Although you may be a consistent slot machine player, with the technological advances made for slot machines, there are many terms you may or may not know about. This is especially true for new online slot players. To this end, we have decided to give you a refresher course, for lack of a better term, on slot machine terms you will see over and over again while playing slots. Most of these terms you may find in the pay table, which is the one thing we always encourage you to read. Other terms you may find on the slot machine itself. Nonetheless, we hope this helps you to understand the game in a new way so that you can be as successful in winning as you can.
Auto Play
Most slot machines have an Auto Play button. This allows you to choose how many spins you wish the slot to play automatically. Some slot machines have auto play spins up to 1000. But you can choose how many spins you want the machine to play. You can also stop the auto play spins at any time.
The Coin Denomination
If you’ve read any of our reviews of online slots, the first thing we offer is the Coin Denominations. This is the amount of money you can bet when you play a slot machine. On the bottom of the slot machine, you may see up and down arrows under Coins Selected, or it may have a different name. But if you see the coin and/or dollar amount, this is where you decide how much you are willing to bet. The coin sizes can range from one cent to $1000, depending on the slot game.
Free Spins
There are a myriad of slot machines that offer a bonus called Free Spins. Usually, these spins are activated when you get three or more scatter symbols. Or, in some cases, the
Symbol will say Free Spins on it. You can find out how many free spins you get by reading the pay table. Or you may find it scrolling at the bottom of the slot machine.
Gamble Game
There are some slot games that offer the Gamble Game. You will see this button next to the Spin button. What this allows you to do is to double your money after each win. You can do so by picking the correct color card or suit or coin toss.
Max Bet
We also refer to this in our reviews. This is the total amount of money that you can bet on a slot game. You will see a Max Bet Button on the bottom of the slot. If you click on it, it will automatically set the slot game to the max number of coins.
Pay Lines and Reels
Again, we refer to this in the first sentence of our Game Facts. You may see it as: 5-reel, 20-pay line slot, or 3-reel, 1-pay line slot, or 5-reel all ways pay lines. This denotes the number of reels followed by the number of pay lines in a slot.
The Pay Table
We also refer to the payable as one in which we recommend you read before playing the slot. The pay table offers information on every symbol, the symbol’s payouts, bonus features, free spins, and more. For classic slots, you will see the pay table at the top of the slot machine so that you can easily refer to it.
The Payout
You will see this each time you win. It may be under Amount Won at the bottom or to the side of the slot machine.
Progressive Jackpot
Some online casinos list “progressive” games. This refers to progressive jackpot slots. The progressive jackpot number is located at the top of the slot machine. However, today, you may find as many as three jackpots. But only one is the progressive. This jackpot is connected to the same game at different casinos. Thus, a particular slot game that is most popular will have a very high progressive jackpot. The pay table will give you details on how to win the progressive jackpot.
RNG
RNG stands for random number generator. This is used to make sure that all slot machines pay out randomly. In fact, you may see Random Jackpot on a slot machine, or you may read about it in the pay table.
Stacked Reels
This is when a symbol will cover all three reels. Usually, it is the wild symbol. But, in any case, the pay table will explain what it is and what it means.
Sticky Reels
This is another term for symbols that remain in place while the other reels spin. You will also find this information in the pay table.
Pay Table Symbols
You really can’t judge what symbols are in a slot game just by looking at it. You will have to read the payable. There you will find all the symbols, what they pay out, which ones are wilds, scatters, bonus symbols, or free spin symbols. These symbols reflect the theme of the game.
Wild and Scatter Symbols
In each slot game you play, if you go to the pay table you will see symbols that are called wild and scatter. The wild symbol substitutes for all symbols except the scatter. The scatter symbol will trigger a free spins round or a bonus round. In some slot games, there could be more than one scatter symbol.
Winning Combinations
In order to win anything after each spin, you need to have a winning combination. This can be a wild symbol along with another symbol, two scatters, three of any like symbol, or other combinations therein. The pay table will give you the winning combinations.
