Need to know all about slots? You’ve come to the right place! In this guide, we will
cover everything you ⚾️ need to know about slots – from odds to reels to wins, get the
knowledge you need to spin like ⚾️ royalty.
Slot machines are by far the most popular
casino game, having surpassed table games due to speed, ease, and accessibility. ⚾️ This
is because slots are plentiful and can be found in ‘prime seating’ locations by casino
entrances, making them not ⚾️ only cheaper and easy to play, but also highly
accessible.
At Caesars Slots, we put the reels and riches of great ⚾️ rulers in the palm
of your hand – at work, at home, on vacation, and anywhere you have a mobile
⚾️ device.
WHAT ARE SLOTS?
Slots are gaming machines that generate random combinations of
symbols on a dial, where certain combinations result in ⚾️ wins. The odds of winning on a
physical slot machine is around 1 in 49,836,032. The average return-to-player (RTP)
rate ⚾️ is usually 92-97%, with online slots having better payout percentages than casino
machines. Online casinos like ours have a paytable ⚾️ in every game, where you can read
about payout rates, prizes, and bonus features for that slot. You can find ⚾️ the paytable
for our slot games by clicking the “i” button inside that slot.
THE BIRTH OF SLOT
MACHINES
It’s widely known ⚾️ and accepted that Charles Fey is the father of modern slots,
creating the Liberty Bell (or first “New Nickel operated ⚾️ machine”) in 1887 in San
Francisco. Slots became an instant hit, and the inventor was able to open a production
⚾️ factory to manufacture slots. These machines do not differ much from modern ones, with
similar reels and symbols.
DID YOU KNOW?
Slot ⚾️ machines go by many names! “Slot machine”
or simply “slots” are American and Canadian English, while “fruit machine” or
“fruities” ⚾️ are more common in British English. In Scottish English these are referred
to as “puggies” and in Australia and New ⚾️ Zealand, you might hear them called “poker
machines” or “pokies”, though these are still the same type of gambling machines. ⚾️ Slots
have also been called “one-arm bandits” for their large levers used to spin the earlier
mechanical slot machines.
Land-based versus ⚾️ online slots
Simply put, land-based slot
machines are those that you find in casinos that you visit in person. Whether you’re
⚾️ taking a weekend trip to Las Vegas or Atlantic City with friends or bigger trips to far
off gambling centers ⚾️ such as Macau, the slot machines you play in casinos are
land-based.
Land-based slot machines go all the way back to ⚾️ the late 1800s in San
Francisco, where they were first kept in store entrances to entertain people who were
passing ⚾️ by. Early slot machines gave winnings in the form of chewing gum and golf balls
before cash prizes became common.
The ⚾️ earliest slot machine technology was made of
mechanical reels powered by random number generators. As computer technology became
more advanced, ⚾️ computerized video slots have changed the slot playing experience for
the better. Game play has become richer and more diverse ⚾️ with complex game themes.
Moreover, the jackpot potential is bigger because machines aren’t limited to how many
reels can physically ⚾️ fit into the back of the machine.
As the years went on and
technology has become more advanced, slot machines have ⚾️ become popular in casinos all
over the world. In many places, they have become even more popular than table games
⚾️ such as poker and blackjack. Not only are they fun and entertaining, but they often
offer the opportunity for big ⚾️ jackpots on small wagers without too much skill.
Online
slots have taken slot machines to the next level. First of all, ⚾️ they offer players the
opportunity to play 24/7, whenever, wherever. It is not always easy to travel to a
casino ⚾️ to play the slots, but players who are interested can now get the same
experience from the comfort of their ⚾️ only living room. Whether you want to play on your
computer or phone, online slots offer a thrilling entertainment experience ⚾️ from
anywhere in the world. Online slots are based on constantly evolving technology that
engage players with new changing themes ⚾️ and fun features. Play experiences online are
more varied, which means that you’ll never be bored with the same thing ⚾️ twice. That’s
why millions of people all over the world love to be entertained by online
slots.
POPULARITY of slot machines
So ⚾️ why are slots so popular? For starters, they are
easy to play! Just insert or set your bet and push ⚾️ the button or pull the lever,
depending on machine design. This ease also factors into the time in which it ⚾️ takes to
play. It is possible to place over 500 bets an hour on a slot machine, and even more
⚾️ when there are not many bonus activities.
Minimum bet requirements for slots also add
to their attraction. You can play a ⚾️ short quick round with the chance at a jackpot or
huge prize for a lower fee than table games. Casinos ⚾️ make their games attractive with
sounds, art, lights, and the exciting surrounding casino floor environment. Online,
slots are made with ⚾️ the same environment in mind, with the option to adjust settings as
preferred. Slot designers build machines with player activity ⚾️ in mind, aiming for an
engaging, stimulating, and overall fun experience where players feel a part of the
action.
Land-based versus ⚾️ online slots
Simply put, land-based slot machines are those
that you find in casinos that you visit in person. Whether you’re ⚾️ taking a weekend trip
to Las Vegas or Atlantic City with friends or bigger trips to far off gambling centers
⚾️ such as Macau, the slot machines you play in casinos are land-based.
Land-based slot
machines go all the way back to ⚾️ the late 1800s in San Francisco, where they were first
kept in store entrances to entertain people who were passing ⚾️ by. Early slot machines
gave winnings in the form of chewing gum and golf balls before cash prizes became
common.
The ⚾️ earliest slot machine technology was made of mechanical reels powered by
random number generators. As computer technology became more advanced, ⚾️ computerized
video slots have changed the slot playing experience for the better. Game play has
become richer and more diverse ⚾️ with complex game themes. Moreover, the jackpot
potential is bigger because machines aren’t limited to how many reels can physically
⚾️ fit into the back of the machine.
As the years went on and technology has become more
advanced, slot machines have ⚾️ become popular in casinos all over the world. In many
places, they have become even more popular than table games ⚾️ such as poker and
blackjack. Not only are they fun and entertaining, but they often offer the opportunity
for big ⚾️ jackpots on small wagers without too much skill.
Online slots have taken slot
machines to the next level. First of all, ⚾️ they offer players the opportunity to play
24/7, whenever, wherever. It is not always easy to travel to a casino ⚾️ to play the
slots, but players who are interested can now get the same experience from the comfort
of their ⚾️ only living room. Whether you want to play on your computer or phone, online
slots offer a thrilling entertainment experience ⚾️ from anywhere in the world.
Online
slots are based on constantly evolving technology that engage players with new changing
themes and ⚾️ fun features. Play experiences online are more varied, which means that
you’ll never be bored with the same thing twice. ⚾️ That’s why millions of people all over
the world love to be entertained by online slots.
TYPES OF SLOTS
CLASSIC 3-REEL
SLOTS
These ⚾️ are modeled after the original (physical) fruit machines as traditional
3-reel slots. These basic slots are easy to play and ⚾️ understand! To win, simply match
symbols along the top, middle, or bottom line. Some people use these to relax, unwind,
⚾️ or reminisce. Traditional slot machines have physical reels as opposed to their video
slot equivalents, though classic slots can now ⚾️ be found with either.
FLAT TOP
SLOTS
Flat-top slots have a fixed top prize or jackpot, also known as a cash pot
⚾️ jackpot, standard jackpot, or non-progressive jackpot. These have a massive prize and
are the only types of jackpots that do ⚾️ not grow or change in any way. The prize remains
the same between players and can be won by playing. ⚾️ These jackpots may be lower than
those of progressive slots, though the chance of winning the jackpot is far higher ⚾️ than
the chance of winning a progressive jackpot.
5-REEL SLOTS
5-reel slots, or video slots,
use a video to display 5 virtual ⚾️ reels. These can be found in casino slots as well as
online ones.
Video slots typically have 5 reels, which allow ⚾️ for up to 100 paylines
instead of just 1, creating more chances of winning. Paylines are winning combination
patterns on ⚾️ the reels, and the more paylines you have the better your chances are of
winning. 5-reel slots include special symbols ⚾️ like WILD and SCATTER to provide even
more ways to win. Be sure to read the paytable before you play, ⚾️ to understand the game
you are playing. 5-reel slots become harder to understand and follow as they vary in
complex ⚾️ ways to win and scatter symbol triggers.
BONUS FEATURE SLOTS
Bonus rounds are
unique features in slot games where you can win ⚾️ without betting. These bonus rounds
might include a mini-game or free spins, usually triggered by lining up special symbols
such ⚾️ as a WILD (substitutes any symbol on the reels to create a payline) or SCATTER
(allows for generous payouts, extra ⚾️ rewards, or triggering a feature). Bonus rounds
offer a short and fast way to win extra payouts during a feature ⚾️ before returning to
the base game. Some may require speed or skill, while others are up to chance or play
⚾️ short graphics.
Free Spins are the most common and popular bonus feature. Once
triggered, wins stack as the reels spin without ⚾️ taking more bets from the player. The
triggering bet is used in calculating the wins in most bonus features, so ⚾️ the higher
you bet the better your bonus wins will be! Do you have a favorite type of bonus
game?
PROGRESSIVE ⚾️ SLOTS
Most slots have fixed jackpot prizes that can be won or missed
without affecting the jackpot amount. Progressive slots have ⚾️ a jackpot that increases
over time, as their jackpots are prize pools that rise each time the machine is played.
⚾️ The value of the jackpot increases with every spin that is not won during a game,
essentially accumulating player bets ⚾️ to return to them to a lucky winner. The odds may
be tougher, but the payout is sure to be ⚾️ huge!
ONLINE SLOTS
Online slots are becoming
more popular each year, being preferable to some slot players over land-based ones. Is
there ⚾️ any difference between physical and online slots? The answer is yes! Online slots
have more advantages than land-based ones, including ⚾️ convenience and accessibility,
privacy, and better bonuses. Read more on why you should play online slots
Video
slots
This kind of slot ⚾️ machine has more graphics and diverse gameplay than a classic
slot because of virtual animation. Many on the higher end ⚾️ of the spectrum have quality
sound effects, graphics and animation, and have become the norm in many casinos online
around ⚾️ the world – in addition to being the only kind of slots online.
Mega spin
slots
This feature means that a machine ⚾️ has more than one set of reels in a single
machine – more variety, more entertainment. Mega spins slots are ⚾️ made so that players
will never get bored of seeing the same content twice.
Slots multipliers
Multipliers
work to increase player winnings ⚾️ by multiplying bets, line wins and total wins. The
multiplier symbol lands during either the base or bonus game to ⚾️ signify the amount
which is multiplied.
Jackpot slots
Many slot machines feature different kinds of
jackpots, that can range from a few ⚾️ dollars to a few thousand dollars. In general,
smaller rewards are easier to win, while larger rewards are rarer and ⚾️ require higher
bets.
Multi-payline slots
Multi-payline slots are a product of technology’s ability to
add more features in slot games, which have ⚾️ become more diverse in terms of animation,
sound and graphics. Multi-payline slots means that that there are multiple payouts on
⚾️ winning combinations across reels. If a game has more paylines, then a player is more
likely to score a win.
3D ⚾️ slots
3D slots are designed to make a user feel as if they
are having a 3D experience, without needing the ⚾️ glasses. If you enjoy lots of
stimulation from sounds and animations, then this kind of slot is for you.
Vegas
slots
This ⚾️ refers to the classic, unbeatable style of slot machines from Las Vegas.
Nowadays, many online slots are designed to recreate ⚾️ the Vegas experience for those
looking to enjoy it from the comfort of their own homes.
SLOT BASICS &
TERMINOLOGY
Slots PAYLINES
A ⚾️ payline is a straight or zig-zag line that determines the
payout for a spin, based on the combinations of symbols ⚾️ appearing on the line. Slot
machines have you pay your bet per line, applying it to each individual payline you
⚾️ choose to bet on, whereas online slots such as ours take your bet as is and apply it to
all ⚾️ paylines without having you pay for each line separately. Only active paylines
provide a payout for winning combinations, and with ⚾️ us, all paylines are active!
Variable or adjustable paylines are those that allow you to choose whether to wager on
⚾️ them or not and fixed paylines are those where you must bet on all paylines but give
you the chance ⚾️ to win a larger payout, which is why they are sometimes referred to as
all-or-nothing games.
Slots with more paylines provide ⚾️ more opportunities to win, so
check the paytable for each slot you play to know your chances. Every time you ⚾️ spin,
paylines with winning combinations will flash on your reels to show you how you won.
Each hit is then ⚾️ combined to give you your payout.
Our slot machines, as well as those
in casinos, use a Random Number Generator (RNG) ⚾️ to create a random output of symbols
even when no one is playing the machine! This means that the resulting ⚾️ combinations are
truly random and unpredictable, ensuring fair gameplay. Every player has the same
chances of winning.
NEAR MISSES
You need 3 ⚾️ scatter symbols to trigger a bonus event and
spun one… two… and the third is just off the reel! So ⚾️ close… right? This may be the
case, though the reality is that this near miss was probably one of the ⚾️ many that
happen as a part of the game’s design. Slot manufacturers build near-miss elements into
their reels to balance ⚾️ out the game’s payouts and engage players with a tempting win
they could have had.
FALSE WINS
False wins are more frequent ⚾️ with modern slots and
become more apparent as more slot variations and paylines develop. False wins are wins
that are ⚾️ lower than the bet placed, so if you were to bet one million coins and you won
175,000 coins, the ⚾️ machine would still say “You won!” even though that spin ended in an
actual loss. Thes wins not only allow ⚾️ you to spin more, but also add excitement to the
game. Old, single-lined slots had no reason to give false ⚾️ wins, whereas now slots have
so many payout options that the machine shows you winning on certain lines and not
⚾️ others, hence the small amount. If you could choose to bet on a handful of lines rather
than all of ⚾️ them, false wins drop in frequency or all together, depending on the game
pays.
DEAD SPINS
If you spun and came out ⚾️ empty-handed, you had what is called a dead
spin. Unlike winning spins with any type of payout, a dead spin ⚾️ gives zero wins. The
more volatile a game is the more dead spins will occur; however, in such games, wins
⚾️ will generally be substantially larger since they are less frequent.
WEIGHTED REELS &
REEL STOPS
Each reel has a set number of ⚾️ reel stops, positions at which it can come to
a stop. Slot reels stop directly affects wins, making reel stops ⚾️ critical in slot
design. “Weighted reels” are those in which weighting components have been added to the
reel stops. Weighting ⚾️ components can be added to each reel stop, increasing the
relative frequency one reel stop will be used compared to ⚾️ another.
Example: imagine
reels with spaces between symbols. A game could be designed to stop on a space with
more frequency ⚾️ than on a symbol, which could stop with more frequency than a different
one. Weighted reels allow for an increase ⚾️ in potential combinations and make some
scenarios more common than others.
Near-miss scenarios can be caused by weighting reel
stops next ⚾️ to special symbols or by allowing two out of three needed symbols to show up
in place. These scenarios make ⚾️ it seem like you almost made something happen, though it
resulted as a part of the slot’s design. Using weighted ⚾️ reels can make top payouts
bigger, however, as they increase, so does the amount of dead and false
spins.
UNBALANCED REELS
Similar ⚾️ to weighted reels, unbalanced reels use more or less of
a certain symbol on one reel over another to change ⚾️ the chances of an outcome. Imagine
having three red 7s on one reel, another three on the next reel, but ⚾️ only one on your
third reel. This unbalanced reel will give the effect of near misses when only two of
⚾️ the symbols line up and it seems like an almost win. Unbalanced reels get more complex
with video slots and ⚾️ slots with more reels. In games with stacked symbols and bigger
pays for five-of-a-kinds, unbalancing reels cause even more near-missed ⚾️ wins. Like many
other near-miss opportunities, this drives up excitement and suspense. From a design
perspective, balancing symbols can help ⚾️ a slot machine reach its payout target, while
the randomness in wins makes it exciting.
WILD SYMBOLS
Mutli-spin or multi-payline
slots often ⚾️ feature many bonuses using special symbols as triggers. Wild symbols
substitute for all symbols other than the bonus icons (such ⚾️ as scatters). These
sometimes multiply your wins or expand to fill the reel to increase your
payout!
SCATTER SYMBOLS
Scatter symbols, also ⚾️ called Scatter Pays, are bonus icons that
pay wherever they land on a payline by completing a winning combination like ⚾️ a wild or
increasing the payout for a spin. Three scatters usually trigger a mini game or bonus
feature that ⚾️ provides free extra wins, such as free spins or respins.
Glossary of
slots: your complete guide to slots terminology
RTP – Return ⚾️ to Player: the percentage
of money a player earns back compared to how much they have wagered
Pokies – the
Australian ⚾️ term for slot machines
Multi Spin – available on online slot machines only,
these slots feature multiple sets of reels
Fruit Machines ⚾️ – offshoot of a classic slot
machine featuring only fruit symbols, and typically less complex graphics than many
modern digital ⚾️ slots
High Roller Slots – as opposed to penny slots, these slots offer
higher payouts for those willing to wager higher ⚾️ pets
Bonus Games and Features – extra
games or features within online slots
Auto Play – feature on online slots that enables
⚾️ a player to choose a preset number of spins without having to press spin each time
Bet
Max – the maximum ⚾️ amount a player can bet on a slot machine
Coin Size– available in
penny up toR$5 slots – Coin Size allows ⚾️ players to vary the increments of money the
wager
Fixed Jackpot – jackpot always stays the same
Free Spins – a bonus ⚾️ feature
offered on many slot machines
Loose Slot – slots that offer players higher payback
percentages
Mechanical Slots – classic slot machines ⚾️ whose reels operate mechanically
rather than digitally
Traditional slot machines that have physical reels rather than
the video equivalents.
One-Armed Bandit – ⚾️ refers to early slot machine mechanisms
whereby a player had to pull down a large lever to operate the machine
Pay-line ⚾️ – a
straight or zigzagged line that crosses a particular symbol across reels
Payout
Percentage – the percentage of money a ⚾️ slot machine should return to a player over
time
Pay Table – a reference for players on a slot machine to ⚾️ show players different
winning combinations and how many credits each combination is worth
Progressive Jackpot
– the jackpot continues to grow ⚾️ until it is won
Random Number Generator –
mathematically based computer program that randomized slot machine results from all
possible number ⚾️ sequences
Reels – the strips that spin inside the slot machine screen.
When symbols on reels match up, the player wins
Scatter ⚾️ – a scatter symbol that appears
on a reel unlocks free spins, special features and bonus games
Symbol – the different
⚾️ icons on slot machine reels – popular ones include fruit, dollar signs, number sevens,
and money bags, but can be ⚾️ many other signs as well
Tight Slot – less frequent payout
than loose slot machines
Wild Symbol – wild symbols substitute for ⚾️ winning symbols on
the reels if they land in their place
Winning Combination – casinos decide winning
combinations in advance, and ⚾️ a player can win by getting one
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