For many years, slot machine players were considered second-class citizens in casinos. They sat in the shadows of prestige casino table-game punters. Now video slots are the most popular game played in both land-based and online casinos.
Our slot experts at Casinos.com have written this comprehensive guide to video slots. It includes the history, types of games, mechanics, features, casino bonuses and everything you need to know about video slots. We’re constantly updating this page with new information, so bookmark it and visit us regularly to stay up to date on the latest video slots news, features, promotions and best video slot sites.
What Are Video Slots and How They Work
Video slots are the most popular game played in today’s casinos. This includes both brick and mortar casinos with slots capturing over 80% of the casino’s floor space. Plus online casinos and online mobile slots where over 90% of all casino bets are wagered on the reels of video slots. However, this was not always the case. For many years, mechanical slot machines served as the backdrop to the card, roulette and dice game tables.
The History of Video Slots
To better understand what video slots are and how they work, it is worthwhile exploring their history.
There are many significant milestones in the history of video slots. However, the true revolution started with the launch of the first online casino. This evolved into mobile casinos, which today let casino players all over the world have thousands of video slots at their fingertips.
It's worth noting that new slot games are being developed and released all the time. Our handy Slots Calendar has all the information you need to know about the latest and upcoming drops so you never miss out on the latest hit.
How Video Slots Work
Technology has revolutionized video slots and transformed the way we play them. But, many basic principles of slot machines are still the same – whether an old-fashioned One Arm Bandit or a state-of-the-art video slot.
Both slots with mechanical reels and digital slot machines will feature reels with different symbols. Where each symbol represents a different payout value. Every slot will have paylines which highlight winning combinations of symbols across the reels.
How to Play Video Slots
As this guide to video slots will highlight, there are many things to understand and keep in mind while spinning the reels. But the basic rules for playing video slots are quite simple. Once you placed your bets on a payline, press the spin button. Or pull the lever to spin the reels if you are feeling nostalgic. There are some video slots in the land-based casino that offer both options, with the lever being a memento for old time’s sake.
Once the reels stop spinning, you aim to align symbols with the pattern that is highlighted by the video slot’s payline. If the symbols align, you are awarded a win that is paid out with accordance to symbol value. If symbols do not land on a payline, you will forfeit your bet.
Note that slot machines have an RNG (Random Number Generator). This is an engine that regulates the slot and ensures that every spin has a random outcome. So although you can change your stake and bet on more or fewer paylines, there is nothing you can do to control or affect the spin’s outcome.
Video Slots Paylines, Reels and Symbols
Paylines
As previously explained in this guide to video slots, a slot payline is a built-in pattern that symbols need to align with to generate a winning spin. Classic slot machines feature 1 payline which runs across the midsection of the reels and pays for symbols aligned from left to right.
The rise of video slots in the 1990s saw a new breed of slot machines. Which include 3, 4, 5 and even 25 and 40 paylines. Further changes now enable pay-both-way slots that will pay wins for symbols aligned from both-left-to-right and vice versa. There are many video slots with paylines that zigzag across the reels, and even a 1024-ways-to-win slot.
Having multiple paylines on a video slot brings the following benefits:
If you would like to bet on all the playlines, you can conveniently click on the Max Bet button which is available on most video slots.
Reels
The classic slot machines used to have a 3x3 game grid which shows 3 reels, each with 3 symbol positions. Technology advancement now allows game developers to feature multi-reel slots that are visually more attractive and provide more exciting gameplay. Plus, with many more chances to win. The most common video slot today is the 5-reel slot. However, there are also slot machines with 8 and more reels, as well as many more symbol positions. Some slots do not have any reels, but rather a grid of dynamic, floating symbols.
Video Slot Symbols
Beyond providing a visual spectacle that is key to the video slot’s theme, game symbols will determine the value of your win. The common game symbols include high and low-paying symbols, each having a different multiplier value that will be paid out against your stake. Winning spins can include different amounts of symbols (for example 2, 3 and 5 symbols aligned on a payline). Whereas more symbols will increase the payout multiplier.
Video Slot Special Symbols
Wild Symbols substitute for other symbols to help create winning combinations. This will usually exclude Scatter and other special and bonus symbols. Some video slots also have Expanding Wilds that grow to cover more spaces on each reel.
Scatter Symbols will either award bonus money or trigger a bonus round when landing on the reels. For example, 3 Scatter symbols will trigger a Free Spins session. On many video slot machines, a number of Scatter symbols will need to show on the reels at no specific pattern to trigger the bonus.