When playing slot machines it’s important to know how to read the pay table. This will show you what each symbol is worth, and which bet sizes correspond to each prize level. It will also explain what bonus rounds are available, if any.
It is also a good idea to check how much you can bet, both minimum and maximum, before starting. Most machines will display this clearly, but some won’t let you access all features unless you bet at least the minimum amount. This will be shown in the info table, or help screen, on the machine.
The pay tables used to be printed directly on the machines, but now they’re generally embedded within the help screens on giant HD computer monitors. You can still find them, though, if you look for them, and they’ll tell you what prizes are offered, how to activate bonus rounds, and other information specific to each machine.
The pay table will also indicate which symbols can be lined up to form winning lines. Modern slots typically offer multiple paylines, offering you more ways to win than the original mechanical three-reel machines. Classic three-reel machines have 22 physical “stops,” which are the spots where a symbol or blank can register on the payline. Modern slots, which are controlled by random number generators, usually have virtual reels with a lot more stops, or ‘virtual positions’. Each’stop’ can then be assigned different symbols or numbers.