Slot Games Glossary

A

• Autoplay: A function that allows you to set how many spins to played automatically.

B

• Bankroll: A slot playing bankroll is the amount of funds slot players have to spin the reels.
• Bar Symbol: A traditional symbol found in old-timey one-armed bandit games and resembled a pack of gum. In the early days, casinos used to use packs of gum as a slot reward.
• Base Game: The general gameplay of a slot that excludes all bonus rounds.
• Basic Slots: A basic slot machine offers the simplest gameplay with the fewest features. Basic slots often sport three reels — the lowest number of reels in a slot machine.
• Bet: The value of each spin.
• Bet Per Line: In online slots with adjustable paylines, the bet per line represents the amount wagered per payline in each spin.
• Betting Units: Another term used to describe the amount wagered per spin.
• Big Hit: When players earn a huge payout, this is often referred to as a Big Hit. A jackpot win can be considered a Big Hit.

C

• Cashback: A Cashback refunds a percentage of players’ bets.
• Cashout: When slot players withdraw their earnings after forming winning combinations.
• Casino Floor: The casino floor is the term used to describe the gaming area in a land-based casino. 

D

• Demo: A free-play version of a slot machine that allows slot players to spin the reels using virtual funds instead of actual cash. All winnings are virtual as well.
• Drops: One of the more modern features of online slot machines. Instead of spinning reels, symbols will fall into place.

E

• Expanding Reels: Offers players the chance to form more winning combos by adding more reels to the screen.
• Expanding Wild Symbol: A special Wild symbol that substitutes for other symbols on the reels while also expanding to fill multiple reel positions, forming even more winning combinations.

F

• Feature: The special mechanics included in the video slot game.
• Freeplay Mode: A version of the slot game that is free to play. Also referred to as the demo mode.  

H

• High Volatility: A slot machine that awards large payouts but at a low hit frequency.

J

• Jackpot: A large cash prize awarded in a slot machine on top of all the base-game payouts.

L

• Low-Value Symbols: Refer to the group of symbols in a slot machine that award the lowest payouts. They tend to be less thematic than high-value symbols and often resemble playing card suits or numbers.
• Low Volatility: A slot machine that awards small payouts but at a high hit frequency.

M

• Max Bet: The max bet is the maximum wager players can place in a slot machine. The max bet may vary depending on the slot
• Min Bet: The minimum wager that can be placed in a slot machine.
• Megaways™: The Megaways™ mechanic is a complex slot feature that was developed by Big Time Gaming. It changes how many symbols appear on the slot machine reels on any given spin, offering far more ways to win than basic slots.
• Multipliers: Multipliers are a unique bonus feature that multiply a winning combination by a specific value. Multipliers can be awarded in an array of different ways and can also be found in a Free Spins bonus feature.

P

• Paylines: A payline represents a pattern on the reels where a winning combination can occur. Many video slots have multiple paylines across multiple reels.
• Payout: The award a slot machine pays when forming a winning combination.
• Progressive Jackpots: Progressive jackpots are one of the two types of jackpots found in online slots. A progressive jackpot can be charactertised by its ability to grow. Every time a player spins the reels of progressive slots, a portion of their wager will enter the pot — which is hot the prize pot accumulates. The progressive jackpot will continue to grow until it is hit and can span over a network of online casinos.
• Provider: A company that creates slot games.

R

• Random Number Generator (RNG): The random number generator is the best way to ensure that the online slot betting system is fair. This mechanic randomises the symbols that appear on the reels, so there can never be a strategy that guarantees winning.
• Return-to-Player (RTP): The RTP describes the amount of money a player is expected to earn back while playing the slot over time.

S

• Scatter: The Scatter symbol is a special symbol that appears anywhere on the reels and can perform multiple different functions. Scatter symbols are most commonly used as a way to activate the game’s bonus round.
• Sticky Wild: As its name suggests, the Sticky Wild sticks to its reel position when it lands and stays there for the duration of the feature.

W

• Wild Symbol: A special symbol that subsitutes for other symbols on the reels to help form more winning paylines.
• Wager: Also referred to as bet. The wager is the amount of money used to spin the reels in one round.