Essential Casino Slots Terminology

Essential casino slots terminology

The first time you play casino slots, youll probably hear some of the slot vets tossing around a few of these common phrases. Getting familiar with the below terminology will have you looking and sounding like a slot pro in no time!

The bonus:

Second only to jackpot as peoples favorite word, the bonus is a feature that is activated when the reels land on a certain combination of symbols. Each bonus differs from game to game; most usually award the player with free extra spins, which is always good!

Carousel:

A grouping of slot machines

Coin Hopper:

This is where all that glorious money comes out when you hit.

Candle:

The light on top of the casino slots machine. This light flashes when there is a problem with the machine. It also flashes when a player hits the jackpot

Drop Bucket:

The container located at the bottom of a casino slots machine. The drop bucket collects all excess coins that do not fall into the hopper. Drop buckets are usually used for lower denomination slot machines.

Hand Pay:

A hand pay is a payout made from a slot attendant to the player instead of the slot machine. Hand pays are usually reserved for times when the amount of coins held in the casino slots machine is insufficient. A hand pay is also used when a player wins a large amount of money or when the amount of money is large enough that it has to be taxed.

Low level and upright slot machines:

Low level slot machines are slot machines that have a stool so you can sit and play. Upright slot machines have to be played while standing.

Payline:

Is a line (either zig-zagged or straight) that runs through one symbol on each of the reels as well as the winning combination. Most spinning reels have up to nine paylines while other machines, such as video slot machines have up to a hundred paylines.

Short pay:

A short pay occurs when the player receives a payout from the slot machine that is less than what he actually won. This usually occurs when the slot machine has dispensed a large amount to a previous player or players. It also occurs when the machine has not been replenished of coins for quite some time. When you get a short pay, all you have to do is see a slot attendant and they will give you a hand pay.

A Taste:

Taste refers to the slot machines dispensing of small amounts of money over a relatively short amount of time. A taste is used to keep the player seated and playing for longer periods of time.