Online slots are a staple of the gambling industry. In fact, they are the face of it. When we visit land-based casinos, the first thing we might notice is the rows upon rows of slot machines that take up an entire hall. The same is true at online casinos.
Online Slots
While online casinos have no physical halls, they do have subcategories on their websites. And if you were to visit these sites, you will find that online pokies make up the majority of the games available therein. So, it is no surprise that most people’s first casino game is the slot.
Therefore, people should know something about these games. That is why, in this article, we’d like to discuss some of the most important terms that are associated with online slots. If you are interested in knowing more about these games, you’ll find some answers below.
Reels and Paylines
A lot of people may confuse reels and paylines, but that is why we are here. Reels are the vertical lines placed on the slot machine, that spin when you pull the lever or press the button. Once upon a time, slot machines only had one reel. However, that has changed, especially online.
On the other hand, pay lines are the patterns on said reels that lead to a winning streak. In other words, the paylines are what you are looking for when you are playing slots. When the reels land on a pay line, the machine will deliver a payout.
Wild and Scatter Symbols
Online slots have won the hearts of gamblers for two reasons; one is accessibility, and the other is the inclusion of special bonus symbols. Those bonus symbols are frequently called wilds and scatters. The Wild Symbol replaces any symbol in a pay line, except for the scatter.
So, then what does the scatter do? The scatter is a “trigger” symbol. Getting more than one scatter on the board usually triggers some sort of bonus, like an extra spin, for example. Some slots make it so you don’t need to get scatters next to each other, but rather, a certain number of them has to appear anywhere on the board.
RTP and Volatility
The return to player rate (or RTP) of a slot is something every gambler has to be aware of. By using percentages, online casinos can inform their players on the likelihood of a slot machine paying out during its existence. That is what the RTP stands for. It is important to note that the RTP is not a short term description of pay outs, but rather a long-term one. Keep that in mind when playing.
Volatility, on the other hand, denotes the likelihood that a machine will pay out, but it also tells you how high the payouts will be. So, a high volatility slot is going to payout less frequently, but the cash the player receives will usually be greater. On the other hand, low volatility slots are the opposite. There are also medium volatility slots that manage to strike a balance.
