How Do Slots Work?

The Gameplay

The slot’s gameplay is super easy and there are very few rules included in the game, which is why the players tend to choose them over other casino games. Even if you are a beginner that is just starting out with slots, you will master the game just after a couple of spins.

In every slot game, the main objective is to land on a winning combination that consists of several matching symbols on paylines. There are at least 3 reels in every slot game, where the 5-reel slots are the most popular amongst the players.

If you want to try out your luck on a slot game, the first thing to do is to select a bet amount that suits your budget and then press the “Spin” button. After that, you will have to wait for the reels to stop spinning and if a winning combination is hit, then you will receive a payout.

It is advisable to read the slot’s paytable before placing a wager, as there you will find some crucial information such as the number of paylines, the featured symbols, the bonus features, and the RTP rate.

 

RTP

The RTP rate of an online video slot is a very important feature that every player must be aware of before choosing a slot game to wager at. RTP stands for return to player and it shows the amount that a player gets back for wagering over a longer period of time.

For example, if an online video slot has an RTP rate of 96%, the player will get back $96 for every $100 that they spend in the long run. In the gaming industry, an online video slot with an RTP rate of 96% is considered to be an average game.

It shows the players how much money they would lose while wagering on a particular online video slot game, or any other casino game. To find out the RTP rate of an online video slot game, you should either look for it in the paytable or you can find it under the “Help” section of the slot game.

 

Volatility

The volatility level is another very important feature of the slots as it reveals several things about the slot game. It indicated the amount it pays out to the players, the frequency of the payouts, and the overall risk of the game.

Knowing this piece of information about the slot game shows the players what to expect in the game and it can also help them to decide what type of slot game to choose. Usually, there are five volatility levels, which are low, low to medium, medium, medium to high, and high. Below we will describe the low, medium, and high volatility levels as those are the main ones.

 

Low Volatility

Low volatility slots are offering the players to win lower prizes when they manage to form a winning combination on the reels, but much more frequently than the other volatility slots. On average, the players can expect to land on a winning combination after every five to ten spins.

The low volatility slots are ideal for the players with a smaller budget that want to play it safe and enjoy the fun gaming experience. Players can keep wagering on this type of slot for a longer period of time and with minimal investments, as the risk is very low.

They are also a perfect fit for beginners who are just starting out with online video slots, as they can experiment with small bets before wagering with bigger bets and start chasing the much bigger rewards.

 

Medium Volatility

Medium volatility slots are possibly the most common slots on the market, as the majority of slots feature this volatility level. This is because the medium volatility slots come with the best features from both low and high volatility slots.

These video slots will provide the players with bigger prizes than the low volatility slots when they land on a winning combination on the reels. But the winning combination will be not as frequent as the low volatility slots. The players can find some medium volatility slots that also feature progressive jackpots.

Additionally, the players will get to enjoy a wide variety of bonus features, which can help them win the bigger prizes in the medium volatility slots.

 

High Volatility

High volatility slots come with a higher risk, but they will also reward the players with much bigger prizes than the low and medium volatility slots. This type of video slot is fit for players that have a bigger budget, as players with a smaller budget cannot cope with the high risks.

The players that want to go after the big prizes from the high volatility slots must also know that landing on a winning combination on the reels won’t be very frequent. They are perfect for the players who aren’t afraid to wait patiently to land on a winning combination.

 

RNG

While the first slot machines that featured in the land-based casino were using physical reels, nowadays slot games are operating on computer technology and software. The modern online video slots are using a Random Number Generator (RNG) technology.

This RNG technology is responsible for generating billions of possible outcomes and combinations every second. The slot’s RNG ensures that neither the player nor the online casino can fix the outcomes in their own favor.

After every spin of the reels, the RNG will provide a totally random and fair outcome, with each combination being completely independent of the outcome of the previous spin. This means that the slot game doesn’t work on any pattern and the outcome can never be predicted.

 

Symbols

The slot symbols are the essence of every slot game as they are used to form a winning combination on the reels that will provide the players with a payout. Every slot symbol comes with a unique design, which is a fun way to make the whole gaming experience more exciting.

There are certain classic symbols that often feature in the video slots, which first appeared in the retro slot machines that were located in land-based casinos. Some of these classic symbols are the lucky 7, the liberty bell, the horseshoe, the four-lead clover, the gold bar, the diamond, and the star symbol.

Nowadays the slot symbols feature a sharper look with amazing visuals, which makes the whole gameplay much more entertaining. Also, the modern slot games are coming with unique symbols, which are designed in accordance with the slot’s theme.

The majority of slots are rewarding the players after they formed a winning combination on a payline that consists of at least 3 matching symbols. Some of the featured symbols can be used to trigger e a bonus feature, where the players can win much bigger prizes.

There are several different types of symbols in a slot game and every single one of them comes with a unique feature. The most common symbols that feature in most online slots are Standard symbols (low and high paying symbols), Wild symbols, Scatter symbols, Bonus symbols, and Multiplier symbols.

 

Bonus Features

The slot bonus feature is an extremely important part of every modern video slot, as most players tend to choose a slot game based on its incorporated bonus features. Bonus features are special features of a video slot that are designed to make the gaming experience much more exciting and boost up the players’ payouts.

Without the bonus features, the modern video slots will become as boring as the first slot machines. A slot game that doesn’t have bonus features tends to be very boring, where the only thing to do is wait for a winning combination to land on the reels.

These bonus features can be activated in the video slot game at any time, which can be done by landing on a specific number of certain featured symbols. Most of the time, these featured symbols can be either the Scatter symbol, the Wild symbol, or the Bonus symbol.