Slot Machines – What you need to know

If you’re new to the casino world, Slot Machines might be a little complex and overwhelming to understand what’s happening the first times you play.

In the middle of all the animations, it appears terms like Wild, Scatter or Multiplier. But what do these terms mean?

In this article we’re going to explain what you need to know to understand how one of the biggest attractions in casinos work, the Slot Machines.

To start, what are Slot Machines?

Slot machines are a type of casino games that display 3 or more reels that spin when a bet is placed.

The player wins the bet when the slot shows equal symbols in one or more pay lines (the positions that result in a winning combination).

Now a days, slot machines are complex, with multiple pay lines and new features each day, making them more and more original and exciting.

The symbol distribution is always random, it can’t be controlled by the player nor the casino.

How to choose in which Slot to play?

Even though there are always chances to win some money, slot machines should be played for entertainment only.

All slots have a theoretical rate of winnings, the RTP rate (Return to Player). This rate calculates the percentage of money that returns to the player, averagely. The higher the RTP is, the more probability there is to win each round.

For example, in theory, a slot that has a RTP of 95%, if 100 bets of £1 each are placed, the player can receive, in average, £95.

Obviously, being this a theoretical value, it doesn’t mean that this is going to happen. You can actually win much more than the average value!

Slot machines features

Each slot has its design, game symbols, animations and RTP. There is always going to exist Slots with more functionalities and features that allow the player to have more chances of bonus or larger prizes.

Even though, now a days, slots present us more and more complex features and animations, there are payment symbols that are still used in most of them.

Even with these slight explanations, you should always read the rules because they may vary.

         Wilds

                The Wilds are the Joker game! They are special symbols that when appear on the pay line, can replace missing symbols. They always increase the chances for the player to receive a good combination.

         Scatter

                These symbols are increasely more popular each day, so you might find in almost every new slot. The Scatter symbols may appear dispersed throughout the slots, they don’t need to be in reels in a row. If 3 or more Scatter symbols appear, it can lead the player to bonus or free spins!

         Bonus rounds

                The Bonus Rounds are rounds where the player can receive big prizes. Usually the bonus rounds can be free spins or be very different from the base game to give the player an unique and exciting experience.

         Free Spins

                The Free Spins are types of Bonus Rounds that, usually, appear when the player finds 3 Scatter symbols in one spin. These are plays that the player doesn’t need to place money to spin. In a set of free spins it can also appear the Multiplier symbol that multiplies the player winnings by 2, 3 or 4 times. In some slots, it can multiply the winning by a lot more.

         Re-spins

                Re-spins can be mistaken by free spins but they are different features. While in free spins all the reels spin, in re-spins the reels spin partially. It’s possible, with extra costs, that the player can spin one chosen reel to find a missing symbol for a bonus. With this feature, the player ca, in a way, control the game.

         Cascading Symbols

                 The Re-spin feature can be a form of cascading symbols. These symbols appear when a player can get a winning combination and disappear, freeing space for new symbols. This functionality increases the chance of more winnings.

         Other symbols

                Sticky: These are symbols that “stick”, in other words, they don’t move from their position when the reel is spinning.

                Giant: These are symbols so big that can occupy more than one position, even more than one reel.

                Stacked: These symbols can stack in each other, increasing the chances of winning. They can also be symbols that expand on the reel or to other reels.

         Jackpot

                Jackpot is the prize of the prizes. The highest prize on the slot machines. You aren’t able to win a Jackpot easily, it’s necessary special conditions to win it and it can depend on each slot.