When you play a slot machine, the outcome of every spin is completely up to chance. You can win or lose – and the amount you can win is determined by your luck and how much money you bet on each spin. But a little extra knowledge can help you make the most of your time playing slots. Here are a few things you should know before you start spinning the reels:
Paylines
When slot machines were simple, there was enough space above the reels to write instructions. But with modern hi-tech games, they need screens full of explanations to tell you how much you can win, and how to trigger special features. This information is collectively called the pay table.
Sometimes the paylines will be straight, and other times they’ll take a zig-zag shape that runs across multiple reels. Some slots allow you to choose how many of these paylines you want to bet on, while others are fixed.
Nudges
Some modern slot games have buttons that let you nudge the reels in the direction you want them to go, which increases your chances of winning a prize. This is similar to how electromechanical slot machines used to work, when they would have a tilt switch that made or broke a circuit depending on whether the machine was tilted. Modern machines no longer have tilt switches, but any kind of technical fault (door switch in the wrong position, reel motor failure, out of paper) can be considered a tilt.