Slot machines are the most popular casino entertainment and the most numerous section on gambling websites. When looking through assortments of games, you’ve likely found such terms as RTP, volatility, paylines, bonus features, and mechanics. Do you have an idea of what they mean and how they should influence your choice of casino slots? So, here, let’s clarify this issue.
1. RTP
This is the key indicator of all casino slots. It is set by software developers and looks like “96.23%”. The percentage shows what portion of invested funds, a game pays out to gamblers. However, note that it doesn’t mean that if you invest $100, you’ll win back $96.23. Remember that spinning the reels is a game of luck. One player hits a jackpot and wins huge prizes, while other gamblers enjoy small rewards or just lose. Thus, the distribution of the payout funds is uneven.
2. Volatility (dispersion)
This indicator is mainly formed by players themselves and denotes how risky a slot machine is. Games with three types of volatility are distinguished:
– Low-dispersion;
– Mid-volatility;
– High-dispersion.
Low-volatility games frequently generate winning combinations, but their worth is low, while high-dispersion slots are the riskiest because winning combinations rarely fall out on the playing field and it is easy to lose the inter bankroll waiting for a win. Yet, high-volatility games generate generous jackpots.
3. Paylines
The number of paylines starts from 3-5 on classic online slots and reaches 250-500 in modern video games. A payline is a set of symbols on the reels, which gives a prize. Modern video slots can generate thousands of diverse combinations. Thus, the bigger the number of paylines, the more chances to hit the target players have.
4. Bonus features
Each slot has a unique set of peculiarities. Features are designed to diversify the game process, entertain gamblers, and make the game more profitable, more diverse, and more unexpected. The most common features include:
– Wild and Scatter symbols;
– multiplies;
– extra spins;
– bonus rounds.
Having certain combinations on the playing ground allows getting additional prizes, multiplying winnings, and launching a bonus game. Each slot machine has its own rules and peculiarities.
5. Mechanics
Modern software developers use diverse mechanics for gameplay. the following ones are the most common:
– Megaways;
– Cluster pays;
– Progressive jackpots.
The first one implies that the number of reels remains the same, while the number of symbols appearing on each reel differs during each spin and ranges between 5-7 ones in most cases. Thus, the number of paylines increases.
Cluster pays means that winning combinations are formed not only from right to left (as it is used on classic slot machines) but also in other directions (from left to right, diagonally, etc.).
Progressive jackpot games mean that the size of the final prize is not fixed. It has an accumulative nature and depends on the number of bets made by all gamblers and the size of their bets. A certain percentage of each bet is calculated and left for the final jackpot. The pot increases until a lucky one hits it. After that, the jackpot is reset and starts to accumulate again.
These are not the only crucial points. Also, when selecting an appropriate game, gamblers should pay attention to its genre (Horror, Fruits, Adventure), developer, and bet range. Still, when treating online slots according to these criteria, you’ll easily pick the game that meets your demands and optimize your gambling strategy according to your bankroll size.
To draw the line, note that most slot machines are available in demo mode. So, it is possible to try games, get acquainted with their functionalities, and test their features for free without risking your bankroll.
