How To Read Slot Machines
Since slots first became prominent midway through the 20th century, they have always been incredibly easy to understand. As one of the most popular games in every casino, slot games must be easy to understand seeing as so many people play them. Slot games, though they differ slightly, are all based on the same simple concept. Reels equipped with symbols are spun, and if they are stopped in certain sequences, players are paid out based on what symbols are showing, and where.
On such machines, small to medium payouts happen more frequently, because most of the money does not have to go towards a giant jackpot. You have an excellent chance of catching several of these medium payouts and become a winner. Avoid slots where nearly half of all possible payouts on the slots pay table are in the two-coin to 20-coin range. Knowing how to read slot machines means to understand that each spin is a separate game that is not connected to the previous or the future ones. You can win the jackpot three times in a row as you might lose 10 consecutive spins. Some claim that casinos have slots pay more at night or that slot machines hit more often at certain times of the day.
- Come in and read this guide if you want to learn how slot machines work, what goes into developing games that are fun for players, and how to get the playing experience that’s best for you. You’ve come to the right place.
- Most modern slot machines are designed to look and feel like the old mechanical models, but they work on a completely different principle. The outcome of each pull is actually controlled by a central computer inside the machine, not by the motion of the reels. The computer uses step motors to turn each reel and stop it at the predetermined point.
With the advent of more advanced technology, slot games have changed dramatically and play host to different symbols, bonus games, and many other items. Still, slot paytables have existed through it all and still exist to this day. The key to slot tables is and always has been simplicity. People fear slot paytables because they often look a bit confusing at first, but the fact of the matter is that they are quite easy to understand. There is a fear that, as slot games become increasingly complicated and layered, that paytables will also be difficult to understand, but there is no way this will happen as slots depend on paytables being easy to understand.
Paytables Explained
Now that you know paytables have always existed, you might be wondering a bit more about what exactly they are and how they work. In most cases nowadays, paytables can be accessed towards the bottom of the gamescreen by simply clicking the icons. The icons and what they mean will be more or less your keys to understanding every aspect of the slot game in front of you.
In so many cases you will find players sitting down at a slot game without knowing anything about the symbols spinning in front of them. This is astounding simply because it is impossible to tell what symbols you should be cheering for if you have no idea what they are going to pay out.
Basically, the paytable will show you what symbols exist and what you win when they show up in certain quantities. The paytable will also elaborate more on wild and scatter symbols and how they work through the course of the game. For all intents and purposes, paytables are your roadmap for understanding how these games work and how you are paid if and when you win.
Understanding the Contents of Paytables
Now that you may understand what the symbols on the paytable mean, you might do well to understand the digits beside them. In most cases, the first page of the paytable will show the winning combinations of a certain symbol as well as the coinage that will be paid out if said combination lands.
The explanation of wild symbols can also be found on the paytables page. On more advanced slots, there may be multiple pages to the paytable. These additional pages are usually utilized to explain bonus games and any other extra functions that the game might feature.
With how advanced slot game are becoming both at online casinos and in brick and mortar establishments, paytables are likely to continue expanding and being elaborated upon. As is the case with anything else in the casino world, it is important that you thoroughly read through every aspect of the paytable as it will give you a better understanding of how the game works, and thus, your level of enjoyment. At the end of the day, you would do best to understand every aspect of every online casino game you play.
Casino Paytables FAQ
Why do paytables matter to me?
This is a question that could not possibly be more difficult to answer. First and foremost, paytables are important because they are your instruction manual for a slot game. They explain to you how you win, how much you win, and how your winnings can be maximized. What’s more, paytables let you know what symbols and combinations you should be rooting for so that you are not aimlessly spinning without any idea of what’s really going on.
Are they always easy to understand, or are they confusing?
Though at first glance it may seem confusing, paytables are often quite easy to read and comprehend. The only reason paytables are confusing at all is because slot symbols are no longer as standard as they once were. With a little effort, no paytable is confusing at all. This is a truth because, if paytables were confusing, slots would not be as popular as they are.
Are slot paytables online similar to slot paytables at brick and mortar casinos?
Yes. Nowadays, sitting in front of the computer and sitting in front of a slot game at a brick and mortar casino are really not that different. As such, paytables on both are more or less the same and understanding one is no more difficult than understanding another.
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About eighty percent of casino players go straight for the slots when they get into a casino. And why not, they are easy to play, you don’t have to have any special skills, just decide on your wager, spin the reels and wait for a payoff. Read this slots guide to learn something more about these great casino games.
Components of a Slot Machine
A slot machine consists of several components that make up the entire gaming experience. It helps when you understand how it’s put together and what its main components that make it work are, so read carefully.
1. Lever – mechanical slot machines have lever, or handles, to the right side for setting the reels in motion. Today, the lever is not used and it is put there mainly as a decorative detail.
2. Pay Table – a slot machine makes a payout according to the payout table. A pay table details important info about the symbols, rules, payouts, bonuses and the jackpot. You will normally find this table at the top of the machine or on the screen itself by pressing a button.
3. Reels – in the old days, reels used to be drums with painted symbols spinning vertically. Today, when slots are mainly electronic and online, the reels are just columns that simulate spinning drums.
4. Cash Tray – land-based slot games make their payouts in real coins. When a payline is triggered, the coins drop in the cash tray in the lower part of the slot.
5. Spin Button – today instead of the handle, video slots have a spin button with which you have to set the reels spinning. Some machines also have an “Auto-Spin” button that will keep on spinning the reels automatically every round until you make it stop.
6. Bet Button – the bet button is used to adjust your wager amount in a game where credits are used instead of coins.
Reading the Payout Tables and Understanding Scatter Symbols and Bonus Rounds
When you open a payout table, you may find 3 to 4 pages with descriptions of the possible symbol combinations, which make the paylines. The first two pages often show the combinations, how many symbols you need to trigger a payline and how much you will be paid out. The rules may be detailed too.
The third page often tells about which are the scatter symbols and wilds and how many you need to activate some feature. Scatter symbols usually portray the main theme of the slot. A scatter symbol doesn’t need to appear on an active payline to trigger a payoff, which is why they are called “scatter”. Usually if three or more scatters appear anywhere on the reels, a bonus feature is activated.
A bonus feature may be consisted of second screen bonus round where usually you’ll need to choose something in order to win some extra cash, or a bonus feature may simply mean a certain number of free spins.
Step-By-Step Instructions
First step: Head to the payout table and read about the payouts, symbols and bonuses
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Second step: Decide on your wager and insert your coins or set the credits
Third step: Choose with how many paylines you want to play and how many coins per line
Fourth Step: Press the spin button and wait for the reels to stop
Fifth Step: If a payline has been triggered, you can collect your winnings
How To Read Slot Machines
Sixth Step: Press the spin button again and wait to be paid out
How To Read Slot Machines
Playing slots is the simplest way of spending some fun time in a casino. You don’t have to be an expert in gambling to play slots, which is why they are loved by the casual casino players. You can make both very small and very big wagers, depending on the slot, and with little luck, you can hit the jackpot or at least struck a larger win. Never forget to read the pay table before playing.