Slot machines have been around for over 100 years and dominated gambling spaces ever since, growing to be one of the most popular casino games on the planet. In 1894, the first ever slot machine was built, allowing people to insert a coin and spin reels in hopes of matching symbols in order to take a prize from the machine. Nowadays, it’s not as simple as that. The evolution of one of the most popular casino game formats has been astronomical, which can lead new players to have many questions like ‘What are paylines on slot machines?’, ‘What do bonus symbols mean?’ and ‘Where should I start with slots?’. In this article, we will answer some of the most common questions and go over everything you need to know about slots.
Brief History Of Slots
Since the slot machine’s invention, the casino game has evolved and adapted to the modern market. The first slot machine was extremely basic, with simple rules and mechanics based on players landing matching bell symbols to win prizes, including cigarettes or candy. Over time, this slowly developed. The 1930s was a big turning point that shaped the future of slots and gambling with these newly invented machines introduced to Las Vegas casinos. Over the course of the next 50 or so years, slot titles developed to feature digital screens and even jackpots. In 1996, another turning point came with the introduction of online casinos. Online slot machines quickly became the most popular way of playing slots, with millions of different designs and features that differ from one another.
What Do The Symbols Mean?
Depending on the game being played, the symbols can represent a variety of different things. Typically, online slot games will have base and bonus game symbols, each representing different values. It’s common in the majority (not all) of slot games that the lower-value symbols are represented by card symbols with the 10, J, Q, K and A featured in many games. Games may have higher values represented by imagery that fits the theme of their game; for example, a football slot may use a football symbol as the highest value.
Bonus symbols also follow this theme; Wild symbols are quite common in games, which can step in for base game symbols to make a combination. For example, if 2 matching symbols and a wild lands in combination, you will receive the value of the 2 symbols in a combination of 3. Scatters are also a common symbol but can have different purposes based on the game. In most games, they are used to trigger bonus rounds when enough land in a single spin, whilst in others, they may feature multiplier values or prizes! The best thing to do is view the information section of the game, which will inform you of the meanings, value, and other bonus feature symbols.
What Are Free Spins?
Free spins are exactly what you would think they are. During the game, you may win ‘Free Spins’, but what does this mean? The game will spin the reels as many times as you have been awarded for no extra charge. You won’t be charged for these spins, but if there are any winnings, you will be awarded these at the stake value of what you placed on the spin that triggered this free spins bonus.
What Does Paylines Mean?
Every slot has dedicated paylines varying in amount depending on the game. Games with the Megaways mechanic by Big Time Gaming feature dynamic playgrid designs that could see paylines in their hundreds of thousands. Paylines are the format in which players can land symbol combinations to trigger base game prizes in slot titles. The different pay lines in a title will be displayed in each game’s information section, along with a display showing how these paylines work. It is advised that new players may want to use the information page to view the number of paylines before playing.
Are There Different Types Of Slots?
There are plenty of different slots that you can try. Each slot game has its own theme and can vary in terms of layout and bonus features, with some games opting for a larger playtable than 5×3 or even more paylines. Each game is different, and it may take a while for players to discover what type of game they like. Some of the most popular themes featured in slot games include Irish Luck, Fishing, Ancient Egypt, and Casino-based imagery complimenting the play experience.
Where To Start
The best place to start with slots is by reading the information section of a slot game to understand what it offers and what to expect from the playing experience. If you want to test a game before you play, you can find demo versions online with hypothetical credits to experience what the game has to offer without staking real funds.
It is important to remember that slot machine games play with real money, and gamers are advised to play responsibly.
