Slot machines are one of the most popular casino games to play in the world, because of how easy they are to play and how attractive they are in terms of the sounds, lights and more. The atmosphere that slot machines create in a bricks and mortar casino can now be rivaled by the graphics and entertainment value of internet live casinos, causing a battle of the slots. But how do slots work? This is the million-dollar question! With a growth in technology and advancement in popularity of casinos both online and offline, there has been a huge evolution of many casino games. The most noticeable of which is the slot machines and their paylines.
How do slots work? All slot machines will have a balance, a display box, a paytable, reels, bet per line, number of paylines, maximum bet and play/spin button or lever. These are the core components of all slots. The true test of a great slot machine game is how all these elements combine to create the perfect slot game.
Think of RNGs as the computer equivalent of Lady Luck! But how do slots work? To be perfectly honest, it's all in the RNGs. These computer algorithms are designed to mimic random outcomes as best as possible. With thousands of potential results generated per second, each of which is associated with different symbols, you can imagine just how complex the rules governing RNGs can be. As you are about to learn, slot paylines form an important part of how slots work. Sometimes you'll be able to choose the number of paylines you wish to play (known as variable paylines), and at other times they are fixed.
All slots are characterised by volatility. The higher the volatility, the bigger the potential payday. But it's never easy hitting mega winning combinations on slots. How do you win on slots is up to the size of your bets, the number of lines you play, and the RTP (return to player) percentage of the specific slot machine game. Every slot machine game has a house edge, and that house edge always favours the casino. Your job is to find a slot with a relatively low house edge and a high RTP. The house advantage is always lowest with games like blackjack. Slots are chance-based attractions, and have a higher house edge.
Can you now answer the question: How do slots work? If not, continue reading, we're going to show you everything you need to know about slot paylines, and evolution of slot machine games through the ages. You may want to grab a beverage and a snack. We are going to take you behind-the-scenes in this slot machine tell all. Are you ready? Let’s spin up a storm!
Nowadays, the common number of betting lines is 25-30 paylines per slot, and it is often the first thought a game developer has when it comes to building a slot machine, as the different paylines lead to the prizes, bonuses, free spins and multipliers. Also, some slot machines allow you to choose how many paylines you want to play, also known as a free slot machine whereas others ensure you play all of them, known as fixed.
One thing to remember is that no matter what direction the reels spin, and no matter what number of paylines there is on a slot machine, a payline will always have to cross the same number of icons. For example, if you're playing on a three reel slot machine, the payline will feature three symbols.
Knowing how to choose a payline is important when you sit at a slot machine. Variable slot machines will allow you to select a number of paylines which get activated when you start spinning. The slot paylines are numbered from 1 to the number of paylines on the machine, (with many being numbered 1-12) and you can choose how many you want. If you're looking to have some fun then it's usually best to keep the amount of paylines under 5, in order to keep your bankroll in check. However, those who play progressive jackpots tend to play as many paylines as they can afford.
What you might not know, is that Charles Fey invented the slot machine as a way to entertain his guests while they were waiting for their cars to be repaired. Now that's good customer service.
Money Honey was also the first machine that could make automatic payouts of no more than 500 coins. It was at this point that some electromechanical slot machines began to slowly adopt more paylines, particularly with the introduction of five reel machines, as they began to adopt up to nine paylines.
The huge transformation of the mechanics behind a slot machine, have had a huge impact on the number of paylines that slot machines have, and now, multi-line paylines are generally the most popular forms of slot machines to play. This is due to the fact that you can maximise your chances of winning by betting on all of the paylines available, although this is not advisable if you want your bankroll to last.