Slot machine features explained: terms, paylines, symbols
You could fill entire books by now – so much has happened with slots functions. Do you know what paylines are? Good, but what about winning ways? And what about slot machines that know neither lines nor ways? The slots universe is complex. And developers are always coming up with new game mechanics.
Having choice and variety is reason for joy. But the often English terms – nudge, avalanche etc. – can also cause confusion. In this article we explain all the current slots features. We also include slot machine tips at the appropriate place. Ideal if you want to see the quirks of slots for yourself!
Table of Contents
What are slots and how do they work?
Slots are casino games where you place bets to keep the reels spinning – and hope that the slots symbols will play along and form winning combinations. The bet can be adjusted, and often the paylines as well. Unlike blackjack, there are no decisions required of you. All players have the same chances of winning.
Classically, slots work with reels or reels. Over the years, however, the playing field has changed enormously. In the meantime, there are also areas – such as in the Reactoonz series – on which you form groups with the same symbols. Combinations dissolve and make room for new game pieces. In short: slots games today are very variable and multi-faceted.
Playing slots: Structure and operation
Before we turn to slots features, let’s first take a look at how best online slots are structured. Every slot machine looks different, yet there is also much that is similar.
- Paytable: In the paytable you can see the winning combinations – along with the payouts that go with them. Bonus functions are often explained here. Information about the payout ratio (RTP) can also be found in the paytable.
- Stake: The current stake is displayed here and deducted from the credit whenever you click on the play or start button (other names are possible). If you wish, you can adjust the stake. There are corresponding buttons for this (here with “Level” and “Coin value”). The stake can be further reduced by deselecting paylines (if possible).
- Autoplay: Instead of starting each round yourself, you can click on autoplay. In this case, the reels will continue to spin until your balance is exhausted. You can also set a stop limit. In this case, autoplay stops at certain losses or immense winnings.
- Credit: Your current account balance is usually displayed here in euros. Every bet made is deducted immediately. Winnings are also added immediately.
- Play / start: Click on this button to set the reels in motion. The button can also have a different name. Caution: Set the stake before you click on this button.
- Reels: This is where the real action takes place. After you have placed a bet, the reels start moving. The reels stop automatically. You have no control over how the reels move. Most slot machines use five reels.
- Paylines: Many slots show the number of paylines here, in other slot games players can find them in the paytable. Often you can freely determine the number of paylines (here with +/- in the “Level” field). However, there are also slots where this is not possible.
Slots symbols explained
There is no slot game that does without slots symbols. They form winning combinations or trigger bonus functions. Which slots symbols you encounter depends on the game. However, as with the structure, there are many similarities.
| SLOT SYMBOL | DESCRIPTION |
| STANDARD SYMBOLS | Must not be missing from any slot. Standard symbols are all characters that do not trigger bonus functions – but from which winning combinations result. Playing card symbols (ace, king, queen, etc.) are often used. Gems and fruits are also popular. The other standard symbols are based on the theme of the slot. In games with an Egypt theme, for example: Mythical creatures, pharaohs, mummies. |
| WILDS | You will also find the wild symbol in almost every slot. Wilds can substitute for almost all other symbols (except scatters). Sometimes winning combinations with wild symbols also have a higher payout rate. In Immortal Romance, for example, you get paid double if wilds are part of the winning combination. Wilds can usually be recognised by the word “Wild”. Sometimes they resemble standard symbols – in the Mega Moolah jackpot slot, for example, the lion plays the role of the wild symbol. |
| SCATTERS | This symbol usually triggers the free spins feature of the slot. Most of the time, you have to hit three or more scatters during a spin. Then the slot machine grants you free spins. These are free spins that do not require any further bet. Usually, it does not matter whether the scatters are on a payline – free spins are triggered in any case. |
| BONUS SYMBOLS | If the slot also has bonus features (other than free spins), bonus symbols often exist. In contrast to scatters, bonus symbols must appear more frequently on a payline. This is the case with Mega Fortune, for example. There, the bonus symbols take you to a wheel of fortune where you can win instant wins and jackpots. |
| MULTIPLIERS | Multipliers are added to all wins. Multipliers are often a bonus feature of the slot. In Bonanza, the multiplier increases by 1x after each free spin; in Fire Joker, a multiplier is rolled for each full screen. |
| STACKED | Symbols that (can) appear in stacks are called “stacked”. This is often the case with wild or bonus symbols. In the Push Gaming Razor Shark slot, the seaweed symbols appear as stacks. Twin Spin basically works with stacked reels on every spin. This is because at least two reels always spin synchronously in this slot. |
| STICKY | Symbols are sticky if they stick or remain stuck after a spin. Sticky wilds are popular in free spins, for example. This can be seen in Jack and the Beanstalk, for example, where the wilds also move to the left or expand across the entire reel when they appear. The Dog House Megaways doesn’t leave it at simple sticky wilds either: In the free spins, a multiplier also comes into play! |
Slot features and winning opportunities
Matching symbols on a payline is not the only way to win at online slots. Provided that the slot offers further winning opportunities. Especially new releases are very creative. Below we list all the winning opportunities that have caught our eye online – slot machine tips are included!
| SLOT FEATURE | DESCRIPTION |
| 1024 WAYS TO WIN | On 1024 Ways to Win slots like Buffalo Blitz II, Tomb of Akhenaten or Cash Noire, the rigid paylines are exchanged for winning ways. The difference: Slots symbols simply have to follow each other. It doesn’t matter whether this results in a pretty winning line. 1024 Ways to Win games consist of 5 reels and 4 rows. |
| MEGAWAYS | The result, if you think slots with 243 and 1,024 winning ways consistently further. On Megaways slots, up to 117,649 different winning ways are created – on every spin! The number of paylines varies; symbols sometimes appear “stacked”. Prominent examples of Megaways Slots include Bonanza and White Rabbit. Old classics are also reissued as Megaways variants – such as Gonzo’s Quest Megaways under the auspices of Red Tiger. |
| CLUSTER PAYS | In Cluster Pays Slots, the aim is to form groups of identical symbols. These groups do not have to start on the left – the winning combination can also occur on reels three to five. Cluster pays games often break with slots traditions. The Hive uses a playing field that resembles a honeycomb. In Jammin’ Jars we have a layout reminiscent of Bejeweled games. |
| (RANDOM) JACKPOTS | At jackpot slots you can win regular winnings – or with a lot of luck you can win a jackpot. Often more than one jackpot is awarded. For example, the Vegas Night Life jackpot machine offers three jackpots. Mini and midi jackpots pay out 10 or 30 times the stake. Much more interesting, however, is the progressive jackpot, which grows continuously with each bet. |
| EXPANDED ROLLERS | In games with expandable reels, the layout is partially locked. In Valley of the Gods 2 – the slot has an unusual structure anyway – you clear a part of the playing field with every winning combination. Cherry Pop, another slot from Yggdrasil, takes it to the extreme. Here, winning combinations conjure up new rows on the playing field. You start with five reels and three rows – in the best case, nine rows arise from this. |
| RE-SPINS | A re-spin is when the reels spin again once (or several times) in a game situation. In NetEnt’s Starburst slot, all you have to do is hit the wild symbol – the wild symbol promptly spreads across the entire reel and a re-spin is triggered. In The Wild Chase, things get even crazier: When a winning combination occurs, the corresponding symbols lock in place and the reels spin again – as long as new symbols lock in place after the spin. |
| RETRIGGER | Retrigger refers to free spins that can be triggered several times – i.e. also during the free spins. This is the case with most slots games. In Eye of Horus, you have to hit the temple scatter symbol three times. This activates the free spins. If you succeed a second time, you get more free spins. Sometimes the retrigger is also dependent on success in the free spins: In Dead or Alive, you get extra spins if you pin a Wanted badge of the crooks – the Wilds of the slot – on each reel. |
| CASCADING ROLLERS / AVALANCHE | The Avalanche function follows the Tetris rule: tiles or symbols that make a winning combination are removed. The spaces that become free are filled with new symbols. Often online slots with cascading reels also use multipliers: In Esqueleto Explosivo, for example, the multiplier increases after each avalanche win. First to x2, x4 – until you finally land at x32. |
| NUDGE | Comes from English and means “push” or “shove”. Slots with a nudge function give the reels a push – and ideally this results in wins. The Tiki Tumble slot has nudging wilds. If the wilds appear as a stack in the top three rows, the function is activated: Re-Spins occur; the Wilds are shifted down one position after each spin. Nudge slots sometimes also have a hold function. In Book of Oz, this allows you to spin individual reels again – in order to complete winning combinations. |
| RISK FUNCTION | With gamble or risk functions, you can double your winnings or increase them even more. Very common is that you get to see a face-down card and have to guess what colour it is. Book of Dead does this. If you are wrong, however, your winnings are gone. Some slots also use the risk ladder known in Germany – you push your way up step by step. Risk functions increase the variance of a slot enormously. |
Bonus features
Free spins are one of the slots features that are almost always present. Bonus mini-games are also spreading more and more. Bonus features break with the passive entertainment that slots primarily offer. Interactive elements increase the fun of the game – and also the excitement. After all, one hopes for particularly high winnings.
- Free spins – Hardly any slot says no to free spins. Free spins run in the same way as spins for which you pay a bet. The free spins are always completed at the selected bet limit: If you trigger free spins with a €1 bet, the reels will continue to spin during the free spins as they would with a €1 bet – winnings will be paid accordingly. You can often retrigger free spins. Sometimes there are also extra features that do not appear in the regular main game, for example multipliers or special wilds that move or stick on the reels.
- Bonus games – A bonus game is anything that is not part of free spins or the regular main game. Jackpot slots like Divine Fortune often link the bonus to the jackpot. In the Divine Fortune bonus, for example, the aim is to collect coins. If you fill the whole screen with coins, the jackpot is yours. Sometimes bonus functions are combined with free spins. In Secrets of Christmas, you have to select gifts before the free spins begin. These contain extra spins, multipliers and even wild reels.
Some slot machines also offer the possibility of buying free spins or bonus rounds. With Extra Chili from Big Time Gaming, for example, you can get to the free spins directly against a higher bet. With a risk function, players can even increase the number of free spins.
Other important values for the chances of winning
- Paylines: Another word for winning lines or winning ways. As a rule, slots symbols must lie on paylines – this is the only way to create winning combinations. The only exceptions are scatter symbols. With scatters, the position rarely plays a role. The number of paylines differs from slot to slot. If you wish, you can usually deactivate individual paylines.
- Volatility: A measure of risk that describes fluctuations in finance, for example in share prices. In the slots world, volatility shows us what fluctuations the bankroll is subject to. Very volatile slots can decimate the deposit in no time at all, or provide a windfall. On slots with low volatility, pluses and minuses are less noticeable.
- Probability: Probability refers to the probability of winning. To calculate this, you have to divide the number of winning combinations (symbols lie on a payline) by the number of possible combinations. Alternatively, it is also possible to determine the probability of a certain winning combination. In this way, it is possible to calculate how often promising spins occur.
- RTP: Stands for “return to player” and indicates how much % of the stakes flow back to the players. Online slots often have an RTP of 95% or higher. This means that for every €1 wagered, €0.95 is paid out again; the casino operator retains 5%. Jackpot slots often have a lower RTP because the jackpot has to be financed.
Conclusion and slot tips
Slot machines have many features these days. The days of plain retro Vegas slots are over. While there may still be classic slots here and there, new releases often cover a variety of different slots features. In this article, we have covered most of the common features. But we are sure: the developers will come up with something new!
What we recommend: Get involved with cascading reels or slots with cluster pays. Behind the strange names, there are definitely fun guarantees that you have to see and play.
By the way, you don’t have to buy a pig in a poke. Are you unsure how a slots game works? No problem: almost all online slots can be played for free. In demo mode, nothing changes in the behaviour of the slot. The RTP is the same, there are the same bonus features. In free play, you can familiarise yourself with each slot at your leisure!
