It never ceases to amaze us how many players plunge straight into playing an online slot without checking out the pay table. This should be an essential first step in order to get as much enjoyment as possible from the game, especially if you’re hoping to land some of those big jackpot wins!
In a nutshell, the pay table shows all of the symbols within a particular slot machine alongside how much you can win if you hit (typically) three or more matching symbols on a payline. They are usually displayed on the screen at the top or bottom of the slot, and often feature pictures and colourful graphics to go along with their detailed information. They’re also a great way to familiarise yourself with the different features and bonuses available on your chosen slot.
While the basic concept of a slot is simple enough, there’s a lot going on beneath the surface! This is why many slot games are designed with various pay tables to help you understand the rules of each individual slot.
In the past, slot machines were operated using physical reels with a fixed number of stops on each reel. This limited the total number of combinations, but as technology advanced, it became possible to program the slot to weight particular symbols more than others. This allowed for a higher number of potential outcomes, and increased the size of the jackpots. However, the random distribution principle still applies, and a great slot will balance all of these elements to provide players with an overall fair experience.