How To Read Slot Machine Pay Tables
Before playing a slot machine game for the first time, we highly recommend checking out the machine’s pay table and familiarizing yourself with the paylines. Depending on the machine, the pay table can be confusing, especially if you are new to playing on slots. The table can be jam-packed with info, and it isn’t always presented in a way that is clear for newbies. So, to simplify the matter, we are going to show the most important things to look for on a slot machine’s pay table.
Read more about slot machines:
What Is a Pay Table?
A pay table gives slot machine players helpful information regarding the game. You can access it by pressing a button marked with a question mark or an information symbol.
Typically, a pay table will contain the following pieces of information:
If a slot machine has a 96% payback percentage, you can expect to win back 96 cents for every dollar you wager over time. The Big Difference Between Slot Machines and Video Poker. Slot machines and video poker are remarkably similar. Both games deal with combinations of symbols on a payline. Both games have payouts for specific combinations. Video poker games and slot machine games share multiple similarities, but the one most pertinent to this page is that they both have pay tables. The purpose of this page is to explain why video poker pay tables are so important to experts and intermediate players alike. Slots Pay Table. A pay table basically tells you how much you will make when you get images to line up on a slot machine. Based on the machine, different images equal different payouts while other images may even give you a bonus spin or money multiplier.
- Game rules
- Symbols and their corresponding values
- Bonus features
- Conditions for winning free spins
- Jackpot details
- Payline Information
In many cases, the pay table will be multiple pages long, so be sure to look for the Next or Forward button.
Game Rules
The game rules portion of the pay table will tell players the basic rules, such as what buttons to push, what actions to take, and what conditions are needed to win. You can see an example of the Lion’s Pride “Gamble Rules” section at the bottom of the pay table.
Symbols and Their Corresponding Values
On the same Lion’s Pride pay table, you can see each symbol in the game and how much their base pay is when they appear on the reels. The table shows the payout when 3, 4, and 5 symbols appear. Furthermore, the screen gives the information that the wins are multiplied by the number of coins bet per line. However, it also states that scatter wins are instead multiplied by the total bet.
This information will vary highly from game to game, so be sure to read the given information carefully.
Bonus Features
One beloved component of modern slot machines are their engaging bonus features. Bonus games are different from the regular slot machine game and give players an opportunity to rake in more winnings. Some bonus games are simple, while others can be more complicated and utilize advanced mechanics. To be fully prepared, be sure to read the bonus section of your slot machine’s pay table.
For example, in Wild North, you could unlock the Northern Lights bonus game. According to Wild North’s pay table, 20 tiles will appear on the screen, and you reveal one tile. Depending on the tile you reveal, you will either end the bonus game or get to continue on and reveal additional tiles. With each round of the game, you will get to spin the bonus wheel or either win cash prizes or another bonus feature.
Conditions for Winning Free Spins
One fun part of playing a slot game is the opportunity to rack up free spins, which increase your chances of winning. Games have different conditions for winning free spins, so be sure to check the pay table. For instance, in Lion’s Pride, players need to receive 3+ mask symbols in order to trigger free spins. They could win up to 25 free spins, and each winning spin would have a randomly awarded multiplier. In addition to this, free spins have the ability to be retriggered in this particular slot game.
Jackpot Details
The pay table will also give the player relevant information about the game’s jackpot, namely what symbol triggers the jackpot payout and how many of that symbol needs to be on an active payline.
In the picture below, the King Cashalot pay table shows that you need to get 5 king symbols on the 9th reel in order to win the progressive jackpot. You also need to place the maximum bet in order to qualify to receive the jackpot prize.
Paylines
Finally, the pay table will include information about the game’s paylines. A payline is a line on which reel symbols need to fall in order for you to receive winnings. In most cases, you will have to place a specified wager in order to activate all paylines. It would be in your best interest to place the maximum bet because this guarantees that all paylines would be activated. Think of how devastating it would be for you to land a fantastic winning combination on an inactive payline!
Here is an example of a diagram you might see on a multi-payline slot machine’s pay table.
Types of Pay Lines
On the pay table, you will see in which direction the paylines are oriented. To briefly touch on the terminology, here is what you might see:
Left to Right: This is the most common direction that you will find on a slot machine. When wins begin left to right, this means that symbols need to start matching from the reel furthest to the left. Any subsequent symbols will need to match from left to right.
Right to Left: This is the opposite of a left to right payline. The first symbol needs to be all the way to the right, and the succession continues leftward.
Pay Both Ways: Interestingly enough, there are very few slot machines that solely pay right to left. If you see that it pays right to left, it is likely that it also pays left to right. If this is the case, then we would say that the payline pays both ways.
All Ways: In this type of payline alignment, you just need to have a matching symbol on every reel. This is much easier to hit than in a single-direction payline game. All Ways paylines give you access to a large number of ways to win. The most common scenario will be 243 paylines across the reels.
Cluster Pays: This type of payline is very different from the others. With this kind, symbol need to appear on the reels in clusters. Usually the clusters must be groups of either 3 or 5 symbols. Here is an example of a cluster payline:
Now that you know how to read a pay table, come check out our vast library of slot games! Our games have fun symbols, catchy music, and engaging bonus features, so you are sure to find a game that you will love.
Pay cycles? Oh yeah, that is the neophyte slot player's theory that slot machines sort of sit there and count up how much has been taken in since the last jackpot payout and only after some unknown amount of cash is put through the machine does the machine enter a pay cycle wherein the player can win a jackpot.
But does this stuff belong in a newsletter authored by a Harrah's host?
Would the Gaming Commission feel something was amiss with corporate statements such as this that promote obsolete myths about the operation of slot machines and suggest that a RNG is somehow turned on and off by the amount and timing of coins-in?
Here is the full paragraph:
SLOTS: I can only speak for the last week. Taxable jackpots were plentiful. Players were hitting majors of $10-$20 and $30k. After being slow since the end of September, I suppose there has been enough played on these machines to turn them back onto the pay cycles. Remember, these machines are $1-$5 denomiations. The pennies and quarters were steady but not allowing wins at the end. Since most of you are playing for fun, I suggest moving around quite a bit if the machine does not give you any coin-out after $40. Video poker has been rough, to say the least. Local, strip and downtown were brutal.
Here is a link:
TEXT
But it begs some questions:
Who is CJP Gaming? A recognized and respected source or the author's initials with 'gaming' stuck on there?
And just who is the author? A casino exec or some lowly bean counter?
> But it begs some questions:
>Who is CJP Gaming? A recognized and respected source or the author's initials with 'gaming' stuck on there?
You got it!!
>And just who is the author? A casino exec or some lowly bean counter?
You got it again!!
He is an independent national host somewhat recently hired by Caesars. So he is an independent contractor probably paid a bounty for bringing in new players with lots of money. Claims to have been in Vegas since '82 and to be a gambler himself. Yet there are Caesar's logos and advertisements all over his blogs.
I'd pay it no never mind. He's not going to change any minds, just like The Wiz isn't going to change the minds of the people who believe in the cycles.
It's disgusting, pathetic, complete sh_t and exactly what you would expect.
Well, for those who want a host at Caesar's .... be my guest. Go ahead and contact him. Maybe on your next trip to Vegas the slot machines will be 'in cycle'. By the way, do people say 'thrower' or 'shooter' at craps these days. And he is a gambler, not merely a national host. Seems he is simply full of hot air but doing what politicians and casino-hosts have to do to survive: get out and work the crowds. Just as a politician's speech is often full of hot air, so to is the casino-host's speech.I like how he reports on gambling likes its the weather report.
That's it. Precisely!! Just as you might check the weather report yourself before deciding to take a trip to your favorite fishing camp he is indeed providing you with the 'weather report' for gambling in Vegas. The trout are running and chomping on hooks that don't even have to be baited, they just jump right into your boat. The cards are just nothing but Aces and Jacks. The Dice tumble with just a good hard stare, the lovely young maidens are throwing themselves at men like there is no tomorrow, so hop on a plane and get here fast. Come on down!!This from a national host!! Probably none of his readers play slot machines and none of them believe in this 'cycles' nonsense but he is going to spout anything at all about as many types of gambling as he can so as to cast a very wide net in hopes of trapping somebody into believing him.
Is it any wonder that gamblers opt to simply go to a local Tribal casino than bother to trek to Vegas to get such blatant hucksterism?
It's badly written, rambling nonsense,
And just who is the author? A casino exec or some lowly bean counter?
How To Read Slot Machine Pay Tables Online
Its still around so it seems to have morphed into a reservations company as well.
And CJP is a friend and apparently a partner of the well-respected Gambling Historian Ph D at UNLV.
Here is some recent data from facebook... it is not posted as an advertisement but solely posted to show the ways in which there has been a transformation between my initial posting in this thread and in the current situation.
Your 'No Charge To Clients' Personal Casino Host and Reservation and Gaming connection for Las Vegas and Nevada. On-Air Radio Personality at OnTilt Radio.
Mission
To provide you with the excellent end to end customer experience you deserve while in Las Vegas, Reno, Lake Tahoe and Laughlin.
Description
CJP Gaming is a licensed and Contracted Nevada Executive Casino Host that will plan your trip from beginning to end. While visiting, we will provide you with unsurpassed customer service. CJP Gaming will provide room reservations, show tickets and any amenities you need during your visit. Your 'Connection' in Las Vegas with Old School Las Vegas service.