A slot machine, known also as a pokie, is a gambling machine that creates a game of chance for its customers. Slots standard layout features a screen displaying three or more reels that “spin” when the game is activated.
A bonus is a special feature of the particular game theme, which is activated when certain symbols appear in a winning combination. Bonuses and the number of bonus features vary depending upon the game.
Free spins are a common form of bonus, where a series of spins are automatically played at no charge at the player’s current wager. Free spins are usually triggered via a scatter of at least three designated symbols.
Payline is a line that crosses through one symbol on each reel, along which a winning combination is evaluated. Classic spinning reel machines usually have up to nine paylines, while video slot machines may have as many as one hundred. Paylines could be of various shapes.
A scatter is a pay combination based on occurrences of a designated symbol landing anywhere on the reels, rather than falling in sequence on the same payline. A scatter pay usually requires a minimum of three symbols to land, and the machine may offer increased prizes or jackpots depending on the number that land.
Volatility or variance refers to the measure of risk associated with playing a slot machine. A low-volatility slot machine has regular but smaller wins, while a high-variance slot machine has fewer but bigger wins.
Wild symbols substitute for most other symbols in the game, usually excluding scatter and jackpot symbols. How jokers behave are dependent on the specific game and whether the player is in a bonus or free games mode. Sometimes wild symbols may only appear on certain reels or have a chance to “stack” across the entire reel.
Each machine has a table that lists the number of credits the player will receive if the symbols listed on the paytable line up on the pay line of the machine. Some symbols are wild and can represent many, or all, of the other symbols to complete a winning line.
