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Category: Slot Machine Games

Slot Machine Games

Slot machine games are the mainstay of casinos. Whether found in land-based premises or online sites, they’re the type of games that can draw in players from all sorts of backgrounds, all hooked by the chance of winning a life-changing amount of money from a single spin. Invented over 100 years ago, slot machines are still as popular as ever before, if not more. So how, then, have they maintained such a huge fanbase? Read on to find out everything you’ve ever wanted to know about slot machine games; what they are, how they work, where to find them and more.

Slot machine games are, traditionally, casino gambling machines with three or more reels, which spin when a button is pushed. The first slot machine was actually created in 1891, although it would bare little resemblance to the modern slot machine games we’re used to playing. Slot machine games are also known as one-armed bandits because they were originally operated by one level on the side of the machine. In addition, their unpredictable nature and the fact they could leave player’s penniless, is why they were referred to as ‘bandits’.

The object of slot machine games is, quite simply, to win money! The games usually involve matching symbols, which are either presented on mechanical or simulated reels. Pay outs are dependent on if a certain pattern of symbols have appeared by the time the reel stops.The symbols in slot machine games are usually brightly coloured and recognizable. Traditional symbols include fruits, letters and numbers, and simple shapes such as bells and playing card suits. However, in newer slot games there isn’t really any rules on what can be a symbol, so expect anything, from cartoon characters, to pop stars, to emojis.

Slot machine games have a variety of winning combinations. These will be posted on the face of the machine, if playing on a mechanical machine, or found on the information screen, if playing on a video slot. These combinations must fall on a ‘payline’. In traditional slot machines, the game may only involve one payline, which would generally run horizontally across the middle of the reels. However, multi-line slot machines have become more and more popular in recent years and this means that paylines can sometimes run diagonally across the reels, zigzag across the reels, or, basically, be found in any formation the designers like. Video slot machine games may have 9, 10, 20 or as many as over 1,000 paylines, which in turn may increase a player’s chances of winning.

Each slot machine game will feature a table which lists the number of coins a player will win a winning combination of symbols falls on a payline. Generally, slot machines have a few higher paying symbol, alongside a handful of lower paying symbols. Most of the time, the highest paying combinations are those which involve 5-of-a-kind of any one symbol. Slot machine games may also include wild symbols, which can be used in place of any other symbol to complete a winning combination. Scatters can also be found in slot machine games. These are symbols which will award players with bonus features, such as extra spins, when a certain number are found on the reels.

Playing Slot Machine Games Online and On Mobile

Whilst slot machine games were originally invented to be played in bricks and mortar casinos, it could be argued that they’ve only recently found their true home. Slots first made their way online in 1994 and shortly after, when people started gaming from their phones in the late 2000’s, they debuted onto the mobile platform too. Slot machine games online and on mobile can seem entirely different to traditional slot games, however they work in the exact same way. The main difference is, however, that as new technology emerged, online slot machine games have become bigger and better than ever before. Now, players can expect high-quality graphics similar to those found in video games, innovative bonus features, a vast variety of different themes and a multitude of wager size and payline options.

Slot machine games can be now be played across a variety of devices including mobiles, tablets and desktops. Mobile players can even enjoy specialised casino and slot apps, which can be downloaded to both Android smartphones and iPhones. These kinds of games offer a completely immersive and thrilling experience, straight from their handheld device. In addition, mobile slot machine games allow you to play anywhere, at anytime, making them the perfect choice for many gamers hoping to win some extra cash!

Are Slot Machines Fair?

With mechanized slot machines, it was timing that guaranteed the machine was random, ad therefore all players were given a fair chance at winning the jackpot. However, when computerized online slot machine games came to be, people became suspicious of them, wondering how these games could really be fair. All online slot machine games in the are created using a Random Number Generator (RNG). An RNG is a software which runs with your online slot machine game. It’s there to make sure that the reels of the game stop randomly, making the game fair for everyone. In fact, RNG’s are used in all sorts of online casino games, not just online slot machine games, and they’re basically the technology which makes online gambling possible. Random number generators take a starting number, and then use an algorithm to calculate a new, random number based on the first number. The new number then becomes the ‘seed’ and the same algorithm is used to generate a new number. The process continues over and over, which means there’s no way of predicting what the next number will be. When you press the ‘spin’ button in online slot machine games, the numbers the RNG has produced tells the program when to stop spinning. This gives online slots players the same fair shot at winning as they’d expect in a land based casino.

So, are slot machine games really fair? Well, they are as fair as the companies who are operating the RNGs! However, all reputable casinos will have their games tested and audited. This means that an independant company will come and run the games over and over again. The data is then collected and analysed to make sure the slot machine is fair, and paying out as often as they software designer claims it will. The results of these tests are published for players to see, and should be displayed clearly on the casino website. These results should always be up to date to cover all new slot machine games too. There are several companies who provide testing services for slot machine games, such as eCogra, iGaming Labs, and NMi. If the casino displays a testing certificate, you can rest assured that their slot machines are fair, safe to play and the casino can be trusted.

Overall, slot machines are arguably the most thrilling games to play at the casino. They’re engaging, can be packed with beautiful graphics and, whether you play the slot machine online or in a bricks and mortar establishment, you never know what could happen from a single spin - that’s the beauty of slots!