Types of Slot Machines

Two kinds of slot machines exist: flat tops or straight slots, and progressives. Basically, these slots are similar except for one feature: in straight slots, the winner is paid a pre-set amount, whereas in progressive slots, the jackpot grows by a portion of every coin played. Oftentimes many progressive machines fit into a single jackpot where one machine has a chance to win, and the jackpot increases immensely. These combinations can be a mixture of several machines in a casino, or can be joined to similar machines in a whole locality. Progressive machines can be distinguished by blinking electronic payoff symbols shown either above the machine or above a combination.

There are various types of machines, and whether your choice is a progressive or a straight slot, players will be confronted with a number of options. Machines differ on coin denominations, the quantity of reels, the number of coins to play, one or several paylines.

While the quarter and dollar machines are most well-known, they are located on various spots on the floor of the casino. Nickel machines can still be found in minimal amounts, depending on the casino. For high-rollers, $5, $25, and $100 machines were instituted and separated to exclusive VIP locations. The customary coin token or cash bills is required by these machines.

Regular slot machines consist of three reels, but casinos provide four or five-reel machines. The number of reels and the quantity of symbols shown on the reel determines the rate of winning. Commonly, the higher the amount of reels and symbol, the more difficult it is to win the jackpot. The amount of symbols per reel is fed into the computer that manipulates the slot machine, and the real number of symbols is determined by the amount of jackpot offered by the machine. The reason for feeding the symbols is to make the jackpot hard to hit so that the machine will produce sufficient money to shoulder the jackpot and yield an income for the casino. Majority of the machines are designed to pay out in the region of 83 to 98 percent of the used coins in the course of a pay period.

The average machine works on a maximum of two to three coins. There are slight modifications when it comes to several coin using machines. In some machines, the value of the coins is equal with the payoff and in some, the payoff is slightly higher than proportional. A one-coin jackpot is not even paid off in some machines while the three-coin jackpot commonly pays one hundred fifty percent of a two-coin win. In such cases, it is wise to play the highest number of coins.

Regular slot machines provide one payline, but machines with three paylines are not unusual. For several paylines, a coin has to be used for every payline in order to get the payout for the win. When one of the lower winning combinations is hit, automatic payouts will be given by the machine. But, the bigger jackpots will be settled by an employee of the casino who is informed by a light above the machine. The slot payout of every casino may differ from one another.