
Slot machines, also known as “slots”, are a popular pastime in casinos around the world. It differs from poker, blackjack or baccarat in that you don’t have to learn the rules, concentrate or pay close attention to what’s going on when the cards are dealt. Try your luck on slot machines by simply spinning the “reels” and waiting for certain numbers, pictures or bonuses to match.
Slots give you the opportunity to relax and enjoy the excitement, investing a small amount of money and without spending time preparing or honing your skills in the game. In this article, we will talk about the different types of cash slot machines and the basic mechanics of these games.
In any slot machine for money, whether three-reel or classic slots, there are “reels” that spin independently of each other. These are parallel vertical lines with certain images and numbers. Fruits (such as cherries, plums, grapes and others), bells and sevens are considered classic. Additional elements include bars of gold, stars and “BAR”. The player receives a win by a certain coefficient if the values match vertically.
An example of a three-reel slot screen shows that there are two types of slots:
- Mechanical. Simple one-armed bandits without electrons
- Video game slots. Programmable slot machines that have graphic reels. They use a random number generator. Various companies such as Novomatic, Microgaming and Amatic create popular models of video slots.
Paylines are the main feature of slot machines that allow the player to increase, decrease risk and change their chances of winning. They allow you to:

- to bet lines that match. One can choose top, middle, bottom and diagonals on the simplest 3 by 3 screen. The player will not receive money if values, such as 777, fall outside the paid line.
- Determine the size of the bet. It increases with the number of lines, which increases the chances of winning. The minimum bet consists of one line.
When two or three identical symbols match on the same line, the player receives a reward. Each slot machine has its own set of coefficients that determine the payment of combinations. The value depends on:
- On the type of disappearing icons. The classic “bell” is better than the “cherry”. On the drums, “sevens” bring the most profit.
- Depending on the number of matching icons. The player will get more profit if he has three identical values.
Slot machines with five reels are more popular than three-reel slot machines. They increase the number of bets on the paylines and help you to collect more combinations. In addition to making the game more varied and exciting, it brings vivid emotions and allows you to constantly get different amounts of winnings.