Slot Machine Types

Slot Machine Variations

There are plenty of slot machine types, besides just the amount of money that goes in and the gimmicky lights and graphics displayed by certain machines. In fact, there are major differences in how certain slot machines play. There are many slot machine variations – the most common slot machines are described in detail below.

Skill Stop Slot Machines

These slot machines attempt to add the element of skill to slot gaming. These machines have all the bells and whistles of other electronic machines (literally – there are sound effects like bells and whistles along with flashing lights and other effects) the main difference being that the player helps determine when each reel stops. Usually, the player attempts to stop a reel so that the reel gradually winds down and hopefully lands on the symbol they were after – in other words, there is no way to automatically or magically stop a reel right where the player wants it to stop. There is still an element of luck to this "skill game". These machines are quite popular world-wide, especially in Asian markets.

Video Slot Machines

This type of slot machines can be considered the "latest" in slot machine design. The first of these machines appeared in 1985, and since then they have risen in popularity to the point where now most modern casinos run video slots more than any other. These machines can run up to 50 lines for betting, compared to one, two, or three for the analog models, and often include side games for betting or just for fun. The main goal of video slots is to widen the range of play, encourage higher bets and more continuous betting, and of course to entertain players. Rather than physical "reels" with standard "symbols", video slots depend on random number generators to determine where a reel stops and to determine what symbol should be displayed. This random number generator system is more reliable than old mechanical means, since it can be evaluated and audited by computer experts and mathematicians to ensure fair play.

Bottom Line Slot Machine

It can cost you a lot more money to play video slots than to play on a standard reel machine. In the last few years, after the onslaught of video slots, the slot makers have been adding more pay lines to their games and have been increasing the number of coins that can be played on each particular line. Most of the new video slot machines have a minimum of nine lines and you can play any number of coins from one to ten on each line, ensuring a wide variety of betting behaviors. The standard bet on the most new machines is five coins per line which means a maximum bet would be forty-five coins. The amount of money you're talking about for a maximum bet would be $2.25 on a nickel machine and $11.25 per play for a quarter machine. If you want to play just a single coin on each of the nine lines it would follow that play would be 45 cents for the nickel machine and $2.25 for the quarter machine.

Reel Slot Machines

These slot machine types are known as "one arm bandits" in popular culture, so named for the "arm" that players pull to initiate game play. Non-video slot machines contain either 3 or 5 reels – and these reels are what are manipulated by the machine to determine the outcome of the game. Rather than depend on a random number generator, reel slots have a mechanical system inside which is activated by the player's release of the "arm" – each reel contains a set number of symbols which are lined up in combinations to (hopefully) achieve a winning result. While rumors abound that reel slots can be manipulated (while video slots depend on computers and are therefore "impossible" to manipulate) by means of a "backdoor" code or set of buttons to press, this has only been proven true once, and that game and its designer have been banned from casinos worldwide. Reel slots are the standard slot, and the machine most thought of when one thinks of "slot machines".

Multiplier Slot Machines

Slot Machine Types These types of slot machines have a specific pay out for each symbol group and the number of coins played multiplies the pay out – unlike in other machines where the amount played simply leads to different payout amounts. If the machine pays 5 coins for three lemons when you play one coin, it would pay 10 for the second coin and 15 for three coins played. This example is based on a double multiplier – there are triple and higher in existence. These machines do not penalize you for not playing maximum coins – the payout will remain the same, just smaller based on a smaller "bet". If you plan to play only one coin at a time, then a multiplier machine is the machine you should look for. The word "multiplier" will appear in the name or on the rules.

Bonus Multiplier Slots

This slot machine variation operates the same as the multiplier except that it offers a bonus when you play maximum coins and hit the jackpot. Three 7's may pay 1,000 for one coin, 2,000 for two coins and 10,000 for the maximum coins possible bet. You can see the big difference here is that the maximum bet doesn't follow the normal multiplier rule. As a rule, players need to check the bonus and decide if it is worth playing that extra coin. Remember, multiple plays mean multiple bets, and a three coin bet can quickly multiply into thirty.

Multiple Pay Line Slot Machines

These slot machines have more than one line of play. Where standard slot machines offer three reels each with one row available for betting, these machines reels are equipped to show multiple results or, more likely, these machines will have multiple reels for play. Each coin activates a particular line, again placing a premium on a maximum bet. If you hit a winner or god forbid a jackpot on a line that is not activated by your bet, you will not receive any money or reward. The older machines used to have three lines maximum but the newer video slots can have up to nine lines or more.

More Slot Machine Articles: