Online slots are a lot of fun, but a lot of players get confused because it seems like they need to adopt a whole new vocabulary before they can master how to play these games. Without any further ado, here are some of the terms that you’ll need to know if you want to get the most out of your slot play.
First, you need to know that there are dozens of nicknames for slot machines themselves. Back in the olden days, terms like one armed bandits and fruit machines were used to describe them because they had a single lever (arm) that you would need to pull to get the reels to start spinning. “Fruit” described the pictures that were on the reels, like cherries, lemons, and other various fruit. Today, these terms are not widely used because slot machines are so different. You will usually just hear them called video slots or video reels.
The “action” is the amount of money that you are betting. So, if you are risking $1 per line and playing five lines, the action is $5. On that note, a “line” is a sequence of outcomes on the video slots—some games will let you play up to 30 or more lines. Sometimes lines are called by their full name, pay lines. If you’re signing up for a members’ club—which you definitely should to get the most out of your casino play experience—your rewards will be based off of the action that you play. And the more lines you play at a time, the faster the action builds up.
Sometimes you will see the term “Credits” on the machine instead of how much money you have put up for risk. Credits refers to the amount of lines that you can play. It takes the cost of one line, and then divides your total amount by that number. So, if you have $100 to play with and each line costs $0.50 to play, you have 200 credits available. If you are playing nickels slots and have $10 in the game, you also have 200 credits available. This can be confusing at first, so it is important to pay attention to this term and know what it means. You don’t want to accidentally risk $1 per spin when you’re only trying to risk $0.10.
If you’re interested in winning money (and who isn’t?!), then free spins are where it’s at. These are just what they sound like—a spin on a slot machine that costs you nothing. These typically need to be earned or unlocked when you’re playing video slots, which makes them a lot more exciting. If you are playing a game where you can monitor your progress toward earning free spins, then this is something that you definitely want to pursue. Free spins are worth getting because they minimize your losses and maximize your profits. Sites like slots180.com and aboutslots.com share all the different kind of free spins you can get.
Progressive slots are a type of slot game where the amount that you can win on a jackpot increases as more and more money is put into a game. Typically, these are really difficult to win and can be a life changing amount of cash. But someone needs to win these games, and if you are interested in a huge win, looking for progressive slots that have not been won in quite some time can slightly increase your odds of winning. You still are fighting against the odds, but if the jackpot has increased up over $100,000, suddenly risking a few bucks here and there becomes a very exciting time.
Bonus multipliers are often skipped over because they are seen as a gimmick or something designed to get you to pay extra. However, in the cases where you do win, having a bonus multiplier can make a decent sized win an extraordinary one. Usually, you will see two or three times bonus multipliers, and you will have to pay a small fee to earn these, but depending on the game, they are well worth it. Before you play one of these games, be sure to check out the posted odds of winning to see if it is worthwhile for you and your goals.
Finally, one of the cool things about video slots online is the fact that there are bonus levels or second screens that can be unlocked. These add an extra element of excitement to online games, and make playing that much more enjoyable.