Slots Fun Facts and Tips to Get You Started

An Introduction to Slots

The aim of the game whilst playing slots is to form winning combinations. This is done by matching symbols across paylines. Each slot has its own set of symbols that usually relate to a theme, such as nature, travel, fruit, and so on. There are three main types of slot machines: classic, video and arcade slots. Before we take a look at what each of these are, let’s break down what makes up a slot machine.

What is a Slot Machine

A slot machine is made up of reels, rows and paylines. The reels are vertical columns which spin around. The rows are simply the number of symbols displayed on each reel when it is static. As for the paylines, they reflect how many ways to win you have.

The first slot machine ever had a very simple layout. Liberty Bell had only 3 reels, 1 row and 1 payline. Players would have to match three symbols across the payline. Very straightforward.

In other games, the numbers of reels and rows may vary, which will affect the amount of paylines. If a slot has 3 reels and 3 rows, then it can potentially have between 1 and 27 paylines. Rather than just going in a straight line across the reels, a payline could start at the top position of the first reel, go through the second reel in the middle position, before finishing on the bottom position on the third reel.

Slot games may also have more reels and rows which would increase the number of paylines. Typically, most slot games have 5 reels and 3 rows. The more paylines you’ve got, the more chances you have to form a winning combination. Usually, winning combinations must be formed from left to right, always starting from the first reel – the leftmost on your screen. This is true for classic and video slots. Arcade slots tend to have a different payout method. But more on that later.

Classic Slots

The first branch of slots is classic slots, which take their name from the fact that they reflect the early form of the game. They are the most straightforward games and typically have only 3 reels and do not offer more than 9 paylines. Another common feature for classic slots is to have very few – if any – bonus features.

Video Slots

The second slot variation you’re likely to come across is video slots. They are the most popular form of slot machines, especially online. Online video slots account for the vast majority of slots available to play online and typically share numerous characteristics.

A video slot usually has state of the art graphics and at least 5 reels. Typically they will offer a lot more paylines than classic slots and have at least one bonus feature, but more often than not, several of them.  

Arcade Slots

Last on the list is arcade slots, which typically have a cluster pays mechanic in place. This means that you forget about rows and paylines and focus on groups (clusters) of symbols. A cluster consists of a group of matching symbols – typically 5 – which are connected to each other either horizontally or vertically. The more symbols you’ve landed in a cluster, the bigger the win. Typically, these slots have 5x5, 7x7 or 10x10 grids, although they don’t necessarily have to be squares.

The First Ever Slot

Did you know that the first ever slot was created in 1887? The Liberty Bell was developed by Charley Fey between 1887-1891 in San Francisco. Whilst the design was basic, the slot machine was the first of its kind. The symbols involved in the game included horseshoes, stars, spades, diamonds, hearts and liberty bells. The maximum pay out from the slot was 50 cents.

Slot Machine Names

Slots are the most popular gambling games around the world. They dominate the iGaming industry and land-based casinos. In England, slots are referred to as fruit machines or fruities. This is due to the games traditionally featuring fruit symbols such as cherries, lemons and oranges. In Scotland, slots can be referred to as Puggy whilst Canadians and Americans refer to them as the slots. In Australia and New Zealand, they can be referred to as pokies.

The Biggest Slot Ever

The biggest slot ever does not refer to how much it pays but how big it is in size. The Super Big Bertha was created in the 1950s and is 2 metres wide, 2.5 metres high. It is estimated that the slot cost $1.2 million to build. It was so massive, a person could not pull down the lever to get the 8 reels spinning; instead it was powered by a motor with 5 horsepower.

Although the size of the slot was the biggest to date, the gameplay was pretty dire. Super Big Bertha had 8 reels to spin with as many as 20 symbols on each of the reels. The odds of winning were 25.6 billion to 1. Sometimes size is not the only thing that matters.

Slots use a Random Number Generator

Another thing which may surprise you is that all slots use a Random Number Generator (RNG). This is a mechanic that ensures every single spin is completely random and does not follow any sort of predictable algorithm or pattern. Thus, you can forget about a slot having to hit a large winner because it’s ‘overdue’ one.

Las Vegas is Slots HQ

If you love spinning land-based casino slots, you’ve got to book a ticket to Las Vegas. The casinos in Nevada are home to almost 200,000 slot machines. To give you an idea, there’s about 1 slot for every 8 residents of the city.

Branded Slots

One of the main attractions for slot lovers are branded slots. These are games which feature famous characters or celebrities from popular culture. The slots themselves tend to be full of many bonus features, which are somehow relevant to the theme. For instance, Game of Thrones video slot features free spins bonus modifiers under the names of Baratheon, Lannister, Stark and Targaryen.

Branded slots typically have many bonus features and use visuals close to the original movie/series/celebrity. In some cases, they may also use the same soundtrack or even show 5-10-second-long clips after wins or triggers.

Closing Remarks

There are many slots to choose from at Spin Rio Casino. Our advice would be to take a look through our journal to find the hottest games for November. This should point you towards three of our top picks for players who join our casino.

Spinning slots is not difficult to learn at all. The simplicity is actually what attracts so many people to play. There is no strategy or skill required to win at slots. All you need to do is find a game you feel comfortable with, set your stake and start spinning.