Slots are the simplest game at any casino. However, if you’re new to gaming, its concepts may confuse you. But in this comprehensive guide to online slots, we’ll explain how they work so you can start playing with confidence. See you below!
Slot games make up the majority of games at Canadian online casinos, and at first glance they appear to be very simple. Click a button, and if you get lucky, you win money – hurray! But soon enough, you’ll run into head-scratching situations.
How do paylines work? What do options like “coin value” do?
In this guide, we’ll explain slot terms, go over game mechanics, and answer common questions from the players.
To win in some casino games, you need to play perfectly. For example, if you stand when you should hit in Blackjack, the house will win more in the long run. Slots are not one of those games.
You don’t need to make the right play every time when you play slots.
To win at slots, you need only hit the spin button and hope for the best. You get paid if the reels make a winning combination. It’s that simple!
If you’re new to online slots, their terms can be confusing. As you encounter them, look them up in this handy table:
| Term | What It Means |
| 💰 Bankroll | Money set aside to play casino games. |
| 💫 Bonus Round | A special game within a slot title. Usually triggered by spinning enough scatter symbols, it gives you a chance to win significant cash for zero cost. |
| 💵 Coin Value | The real money value of a slot credit. You can adjust this amount to increase/decrease your wager. |
| 💳 Credits | Points that determine the score in a slot game. These points have a monetary value assigned by you (see coin value). |
| 🎁 Free Spins | A bonus that allows you to take spins for zero cost. When awarded in-game, the proceeds are usually in the form of real money. But when awarded by the casino, the proceeds are often bonus cash. |
| 🏠 House Edge | The advantage a gaming site has over you. |
| 💲 Payline | Winning combinations of symbols on a slot machine. |
| 💸 Payout Table | A resource that tells you what each symbol is worth. The rarer the symbol, the more you could win. |
| 🤑 Progressive Jackpot | A continually growing prize pool that slot players contribute to. In progressive jackpot games, you (and everyone else) funds the jackpot with a small percentage of every wager made. |
| 🎰 Reels | Columns that contain symbols like fruit, numbers, anchors, or things related to the theme of a game. |
| 🃏 Return To Player Percentage (RTP) | The percentage of wagers you should get back over a defined period. For example, after wagering $1/spin over 100 spins on a slot with an RTP of 96%, you should get back $96 (of the original $100). |
| ✨ Scatter Symbols | AKA scatters, they are symbols that grant entrance to a bonus round. Typically, these symbols do not need to line up – as long as you get enough anywhere on the reels, they will trigger the bonus. |
| 🎰 Slots | A game that features symbols on reels. To win money, players spin these reels in an attempt to create winning combinations. |
| 🔄 Spin | A game round in slots. Taking a spin rotates the reels – if they form a winning combination when they stop, you win money. |
| 🍒 Symbols | Pictures on the reels. Line up enough of them on a payline, and you win money. Wins can vary greatly depending on the symbol, the number of consecutive symbols, and the number of paylines involved. |
| 🃏 Wildcard | AKA wilds, they represent any symbol that will get you the best possible win. |
When you hit the spin button on an online slot, its software uses a random number generator (aka RNG) to determine the stopping position of the reels.
On every spin, the RNG generates a random sequence of numbers. Each symbol has numbers associated with them. If the RNG calls their number in a specific position, they appear on the reel.
After a spin, the software checks paylines for winning combos and pays you out if you’ve hit any.
Always check the RTP (return to player percentage) when choosing a slot. The higher the RTP, the lower the house edge.
The RTP of slots varies widely from one game to another. On one hand, games like Book of 99 give back 99% of wagers. Then, there are progressive jackpot slots like Mega Moolah that offer a low RTP (88.12%). In return, you have a chance to win massive, seven-figure windfalls.
Find out more in our guide to the highest paying online casinos.
No. If you play in a regulated online casino (like the ones recommended at the top of this page), third-party agencies regularly inspect slots. This ensures the game’s RNG produces genuinely random results.
Apart from that, realize all casino games have a built-in house advantage. Gaming is entertainment – in the long run, it is impossible to profit from playing slots.
Now that we’ve reviewed this game’s key terms, let’s walk through an online slot round together.
Casino bonuses are a great way to get more out of your playing experince. We have listed the bonuses for the best slots sites in Canada. You get extra money when you deposit anything between $1 to $2,000.
