An Introduction to Slots
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Each and every year, the casino industry is growing in size and reputation. Especially the online gambling iGaming industry. At the heart of this is slots. They are the most popular form gambling, both in land-based casinos and at online gaming sites. The main attraction with slots is that they do not require any strategies or skills. All you have to do is spin the reels and hope for the best. Tune in to this article for an introduction to slots.
An Introduction to Slots
Essentially, a slot machine is a game that consists of vertical reels and horizontal rows. The essence of the slot is to match symbols on the reels across a payline. Each slot has its own set of symbols that match the theme of the slot. In short, there are three different types of slot machines. Namely, classic, video and arcade slots. Before we take a look at what each of these types of slots consist of, we break down the basic elements of what makes up a slot. Find out more below.
A Slot Machine Broken Down
Every single slot machine in the world consists of reels, rows and paylines. The reels are vertical columns which go downwards and spin around. They are what the symbols essentially land on. The rows are horizontal strips which determine how many symbols land on a reel. As for the paylines, they reflect how many ways to win you have.
When breaking down slots, it is always a good idea to know where the idea had originated from. The first ever slot machine was the Liberty Bell, which had 3 reels, 1 row and 1 payline. This would mean that to form a winning combination by matching three symbols on the reels.
Over the course of years, slots have developed to be more effective. This was done by introducing more reels, more rows and more ways of winning in paylines. Nowadays, you can find classic slots that tend to have 3 reels and 3 rows. To make matters more interesting, they will also have between 5 and 9 paylines. Rather than just going across one straight line across the reels, the first reel can start on the top position, going through the second reel in the middle position, before finishing on the bottom position on the third reel.
In other games, the numbers may vary which would affect the amount of paylines. If a slot has, then it can potentially have between 5 and 9 paylines.
Classic Slots
First and foremost, we take a look at classic slots. These are the original types of slots to come out, ever since the Liberty Bell. Classic slots are the most straightforward games in the industry and typically have only 3 reels and do not offer more than 9 paylines. Another common feature for classic slots is to have very few – if any – bonus features.
When playing classic slots, you may come across various fruity machines. These are the standard for traditional classic slots and make up an enjoyable gaming session. Some classic slots have a single bonus feature as well. That could be the addition of special symbols or free spins. It all depends on what the slot developers decide to include.
Video Slots
Another form of slots is the video slots. In 2022, the iGaming industry is dominated by video slots as they are the popular form of slot machines, especially online. Online video slots take up more than half of the slots available on the net and typically share common characteristics.
Video slots tend to have modern technology used for their graphics and gameplay. They have unique themes that tend to use HTML5 technology, ensuring a crisp quality presentation. They also tend to have at least, but not mandatory, 5 reels. In addition to the 5 reels, they offer more paylines than classic slots and will always have at least one bonus feature. However, most video slots have more than only one bonus feature.
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Arcade Slots
To add to the list of types of slots, we also come across arcade slots. These are games that have an unusual gameplay. They may have and 8×8 grid or require you to form winners in clusters. In fact, the Cluster Pays mechanic is extremely popular in the gambling industry and usually requires a player to match a group of symbols either vertically or horizontally. The more symbols you’ve landed in a cluster, the bigger the win. Typically, these slots have 5×5, 7×7 or 10×10 grids, although they don’t necessarily have to be squares.
The First Ever Slot
Did you know the first slot machine was invented in 1887? Charley Fey designed the Liberty Bell in San Francisco between 1887 and 1891. The slot machine was the first of its kind, despite its simple appearance. Horseshoes, stars, spades, diamonds, hearts, and liberty bells are among the symbols used in the game. The slot’s maximum payout was 50 cents.
Slot Machine Terms
The most popular gambling game in the world is slots. They have a stranglehold over the iGaming business as well as land-based casinos. Fruit machines or fruities are the terms used in the United Kingdom to refer to slot machines. This is owing to the popularity of fruit-themed slots like cherries, lemons, and oranges. Slots are known as Puggy in Scotland, while the slots are known as the slots in Canada and the United States. Pokies are how they’re known in Australia and New Zealand.
The Biggest Slot Ever
The biggest slot ever does not refer to the amount of money it pays, but rather the size of the machine. The Super Big Bertha, which is 2 meters wide and 2.5 meters tall, was constructed in the 1950s. The slot is reported to have cost $1.2 million to construct. It was so large that no one could pull down the lever to start the 8 reels spinning; instead, it was driven by a 5-horsepower engine.
Despite the fact that the slot was the largest to date, the playability was abysmal. Super Big Bertha was a slot machine with eight reels and up to twenty symbols. The probability of winning was 25.6 billion to one. Size isn’t always the only factor to consider.
Slots use a Random Number Generator
Another fact that might surprise you is that every slot machine uses a Random Number Generator (RNG). This is a mechanism that assures that each spin is absolutely random and devoid of any form of algorithmic rhythm or pattern. As a result, you may forget about a slot machine hitting a big winner because it’s been ‘delayed.’
Las Vegas is Slots HQ
If you enjoy playing slots in a land-based casino, you must visit Las Vegas. Nearly 200,000 slot machines can be found in Nevada casinos. As a rough estimate, one space is available for every eight residents.
Branded Slots
Branded slots are one of the key draws for slot enthusiasts. These are games in which well-known characters or personalities from pop culture appear. The slots themselves tend to have a lot of bonus features that are related to the theme in some way. Take, for example, the use of the South Park slot that involves all of your favourite characters and puts them into the game. It is humorous, as Kyle, Kenny, Stan and Cartman all contribute with some snide comments here and there. In addition, the bonus features are relevant to the series. One of the features refers to the Anal Probe aliens give to humans.
Branded slots usually offer a lot of added features and images that are similar to the original film/series/celebrity. They may also utilize the same soundtrack or broadcast 5- to 10-second-long snippets following wins or triggers in some circumstances.
The Bottom Line
JackpotFinder is one of the best places to learn about your introduction to slots. We have a variety of jackpot slots to choose from which will let you get familiar with our content. In addition, we also invite you to try out other games, not only slots.
At JackpotFinder, you will soon learn that slots are not difficult to play at all. Simply read one of our reviews and click on through to a casino site. Once there, you will be able to familiarize yourself with the slot itself having read through the gameplay and pay table. We also invite you to test your luck by playing these slots yourself.
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