Slots are some of the most popular online casino games, with so many different varieties and themes for players to choose from. There’s a lot to consider even when it comes to picking a slot game, let alone understanding how they work behind the screen.
But that’s what we’re here for, with our list of five things that you should know before you play a game of Slots online.
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Understand the Meaning of RTP
There’s a fair bit of Slot-specific terminology that might seem a bit confusing from the outside looking in. One of the most important terms for any player to understand is something known as the return to player (or RTP).
This is a percentage figure which represents how much a slot game will pay back to players over time. So, a game with an RTP of 97 will return 97% of wagers over an extended period of time. But bear in mind, RTP is worked out over a very long period so it is no guarantee of any short-term returns.
Instead, the figure is there to give players a more general sense of the odds of a game in comparison to others.
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Volatility is Something Else to Watch
Another key term to know when looking at Slots is volatility, otherwise known as variance. This refers to the relative risk of a game, its payout frequency, and the relative size of any payouts.
Low volatility games tend to have more frequent but smaller payouts, where high volatility games generally have fewer payouts of a higher value.
Just like RTP, this is more of a guide than a guarantee, but it can help players choose games that suit their preferences.
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Paylines and Other Matching Mechanics
The payline is one of the central game mechanics of Slots, having been present since the very first slot machine designs. This is where matching combinations need to land to prompt a payout.
Paylines aren’t just limited to a single horizontal line and can include vertical or diagonal lines, along with zigzags and other patterns. The exact number of paylines in a game varies, with some offering hundreds of potential lines for players to activate.
However, paylines aren’t the only way that matching combinations can work. Other games replace paylines with cluster mechanics, where symbols only need to appear adjacent to each other in a certain number to count.
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Wilds and other Special Symbols Can Come Into Play
Many slot games feature additional symbols that do more than just count towards matching combinations. There is a whole range of different wilds and special symbols that games may include, such as scatters and multipliers.
It’s worth checking whether there are any particular symbols to look out for in the game you choose.
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Choose the Game that Suits you
At the end of the day, the most important thing is to pick a slot game that suits your own tastes. Consider the various factors that set different Slots apart and decide which one you’d prefer to play.
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Of course, there are plenty of other things to know about Slots, but this list should give you a solid starting point before spinning the online reels.