Understanding Slots - The Basics of Online Slots
Understanding slots will help you to play better and have a more enjoyable gambling experience. Some basic concepts are explained below.
It is quite easy for you to understand slots. It is not as simple as many people think, but neither is it too complicated.
Understanding slots includes knowledge of variations of the game and various terms associated with slot machines.
Playing slots is a game of chance. The desired outcome of the game is for you to win money from the slot machine.
Understanding Slots – Basic Play
The game is played by either pulling a lever, pressing a button, or touching a screen. Usually, the game uses matching symbols on mechanical reels or on a video screen. The mechanical reels (or their video screen equivalent) stop and show one of several symbols. Various combinations of symbols are usually posted on the slot machine. If you match the symbols according to the rules of the game of the machine you are playing on, you will win some money or possibly some extra games, depending on the game chosen.
What is a Payline?
A payline crosses through a symbol on each of the reels in either straight or zig-zagged line. It crosses through the winning combination.
What is RNG?
RNG stands for Random Number Generator. The combinations of winning numbers on slot machines are randomly selected by a computer chip, which is put inside the slot machine. The chip is placed in the slot machine by the manufacturer. It will select hundreds of symbols and numbers each second. This computer generated selection of numbers works much faster than you can pull the handle, or push the button, which causes the numbers to spin.
Slot Machines
Understanding the three main types of slot machines will help you in understanding slots. The main types of slot machines are: video slots, straight slots or flat tops and progressive. In progressive and straight machines, customization will make them seem quite different as the number of paylines and reels, coin denominations and number of coins played can be different.
Straight Slots/Flat Top
In these slot machines, the payout is always the same. The jackpot is static. However, the amount is always the same, but can vary from casino to casino.
Progressive Slots
These slot machines differ from straight slots in that the jackpot payout increases in size. The more money that is played into the slot machine, the greater the winnings will be. It is somewhat like a lottery in that the more people buy tickets, the larger the jackpot gets, until some lucky person wins a large amount.
Video Slots
While basically the same game, this is more computerized. Instead of using an arm or a button, the reels are rolled by touching an area on a touch screen. You can customize each game by pointing at the relevant instructions on the screen. It is convenient to have a single machine on which you can choose which type of slot you would like to play. You can decide how many reels, paylines, or coin denominations you would like to use for each game.