What you need to know about slot machines

Playing slots has been a source of entertainment since the late 1800s and has managed to provide hours of fun and colossal wins to hundreds of thousands of fun-seekers all over the globe. Presently, their popularity is so overwhelming that they have developed into one of the most recognizable game types that can be found in virtual and brick-and-mortar casinos. The howling success slots have attained during the past few years can be ascribed mainly to the fact that betting on them is not exactly rocket science, especially when compared to other casino games the likes of craps, blackjack, and roulette that require greater expertise.

This comes to explain why an ever-growing number of casino enthusiasts are drawn by slots. Yet, in spite of the fact that slots function in a rather straightforward way, there are certain things you need to know before you dive into betting on them.

• ✓ How to Play Slots
• ✓ Slots Paytable
• ✓ Types of Slot Machines
• ✓ Classic Slots
• ✓ Video Slots
• ✓ 3D Slots
• ✓ Progressive Slots
• ✓ Types of Symbols
• ✓ Slots Bonus Games
• ✓ Are Slots Programmed or Random
• ✓ Factors to Consider

How to Play Slots

Players who get excited by slots might have already noticed that currently, there is an abundance of games to pick from. In spite of the fact that they are vastly different in terms of gameplay, visual presentation, and special features, most slots function in roughly the same manner.

If you have chosen to enjoy slots online, you should first make sure that your gaming bankroll is loaded with sufficient funds. As soon as you have already settled on a specific title, you merely need to start it. Selecting a coin denomination you are comfortable with is the first thing you need to do before you start betting.

Inspecting the slot structure is certainly a must before players get down to wagering. What this means is that they should check out the number of the reels the particular slot is equipped with or in other words, the number of vertical lines. The most common layout virtual players might come across is the 5×3 or 3×3.

In addition to this, they should take a look at the number of the paylines, and check out if they are fixed or adjustable. The paylines indicate where identical icons need to land so that a payout could be awarded. Naturally, the more win lines a slot has, the better your chances to bag a payout will be. In the event that they are fixed, this will mean that all paylines will remain turned on all the time, and players will not be given the opportunity to switch off any of them. If they are adjustable, however, slot mavens will be enabled to put in gear as many of the paylines as they prefer.

Finally, casino enthusiasts simply need to hit the spin button and hope that identical icons will show up simultaneously on any of the paylines, thus providing a payout. If this does not happen, however, you should hope that the next spin of the reels will bring you a balance boost.

What slots novices should be aware of is that not all slots available out there carry the same number and type of symbols. Additionally, some slots are furnished with autoplay, which allows players to enjoy a specific number of reel spins without interruption.

Slots Paytable

Inspecting the paytable of the slot you are drawn by is essential as this is the only way in which you can figure out if it is worth spending your time and money on. For that reason, players who are making their first steps in betting on slots should make sure that they will be able to decipher how payouts work.

Most of the time, this is a pop-up window that should be inspected in order to learn the ins and outs of the specific game. The pay chart gives details about the winning combos, the minimum and maximum payouts that are offered for them, the special symbols, and how bonus games, if any, are triggered. If the slot you are playing comes with a fixed or progressive jackpot, the pay chart will give extra details of how it can be won.

Regardless of their expertise, players should not be dismissive of the information available under the paytable so as to ensure that they will make informed decisions as they wager.

Types of Slot Machines

There are many different ways in which slot machines can be categorized as they can be grouped together depending on whether a download is needed or not, whether they are played for free or using real cash, and if they are playable across portable or desktop devices. They can also be classified based on the number of their reels and the coin denominations they offer.

Classic Slots

In spite of the fact that the world of slots has not been as expansive as it is now, many players are still drawn by classic slots. Classic slots are almost instantly recognizable because of their visual simplicity as in most instances, they come with a single win line and three reels. Such slots are designed to mimic vintage slot machines as occasionally, the symbols players should expect to see include cherries, plums, lemons, lucky sevens, and bar symbols. Yet, some creators of casino content endeavor to be more imaginative with such games and add bonus games or special symbols to spice up the gameplay.

As it seems, some players are intrigued by classic slots mainly as they offer mindless entertainment because of the lack of complex bonus features or storylines.

Video Slots

The games that fall into the video slots category are the most plentiful and usually, casino enthusiasts find them most intriguing. Their popularity can be easily explained as in most cases, video slots stand out with their premium visual presentation, intriguing and rewarding bonus features, and the complex storylines they follow.

Software providers endeavor to outperform themselves, thus introducing new and intriguing titles on a regular basis. The sources from which they draw inspiration for their games are incredibly diverse as gambling enthusiasts will find titles that are based on movies, fairytales, mythology, famous people, animals, music, and even such inspired by aliens.

3D Slots

In fact, 3D slots bear many similarities with video slots. Although they are a relatively new development, 3D slots have already turned into a draw for many slot lovers owing to the stunning quality of the graphics and the animations. Furthermore, most slots of this caliber revolve around complex stories that disclose as players spin the reels, thus taking the gaming experience to a whole new level.

Progressive Slots

Progressive slots are unlikely to cease to turn heads soon as some such games have already changed the lives of many players overnight. Whenever you lay a wager on such slots, a specific portion of it will be added to a constantly-increasing prize pool that once hits, allows players to turn into instant millionaires. Still, if players want to qualify for the jackpot, most of the time, they will be required to settle for the maximum possible bet amount.

Types of Symbols

No matter which slot type is more to their liking, while inspecting the paytable of the preferred game, players will notice that some icons are more rewarding than others. Depending on the payouts they deliver, slot symbols can be categorized as low-paying and high-paying ones. Although this might not always be the case, low-value icons are often represented by card initials, while high-value icons are in some way related to the theme of the game.

As mentioned above, most slots do not go without special symbols the likes of scatter and wild ones. Wild symbols are given a key role in the gameplay as occasionally, they can substitute all regular symbols, but not the other special ones, thus increasing the chances of a winning combination to land.

The scatter symbol is yet another special symbol that might be instrumental in snatching more alluring rewards as they are used to unlock free spin games or other bonus games. Additionally, most of the time, aligning a specific number of scatter symbols will bring players the greatest payout the slot offers.

Slots Bonus Games

Software providers tend to use much creativity also in terms of the special features slots have. Most present-day slots do not go without bonus features, which is exactly what makes them so enthralling and dazzling for players.

For their most part, slots are equipped with at least one bonus game, but there are also games where the bonus games are many more. While some bonus games are based entirely on luck, others allow casino enthusiasts to attempt yo yield better results by applying some skills. Most of the time, this rings true to bonus games that are inspired by arcade games.

The way in which most bonus games work is identical as most of the time, players might be up against free spins, click-me games, or other mini games that are slot-specific.

Are Slot Machines Programmed or Random

As likely as not, this is one of the questions even some seasoned players might be asking themselves. What casino enthusiasts should be aware of is that slots are designed in such a way so as to deliver completely random results, but at the same time, they are programmed to return to players a specific percentage of the wagered amounts.

Players who think that they can do something in order to bag the huge win they are after while spinning the reels might be in for a big surprise. The outcome of each spin of the reels is completely unpredictable as it is determined by a Random Number Generator that produces a huge sequence of numbers. Thus, whenever the reels stop spinning, players will see a combination of characters that is dictated by the last number from the sequence that was produced. This is exactly the reason why predicting the outcome of the next spin of the reels is unattainable. Therefore, contrary to what some slots lovers might think, spending more time spinning the reels of a specific slot will not take them closer to sweeping a payout or winning the jackpot.

As with other casino games, in the case of slots, the house will get an edge over players by providing them with smaller payouts than the ones that should be given at true odds. The theoretical payout rates or RTP is yet another thing players should learn more about while enhancing their knowledge about slot machines. This rate can be used in order to figure out what fragment of the money staked on that specific game will be repaid to casino enthusiasts.

Hence, if we suppose that the RTP of the slot you have settled for is 97.3%, this will mean that $2.70 of every $100 wagered on that slot will be collected by the casino, while the remaining $97.3 will be returned to players.

Factors to Consider while Picking a Slot

In spite of the fact that slots are incredibly easy to play, settling for one of the games available out there might not turn out to be a five-finger exercise. Yet, there are certain factors that are worth taking into consideration before you try your hand at spinning the reels.

First and foremost, casino enthusiasts should take into account the RTP of the slot. They should make sure that they will not get carried away by the visual presentation or the bonus features the game comes with as this might not necessarily mean that it offers an advantageous RTP. Players are advised to look for slots that offer an RTP that is as close to 100% as possible as with such games, the edge of the casino will be rather minuscule.

Furthermore, players should always inspect the bet minimums and maximums the slot they have picked boasts. Since the range of the available stakes will not be the same across the different games available out there, it will be best to make sure that the slot you have settled for is suitable for your style of play, and above all, your bankroll. If you see that the least amount you are enabled to stake is $1, for example, and your budget is $20, it might be best to steer clear of this game simply because you are likely to go through the spins you can afford rather quickly without getting much profit.

The number of paylines is one more thing that should not fall outside the attention of players. As you might expect, the number of the win lines will also have an effect on the cost of each spin of the reels. Naturally, the greater the number of the paylines is, the better your chances to snatch a win will be.

The size of the jackpot players can come by is also worth taking into consideration, especially if they aspire to enjoy a rather lucrative betting session. Players are advised to check out if the slot offers a fixed or a progressive jackpot. The latter type is particularly alluring as on some occasions, the amount that can be won can escalate to several million dollars. Furthermore, casino enthusiasts should check how the jackpot hits, more specifically, if a rare combination should appear or it will fall at random.