Slots Terminology

Bonus Symbol
Bonus symbols triggers the bonus feature in a bonus game

Carousal
A group of slot machines.

Coin Size
The denomination of the coin that you must play at a machine.

Coin Per Spin
The number of coins that you can bet per spin

Hit Rate
The average rate between winning and non winning spins

Hold Percentage
The amount of money (in percentage form) that the house hold backs from players over time.

Hopper
The area where the money is stored in a slot machine.

Jackpot
Highest pay out for that game

Load
Maximum number of bets per spin

Loose Slots
The dream of every slot player is to find loose slots – those machines that return a high percentage to the player.

Low Level
Slot machines at seating level position – where a person can sit and play.

Multi-Denominational
Slot machines that accept a few different coin denominations.

Multi-Line
A slot machine with more than one pay line.

Max Bet
The maximum number of coins that can be played per spin. With most progressive slot machines, the max bet must be played in order to qualify for the big jackpot prize. Same as Max Coins

Max Coins
The maximum number of coins that can be played per spin. With most progressive slot machines, the max bet must be played in order to qualify for the big jackpot prize. Same as Max Bet

Multiplier Symbol
Increases the payout of any winning combination

Mechanical Slots
Traditional mechanical slot machines that have actual reels inside.

One Armed Bandit
Because of the way it looks

Payback
The percentage of winnings a machine will pay out in relation to the amount of money put in.

Pay for Play Machines
One-two-three coin option slot machines with staggered payoffs – the more coins played, the higher the potential winnings.

Pay Line
The line at which the symbols must align to determine a win or not.

Pay Table
A table or board on the slot machine showing the payoff for each winning combination. It will also indicate bonus features, max bet options.

Progressive Slots
A group of slot machines linked together which have a communal big jackpot.

Progressive Jackpot
A big jackpot that grows progressively as more people play and more money is deposited. For every spin, another small amount is added to the jackpot total. Generally the progressive jackpot is linked with other machines.

Progressive Ticker
A section on the slot machines that indicates how much the current progressive jackpot is worth.

Random Number Generator (RNG)
A device that generates new numbers on a completely random basis and controls the spinning of the slot machine reel. The RNG is used in many casino machines to provide absolute randomness.

Reels
The rotating narrow barrels on which the symbols appear. Slot machines have between 3-5 reels.

Scatter Symbol
A symbol that appears anywhere on any of the reels

Slant Top
A type of slot machine which is wider and shorter than normal machines, and which are becoming popular is casinos, replacing the traditional ones.

Slot Club Member
A loyalty program run by many casinos (online and land casinos) which provides regular players with extra points and bonuses.

Slot Tournament
Slots competitions

Stand Up
Slot machines that need to be played standing up.

Stops
Anywhere that a real stops – between or on symbols.

Symbols
The pictures or graphics on the reels that need to line up in order to win.

Take/Pay Cycle
The cycle of slot machine whereby it is expected that the machine will payout after a certain amount of coins have been fed into it.

Tight Slots
Slot machines that pay back a low percentage of the money played into them.

Tilt
A malfunctioning machine.

Video Slots
Slot machines without reels, but rather a video screen that generates a picture of reels spinning.

Wild Symbol
A joker type symbol that will act as the required symbol to make up a winning combination in a pay line.