Like most casino-based games, players use different slang terms to associate with different aspects of playing slot machines. If you’re not an avid slots player – at least not yet – this Slots glossary will help you get acclimated to the community of true slots aficionados.
List of Slot Machine Terminology with Definitions 234 Ways 3D Video Slots Action Active Payline All Ways Annuity Winner Autoplay / Autospin Bars Basic Slots Bet Bet One Bonus Feature / Game Bonus Round Buy a Pay Buy a Feature Candle Carousel Cascading Wilds Classic Slots Coins Coin Size Coin Slot.
Note: These terms apply to live casino slots, downloadable online casino slots and Flash-powered Mac casino slots.
Slots Glossary
Bankroll: Your bankroll is the money you brought to play the slots with.
Bet Max: A button on all slot machines that instantly bets the maximum amount of coins and sets the reels in motion.
Bonus Slots: A slot machine with a special bonus feature, such as free spins, special games and/or multiplied payouts. Bonuses are triggered by hitting the right combination of symbols on the reels. More info available on our bonus level slots page.
Coin Size: The coin denomination each activated payline costs to play.
Credit Meter: This meter displays how many credits are remaining in the slot machine, according to how much money you’ve inserted. One credit is the amount needed to activate one payline, and is equal to the coin size you’ve chosen.
Hopper: In a live casino with old fashioned slot machines, the hopper is the box that catches all coins you insert into the slot machine.
Common Slot Machine Terms Definitions
Hit: Revealing any winning combination is referred to as a “Hit”.
Networked Jackpot: Progressive jackpot slot machines are often networked to other slots of the same name. This means that if you play a networked progressive at an online casino, and another player is playing the same slot at a different online casino, powered by the same software, you are both contributing to the rise of the progressive jackpot.
One Armed Bandit: A slang term used for old fashioned slot machines that still utilize a physical lever that must be pulled to spin the reels.
Onsies: Players who only play one coin per spin are called “Onsies”.
Pay-Line: Any line-up on the reels that can contain a winning combination. A slot may have anywhere from 1 to 50 paylines.
Common Slot Machine Terms Crossword
Pay Table: This is a standard feature on every slot machine that displays all possible winning combinations and their respective payouts.
Payout Percentage: The programmed percentage of how much a slot machine is designed to pay out. An 85% payout percentage would mean that, on average, the machine pays $85 for every $100 it receives. Online casinos often permit payout percentages of 95-98%, while land-based casinos average 80-88% payout percentages.
Progressive Jackpot: A jackpot prize that increases every time it is played until someone finally hits the jackpot. The jackpot will then reset to the default starting amount and continue to grow once more.
Random Number Generator (RNG): A computer program that uses intricate mathematical equations to guarantee 100% random outcomes on every reel, during every spin.
Reel Slot: A traditional slot machine with reels that actually spin and stop individually.
Scatter: A specific symbol that triggers special features on a slot machine. They are called scatters because they need only appear anywhere on the reels, not in a single payline. More information available on our slots: all about scatters page.
Spin: The button used to set the reels in motion.
Common Slot Machine Terms Glossary
Straight Slots: Also known as Static Jackpot Slots, these are slots with a preset jackpot that never increases or decreases.
Common Slot Machine Terms Definition
Symbol: Every image on every reel is called a “Symbol”.
Video Slot: A slot machine designed in arcade fashion, where the reels are depicted on a screen rather than spinning on individual drums.
Wild: A symbol that can substitute any other symbol on a payline to result in a winning combination. For more information see our page about slots: wild symbols.
We will be adding more and more info to this slots glossary page as we see fit. Feel free to contact us and ask us about anything slots related that you might not see here.