All ways – Most traditional slot machines pay out on combinations running from left to right. However, All Ways offers players the chance to win on right to left combinations too.
Autospin – Many online slots offer an autospin feature that allows players to pre-set a number of spins at a certain bet level. This means you can, for example, set 15 spins to play out automatically, which reduces the need to click each time.
Bet – The amount of cash you wager on each spin. This will either be in cash value or coin value, depending on the game.
Cascade – Cascading reels are found on the latest slot machines that want to offer something extra for players. Cascades happen when the symbols on a winning line explode, and symbols from above fall into the vacant spaces. This can trigger an extra win, multipliers, bonuses and more.
Certified slots – Some slots have an RTP of 98% or above. These are called certified slots and are well sought after by players.
Coin – Some online slot machines translate your balance into a coin value, so that you bet with coins each spin. Coins act as credits and are often useful if your game offers the chance to set the coin value.
Feature – The best online slot machines all boast great features and bonuses. Slots features are additional aspects to the game that offer the possibility of big wins. They could be something as simple as expanding wilds or free spins, or they might be bonus rounds and extra games. You will see each game’s full list of features in its paytable.
Free spins – A classic online slot machine bonus, free spins can be offered and won in a variety of ways. The most common is nailing three or more Scatters on the reels in a single spin. Free spins give you the chance to spin without placing a bet – and potentially win big rewards.
Jackpot – The best online slots offer jackpots for players and this is the biggest prize available to win. Playing for the jackpot sometimes requires the maximum bet to be placed. Jackpots can run into the millions of pounds.
Maximum / Minimum Bet – Each online slot has a maximum and minimum bet level. This can range from as little as 5p to as big as £100 per spin. You can find a slot’s max/min bet levels in its paytable and the advice is always to bet at a level you are comfortable with.
Megaways – An invention of Big Time Gaming, Megaways slots are hugely popular because of the amount of ways you can win. The reels don’t have a fixed number of symbols and that can create welcome havoc on every spin. Expanded Megaways games have a staggering 117,649 ways to win and they offer huge jackpots for players too.
Multiplier – Some casino bonuses inside slot machines focus on multipliers. This is when a win is multiplied by a certain amount, say x2, x10 or even x100. Depending on the game, your multipliers may be found on individual symbols, Wilds, within bonus rounds or at random. They are one of the best avenues to greatly increase a payout.
Nudge – This is a classic bonus commonly found in fruit machines across pubs in the UK. Games sometimes offer players the chance to nudge a reel after their spin, which might bring enough symbols into line for a win.
Payline – Each slot has a number of paylines on which you can trigger wins. A payline usually runs from left to right and requires three or more matching symbols for a win. You can increase the number of paylines in some games depending on the size of your bet. Always check out the paytable to assess the number of paylines before playing.
Paytable – Perhaps the most important aspect of an online slot game that people overlook is the paytable. This is where you can find everything from which symbols pay the most, to instructions on how to play bonus rounds. The paytable will help you understand your game and that increased knowledge will greatly improve your enjoyment.
Payout – Another term for a win, this is the amount of money you earn for a winning combination on the slots. Payouts can range from small to astonishingly large.
Progressive jackpot – One way to target a life-changing payout is to bet on games that host a progressive jackpot. The progressive jackpot works by taking a tiny portion of every bet placed on a game and adding it to the big pot. When someone eventually wins it, they could earn thousands or even millions of pounds. In 2018 an online player in Europe won a record €18.9m progressive jackpot payout while playing Mega Moolah Mega.
Reels – The majority of online slots use reels that players must spin to create fresh combinations of matching symbols. The reels are what spin when you place a bet and realign shortly after. Some games feature just three reels, while others offer eight or even more.
RTP – RTP stands for Return To Player and is the percentage a slots gamer should expect to receive back from their bets. For example, if you play a 98% RTP game, you should on average expect £98 back from every £100 you wager. Of course, some players win and some lose, so a better gauge of an online slot during a single session is volatility. Remember that no online slot has 100% RTP as there is always a house edge in casino games.
Scatters – Scatters are bonus symbols that appear on the reels and can trigger additional features, free spins, and more when landed. Check out a game’s paytable for details on what its Scatters offer.
Slots bonus – You may hear people talk about slots bonuses and not be sure what they mean. A slots bonus is any sort of additional boost to your gaming. It could be a bonus round, free spins, RTP boost, or even an expanded number of ways to win.
Spin – Once you’ve set your bet amount, hitting ‘spin’ will activate the reels and complete a single round of the game. Imagine it’s the same as pulling the lever in a Las Vegas casino.
Symbols – These are the motifs that fill the reels. They are specific to your chosen online slot and usually stick to the same these. Check out a game’s paytable for the value of each symbol.
Video slots – Video slots emerged in Las Vegas and Monte Carlo in the 1980s and offer visual graphics that are a lot more entertaining than basic mechanical slot machines. Online slots are based on video slots but have even greater design and bonus round potential. For those who love nostalgia, there are still online video slots available to play at most casinos.
Volatility – A better gauge to RTP of whether you might win a payout in a single slots session is volatility. Also known as variance, volatility offers high, medium and low levels of play. When you play a slot with high volatility you’ll experience fewer payouts but any wins will likely be bigger. Low volatility games offer more frequent payouts but at a reduced cash value.
Wilds – Wilds are the basic bonus that can swiftly trigger a win. They substitute for other symbols to help you complete paylines – much like the blank in Scrabble. Wilds can also expand, move, stick, boast multipliers and even offer additional bonus rounds. Check out a game’s paytable for its full Wild details.
Wild Multiplier – One of the best Wild bonuses is the multiplier. This is when a Wild has, for example, ‘x6’ on its symbol. That means if the Wild helps complete a payline, your win will be multiplied by six.
Win – A win in online slots is any spin that results in the player being paid. Wins can be astronomical if you hit a jackpot, while others can be less than your original stage.
