Some people who are inexperienced with online slots envision others playing the same game, spin after spin, with a limited number of symbols appearing on the reels over and over again. While those few symbol combinations might produce wins from time to time, the overall picture is a dull one.
The beginner’s guide to slots from BetMGM dispels those misconceptions about the games’ entertainment value. Not only do slots’ sights and sounds keep slot gameplay interesting, but diverse slot features differentiate titles from each other, along with providing for new experiences with each spin.
These slot bonuses and other special elements of online slots fill many forms and functions in popular slot games. BetMGM is the best place to get a broad overview of these features and dive deeper into the ones that interest you most.
Slot Reels
There’s one place to focus your attention in the vast majority of slot games, because it’s where the action occurs. BetMGM Casino’s slot grids and reel layouts guide breaks this topic down further, but the reels are a collection of horizontal rows and vertical columns on which symbols appear as you play the slot.
Slot graphics do a lot to inject some variety into how the grids appear on the screen, but the basic function is very uniform. Each square in the grid is a spot for a different symbol to “land.”
These symbols may have individual effects on the slot or be part of a combination that changes the game. Many titles use special slot music to signal these effects.
Cascading Reels
If you’ve ever seen a waterfall, you have a basic idea of how cascading reels work. With this feature, winning symbols disappear, causing additional symbols to appear in their place from the visible rows above or even above the reels themselves.
This creates the potential for even more wins, and usually continues as long as you keep activating paylines in most of the slots with the feature. Most games do have a maximum payout, however.
Megaways Reels
Megaways slots have become some of the most popular games online because they can offer hundreds of thousands of ways to win. Megaways slots do this by randomly adding new symbols to the reels, producing more payout potential.
This adds a new dimension of anticipation because you never know when the paylines are going to shift. The changing reels don’t end here, though.
Expanding Reels
Expanding slot reels are reels that grow in size when a special feature is triggered. This causes new symbols to appear that could be key to unlocking even more and even bigger wins.
But there’s another way to win that’s focused on reels that link up instead.
Synced Reels
Two heads can be better than one. Sometimes, two or more reels spinning in synchronization can be exponentially superior, too.
Synced reels occur when multiple reels start and stop spinning simultaneously, often displaying identical symbols. This can be great when a slot pays out for such combinations, but not so much if you need alternating symbols.
Colossal Reels
Among all the types of online slots, those with colossal reels do the most to maximize real estate on your screen. Games with colossal reels feature multiple sets of reels.
Most often, you have the option to activate all the sets simultaneously. Doing so usually requires larger bets, so make sure these plays are within your budget.
Horizontal Reels
Remember back to your geometry classes and lessons about graphs. You’ll recall that graphs have axes showing the dependent and independent variables.
In most slots, the vertical alignment is the independent, or the frame of reference, with the horizontal view playing the dependent role. Horizontal reels turn that on its head, initiating the action from that perspective.
This is important for the game’s paylines and how the slot “reads” the symbol combinations. It’s important to verify this information before you begin with a slot.
Slot Paylines & Betways
With nearly all online slots, you’ll have several betting options in terms of how much money you want to risk. At BetMGM, for example, you’ll find both penny slots and high-denomination slots.
Typically, the more you risk, the more you stand to win. Some games incorporate some intriguing rule tweaks to liven up the spins, though.
Single-Line & Multi-Payline Slot Games
At BetMGM, you’ll find the full gamut in terms of the number of ways to win in a slot. The number can be as small as one (single line) or soar into the hundreds of thousands (multi-line).
In terms of multi-line vs. single-line slots, the debate isn’t as objective as you might think. More paylines don’t mean you’re necessarily more likely to win, or that your winnings will be greater in terms of dollar value.
Single-line slots can use slot multipliers and other features to make their payouts equal or surpass wins you can find in games with more paylines. You should evaluate each slot individually for its fit for your preferences.
Fixed and Variable Paylines
BetMGM offers players in Michigan, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia thousands of online casino games to choose from. Many slots in that library also boast great player choice in terms of how many paylines to activate.
These slots have variable paylines, while slots that don’t give players a choice on how many paylines to activate are said to be fixed in that regard. Normally, turning on a greater number of paylines means higher betting minimums, but not necessarily better odds of winning.
Slot Symbols
Slot symbols are the images that appear on the reels when you initiate the game action. These symbols vary wildly, from classics like the BAR symbol to special characters unique to each slot.
In many games, you have to group specific symbols in the right order to trigger a payline hit or special feature. However, some symbols have an immediate, individual impact on particular games, too.
Pay Symbols
Out of all the iconic slot symbols, a symbol that triggers an immediate payout is sure to be a fan favorite. Pay symbols are exactly what the name suggests.
Depending on the game, you might need to land multiple pay symbols to receive a payout. Check the help section of the slot you’re interested in to find out the exact requirements.
Wilds
If you’ve ever played a card game in which certain cards were able to substitute for others to form a winning hand, you’ll know what a wild symbol on a slot reel does. The basic premise is identical in that wilds help you form winning combinations by substituting for other slot symbols. If a slot utilizes wilds, the help section will list any limitations or special effects of the game’s wild symbol(s).
There’s another symbol that’s just as common as wilds.
Scatters
Scatter symbols in online slots compose the other half of that most common duo. A symbol qualifies as a scatter if it can impact the game with other scatters, regardless of where these symbols land on the reels.
The exact effect of these symbols depends on the rules of the game you’re playing. In some slots, certain symbols may double as both a scatter and a wild.
Special Symbols
The creativity of game developers continues to astound. Examples of innovation include bonus symbols in slots and mystery slot symbols.
Bonus symbols can be the catalyst for the most exciting moments in slot games with bonus features. Meanwhile, mystery symbols appear as an unknown symbol, but then change into another, often to thrilling ends.
Sticky Symbols in Slots
Unlike gum on the bottom of your shoe, sticky wilds and other sticky symbols on slots can be great finds. These symbols appear on the reels, then “stick” in place for a certain number of subsequent plays, potentially activating features or payline wins.
As with all other special symbols, there are no guaranteed wins. Slots are games of chance, even with exciting features in play.
Slot Multipliers
If you want the quick version of a slot multipliers explainer, this feature simply multiplies your wager by a specific number. It’s a common prize in many games, adding to or substituting for fixed-value payouts.
While it’s true that the more you bet, the more you stand to win with these bonuses, you also stand to lose more if you don’t get lucky. Trying for these wins must be part of a responsible gambling plan.
Slot Bonus Features & Mechanics
When you’re choosing a slot machine to play online, game mechanics should be part of your evaluation. If you’ve played other titles and found that you like a certain aspect, other slots with similar features are a good place to start your search for other games.
You should consider every aspect of a slot, not just its bonus and features, though. You might not enjoy it as much if it doesn’t have a theme that appeals to you or a more demanding betting range that you can afford, for instance.
Free Spins
All slots are a mix of reward and risk. Free spins can skew that balance toward the rewards, but you should still follow expert tips for using free spins in slots.
These include not exceeding your budget to chase after free spins bonuses, and checking the odds of landing these features before you start playing. With all features, knowledge is power.
The Nudge Feature
When you’ve landed a “near miss” result in a slot, you might wish you could move a symbol on the reels. The Nudge feature grants that wish.
Slots that use a nudge mechanic often “bump” symbols to adjoining squares on the grid. This can, but doesn’t necessarily, produce payline hits or activate features.
Respins
If free spins are great, respins are their equally attractive partner. These mechanics are similar in that you typically don’t have to risk more money when respins are in effect.
The big difference is that respins arise from wagering real money, while free spins can be part of special promotions that don’t require you to risk any US dollars. Many times, slots incorporate respins with sticky symbols to enhance your chances of a win.
Link & Win Feature
Link & Win slots include this special mechanic that can be as stimulating as it is straightforward. Link & Win builds on the respin feature to connect payline hits and amplify wins.
When you trigger the Link & Win feature, you’ll receive three spins. As you play, each new Link & Win symbol that falls on the reels causes the number of respins to reset. This effect can potentially reactivate until you either run out of spins, new Link & Win symbols, or fill the entire grid with these special graphics.
Hold and Spin Feature
Hold and Spin is a special brand of sticky symbol slots. Like Link & Win slots, special symbols are held on the reels for subsequent spins, expanding on chances to win.
In many of these slots, you have to activate the special Hold and Spin feature before these symbols can appear on the reels. Some titles offer this mechanic randomly in the base game, too.
Lucky Tap Feature
A part of understanding LuckyTap slots is that there’s some debate over whether they qualify as slots at all. For some people, these games fit better into the instant-win genre, although the conversation does evolve to simply be a matter of semantics.
Regardless of how you classify them, they use a unique gameplay mechanic in which you initiate the play, and then see whether you’ve won. Often, these games forego symbols, instead showing you the exact amount won (if any).
Auto Spin
When you’ve worked out a predetermined number of plays on a specific game at a certain bet level, the auto spin feature of a slot can be your best friend. Instead of hitting the “play” or “spin” button that number of times, you can set the autoplay to that threshold and let the game do the work for you.
With this option, it’s crucial to follow sound bankroll management for slots. The autoplay can help you stick to your plan only if you have a plan to begin with.
Mini-Games
Some of the best slots with bonus rounds offer games within games. In these titles, specific combos or symbols activate new screens that replace the base game reels.
These mini-games come with unique odds and paylines. Players should verify this information, including the odds of triggering them, before betting on a slot.
Bonus Wheel
The bonus wheel is a classic random prize delivery method. For that reason, it’s often part of game show-themed slots. These slots give you a chance to emulate your moment in the game show spotlight and potentially claim valuable prizes.
As with all other features, it’s important to understand your likelihood of reaching the bonus wheel and then getting a prize from a spin. Exceeding your limits to try for this feature is a surefire way to play dangerously.
Bonus Buy Feature
Understanding bonus buy slots is important if you want to make the most of your time and money. Bonus Buy feature slots give you a way to “bypass” the normal symbol combinations necessary to trigger bonus rounds and jump right into that bonus action. However, you have to pay for this benefit.
As with all forms of gambling, you have to give to stand a chance of winning. When you consider buying into the bonus, ensure that you have the room in your budget for the extra stake and that you understand that it’s not a guarantee of any winnings.
Gamble Feature
A brief version of a slots with the Gamble feature explainer goes like this: after you collect some winnings, you can take what you got, or risk it all for more. Gamble feature slots are the ultimate example of high risk, high reward.
There’s little risk of you finding a slot that doesn’t meet your exacting standards after you register for BetMGM. With all these features in play, you don’t have to worry about a boring slot experience, either.
