In this modern day of technology, Online Slots are all the same, whether played in a land-based casino. Both are computer programs implementing an RNG (Random Number Generator) to determine the payout percentage and unpredictability of all outcomes. The rules of playing slots is a no brainer, but you can get a better idea below of the different types of online slot games offered at casinos.
OBJECTIVE
The object of the game is to line-up matching symbols or the appropriate combination of symbols on a single payline. Each combinations has a predetermined payout rate, anywhere from a single coin to thousands or even millions of coins.
REELS
All Slot Machines have Reels, commonly either 3 or 5. A Reel is one single row of spinning symbols that rotates upwards to land on a single symbol.
PAYLINES
A Slot Machine can have anywhere from 1 to 25 or more Paylines. A Payline is any line that the symbols may combine on to create a win. They may be straight across, diagonal, even variable, zig-zagging up and down, depending on the slot machine.
Payline Examples:
Across: ----- (straight across a single line)
Diagonal: \ or / (top-left to bottom-right or top-right to bottom-left)
Variable: \___/ (swooping down, then across, then back up)
Be sure to view the Pay Tables on your slot machine to see what Paylines are available.
PAY TABLES
The Pay Table, or Payout Table, is represented on every Online Slot Machine. At a casino, one may need to click a button to view the Pay Table. The Pay Table will reveal all possible winning combinations and the amount that is awarded for hitting them. The winning amount will vary by the coin denomination and the amount of coins inserted. For instance, if you bet $.25, and the payout is 5x, you would win $1.25.
Pay Tables also tend to vary by how many coins you insert. For example, if a maximum of 3 coins can be inserted, the prize for a particular combination with 1 or 2 coins may be 8X, while 3 coins awards 10X. In the case of progressive jackpots, it is always required to bet maximum amount, inserting the highest number of coins, in order to be awarded the jackpot. As a general rule, and mentioned in every slot machine strategy guide, betting max always presents the player with the highest payout percentage.
STRAIGHT SLOTS
These Online Slots Machines award a set prize for a set Pay Table. The amount awarded will always be predetermined and known to the player, provided they have taken the time to read the Pay Table.
PROGRESSIVE JACKPOT SLOTS
Progressive Jackpot Inernet Slot Machines work in the same manner as Straight Slots, except that they award percentages of the jackpot. The jackpot is rarely for a single machine, but a 'global jackpot' that spans many machines, sometimes across many casinos, commonly climbing into the hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of dollars range.
MULTI-SPIN SLOTS
A Multi-Spin Slot Machine also works like a Straight Slot, however they will implement a separate payline below a series of multiple paylines. This payline will spin alone after the player has chosen to 'Spin' the reels. Once it stops spinning, the player will have the option to 'Hold' any of the symbols. The player will do this by pressing 'Hold' under the desired symbol(S). The empty payline spaces of each reel that was held will now adopt this symbol. From here, the player will 'Spin' the reels again, spinning all reels that were not held. If no desirable symbols are revealed on the first spin, the player should not elect to Hold, but rather press Spin again to re-spin all reels of the chosen paylines.
REEL SLOTS -VS- VIDEO SLOTS
There is a distinct difference in Reel Slots and Video Slots, though both are played in the same manner and are offered in Straight Slots as well as Progressive Jackpots. A Reel Slot will contain only 3 reels and most commonly only 1 to 5 paylines maximum. A Video Slot, on the other hand, generally consists of 5 reels and anywhere up to 40 paylines, sometimes even more. Video Slots tend to offer a wide variety of coin denominations as well as the amount of coins that can be inserted, as there are typically many paylines playable. Because of this, betting max on a Video Slot can become much more expensive than a Reel Slot.
Microgaming has my favorite video slots online. My favorite games are thunderstruck, ladies night and tombraider all which offer the famous bonus spins that make you big money when they hit since they give you triple payouts on the bonus spins feature.
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