Whether you’re a fan of old-fashioned one-armed bandit style slots or have taken to online versions, you can find thousands of different slot games to choose from. But if you want to be successful at playing them, it helps to have the right mindset and understand some of the terminology that is used.
Pay Tables
A pay table is a guide that illuminates how different combinations of symbols and winning patterns result in payout values for a given game. It also displays information about bonus features and how to trigger them. Traditionally, these tables are found on the exterior of the machine itself but have since evolved into digital screens for video and online slots. They typically offer multiple pages that players can scroll through to read the different combinations and payouts for specific symbols.
In the modern era of electronic slot machines, however, manufacturers have programmed the microprocessors inside their devices to weight certain symbols more heavily than others. This allows them to increase the number of possible combinations without increasing jackpot sizes. The weighting process works by determining the probability that a particular symbol will appear on a given stop on each physical reel, then dividing that by the total number of possible stops on the reels.
Having a solid understanding of all the factors that go into a slot game’s overall odds of success will help you to decide when it is best to walk away. And even if you’re winning, it’s important to know how much you have won and set a limit for when it is time to leave the game.