Slots Dictionary: Beginner’s toolbox

Photo by Nick Jones on Unsplash

Even if you are a complete novice, the chances are that you would have at least heard about online Bonanza slots over the past few years. They have reached astronomical popularity in recent times, with more players than ever before wanting to try them out. As with any new game, there are certain things which beginners need to be familiar with before they can get stuck in. 

Early Years of Slots

  1.  The first slot machine wasn’t even called a slot machine! It was known as a Liberty Bell and it was first introduced to the public all the way back in the late 1800s. Today, these types of slots are known as one armed bandits.
  2. As slots became more and more popular, they became fruit machines. These were especially prevalent throughout the Sixties. Eventually changes started to be implemented onto these mechanical machines, they started using buttons instead of levers and implemented a video screen instead of physical reels.
  3. The introduction of the internet served as the catalyst for the next evolution in slot gaming. Now they could be played from the comfort of the player’s own homes and with new technology available, slot developers introduced video slots and 3d slots. 

Why they Remain Popular

Slots have managed to remain popular for a variety of reasons but perhaps the most important factor has been that slots have the remarkable ability to adapt to the changing landscape that surrounds them. In the Sixties for example, slots took advantage of the technology that was available at the time and switched to a video screen instead of continuing to use physical reels. Today, their continued success can be attributed to a similar reason. Slots took full advantage of the internet and now it is arguable that online slots are more popular than physical slot machines. Due to the sheer convenience of the game, slots popularity have skyrocketed over the past few years. 

Key Terms

If you are a beginner, there are several key terms which you need to understand before you start spinning the reels. 

  •     Reels are columns that you find in a slot game which spin. Though the amount can vary depending on the slot you are playing, modern slots tend to have five reels. Classic slots only had three.
  •     Paylines are the rows in the slot, they are important because when you match symbols on this line you trigger a win. Older slots usually only had one payline while modern slots can have anything from ten to a hundred paylines. They can be used horizontally, vertically and even diagonally.
  •     Payout is the cash that is rewarded to a player at the end of a game. This can vary depending on how well a player performs, with some payouts being considerably larger than others.

Final Thoughts

With technology constantly changing, it can be hard to keep up with all the slot changes which have happened over the years. Thanks to their ability to adapt, slots have managed to remain relevant for over one hundred years.