How Do Slots Work?

Slots work on the basis of Chance and Randomness. That is what an average gambler needs to know and understand.

Chance
Spinning a gambling machine slot is playing a game of chance. The number of possible outcomes, permutations and combinations can run into millions. All slot machines share one common feature: the outcome of the spin is determined by CHANCE. No video slot machine or online slot machine software adjusts to losses or wins. Chance is the only factor that determines the outcome of the next play or spin.

Randomness
Modern slot machines online employ software technology for operations. Slot machine outcome involves a a Random Number Generator (RNG) which is a mathematical program. The RNG program selects groups of numbers to determine which slot symbols are selected. The win, loss, bonus feature, scatter spins or any other outcome is based on this RNG-randomness. The selection of the symbol by the online slot machine is not at all inflenced by winning or loss history.

The RNG is continually running in the background, therefore the outcome will be different depending on when you click ‘Spin’ – a fraction of a second sooner or later could mean the difference between nothing and a big win, making it entirely random!

This is how slot machines work. Results are unpredictable irrespective of number of game plays or wins or losses. It is also not affected by speed of spinning, size of bet, horoscope, or time of play. This is how slots and casino games should work when they are not rigged.

Who Tests That Slots Are Working Correctly

Gaming Commissions in the US maintain centralized systems that track game-related information, including their payout rate and win rate. Gaming Control Boards also hire independent third-party laboratory services to test that the games are fair and just. All games are laboratory tested from time to time when you play at legal online casinos in the US. Gambling licenses have elaborate requirements where games, vendors, platforms, bonuses, employees and other parameters are regulated and checked from time to time.

Slot Payouts and Odds of Winning

Slot payouts are dependant on the slot machine game, its paylines and your bet size (credits wagered).

Penny slot machines may demand tiny stakes and bets but may also payout small wins frequently. Read how to play penny slots.

Megaways slots and other high RTP slots may cost you about a dollar or more per bet but you may hit jackpots or big prizes if you are very lucky. Whatever you do, just remember that the house will always win. The odds are against you. It is always more likely that you will depart with less money than when you started spinning the reels.

Casino House Advantage of Slot Machines

A 92% return to player is bad return percentage for the customer. But for the casino house it means that the house advantage is some 8% which is guaranteed. The players get to take only 92% of the money staked on the slot game. So eventually the house is the winner and players lose. Some high volality slots (like Divine Fortune) or even low volatility slots (like Blood Suckers) can have 98-99% RTP which means that the house edge is low on such games.

Table games such as Blackjack and Baccarat and others offer low house edge and higher returns to players. They are gambling games with high risk, just the same.

Conventional Slots Explained

Physical slot machines that could be found in land based casinos originally had mechanical reels – there were typically 22 positions on each reel of a standard 3-reel machine which created 10,648 combinations (22x22x22).

With one top symbol occupying one position on each of the 3 reels, this theoretically meant the slot machine could offer a maximum top prize of $10,648 for a $1 bet (without taking the rest of the pay table into consideration).

If the slot machine offered a top prize of $10,000, the casino’s ‘edge’ or ‘hold’ would be $648 which equates to 6.48%.

The remaining 93.52% ($10,000) is called the Return to Player (RTP%). Most online slots offer an RTP of around 95% due to other winning combinations also available.

What Is Slot Machine Volatility?

Slot volatility is the data which captures how often a slot triggers a win for the customer. It also explains the typical size of the slot payout wins.

A high volatility slot pays out big wins for the player, while a low volatilty slot pays small wins rather frequently. At the same time, all slots can pay big and small sums irrespective of volatility. High volatlity (4-5) still entails more risk than low volatility (1-2) slots.

Levels of Slots Volatility

Volatility of slots can be categorized as follows:

• Low Volatility
• Medium-Low Volatility
• Medium Volatility
• Medium-High Volatility
• High Volatility

Volatility Versus Slot RTP

Slots volatility: this depicts slot payout frequency when the reels are spinned. A slot machine of volatility 5 is a high volatility slot.

RTP: this data is about casino game payback to customers. A 95% RTP figure means that the slot game pays 95 dollars for every 100 dollars wagered in the long run (average). A player can still lose every penny wagered even if the RTP is 99%!

High Volatility Slots At USA Online Casinos

Popular high-volatility slots with infrequent but large payouts include Gonzo’s Quest

• Wheel of Fortune Megaways
• Mercy of the Gods
• Gonzo’s Quest
• Buffalo Slot
• Lightning Link Slots
• Reactoonz
• Fruit Shop Megaways

Medium Volatility Slots At USA Online Casinos

Medium volatility slots balance big and small wins. Popular options include the 88 Fortunes and Divine Fortune:

• Divine Fortune
• 88 Fortunes
• Monopoly Megaways
• Jin Ji Bao Xi Endless Treasures
• Gorilla Power Megaways
• Hypernova Megaways

Low Volatility Slots At USA Online Casinos

Low volatility slots, which offer frequent small wins, include the following:

• Starburst
• Jumanji
• Da Vinci Diamonds
• Slingo Classic
• Lucky Cherry
• Irish Magic
• 100,000 Pyramid

The Rise of The Online Slot Machine

When real money slots first started to turn digital in the mid 90’s, physical restrictions were lifted and game developers now had the opportunity to create virtual reels with as many positions as desired, resulting in the potential for much bigger wins.

For example: with 100 positions on each virtual reel, the number of combinations increases to 1,000,000. Now add in two more reels for what has become a modern day standard 5 reel slot, and we are looking at 10 billion combinations!

Offering a $10bn jackpot win for a $1 bet is just too risky and not commercially feasible for US online casino operators, so more of the top symbols are added to each of the reels, which increases the chances of it landing and the top payout is adjusted accordingly.

Example: If there were 10 top symbols on each of the 5 reels with 100 positions on each, the probability of hitting that top prize is now 1 in 100,000 (10/100)5.

A series of smaller winning combinations are also added to create a game that pays out more regularly, but with less exposure for the casino.

It’s the game mathematician’s responsibility to create a paytable with the right balance of regular payouts and opportunities for big wins. A slot which concentrates on higher payouts with fewer smaller winning combinations will be known as High Variance or Highly Volatile.

Conversely, if there are many smaller winning combinations and less of the higher ones, it’s known as a Low Variance or Low Volatility slot.

Do Slot Machines Get Hot?

Contrary to popular myth, Real Money Free Slots No Deposit do not have a ‘hot mode’. Or in fact, any type of memory, whatsoever. Neither is it true that a slot is likely to go cold and is unlikely to pay after a big win. It’s entirely possible to hit two major wins back-to-back.

Every single spin on a slot machine is a unique event and previous game rounds have no influence over the following outcome. If you want to stay ahead, you need to take advantage of offers like valid $500 No Deposit Bonus Codes.

What is a Bonus Feature in Video Slots?

Many online slots have free spins feature which is usually triggered when 3 or 4 Scatter symbols are visible anywhere in the game window – that is to say, they don’t need to be on a winning payline.

The Bonus Feature will usually consist of 10 free spins in which you can win bigger payouts, often with an ever-increasing multiplier.

Bored of waiting to hit the Bonus Feature? Some free slots with bonus rounds and free spins allow you to buy the Bonus Feature. It’s exciting, for sure – but it can cost you around 100x your bet!

Check out our slot reviews including the latest Megaways slots which have been taking the slot world by storm over the last couple of years.

The World of Online Slots

One of the main attractions of real money online slots is, casino players are forever chasing big paydays. And no game makes this easier than slots. Unlike table games, you don’t have to learn pesky rules – who has time for that stuff, anyway?

Decisions are non-existent. You don’t waste brainpower figuring out whether to hit or stand, raise or call, or where to place your bet. All a slot asks for is your wager, then you pull the lever.

But while slot gameplay is super simple, there are scores of game types to choose from at top 20 online casinos in the US. From classic fruit machines to seven-figure jackpot slots, there are titles for every gamer on the best slots sites. Any study of slot working and mechanism is incomplete without a discussion of the different types of slot machines you can encounter.

Classic 3×3 Slots

When one thinks of Vegas, classic slots are usually top of mind. With few exceptions, they feature fruit, anchors, BARs, and 7s, all contained with a 3×3 grid.

Modern video slots can be complex, with detailed graphics, overwhelming bonus rounds, and thousands of ways to win.

Classic slots reject this nonsense. These games only have a handful of paylines – in fact, some only have one. And with no long, drawn-out animations, you can get to the next round as fast as you can hit the spin button.

Want to experience a blast from the past? These classic slots will satisfy your hunger for gaming nostalgia:

• Fire Joker
• Break Da Bank
• Sevens And Bars
• Double Diamond
• Route 777

Modern 5×3 Slots

Classic slots can be fun – nostalgia often is. But the 3×3 format was doomed to fail. As video slots grew in popularity, gaming studios began using a 5×3 grid.

These games began to emerge in the 1990s. At that time, most slots lacked variety, as they stuck to tried-and-true themes (fruit machines, jokers, etc.). But as technology rapidly improved, developers began to create games based on different themes.

Egyptian explorers, Norse gods, and characters from your favourite movies/TV shows have all had slots made about them. But this wasn’t the only thing that changed – with a 5×3 game, it’s easier to hit winning combos, as more paylines are available. And with a bigger grid, inserting gameplay features like free spins and bonus rounds became much easier.

Below, we’ll list some of the most popular 5×3 slots out there:

• Thunderstruck
• Book of Dead
• Starburst
• Gonzo’s Quest
• Immortal Romance

Progressive Jackpot Slots

There’s no thrill quite like hitting a massive spin. But the resulting windfall probably won’t change your life.

But take down a progressive slot jackpot, and it just might. Here’s why: every time you (and thousands of other players) spin a progressive slot, a portion of each wager goes into a collective pot.

As days, weeks, and months go by, the jackpot swells. Eventually, someone (hopefully you) nails the prize-winning spin, taking down six figures, seven figures, and occasionally, EIGHT FIGURES.

How do these prizes get so big? The biggest games aren’t limited to any one casino – companies like Microgaming, Pragmatic Play, and others draw jackpot money from players on hundreds of sites.

Want to pursue big bucks? Below, we’ll list the most popular progressive jackpot slots on the internet:

• Mega Moolah
• Divine Fortune
• Mega Money Wheel
• Aladdin’s Lamp
• King Cashalot

Megaways Slots

Modern 5×3 slots were a giant leap forward from classic slot games. But many players have been getting tired of these titles.

While they were better than classic slots, 5×3 slots are still prone to dry stretches. The average player likes winning often… even if that win is less than their initial wager.

So in 2016, Big Time Gaming, an Australian gaming developer, released the first Megaways slot. Unlike conventional 5×3 slots, Megaways Slots did away with paylines, opting for a dynamic system that changes with every spin.

Additionally, some Megaways games “destroy” winning symbols. This causes the symbols on top to fall, resulting in additional wins. Finally, not all Megaways slot grids are the same. With different shapes, some games offer more than 100,000 ways to win.

Want to try something different? Here are some of the most popular Megaways slots on the web:

• Big Bass Bonanza Megaways
• Mammoth Gold Megaways
• Gonzo’s Quest Megaways
• Monopoly Megaways
• Gorilla Gold Megaways

Bonus Buy Slots

Winning a slot spin is better than losing. But let’s be honest – x1.5 wins aren’t inspiring. In 2024, the >best online slots are defined by their bonus rounds.

Usually, players must hit at least three scatters to get to the bonus round. But doing this takes patience – and not everyone has it.

And so, game developers have launched bonus buy slots. In these titles, players can access the bonus round by paying an admission fee. This admission fee is significant – on average, expect to pay 100x your wager.

Want to try out a bonus buy slot? Below, we’ve listed a few popular games:

• Big Bass Splash
• Sugar Rush
• Silverback Gold
• Joker Drop
• Jammin’ Jars

There are countless thousands of slots on the internet – and that number grows daily. You could play free slot games every day and never try them all. A common thread, we repeat, is that they all work on the principle of chance and random number generation. It is gambling, after all.