An Introduction to Different Slots Machine Types
A slot machine is a very popular gambling device that has a slot in which to insert your coin/chip (hence the name), and reels that spin when you hit the button. Before we talk about the different types of slots machines, we will briefly take a look at what slots are. Slots machines have come a long way today since Charles Fey invented the first such machine, the Liberty Bell, in 1899. Today you have traditional as well as online slots games, with a huge number of games in both these versions.
So what are the different slots types? How many different types of slots machines are there? What are these different slots types like? There are different ways of categorizing slots. We will look at two primary slots types in this article:
- Straight slots
- Progressive slots.
The Straight Slots
Of the two basic slots types we are discussing here, the straight slots has lower prize money. Basically, there is a jackpot associated with slots games. You get the jackpot when you win. In the case of straight slots, the way the jackpot is calculated is different from the way this is done in progressive slots.
The jackpot in straight slots is determined using a payout schedule that is internal. The payout schedule is displayed on the slot machine in this case. The chances of winning are high when you play straight slots. The straight slots can be further categorized into four different types of slots machines. These different slots types are;
Single Line Slots
– These are all the classic slots, consisting of three reels and one pay-line. Dating back to the first model of a slot machine, this was set up in gambling halls, casinos and even grocery stores, as simple, fun entertainment.
Bonus Slots
– Bonus Slots came much after Single Line Slots. As their name implies, Bonus Slots offer one or more bonus rounds in addition to the regular slot game. The triggers for the bonus round will vary from game to game, but in the game, when you trigger the bonus, you’re taken to a secondary screen which has a mini game to play out the round by choosing from several objects which will reveal a prize, or in some cases, nothing. After the bonus round is complete, you are taken back to play the original game.
Feature Slots
– Feature slots add different components, options and twists to the standard game of slots to increase the challenge. These components consist of Wilds, Scatters, Multipliers or Bonus Rounds. Feature Slots are usually multi-line slots, but not always. The features in these games usually give you more chance at winning additional cash or free spins, thus giving you free chances to win with multiplied winnings.
Multi Line Slots
– Multi Line Slots have more than one pay-line, and usually, more than three reels. Some even have up to nine reels and over forty pay-lines on several of these games, although the vast majority of online slots have five reels and approximately twenty pay lines. You’ll also find that many Multi Line Slots offer features, bonus rounds and progressive jackpots as well.
Progressive Slots
The progressive slots differ from the straight slots, in the way the jackpot is calculated as they offer mega-jackpots. Here a number of slot machines are interconnected on a single network. Online casinos using the same software can interlink and create a huge collective jackpot. The number of such connected slots can run into hundreds at times. In the case of progressive slots, the jackpot calculation is based on the contributions made by different players on the different slots on the shared network. Once this Jackpot is hit all the games on the network reset and start accumulating the next mega-jackpot. Progressive Slots can be Single Line or Multi Line Slots, and in many cases they offer Bonus Rounds and Features.
From the above description, it becomes apparent that the jackpot amount for progressive slots would be enormous. It can run into millions of dollars, considering the contributions to it come from the large number of players that exist on the network.
However, there is a flip side to it as well. In progressive slots, the number of players competing for a jackpot is very high – all the players playing on all the slots in a network would effectively be competing for that single mega jackpot, and as a result, the probability of a player winning the jackpot narrows down considerably.