How Slot Machines Work

Slot machines have, in one form or another, been around for more than a century, with their newest and most recent incarnations being the online slot machines. But even these have quite the history, having been around since the mid-1990s.

More people play online slot machines than any other type of online casino game – and that’s because they have evolved into a fun and exciting experience. They now come in all shapes and sizes and for all different types of players.

If you are just starting your slot game journey, then you came to the right place. Rizk offers all sorts of casino games, from the classic three-reel slots to player favourites such as Starburst, Book of Dead and Big Bad Wolf. Or, why not go for the big win on record-breaking progressive slots such as Mega Moolah?

We have titles from all of the top developers such as NetEnt, Games Global, Games Global NextGen, and more. But how do these developers create these games, and how do they work? Let’s take a deeper look at how slot machines work today!

How Slot Machines Work: A Beginners Guide

Many players already know a thing or two about slot machines and how they work. But do you know how it all started?

The first slot machines were invented by Charles Fey in the late 1800s – and consisted of picture cards and other symbols such as bells and horseshoes on three reels. In order to win you had to get three matching symbols along the central line across the screen – the payline.

Since then, we have seen the birth of the online casino industry. These games follow the same basic principles but the concept has expanded to add more variation and excitement. Online casinos still include the traditional 3-reel slots – just digital versions of them. Additionally, there are now 5-reel games, which have become even more popular. These new video slots include fun features such as wild symbols, expanding wilds, scatters, multipliers and more.

Paylines are at the heart of the slot game – as they determine whether or not you have won, what type of win, and how much. The traditional slot only had one payline right through the centre. Now, more recent games offer all types of different paylines – 10, 25, 243 and even up to 1023 ways to win.

The modern slot machine averages around 25 paylines – which basically means 25 ways to win. They can run from left to right, right to left, diagonally, or even in a zig-zag pattern.
In these cases matching symbols don’t always have to be right next to each other in order for you to win.

With many games, you can choose how many paylines you want to activate which might be a difficult decision to make. The more of them you activate, the more you will pay per spin. If you don’t want to make the decision yourself you can take your chances with a slot that has fixed paylines instead. Certain slot games, such as the progressive ones, might require you to activate all of them.

Betting Max

Does betting the maximum amount increase your chances of winning? Well, all slot games are purely games of luck, based on the games Random Number Generator (RNG). So, whether you win or not depends on where the reels stop spinning, and is not determined by the amount you bet. Some players believe that playing all the paylines with the highest coin value (a Max Bet) gives you the best chance of improving your winning odds.

If you do bet max, then you usually have a better chance of landing a bigger win based on game multipliers. But by doing so you also run the risk of ploughing through your bankroll a lot quicker. This is only something that is worth doing if you have the budget for it. If not, then you should probably be a little more selective with your paylines. Ultimately, what you choose to do is a personal preference based on your bankroll and your slot goals.

Slot Game Symbols For Big Wins

As you may have worked out, how and what you win is based on what symbols you land – and whether you manage to get at least three symbols on one of the active paylines. With modern games, there are now more ways to win because of the addition of special symbols. These include wilds, scatters, multipliers and more. The addition of these makes winning a little easier while also making it more fun to play different games. Let’s take a look at some of the symbols you might encounter on your slot game journey.

Wild Symbols

Wild symbols are excellent as they really help your winning potential. If you only land two matching symbols on an active payline then you can still win if you also land a wild symbol on that same payline. So, if you for example have two bells on a payline, plus the game’s wild, then you win. This is also the case if you land one bell plus two wilds – you still win!

Another really exciting thing about wild symbols is that they can come in all different variations, depending on how the game was designed. As well as looking different based on the game theme, they might also have different characteristics. Sometimes a game has ‘Sticky Wilds’. These symbols sticks to the rell and makes it stand still while the other ones re-spin, giving you a better chance of creating winning combinations.

We also have the ‘Stacked Wild’. These can fill a whole reel with wilds – producing an even higher chance of hitting a winning payline. Last but not least we have the ‘Walking Wilds’ that make their way across the screen from left to right, creating bonus spins in their wake.

Scatter Symbols

A scatter symbol is very important – and depending on the game, can serve a number of different purposes. Based on the design of the slot, scatters can give you special awards, such as extra coins. They can also trigger bonus games and free spin rounds. Scatters are only of any value if you can land three or more on the reels. This is what makes them different compared to wilds. It’s also worth noting that wilds cannot substitute scatter symbols. Unlike wilds, scatters don’t have to land on a payline in order to trigger free spins, bonus rounds or pay out awards – they simply need to land anywhere on the reel!

Multiplier Symbols

A multiplier symbol is exactly what it sounds like, it simply multiplies your win by a set amount. This means that this type of symbol can instantly boost your winnings. When this is a significant multiplier, it adds an extra level of excitement to the game and it can have a big impact on your bankroll. Multipliers are often scatter symbols – but scatters with the additional function of multiplying your wins. Generally, they range between 2x-10x your win. Moreover, they can also multiply your win for the total round and not just one payline win.

The Slot Machine RTP – Return to Player

Understanding the RTP of the slot machine and its hit frequency is an excellent way to decide whether that machine is right for you. To figure this out, you need to know how to find RTP on slots and the hit rate first. The Return to Player percentage can normally be found in the game description. It is always expressed as a percentage on the information icon in the game – and the higher that percentage is the better. It normally ranges between 92% all the way up to 98%+.

The RTP percentage is calculated as a whole – not on how often the game is played or by individual players. So, if the slot machine says that it has an RTP of 96%, this means that it returns around 96% of all money wagered on it.

How Slot Machines Pay Out

One of the most common questions asked by new players is, how are slot machines programmed to pay out? Do they pay out after X amount of spins? Do they pay out after a certain amount has been wagered on them? The answer is no. Every win is random and has nothing to do with what has happened before in that game. They work exactly how mechanical slots work – completely randomly and independently.

The hit frequency of a game refers to how often a slot machine will land on a winning combination. So, if a slot machine claims to have a hit frequency of 20%, then on average, it should land on a winning combination once in every five spins. Normally slot games have a hit rate from 10% – 30%. However, this statistic in itself isn’t enough to work out whether or not this is a slot worth playing. You need to combine the RTP with the hit frequency and the game’s average payout. This calculation is the best way to work out what games are the best to play.

What is an RNG and How Does it Work?

So, how are slot machines programmed to pay off? Are they programmed to give out a certain amount of wins? As we stated above, it isn’t based on the number of spins or the amount wagered on the game. It is completely random. Slot games work with an RNG – a Random Number Generator.

Often, when starting out playing at online casinos, NZ players are concerned as to whether or not they are playing a fair and honest game. The way that a slot produces completely random and fair results is via the game’s built-in RNG software. This ensures that every single spin is completely random and not controlled by any outside third party, including the software provider or casino operator.

These are built on a complex mathematical algorithm that ensures all spins are totally random. We only provide players with slots from reputable, trustworthy and tested brands. You can be completely sure that every single game we offer is built with a unique and fair RNG platform – to make sure every single spin is honest. Every single game’s RNG is randomly tested and audited by the best third-party testing firms in the world. This ensures that the efficacy and integrity of each and every RNG is 100% fair all of the time.

How to Choose Your Next Game and Get Spinning

Now that you know how slots are designed, how they work and what their important features are, let’s look at how you actually play them. It’s always a good idea to try out as many of our top slots as possible in free play demo mode. That way, you can understand how they work, what their features are and whether or not you enjoy playing them. Let’s look at how to get started…

Choose How Much You Want to Bet on the Game

Your first decision needs to be how big your bankroll is and how much you want to play per spin. Different slots have different coin values – from the minimum to maximum – and these can vary a lot from game to game. Some can start as low as $0.01 – going all the way up to $100 or more.

Activate Your Chosen Paylines

Once you have chosen your slot game, if it isn’t a fixed payline slot, you will need to activate the number of paylines you want to play. If you choose a flexible payline slot, then you can change the number of active paylines on every spin. This is a great way to be able to fine-tune how much you spend as you play. You can minimise them if your bankroll is falling low and up it if you start looking to maximise your payouts.

When you are deciding how many of them you want to to activate, bear in mind that you need to multiply the number of paylines you play by how much you want to wager. So, if you want to bet 2 coins, but want to activate 10 paylines, then this will effectively be 20 coins played. However, you can change this every time you spin. You can also activate the Auto-spin feature and let the machine keep spinning at your chosen level.

Different Types of Online Slots

Since they were first created in the 1800s, slot games have come a long way. There are all types of games to suit all different tastes, so it’s a good idea to try out different types of games and see which one you like the best.

Three Reel Slots

These are often considered to be the more classic slots as they are based on the original, traditional slot machines. They usually feature one playline in the centre and are great for new players and more casual gamers. These are similar to pub slot games of old.

Video Slot Machines

These are a more modern take on the slot machines – and are more popular with the well-seasoned players. These often have 5 or more reels and include all sorts of features- wilds, scatters, bonus games, free spin rounds, jackpots, multipliers and more. They normally have numerous paylines, animations, colourful graphics, storylines and elements of gamification.

Progressive Slots

Progressive slot games are the most exciting and potentially rewarding of all. These are called progressive slots because the jackpot prize progresses and isn’t fixed at a set value. It works in quite a simple way. Every time someone plays, a percentage of that bet is added to a pool until a lucky player hits the jackpot. The more people play, the faster and bigger it grows. Games such as Mega Moolah can pay out millions in prize money. How to play progressive slots very much depends on the game and your bankroll, but generally, in order to win the big prize, you need to place bigger bets.

A Growing Experience

Slot machines are constantly getting better and better. From the more traditional, to the modern iterations. It’s all about having fun, spinning away and trying to land on paylines. Every slot works on a tried and tested Random Number Generator, to ensure the game is fair. Try out the different types of games, look at their RTP, hit rate, game features, paylines and more so that you choose the games that works best for you.

Remember to check out our new online pokies page for the latest games from the top providers around.

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