Online casinos have gained unprecedented popularity around the world in a relatively short period of time. And this is not surprising: thousands of different games, high chances of winning, significant amounts of prizes – and all this is available to the player in his own home. The main type of entertainment in online casinos are virtual slot machines – online analogues of physical lotteries.
What is a slot machine?
To the average player, it is better known as a slot machine. The word “slot” is a shorter name for the machine, borrowed from English. In the classical sense, a slot is a game with several reels.
After the player presses the button, the reels begin to rotate vertically. The player bets on the fact that after the completion of the movement on the reels in a horizontal row looking for three identical symbols: for example, 7-7-7. If this happens, the player takes his winnings. If the result is different, the player’s money remains the game’s pay for the chance to win.
If we disassemble the classic slot into components, we get the following list:
► Symbol – the image on the drum that rotates vertically. Depending on the slot machine theme, the characters can be quite varied. The main goal of the player is to line up the same symbols in one, usually horizontal, line;
► Drum – a set of characters that rotate together vertically. Modern slots can have from three to several dozen reels at a time;
► Pay line – a horizontal or other line in which symbols must be lined up for a player to win. Today, paylines can be straight, broken or clustered. The lines are usually read from left to right, but sometimes they work in both directions. Unusual paylines are always listed in the payout table of the slot machine;
► Payout table – a list of possible winnings in the slot, as well as information about the game and its bonus features. It shows the player the payout given by the conditional 7-7-7 or any other combination, as well as whether a jackpot or payout multiplier is present in the game;
► Buttons – mechanisms by which the player controls his game on the machine. The Start or Rotate button triggers the reels, and the Bet, Minimum Bet, and Maximum Bet buttons adjust the amount a player bets per reel. There is also an “Auto Rotate” button – it allows the slot to spin the reels at a given bet without the player.
Additional characters
In addition to the usual symbols, the slot machine can contain several special symbols. Depending on the developer, these characters may be represented in full, in part, or not at all. There is a Wild symbol, Scatter, and other bonus symbols that activate special game rounds or a game at risk.
The Wild symbol is an additional symbol that, when it appears, replaces other symbols on the reel to make it easier for the player to win. Wild has several variations:
- Wide Wild – a symbol that covers the whole drum and turns it into a solid Wild;
- Movable Wild – a symbol that moves a few turns on the reels from one end of the game to another, until it goes beyond it;
- Fixed Wild – a symbol that remains in place for several rotations of the drums;
Other additional characters
- Scatter – a symbol that launches a bonus round or game. Activated when three Scatter symbols appear on the reels at the same time. The bonus table will always tell you which bonus game the symbol activates;
- A giant symbol is a symbol that occupies several rows and reels. Significantly simplifies winning for the player. The giant symbol rotates separately from the rest, and its key features depend on the developer.
Slot special features
In addition to symbols, many slot machines have special features:
- Respin – re-rotation of some drums. Respin allows the player to scroll the reels that have not played again to collect the winning combination;
- Frispin – free rotation of all drums. Usually falls for a bonus game. If the free spins are successful, the player takes the win. If not, the player loses nothing;
- Risk game – a type of bonus game in which the player must guess a card or other hidden object. Some risk games double your winnings, others give free spins;
- Multiplier – multiplies the player’s winnings. The operating conditions of the multiplier and other information about it are always present in the payout table.
You can get acquainted in detail with the mechanics of slots in online casino. The service’s slot machines are available on both smartphones and tablets and personal computers. Modern technologies allow you to play your favorite games anywhere aroynd the World.
