Slot machines have come a long way. As such, there are terms that new players may find confusing. In this article, we will provide you with a guide to the terms used in slot gaming on casino websites like vulkanvegas, plus we’ll share some tips on how to win.
Slot Machine Glossary of Terms
- 3-reel or 5-reel – this refers to the number of columns that rotate on the slot machine games.
- Active Payline – these are the lines where you have a wager. Some slots automatically place a wager on each line. Some allow you to choose which lines to bet on.
- Payline – it is the specific arrangement of symbols that constitute a win.
- Auto-play – a feature where the slot machine will take your bet and spin the reels consistently, so you do not have to. Slot machines give you choices as to how many spins you want them to do. Some are so advanced that you can even tell the slot to stop spinning if a certain parameter was met.
- Bet – this is the amount of money you wager for each line.
- Total bet – this term refers to the total amount of money you wager for one round.
- Bet Min / Bet Max – these buttons set your bets to either the minimum or the maximum for one round.
- Multiplier – a number that, when applied, will multiply your prize. For example, if you hit a 5x multiplier, your prize will be multiplied by five.
- Bonus round – this is a round you trigger. It gives you access to another part of the game, where you can win more prizes. Most of the time, these are mini-games in slot machines.
- Scatter – this is a kind of symbol that either pays or triggers a bonus round. It is called “scatter” because it does not have to follow a pattern of placement.
- Wild – it is a symbol that serves as a “joker” or a substitute for other symbols. Most of the time, it cannot be a substitute for scatter and bonus symbols.
- Bonus symbol – a special kind of symbol that works like the scatter symbol. If you land the bonus symbols the right way, it will trigger a bonus round.
- Free spins – these are free rounds of bets awarded to you if you trigger the free spins round. Usually, you will trigger it after landing three or more scatter symbols on the grid in one spin. The number of free spins varies from one slot game to another.
- Cascade / Avalanche – it is a slot machine feature where, if you land a winning payline, all the symbols that make up the payline will disappear and be replaced by new ones. Not all slot machines have this feature, but you’ll find it in many modern slots.
- Coin size – this term refers to the virtual worth of each coin. For example, you can set the coin size to $0.01 each. If you want, you can set it to $0.05 each. Different slots have different coin sizes.
- Gamble – it is a feature where, after winning a round, the slot presents you a choice to double your winning. It is a mini-game where you have to guess the suit of a random card. If your guess is right, you double your winning. If not, you lose your winning for that round.
How to Win in Slot Machines
The trick to winning in slot machines is patience. Most of the time, people would think that betting high means winning high. While it is true, betting a high amount will also deplete your bankroll so easily.
In slots, what you want is to maximize your money in a way where you can wager in as many rounds as you want. This way, you will have more opportunities to trigger bonus rounds. The bonus rounds, like the free spins, are the main source of winning slot machines. In addition, you will also have a chance to win some of the jackpots offered in the game.
Of course, make sure that you wager on all lines. You do not have to bet at the largest coin size for each line. Choose the smallest bet per line if you have a small bankroll. However, bet on all lines. The reason we suggest this is that you will never know which lines will make a hit. If a line made a hit and you have no bet on it, you will not win anything.
Now that you know the slot machine terms, the next step is to put them into practice. You do not have to spend a lot of money. In fact, there are online casinos like Vulkan Vegas where you can play the demo version of games. You do not even have to create an account. Just head on over to the site and start playing for free!
