What Does Slot Machine Terminology Mean: Common Terms Explained

Slot machines attract much more attention than any other casino game as they not only boast the simplest rules but also come with the biggest rewards. Whether you are going to play these games in land-based casinos or jump into the fascinating world of online slots, understanding their terminology will help you get the most out of your experience. From bonus features and progressive jackpots to RTP and volatility, let’s break down the key phrases, terms, and lingo you will come across while playing slots.

3-reel slot: a type of slot machine with 3 vertical reels where the symbols are spinning.
5-reel slot: a type of slot machine with 5 vertical reels where the symbols are spinning.
All ways win slot: a slot machine without fixed paylines, meaning that winning combinations can land in every possible way. With 5 reels and 3 rows of symbols, these games are also called 243 Ways to Win.
Autospin: a game setting allowing players to make the reels spin automatically a certain number of times (typically from 10 to 100).
Bet: an amount of cash wagered per spin.
Bonus feature: a special reward given to a gambler while they are playing a slot. These may include free spins, expanding wilds, payout multipliers, re-spins, and many more.
Bonus game: an additional game round that offers a chance to win more significant rewards with no financial investment. The game is traditionally activated when 3 or more special symbols land on the reels simultaneously.
Bonus buy slot: a type of slot machine allowing players to purchase different bonus features during the gameplay.
Cascading reels: a slot feature where winning symbols disappear from the reels so that the new ones can fall from above and form other combinations, giving a chance to hit several winnings in a row.
Cold slot: a slot that produces payouts more rarely.
Demo: a special game mode for playing slots without depositing cash.
Expanding wild: a special symbol that expands vertically or horizontally to cover the entire reel or row, substituting for all the regular symbols located there.
Free spins: a bonus feature in a slot game allowing gamblers to spin the reels for free a particular number of times.
Gamble: a bonus feature that gives a player an opportunity to double their winning through an additional game of chance. But if they lose the game, their winning from the spin is automatically reset to zero.
Hit frequency: the average frequency of payouts a slot machine produces.
Hot slot: a slot with the highest payout frequency.
Jackpot: the top prize, the biggest amount of cash that can be awarded in a slot per one spin.
Max bet: the highest amount of cash a player can place with a single spin.
Megaways: slots with up to 177,649 paylines played on a bigger grid, which typically has 6 or 7 reels.
Multiplier: a bonus feature designed to multiply player winnings by a certain number. For example, a 2x multiplier will double the payout.
One-armed bandit: a slang term for mechanical slot machines offered in land-based gambling establishments.
Payline: a specific pattern or line on the reels where the symbols need to fall in order for a player to get a payout.
Pokies: a slang term for slot games used by Australians.
Progressive jackpot: a type of jackpot that grows in size with every bet gamblers make until someone hits it. Such a prize proves to be the most lucrative and may reach millions of dollars.
Random number generator: a software designed to generate random outcomes in slots.
Return to player (RTP): the percentage of cash wagered in a slot that will be paid out to gamblers over time.
Scatter: a special symbol that can unlock different bonus features like free spins or extra rounds if 3 or more of them land on the reel.
Volatility: the variability in payouts players can expect from a slot. Low volatility denotes small but frequent rewards, and high volatility – rare but big winnings.
Wild: a special symbol that substitutes for all the regular slot symbols to help gamblers get more winning combinations.