Online slots are the staple option for the casino players, whether it’s a quick razz on the latest release or an attempt to trigger that progressive jackpot. There are hundreds to pick from with different genres, betting limits and bonus rounds.
You’ve played slots, right? The reels, the paylines, the symbols and the excitement. But do you know how to play them? Sure, it’s easy to click ‘Spin’ but do you know what it all means? Well, I’ll break it all down for you know so you can spin the reels with a ‘slot’ more knowledge. ?
The number of paylines in a slot game is one of the most important factors of any slot machine. A payline is the line that determines what pay-out will be awarded based on a winning combo. Most slots usually have between 9 and 30 paylines. If you pick a slot game with 25 paylines, then there are 25 possibilities of winning. Paylines can run straight, diagonal and zigzag across the reels. Hit any of the paylines and you’ll trigger a pay-out. A win can happen anywhere on the payline, the winning symbols do not need to be next to each other.
It’s important to know that you can only win on paylines that you bet on, slots have an option to pick how many paylines you want to bet on. If you bet on 10 of the 25 pay lines and the winning combo lands on a payline you didn’t bet on then your spin won’t win. It’s general it’s in the players interest to activate all paylines before spinning the reels.
If you bet on 10 paylines then you’ll play at least 10 coins per spin, the more paylines you bet on, the higher the cost per spin.
The Wild symbol is one to look out for, Wild symbols basically act as another winning symbol. So, if you hit two identical winning symbols with a Wild on the reels, the Wild symbol will substitute for the other matching winning symbol, creating a winning combination. The Wild symbol is like the joker in the pack, these symbols have their own design, depending on the slot game.
The Wild symbol cannot replace the Scatter symbols, Free Spins or other bonus symbols. In some slot games, the Wild has no individual value but in other games it can be the highest-paying symbol.
The Scatter symbol is your best friend. These symbols are the key to unlocking a number of different outcomes. Scatter symbols can trigger coin prizes, Free Spins or bonus features.
The Scatter can land anywhere on the reels for it to count, usually you need a certain number of Scatter symbols to land for it to activate a reward or bonus round. Scatters can also activate Multipliers for even bigger payouts. Find out what the Scatter symbols will trigger before you spin your slot game.
Multipliers are a rewarding symbol that are commonly found on slot games. These symbols multiply your payout, increasing your earnings. If you hit a 100-coin payout with a 2x Multiplier symbol on the reels, you’ll receive 200-coins. The value of the Multiplier varies, these symbols can offer huge winning potential. Multipliers can apply to any winning amount or even the amount of Free Spins landed. It’s always worth looking out for Multipliers when you’re picking your slots play. These symbols are where the big wins are. Multipliers start at 2x and can go up to 25x so they can be considerably profitable!
RTP is the percentage of the bet that is paid back to the player – per slot. This is crucial to understand in the long run, RTP isn’t calculated per player or per session, but per game. A slot with 95% return to player will pay back 95% wagered on it. The higher the RTP, the higher your chances of winning.
The Hit Frequency is the percentage of times the reels will land on a winning combination. If a slot game has a Hit Frequency of 25%, it will land on a winning combination 1 out of every 4 spins. The Hit Frequency doesn’t necessarily increase your winnings because it depends on the RTP and win size.
All online slots have a breakdown of the game, here you can see the rules, what symbols act as what and other details. Be sure to check out the breakdown to boost your knowledge of the slot so you know how to hit that big win.