You may have heard of bonus games in a slot machine before, but what exactly is a bonus game? Bonus games are usually entirely random and involve selecting from a video display, a treasure chest, or multiple boxes. There’s no skill involved in choosing the right option to win big. In fact, some slot machines are even designed to be like video games. For instance, a bonus game may be triggered by hitting a certain number of symbols on the reels, or by shooting a certain number of aliens. The amount of the bonus game may depend on how many aliens you shoot, and so on.
Classic slot machines have only three reels
There are some differences between classic slots and video slots. Classic slot machines have a simple payout system, and paytables are not always as extensive as their 5-reel counterparts. A paytable contains vital information about the game’s payouts. The symbols are listed in descending order, and the highest paying combination will appear first. A paytable for a classic slot machine will have only one set of payouts, so a player who hits three matching symbols will collect the number of coins listed next to the respective symbols.
Modern slot machines have additional paylines
More modern slot machines feature additional paylines. While traditional slot machines have one horizontal payline, many new ones feature additional patterns and zigzag paylines. Because these lines are not aligned with the main horizontal, winning combinations based on visible symbols in the center of these paylines are still considered winning combinations. In addition to additional paylines, some slot machines let you choose how many active paylines to activate, allowing you to increase your chances of winning.
Random number generator determines the results of each spin
The Random Number Generator (RNG) is the computer chip that determines the outcome of every spin of the slot. The RNG locks in the sets of numbers associated with certain symbols and makes thousands of calculations a second. This algorithm produces the outcome that corresponds to the number of coins inserted into the machine. However, there is no such thing as a perfect RNG, and sometimes, the randomness of the results is subject to human error.
Bonus features
In a video slot, bonus features help you to trigger the bonus game and increase your chances of winning. Some games have win multipliers that do not reset between spins, while others offer tumbling or avalanche reels to bring multiple wins on one spin. Scatters are another helpful feature, but all of them work together to enhance the chances of winning, so there’s no need to worry if you don’t get any wins right away.
