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 to $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
Articles you may find interesting:
- Slot Tournaments: How They Work & How to Win
- Which Slot Machines Have the Best Odds?
- Can You Win Real Money on Slot Apps?
- When is The Best Time to Play Slots?
- How to Find the Slot Machines with the Best Odds?
- Slot Machine Symbols & Icons: The Complete Guide
- How and When Do Slot Machines Payout? The Ultimate Guide
- How Many Slot Machines are in Las Vegas? 10 Fun Facts
- Can Casinos Control Slot Machines? 5 Things to Know
- Play Online Slots
- How to Win on Slot Machines
- Jackpot Guide
- Penny Slots
- Casino Games