed |
| Total bet at all lines | $0.50 | $0.15 | $0.15 | $0.50 |
| RTP | – | Up to 97.24% | – | 93.2% |
| Free spins/multipliers | Sticky Wild Free Spins, multipliers | Gamble Feature | 10 free spins, 3x free-spin multiplier, 2x/5x/10x wild multipliers | 5, 10, or 20 free spins with 2x or 4x multipliers |
| Key wild feature | Sticky wilds, sticky scatters | Walking wild respins | Wild multipliers | Expanding dragon wild during free spins |
| Best for | Players who enjoy feature-rich bonus rounds | Lowest spin cost and classic gameplay | Free spins and wild multipliers | Free-spin sessions with expanding wilds |
Awesome 7s and Bess & Becky have the lowest cost per spin.
Leprechaun Legends and 8 Lucky Charms cost a bit more but have more bonus features and free spins.
Awesome 7s has the highest confirmed max win.
How to Choose a Penny Slot for a Small Bankroll
When looking for penny slots to play, focus on the specs below to make the most of a smaller bankroll:
- RTP
- Volatility
- Hit frequency
1. Focus on Low Volatility
Low-volatility slots are best for extending your bankroll, as they present fewer swings.
The best low volatility slots offer smaller wins that occur more frequently. This means that even with a smaller balance, you’re less likely to drain your bankroll, thanks to regular wins that keep it afloat.
Compare that to high volatility. Games with higher volatility harbor some of the highest max win ceilings, but they don’t come easily. You usually have to spin through long periods of non-winning spins.
You should only approach this style of game with a large bankroll that can handle the swings, even if your overall bet is small.
2. Pay Attention to Paylines
If a penny slot has fixed paylines, you can only adjust your bet per line, but you have to pay the minimum bet per line on all active paylines.
When the paylines are adjustable, you have the option to lower the number of paylines to the minimum, thus lowering your overall bet.
That’s why, if you’re looking for the lowest bet option, penny slots with adjustable paylines are a better choice. They give you more control over the final size of your bet.
It’s also important to remember that fewer active paylines mean fewer chances to land winning combinations. That’s why understanding paylines and hit frequency is just as important as finding a low minimum bet.
3. Check the Rules for Progressive Jackpots
If you’re playing a penny slot with a progressive jackpot, be aware that in the vast majority of cases, the lowest bet is not eligible for the jackpot.
You would have to bet on the max to be in the running. This information is plainly stated in the paytable, so make sure you read it before you commit with your bet.
Always decide on a budget before you start playing, and make sure it’s an amount you’re comfortable losing. Deposit limits are always helpful if you need them.
How to Play Penny Slots for Real Money
Follow these steps to play penny slots:
- Make a deposit. To play penny slots for real money, you’ll need to create an account and deposit cash, either through your bank, crypto, or a peer-to-peer service.
- Open a game with adjustable lines. Any of the games mentioned here are a great place to start.
- Set the bet per line to the minimum. Manually adjust the bet to the minimum of $0.01.
- Check the paytable for jackpot eligibility. If you’re playing a game with a progressive jackpot, check the paytable to make sure your bet size makes you eligible.
- Choose the number of lines. If the paylines are adjustable, manually lower them to the minimum allowed.
- Double-check the total bet display. Make sure your bet and paylines are where they should be before you spin. Double-checking is an essential step of slots bankroll management.
As you play, your wins are automatically credited to your real balance, regardless of whether you’re playing slots with $20 or $200.
Types of Penny Slots: Classic, Video, Megaways, and Progressive
Just like regular slots, penny slots can fall into many categories. You’ll mostly find them in classic and video slots.
Classic Slots
Many of the best classic slots feature 3 reels and a smaller number of paylines, even as few as 1 or 3, making them a natural fit for online penny slots for real money.
They also tend to lean toward lower or medium volatility, so your balance will be steadier as you play.
Video Slots
Video slots are among the best penny slots to play. They’re more elaborate and can include any number of paylines, usually in the 15-100 range.
While you might find more penny slots available in video slots, that doesn’t make them cheaper. With more paylines, a one-cent line bet can add up quickly.
Volatility in video slots also varies widely, from lower to very high.
Megaways Slots
Instead of fixed or adjustable paylines, each spin in Megaways slots yields a different number of ways to win, ranging from just a few to over 100,000. Megaways slots are almost always higher volatility, and it’s rare to find penny slots in this format.
Progressive Slots
A progressive slot is a game that comes with a progressive jackpot, and they almost always have fixed paylines, although the number varies.
You might find one that’s penny-eligible, but spinning on the minimum bet usually means you won’t qualify for the jackpot.
Most of them are higher volatility, so you’ll end up spending more as you wait for meaningful wins, even on the minimum bet.
Ready to Play the Best Penny Slots
There are many slots you can spin for just a few pennies. As long as you don’t expect a massive return, a penny slot can reward you with easygoing fun for a longer session and access to more features.
If you’re looking for somewhere to start, Awesome 7s is one of the best penny slots to play. With just 15 fixed paylines, a 1,201x max win, and a minimum spin of only $0.15, it offers the lowest cost per spin of the four games while still leaving room for a respectable payout.
To stretch your bankroll for longer, browse the low volatility games at SlotsLV Casino and choose a penny slot for yourself.
More About the Best Penny Slot Games Online
Are penny slots really $0.01 per spin?
Not exactly. Being a penny slot means it costs one cent per payline. The real cost is $0.01 multiplied by the number of active lines, which could be anywhere from 5 to 100 or more.
Can you win big on penny slots?
Yes, but your winnings scale with your stake. A slot’s max win multiplier applies to your bet, so a one-cent wager produces much smaller prizes than a larger bet. If you want to spin for a huge prize, such as the progressive jackpot, you’ll usually need to bet higher.
Which penny slot has the best payout?
Among these four games, Awesome 7s has both the highest confirmed max win at 1,201x your bet and the highest confirmed RTP at 97.24%. Max win is the largest possible payout from a single spin, while RTP is the game’s theoretical long-term return over millions of spins.
Are 1 cent slot machines worth it?
If you’re looking for a longer session with fewer bankroll swings and greater access to features, then yes, penny slots will fulfill your goals.
Remember that even if you only bet one penny per spin, the house edge does not change or diminish.
What penny slot has the highest chance of winning?
No penny slot is more likely to win on any given spin because every result is random. If you want more frequent payouts, look at a game’s hit frequency, which estimates how often a win will occur.
That’s opposed to RTP, which represents how much overall the game is designed to return over millions of spins, not in a single session.
Do penny slots have a lower RTP than higher-stakes slots?
A game’s RTP has nothing to do with its available bet sizes. The RTP is baked into the game, and that percentage does not change if you change your bet size.
How do you play penny slots for real money at SlotsLV?
Make a deposit, pick a game with adjustable paylines, set the bet per line to the minimum, and play.
