How to Play Slots

Slots are a coin operated casino game, in which players must pull a lever or hit the spin button to activate the spinning of 3 or more reels. The objective of the game is to match up the symbols in a sequence that wins you the most money. The game itself is based on pure luck, and powered by a random number generator (RNG), so that the chances of winning are fair for all players. As such, slots requires no skill whatsoever, and can be played by both beginners and experienced players alike. Also called the "one armed bandit", slots is probably the most addictive casino game, yet also pays out a lot more than your bet.

By Claire K | Slot Games

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Slot, Gambling

Topics Addressed

Choosing a slots game
Understanding the pay table
Making a bet
Cashing out funds and winnings

Previously Required Knowledge

None – just make sure you have some coins to gamble, cross your fingers and hope for the best!

Instructions

Step One

Choose the kind of slots you want to play
There are 2 main slot games categories; straight slot games and progressive slot games. Straight slot games refer to those that have a fixed cash amount or prize, and progressive slot games refer to many slot machines connected up so that the jackpot will gradually grow according to the amount of coin people gamble. The straight slot games will always display on the "pay table" what is available to be won. Other minor slot game categories include:

Classic Slots - 3 reels of symbols, and 1 payline (the row of winning combination symbols)

5 Reel Slots - 5 reels of symbols, and a payline that varies between different games

Multi Payline Slots - multiple ways of forming winning combinations, for example, horizontally between reels, vertically, and diagonally.

Multi Spin - playing more than 1 slot game at a time on a single screen.

Fruit Machines - this refers to the actual symbols appearing on the reels, yet fruit machines are today more commonly known as those that offer "hold" and "nudge" features, which are designed to let you influence the spinning of the wheels.

Step Two

Learn the Pay Table
The pay table, which appears alongside every slots game, explains what symbol combinations you need to spin in order to win, how much money you will receive for each combination, and how many coins to insert in order to be eligible to claim the major prize or jackpot. The minimum bet for online slots is always $1 (making it especially suited to beginners), and ranges through to $15. Basically, the more coins you gamble each spin, the more you will be paid out if you win. Usually, you must gamble the maximum bet allowed in order to be able to win the jackpot.

Step Three

Make your bet
This is a simple process of clicking on the amount of coins you would like to wager (either $1, $3, $5, or $10 in most cases). To change the amount of coins you have wagered, simply click on another amount. The other betting options sometimes available are:

Bet One - changes the amount of coins you wager per spin.

Bet Max - automatically bets 3 times the amount you have already chosen.

Step Four

Take you winnings appropriately
When you have decided to quit, it is important you make sure you have received all you remaining funds and winnings. Do so by clicking on the "cash out" or "cashier" option, which will return your funds to your online account, and add to it your winnings since the time you have started playing.

Tips & Warnings

Try changing the amount of your bet from time to time.
By playing at the maximum bet available, you will be more likely to win and more likely to win the major prize, which is why this bet is always recommended.

If a slot does not pay up after 3-5 maximum coin spins, move on to another game.

How to Pick a Slot Game