Since 1894, when Charles Fey (a mechanic from San Francisco) created a coin-operated gaming machine, slot machines have achieved massive success. The earliest versions of these games were found in Western saloons and barbershops.
Slot machines have evolved over time. No other casino game has embraced technology quite like slots have. It’s easy to see why slot machines are among the most popular casino games available today.
How Slot Games Work
Want to learn how to play slot machines and online slots?
It’s a bit more complicated than just pressing a button and hoping for the best. Before learning how to play, you should understand what you’re playing. You’ll typically find three types of slot machines in most casinos.
The most familiar is the classic slot machine, which usually has 3 standard reels along with several paylines. Think of the old-school one-armed bandits. Then there are video slots.
These more advanced machines often resemble card games more than traditional slots. They usually feature up to 5 reels and more paylines than you can count, dominating casino floors around the world. The big money lies in progressive slots.
Progressive slots take a small percentage of every bet placed and add it to a jackpot pool. These machines are linked via a network, combining their jackpots into one massive prize.
That means the jackpot amount is constantly being updated. Slot machines are entirely games of chance. You have no control over the outcome of any spin. Slots use a computer program called a Random Number Generator (RNG) to determine results, ensuring complete randomness. The payout percentage of a slot machine is preset. Typically, anything above 92% is considered decent.
Some Slot Machine Basics
Slots come in a wide variety of themes and styles like video games, but they all work the same way at the core. You already know about spinning reels. However, there is no fixed number of reels. Some games may have 3, while others may have 5 or more.
Usually, the more reels a game has, the more paylines it offers. These paylines are predetermined for each game. Whenever the reels align to form a winning payline, the player gets paid accordingly. Every slot machine should have a clear paytable. This table, along with the game rules, shows the payouts for every winning combination.
Modern slot machines come with many exciting and constantly evolving features.
These include awesome in-game bonuses like free spins you can earn while playing. Free spins give you more chances to win – basically letting you play with the casino’s money. Perhaps the most exciting extras are bonus games, which usually trigger when you land a specific combination of symbols. Bonus games give you a shot at bigger prizes – usually much bigger than what you’d win in the base game.
Speaking of Big Money – Let’s Talk Jackpots
Jackpot slots offer massive jackpots that can be won at any moment. Expect to pose for pictures and fill out some tax forms if you hit the jackpot. You might just have earned more than some people make in an entire year.
Should You Always Bet Max Lines?
You’ve probably been told to always bet on all available paylines. If you can afford it without draining your balance in record time, you might want to try it on your favorite slot. But always prioritize the fun and thrill of the game.
Betting smaller amounts on max paylines is fine too. You may not win the biggest jackpots, but you’ll stretch your balance and play longer. The goal is to have fun, not to get rich.
There Are No Tricks to Winning
You probably don’t enjoy homework any more than I do. It’s not as exciting as diving into some casino action. But if you want to be successful, doing your homework is crucial.
Let’s be real – slot machines are globally popular mainly because most of us are superstitious by nature.
I’ve seen players bring everything from lucky troll dolls to prayer beads to “gain an edge.” But these charms don’t help. In fact, they don’t increase your chances of winning by even 0.000001%. These games are 100% random. Results are completely unaffected by outside forces.
A slot machine can go years without hitting a jackpot, so you’re not owed a big win just because you’ve been sitting there for hours. Grandma’s glittery-headed doll isn’t going to confuse the RNG and magically align the reels.
Sorry to rain on your parade. Keep the charms if they help you enjoy the game – just understand this truth: slot machines are purely games of chance. A little luck won’t hurt, but luck is just an illusion.
Once you truly accept that, you’ll be free to enjoy the fun and endless entertainment slot games offer. Who knows – you might just be one of those players who walks away with a small fortune.
Try Playing Slot Machines Online
Probably the best way to learn how to play slot machines is to play them online. There are hundreds of websites where you can sign up for a free account and play online. You can even download a casino app on your mobile device and play to your heart’s content – or at least until your battery dies.
Once you’re signed up and logged in, you can browse the huge catalog of available games.
These include old-school 3-reel slots, advanced video slots, and massive progressive jackpot slots. I recommend trying out a few different types to find your favorite. There’s no better way to discover your favorite playstyle than to test drive it for free.
The great thing about playing online is that you can play at your own pace and from anywhere using mobile slot apps.
This gives you time to understand how paylines relate to the paytable and helps you learn faster. Keeping up with modern machines with over 50 paylines is a lot.
Don’t worry. The software tracks all that for you. You’ll get to play every type of slot machine imaginable without risking your balance. Plus, you’ll be learning from the comfort of your home – or wherever your device goes with you.