Slots, an abbreviation for slot machines, are the simplest of casino games to play and the most popular. Traditional slots are activated by inserting a coin into the slot provided, hence the name. A detector validates the coin inserted. The player then pulls a lever attached to the machine to operate the reels. If the combination shown when the reels come to rest matches a combination on the payout table, then the appropriate payout is made.
In the later slots a bar coded ticket was inserted in the slot instead of a coin. These slots go by the name "ticket in/ticket out machines". On winning the player does not receive a heap of coins but a paper ticket confirming his winnings, which is to be cashed at the counter. The reel activation mechanism is also different. A button or a touch screen is often used instead of a lever.
The latest craze in slots is video slots, which is extremely popular in online casinos. Video slots does away with the mechanical reel movement altogether. The winning combination is generated by using an electronic random number generator (RNG). The RNG is the heart of all online casino games. The input of bets and the declaration of winnings are also done electronically.
Types of Slot Games
There are different ways slots can be played. In the simplest form each try is a game by itself, the payout not affected by what has happened before. These slots offer higher payouts but not the life-changing jackpot payouts.
Jackpots are offered on progressive slots. In progressive slots a small percentage of each wager goes towards the jackpot, which keeps increasing as more and more games are played. When a player hits the jackpot combination he gets the entire accumulated jackpot. The jackpot then becomes zero and starts growing again till another player hits the combination. At any given time the jackpot amount is shown on the face of the machine
There are many types of progressive slot games. The most common is the stand-alone variety. In this the individual machines have their own jackpots, which accumulate from the games played on the individual machines. To make progressive slots more interesting and jackpots larger, slot machines are being linked. The in-house progressive slots link machines in the same casino. There is a common jackpot that accumulates whenever a game is played on any progressive slot machine and is given to the player who hits the jackpot combination on any progressive slot machine. Electronic technology has made it possible to link slots in separate locations. These are known as wide area progressive slots and offer the biggest jackpots.
