Slot Machine Pay Tables

The development of online slot gaming technology has been rapid over the last 10 years. Those land-based games we knew and loved feel like a thing of the past, as we absorb ourselves into the new realms of our favourite online featured slots.

Playing old slot games didn’t involve much thought, because you simply hit a ‘play’ button and watched the reels spin. Should they land with three symbols matching then you had won, with the prize amount being based on the type of symbol landed. Game designers then upped the ante by inserting wild symbols and adding on bonus features which a player could build towards.

The evolving technology of modern online software gives developers the opportunity to create so much more for our entertainment. We cannot imagine there is a theme that hasn’t been adapted into a slot game. This is why the move from land-based machines to your mobile or desktop was an easy change for many casino fans. By adding numerous symbols and icons, not only did they enhance the excitement of the game, but they also increased the ways a player can win. Which on land-based games, is something that had been incredibly limited.

To assist the player with what the various aspects of the game means, they provided a pay table. This is what we will focus on with this guide, because if you are a fan of slot games then it’s pretty important that you know exactly what slot machine pay tables are and their influence on the world of online gaming.

Slot machine pay table wild and bonus feature

What is a Slot Pay Table?

Even though our beloved slot games may have changed, there is one element which remains the same and that is the slot machine pay table. Their importance is clearly evident by the fact that even though games have moved on, they still exist. With slots becoming more complex, it is apparent that pay tables are needed to help explain and simplify what can be difficult to understand. As you read through our explanation of what a pay table is, it may be worth heading over to a favourite slot game and taking a look. Once you establish how it works and what each component of the pay table means, then it will be much easier for you to understand how to play the game. For those of you who like to enhance your chances of winning, then once you understand the basics of the game you can look into slot volatility and variance.

So, let’s get down to the fundamentals of what a pay table or pay chart is. It’s basically an instruction manual for how a slot game works and what each element on the game means. If you were new to the slot, then you would have no idea what each symbol meant and how much you’d get for a winning combination. This pretty much explains it all for you and more because it will detail what payouts are given and if the slot has any wild or scatter symbols which will impact your gaming. Most pay tables will go further to explore the bonus rounds and if there are maximum and minimum prize pots available. Finally, if the slot game has a progressive jackpot then you will find additional details on how it works within the pay chart. This is because progressive jackpots can come with some conditions attached, such as having to play all pay lines to be eligible to take part. By not being aware of aspects such as this, a player may find that their credit will disappear fast and not understand the reason why.

Most players will mindlessly spin the reels without really knowing what they are doing and what the results actually mean. This is why knowing about the pay table and understanding them is the key to truly enjoying your time with online slots.

Where to Find the Pay Table?

Obviously, it would make sense that the pay tables were easy to find, mainly because they hold the information on how the game works. You should see on the slot game itself either the words ‘pay table’ or an ‘i’ which stands for information. This is normally located towards the bottom in one of the corners and if you’re gaming on a desktop, you will click on it to go through.

If you are playing on a mobile device then it is even easier to find the pay table, because you simply swipe left or right to be taken there. Because of the size of the screen, you may find that the details given are brief, such as what the symbols mean. There will be other pages available which will have all the details on wilds, bonuses and progressive jackpots.

Understanding the Information Given in Pay Tables

You will find that pay tables tend to look the same on each game, it’s just the theme that will change. Because of the fact that they are needed to explain what the game means, they tend to be easy to understand and use simplified terminology.

Pretty much the main areas that you will see will include, what the symbols are and their value. This tends to be displayed as images of the winning combinations and the coin amounts that would be won if it landed. To give you the example of a 5-reel slot game, you would see the values of winning three of a kind, four of a kind and the jackpot of five of a kind.

Starburst Online Slot Machine Pay Table

Then if applicable what are the wild and scatter symbols, and their relevance to the game. How the bonus feature is triggered, whether this is with the bonus or scatter symbol, or simply a stroke of luck. Does the game have a progressive jackpot, yes? Again, that will be explained with a guide on how it works within the pay table.

Many slots now have varied pay lines, which again can be confusing for newer gamers. The pay table will explain how they work, including the directions that the reels can land (such as left to right and right to left). A pay line is essentially the ways the symbols land on the reels which results in a win. As slots became more diverse and exciting, the developers decided to add more pay lines, so now you can experience a number of different shapes including zigzags and trapezium.

One area that people are always interested in is the RTP or Return to Player and this will also be found on the pay table. It may be a little harder to find, because most game developers are weary about displaying the games percentage in case it’s lower than other slots and puts gamers off.

As we’ve already mentioned you may find the information is stored on separate pages, so it is a wise idea to move through all of the tabs so that you are sure you are fully informed before you play. We cannot say that having a look at the pay table will improve your chances of winning, but knowledge is power, and you will at least know what is going on in the game.

How Pay Tables Benefit Online Slot Players

So that’s the low down of what a pay table is, how you can access it and then most importantly how to understand it. We’ve already delved a little into why slot games have pay tables, but here’s a summary of their benefits.

• Provides full details on how the slot works, making it easier for the gamer,
• Shows the types of pay lines available, whether they are right to left, left to right or top to bottom,
• Gives details on the bonus features, such as how they are triggered and what they mean to the player. This could include how many types of bonus there are and what you can win.
• You can find out the RTP of the slot and compare to other games, which will help you decide whether to play or not.
• If you’ve played slots for a while and like to improve your odds, then the information on the pay table can assist with determining the volatility and variance of the game. Volatility basically is a way of predicting how the game will play out and your chances of winning. It is done by watching the patterns as you spin, but it is influenced by factors such as the RTP and progressive jackpot.

Summary of Slot Machine Pay Tables

We’re hoping that after reading this, you’ll view the slot machine pay table as the important asset that it is. You will find everything you need to know about the game, all in one handy little spot. For many of you the fun of slot games is not knowing what will happen when the reels land and we completely understand that. But you should have some kind of an idea what the symbols mean when they do and what you can expect to win. We find knowing what everything means makes the game more exciting, which is the main reason we play online slots in the first place.