How Do Slot Machines Work?

Online slots are the most popular games at casinos, regardless of whether they’re online or land-based. But many people have no idea how slots work, often leading to mistrust and allegations of them being rigged. But as soon as you understand how a slot machine works, you’ll know they’re entirely fair. So, let’s answer the question of how do slot machines work on this page!

So, what are slot machines? At their most basic, they’re a series of three or more reels containing various symbols. These spin, and when you line up enough identical symbols, you win a cash prize. Years ago, before the advent of online casinos, most slots had a limited number of reels and symbols, but now, online slots can have hundreds of symbols per reel, boosting excitement.

Slot Machines: The Basics

Online slots can also have bonus features – basic ones were found at some land-based slots before online casinos, but online games have taken bonuses to a new level. These bonuses are where the excitement is often found, plus they can offer some gigantic prizes. We could write thousands of words about online slot bonuses, but that’s a topic for another day.

To play, you’ll need to choose a stake and then spin the reels. The more money you wager per spin, the more you could win. And if you win, the game immediately pays out your money. Online, this money is paid into your account, while with a land-based slot, it is paid as cash or tokens.

How to Win

To win on slots, you’ll generally need to create winning combinations. Most slots will challenge you to land three or more identical symbols next to each other on a payline, starting from the first reel. But online slots are increasingly innovative, and some now require you to land clusters of symbols instead, or even simply a set number of identical symbols anywhere on the reels.

Each symbol on the reels will have its own payouts. For example, here’s a copy of the paytable from one of the most popular slots here at Slotomania, Crazy Train:

Symbol	Two Symbols	Three Symbols	Four Symbols	Five Symbols	Six Symbols
Wild	5x	15x	40x	100x	200x
Man	5x	15x	40x	100x	200x
Woman	–	12x	30x	75x	150x
Dog	–	12x	30x	75x	150x
Bag of Money	–	10x	20x	50x	100x
Bell	–	10x	20x	50x	100x
A	–	10x	20x	50x	100x
K	–	5x	10x	30x	50x
Q	–	5x	10x	30x	50x
J	–	5x	10x	30x	50x
10	–	5x	10x	30x	50x

As you can see, there are high-paying symbols and lower-paying symbols. Your challenge is to land the higher-paying combinations and really boost your casino account balance!

Each of the prizes listed in the table is a multiplier. So, for example, if you land six wilds, you won’t win 200 coins. Instead, you’ll win 200x your bet. At some slots, this is multiplied by your total bet, while at others, it’s multiplied by your bet per payline (worked out by dividing your total bet by the number of paylines in play). At Crazy Train, the prize is multiplied by the payline bet, as stated in the game’s rules.

However, at some slots, the paytable will show the exact amount of money you’ll win, not a multiplier. When you increase or decrease your bet, the prize shown on the paytable changes to reflect this.

Keeping it Random

You might think that slots are somewhat shady. And you have good reason, because in the shadier days of casinos, back in the 1960s, they were indeed easy to manipulate. But that’s not the case anymore. Slots at all reputable online casinos – including Slotomania – use random number generators to ensure games are entirely random and that every player has the same chance of winning as the last.

But what is a random number generator? It’s an exceptionally complex algorithm that decides which symbols will land on the reels every turn. In an incredibly simple explanation, the algorithm picks a random number when the spin button is pressed. The symbols that land then correspond to this number. Of course, it’s far more complex than this, but you get the idea.

Many people think that previous spins affect a slot’s next spin. For example, if they’ve just won the jackpot, they believe there’s no way they can do the same thing again. But with random number generators, it’s perfectly possible. In fact, there’s the same chance of winning the jackpot on every spin, even if the jackpot has only just been claimed. Every spin is equal and completely independent from all other spins.

But can casinos manipulate random number generators? The answer is no – they are far too complex. What’s more, reputable online casinos have their random number generators regularly audited by external bodies, such as eCOGRA, proving they’re fair.

As you can see, when understanding how slot machines work, the random number generator is an exceptionally important feature to consider.

Return to Player

If you’re wondering how do casino slots work, you have to understand that mathematics plays a huge role. The programming and algorithms are all created by math whizzes, and it’s the math behind a game that decides the probability of winning. This probability is referred to as the return to player (RTP).

Each slot has its own return to player. However, it generally comes in at around 90-97%. The return to player tells you how much money the slot will pay back over an exceptionally long period – millions of spins. The higher the return to player, the better for the player. But this is just an average – there’s no guarantee you’ll win back this exact amount. In the short term, the slot could pay back almost any percentage.

Now, this is an area that online casinos can often influence. This is because many slots come with several RTPs, and the casino can choose which to offer. Do they give great value and choose a high RTP? Or do they focus on the money and pick a lower RTP?

The RTP of a slot is set using exceptionally complex mathematics, but you only have to remember one simple fact: pick the slot with the highest RTP to give yourself the best chance of winning.

Online Slots: The Simplest Casino Game

Online slots are perhaps the simplest casino games to play, requiring zero skill – unlike games such as poker and blackjack. But while they’re incredibly easy to play, understanding how slot machines work is somewhat more complex, as behind the simple façade is a game regulated by highly advanced mathematics and programming.

But luckily, when understanding how slot machines work, you don’t need to get to grips with the most complex aspects. Instead, you just need to know that all slots are entirely random and that this randomness is regularly tested, ensuring you are treated fairly whenever you play.

Perhaps the best way to understand how slots work is by spending some time playing them. Why not start spinning the reels of the slots here at Slotomania today?

FAQs

Is there a trick to winning at slots?

Absolutely not. All slots are entirely random, and you can do nothing to alter your chances of winning money. Anyone who says they can guarantee wins while playing slots is lying or misinformed.

Are slot machines skill or luck?

Slot machines are based entirely on luck. Whether spinning for the first or millionth time, you have the same chance of winning as everyone else.

How do slots decide when to pay?

A random number generator governs every spin of the reels. This randomly decides the outcome of any spin. A slot machine has the same chance of paying out on every spin – previous spins have no impact on whether a turn will be a winning one.

Can casinos manipulate slots?

No, casinos can’t manipulate slots. The random number generators utilized by software providers are exceptionally complex. What’s more, they’re regularly checked by external bodies – if any tampering has occurred, it will be discovered quickly.

How to spot a good slot machine?

The only way to spot a slot with a better chance of paying out is by looking at RTPs. The higher a slot’s RTP, the more money it pays back over a long period of time. But there’s no guarantee you’ll win, regardless of a slot’s RTP.