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Understanding Slots Terminology

January 30, 2025

Like any hobby, playing slots requires at least some knowledge of certain concepts, and what separates good slots players from bad ones is often determined by the individual player’s understanding of specific terms – or lack thereof. This is where slots terminology comes into play.

To the outside viewer, some of these phrases may seem like Greek, or something dug out of an eldritch tome. Fortunately, acquiring the necessary knowledge to play – and more importantly, enjoy – online slots doesn’t require any blood sacrifice or pacts with our cosmic overlords!

Indeed, if you’re looking to expand your knowledge of slots terminology or just need a quick refresher, this guide will set you on the path towards enlightenment.

How Do Online Slots Work?

The term “slots” probably seems pretty vague to the uninitiated. Real-life, physical slot machines are pretty easy to understand – you stake your bet and spin the reels, hoping for matching symbols. But how does this translate to the digital world?

In fact, the mechanics of online slots are exactly the same as physical machines; it is merely the method of playing that is different!

Slots work off on random number generators, more commonly known as RNG, a term that should be familiar to many gamers. These random number generators, true to their name, generate thousands of random numbers per second, each of which is tied to a specific combination of symbols. Of course, all of this is done “in the background”, with the animation of spinning reels disguising the mechanics.

Winning in slots means landing on a number that corresponds to a set payline. A payline in slots refers to a set order of symbols that can trigger a win. The symbols can be arranged vertically, horizontally, and even diagonally! These vary from game to game, however, so don’t expect the paylines to be the same each time.

Because paylines are so varied, most online slots offer multiple ways to win, with some going as high as 243! As well, they typically feature bonus symbols which can turn the tides in your favour through different means; some symbols can trigger a free spin, while others can substitute for regular symbols, landing you a win.

Slots Terminology

If all of that sounds a bit overwhelming, you’ll find a quick summary of the different terms below!

Reels: Reels are the vertical rows that spin as you play, with each containing a set number of symbols. Most online slots feature three to five reels. Your goal is to match up the symbols they land on when they stop spinning.

Paylines: Paylines are set sequences of symbols that can trigger a win. These sequences can be vertical, horizontal, diagonal, or even zig-zagged across the reels.

Paytables: Paytables display important information for playing the game, including the paylines.

Symbols: Symbols are the images you see on each segment of the reels. Many of these will be familiar to anyone who has visited a casino before; they include diamonds, 7’s, stars, and horseshoes. However, you’ll also often see symbols unique to that particular game. Some are merely substitutions for the common symbols while others can produce various different effects that can change your game.

How Do You Play Online Slots?

Playing on a physical slot machine is as easy as heading to the nearest bar or casino and sitting down at the machine. For online players, however, there are a few more steps involved.

Find a Trusted Online Casino

The first thing you’ll need to do is find an online casino, like PokerStars. Ensure that your casino of choice is trusted and well-established before going any further. Once that’s done, you’ll need to create an account in order to start playing.

But whoa there, don’t put all of your personal details in just yet!

Read the Fine Print

Some online casinos will try their darndest to draw you in. This normally means offering prospective players a sign-up bonus which promises to reward them with “free money” for signing up. But doesn’t that seem a little too good to be true?

Indeed, sign-up bonuses often come with lines upon lines of smallprint dictating the conditions you need to meet before receiving your payout. Some casinos are incredibly fickle with their terms, causing many players to lose out on their bonuses, so it’s important that you do your research beforehand and read the fine print!

Fortunately, most casinos aren’t strict with their sign-up bonuses, merely requiring that users play a set number of games before receiving their money. This is often referred to as the “Play-Through” or “Wagering Requirements”.

Sign-Up Bonus: A sign-up bonus is typically a monetary reward for joining an online casino, but can also include free spins and multipliers. These typically require certain conditions to be met first, however.

Play-Through: Play-Throughs are specific playing conditions that must be met before players can receive their sign-up bonuses. A common example is requiring players to play a specific number of games based on their initial deposit.

Choose a Game

Now that you’ve found an online casino that you trust and have read the terms and conditions of signing up, you’re just about ready to start playing.

Have a look at the catalogue of games featured in your casino of choice. For PokerStars users, this is as easy as selecting the “Slots” tab at the top of the homepage, or using the search bar if there’s a specific title you have in mind.

For new players, we recommend starting with a game that features as little as three reels and low volatility. This means that, while your winnings will be smaller, they will occur more frequently in comparison to games with high volatility.

Some slots with low volatility include:

  • Cornelius, with an RTP of 94.05%
  • Starburst, with an RTP of 96.1%
  • Reel King, with an RTP of 94.00%

Each of these can be found on PokerStars and most other online casinos. If they still seem too daunting, consider choosing a slot game with only three reels, whose paylines should therefore be easier to grasp.

What Slots Terminology Will You Encounter While Playing?

Now that you’ve got the basics down, you’re probably itching to start playing, but there are still a few more basic terms that you should be aware of that will directly affect your gameplay, how you choose your slots, and what you can expect to get out of them.

You probably saw the term “RTP” in the previous section and wondered what on earth we were talking about. It’s simple, really: RTP stands for Return to Player, and indicates what percentage of funds staked on a particular game will be returned to you over a prolonged period of time. This value is calculated over time, and is based on the funds of millions of players, not just yours.

Therefore, when a game’s RTP is shown as 94%, it doesn’t mean that you’ll receive $94 for every $100 bets you place, but rather the $100 bets of all players. Games with a higher RTP (above 96%) increase your chances of winning, but this value is not an indicator of the money you’ll receive.

You should also understand volatility and what it means for your game. Volatility is more or less an intangible metric that we use to describe the rates of winning when playing a certain game, and also how much you win. When a slot game is described as having high volatility, it means that your potential winnings will be big but infrequent. Conversely, slot games with low volatility will pay out more often but for far less.

You can also use volatility to describe the risks involved in playing a game. For new players, we recommend choosing a game with low volatility since you are likely to win more frequently.

Other Terms You Should Know

While playing slots, you’ll probably come across many more terms than the ones we’ve covered here. As such, it’s important to take a moment when you encounter a phrase you haven’t heard before.

  • Free Spins: Simply put, free spins allow you to spin the reels again without having to place a new wager. They’re typically offered as part of sign-up bonuses but can also be earned while playing.
  • Progressive Jackpots: Jackpots are large amounts of money that can be won; progressive jackpots are amounts of money that keep growing so long as no one wins them. These reset when someone claims it.
  • Multipliers: Multipliers are factors that multiply your winnings. These can be triggered while playing after meeting certain conditions.
  • Wild Symbols: Wild symbols are special symbols that can take the place of another, potentially triggering a win.

Slots Terminology

While the world of online slots is full of technical jargon and funny terminology, we hope that this guide has given you a solid understanding of the basics so that you can enjoy this popular pastime. As with any hobby, keeping an open mind is important, so be sure to do your own research as well before committing to any one slot game!