Everyone seems to be playing slots online these days whether it's for fun or for real cash. And there are so many providers out there to choose from that it's difficult to tell one from another without going into each site and taking a few spins.

So this gives us an easy starting point; if the sites don't let you at least trial a few games for free, then simply walk away (…virtually that is). You should always be able to take a free trial with slots. The fact is that they vary enormously in the quality of the graphics and the extent to which they're fun, interesting and engaging. So if you can't at least play a few demo games, then why bother?

Next up, have a look at the sites' free offerings and bonuses etc. Most sites have an introductory bonus in some form, so it's simply a matter of checking out the most lucrative ones once you've decided you do like the creativity of their games. One of the UK's fastest-growing online slots games providers, for example, will top your account up to £30 once you've deposited just £10.

The same site also lets you play for just a penny a time if you're really doing it more for the fun of playing than anything else – but you still want some actual cash at stake. So this is another choice criterion; how little can you play slots for if you're just in it for a little fun?
 

Some sites now have a big presence on Facebook where players play free slots only. The same site referenced above, Jackpotjoy, for example – has now seen over 8 million people playing its free slots on Facebook, entering tournaments, communicating with new friends and generally having a ball – all without any real cash involved whatsoever.

So this is, perhaps, the single main criteria; are the games fun in their own right? Another way of looking at the same question is to ask yourself whether you' play the games anyway, if there was no cash involved whatsoever.

Award-winning websites can also be a big clue. Any site which has won an award for the creativity of its slots is worth checking out.

And finally, ask around; there's no real substitute for third party recommendation from friends with no axe to grind. But having fun is the bottom line here.