Slots Rules and Variations
The rules of slot machines are simple, but there are a number of variations in slots that you may not be aware of or understand.
If you're wandering into a casino for the first time in awhile, or you're trying your hand at online slots and aren't sure about all the options available to you, here are some basic slots rules and variations to know.
Slot Basics
The original slot machines worked with actual mechanical reels that spun when the handle was turned and landed with three random symbols going across the middle. If the three symbols matched, the player won. Many of today's slot machines work digitally, with a video screen showing the symbols and a random number generator determining where they land. There are also online slot machines that work on a similar random number variation system.
Slot Variations
There are many different types of machines that you can find both in live casinos and online, but much of the differences are cosmetic; they may have different backgrounds or symbols, but the principle is the same. The variations you should take interest in include:
Multiplier Games
In a multiplier game, the more coins you put in (up to a maximum which is often five coins, but can be more) the more you can win. Each extra coin multiplies the payout, so that if three bars pay 10 for one coin, it will pay 50 for five coins.
Multi-Line Games
In a traditional slot machine, you only get paid if the three symbols on the center line match (or if you get some kind of special symbol that pays off without having to match all three). Although you are able to see three lines in most machines, the top and bottom lines do not offer any return. In a multi-line machine, you can activate those lines by adding extra coins. Some machines allow you to enter as many as nine coins or more by having, for example, five symbols across with payouts for the three horizontal lines and some angled lines.
Progressive Machines
These are some of the most popular types of slots, both live and online. The progressive machine takes a portion of the amount invested and puts it in a progressive pool with a large, hard to hit jackpot. Everyone who plays the machines that participate in the progressive pool contributes to this jackpot, and when it is hit, it can be for $1 million or more. You must play the maximum amount of coins per spin that the machine allows in order to be eligible for the progressive jackpot.