Other Gambling Sites in the Online-Gambling-Help Network: Poker-Help Craps-Help Blackjack-Help Roulette-Help Bingo-Help Baccarat-Help

Slot Machines

Most people look at the vast array of slot machines at the casino and think they are all alike. They see a handle, coin slot and flashing lights and figure one is as good as another. What they are missing is a lot of valuable information that can help determine if and how they play a certain slot machine.

Not all machines are the same and the way to separate one machine from another is to learn how to "Read" a machine by looking at the pay out schedule on the front. Lets take a look a typical slot machine and see what information can be found.

First of all you will find the denomination of the coin needed to play that machine. I don't know how many times I have seen a person drop a quarter into a machine only to get a confused look when the coin drops through and back into the tray. Upon closer observation they discover that they tried to put a quarter in a dollar machine. This is the first thing you should look for.

Slot Machine Game

There are several types of slot machine games that you should be aware of:

Multiplier: This machine has a pay out for a certain symbol and the number of coins played multiplies it. If the machine pays 5 coins for three lemons when you play one coin, it would pay 10 for the second coin and 15 for three coins played. This machine does not penalize you for not playing maximum coins. If you plan to play only one coin at a time, this is the type of machine you should look for.

Bonus Multiplier: This machine operates the same as the multiplier except that it offers a bonus when you play maximum coins and hit the jackpot. Three 7's may pay 1,000 for one coin, 2,000 for two coins and 10,000 for maximum coins. You need to decide if the bonus is worth playing the extra coin.

Multiple Payline: These machines have more than one line of play. Each coin activates a particular line. If you hit a winner on a line that is not activated, you will not receive anything. The older machines used to have three lines but the newer video slots can have up to nine lines.

Buy-a-Pay: These are the most misunderstood machines in the casino. Each coin activates a different pay out. You need the maximum coins to activate the largest jackpot. One example is the "Sizzlin 7's" machines. The machine will pay on cherries, bars and sevens. The sevens pay 1,000 coins. If you play one coin you can collect only on the cherries. If you play two coins you can collect on cherries and bars. You need three coins in to collect on the Sizzlin 7's. If you hit the jackpot with one coin in you won't win any money! Don't play these type of slot machines unless you are playing the maximum coins.

Progressive Slots

Progressive Slots: Progressive Slot machines are linked in a bank of machines and some are even located in different casinos. The difference between progressive slots and regular slot machines is the size of the jackpot. In most cases, it is much larger than ordinary jackpots because it is always increasing. The more people playing on the linked machines, the faster the jackpot increases.

All progressive machines have two things in common. The money for the jackpot comes from a percentage of the money played through the machine. This means that they payback of progressive machines will be less than the payback of other non-progressive machines. The second common feature of the progressive machines is that you must be playing the maximum amount of coins to win the jackpot. If you aren't going to play maximum coins you should not play these machines.

Play Slot Machines

All of the slot machines have the information you need posted on the front. Before you sit down to play a slot machine , take a minute to inform yourself about that particular slot machine. This will make you a knowledgeable player and help you determine which machine is best suited for you.

Online Slot Casino Games

Not long ago, for this dream to become a reality, you had to buy an airline ticket to Las Vegas. Waste time travelling. Spend money on a hotel. Dress up in a suit, find a casino, pay exorbitant entry fees, and wait half the night for a free machine. All that has changed. Play online slot machine games - and you get the fun, the excitement, the kicks and the jackpots - for free! Online slot casino games have all the features which gamblers have loved for decades - whirring, flying symbols, the clank of coins, the manic ringing bells and flashing lights to announce a win.

Now you can play online casino slot machine games right there, in the comfort of your own home! With online gambling, you can play online slot machine games instantly anytime you have a spare half an hour.

Play online slot machine games when it suits you.

Play online slot machine games with the money you would have spent to get to a casino.

For more Online Gambling Help and Strategies to Win at Your Internet Game of Choice, visit one of our sister online gambling help sites...