Different Kinds of Casino Slot Machines and Tips on Playing

Slot machines have come a long way since the first poker-based machine built by Sittman and Pitt of New York. Now they account for around 70% of a casino’s income, and as a proven method, it serves to lure beginners into the habit of gambling. They are usually based on the concept of awarding winnings based on symbols appearing on front of the machine when they stop spinning. They are popular with both men and women because they are easy to play and pay off handsomely.

Kinds of Slot Machines

The advancement of modern technology has made it possible for many variations in the slot machine models to be developed more creatively and uniquely. Early machines were mechanical, thus, earning the nickname “one-armed bandits” due to their appearance. Now players may use tokens, cash or a paper ticket to play modern machines, which are totally different in principle from their predecessors, despite retaining the same basic appearance.

One can find a many types of casino slots in a casino: three-reel, four-reel and five-reel machines. There are types with one-pay line and those with multiple-pay lines. There are even those which enable the player to use “skill stop” buttons to stop the reels or displays, thus, introducing an element of skill to a game of chance.

Casino slot machines can be roughly divided into two main types based on payout: Straight and progressive. Straight machines have set payoffs based on the machine’s payout schedule. A particular machine may be programmed to pay $100 on a bet of a quarter, $300 on a two-quarter bet and have a jackpot payoff of $1,500. Progressive slot machines, on the other hand, are frequently interlinked with other such machines at the same casino or even in another casino. The jackpot on such a machine increases with every play on every machine linked into the group. This can reach extreme amounts. The Megabucks Nevada slot machine, for example, has a jackpot that resets to $10,000,000.

Some Advice

Playing slot machines is an endeavor heavily weighted against the player. Therefore, it is necessary for the person to settle on an amount which he or she is willing to spend and yet still bear its total loss with equanimity. It may be more enjoyable to play slots with a sporting spirit.

Beginners are advised to start out on the quarter slot machines, which require a lower investment but gives a higher return. If the gamer is interested in huge sums, then playing the progressive machines is recommended.

And lastly, the gamer would be well advised to quit while he is ahead!