Slots Types
| Updated: What Differentiates One Slot Type from Another
Fans of spinning the reels can hardly complain about a lack of choice. When it comes to slots, renowned online casino operators offer hundreds of diverse titles in their gaming libraries. Of course, the available slots differ in their themes, interfaces, and features, depending on the casinos’ software suppliers, but the rules and gameplay remain largely the same.
However, less experienced players sometimes struggle to understand the differences between slot variations and determine which type best suits them. If you are among those players, the following article will help you become acquainted with the key differences between the types of slots available at online casinos. From classic slots to games featuring the popular Megaways mechanic, this guide covers some of the most common slot variants on the web.
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Types of Slots
As with most things in life, slots can be categorized in several ways. Slots can be classified according to their denomination, additional features, and number of paylines and reels. To help new players navigate the vast range of online slot variations, we explore eight types of slots they are likely to encounter at online casinos.
Classic Slots with 3 Reels
Classic slots are games that incorporate only three reels, or three vertical sections that are set in motion whenever the player clicks the Spin button. In the past, classic slots featured only lucky sevens, bells, bars, and fruits as symbols. In recent years, however, respected software suppliers have developed a number of modern 3-reel slots that are essentially updated versions of the original one-arm bandits found in land-based casinos. Today, classic slots are available in a wider range of themes, and some even offer additional bonus features.
Most 3-reel slots have a flat jackpot, but it is also possible to find classic games with progressive jackpots that increase with each wager players make. One of the biggest differences between classic slots and more advanced variants is the number of paylines that determine winning combinations. The number of paylines in 3-reel slots is usually limited and ranges from one to five.
In addition, classic slots are less graphically advanced than modern video slots with multiple paylines and generally lack bonus features. However, it is possible to find 3-reel titles that incorporate additional functions, such as Hold and Autoplay. Some of the industry’s biggest software suppliers have even added scatter or wild symbols to some of their 3-reel titles.
Classic slots will never go out of fashion despite their apparent simplicity. They cater to players seeking a simple, clean, and dynamic gaming experience. When it comes to coin denominations and bet levels, classic slots offer limited betting options, which makes them suitable for players on a budget.
5-Reel Video Slots with Multiple Paylines
The largest subcategory of online slots consists of games with five reels and multiple paylines. Such titles are often referred to as “video slots.” The multiple paylines are considered one of the biggest advantages of video slots. The greater number of reels allows software developers to add more potential winning combinations and paylines. These lines do not extend only across the middle of the reels but can also run diagonally, horizontally, or in a zigzag pattern across the screen.
The number of paylines in video slots often starts at ten and may exceed one hundred. More paylines provide more opportunities to form winning combinations. Sometimes, the lines are fixed, meaning players must bet on all available paylines on each spin. This can make multi-line video slots less suitable for slot fans with a limited budget.
Video slots with five reels and multiple paylines offer far more betting options, as players can adjust their bet level and choose how many coins to wager per active payline. Another advantage of video slots is their advanced graphical presentation. The visuals and animations are usually clearer and more vibrant, while realistic sound effects further enhance the gaming experience.
Slots without Paylines
The ingenuity of slot developers never ceases to amaze, as there are now games that lack paylines altogether. This slot format is known as All Ways Win, and it works exactly as its name suggests. Matching symbols do not need to align along paylines. Players collect a payout as long as matching symbols appear from left to right on consecutive reels.
These games can also be less costly because players do not need to activate individual paylines. The number of ways to win depends on the shape of the reel grid, including the number of symbols on each reel. Slots from this category can offer anywhere from 243 to 3,125 ways to win, as shown below.
- 243 ways to win slots use a 3 x 3 x 3 x 3 x 3 reel grid, creating a total of 243 possible paying combinations. Popular releases from this category include Immortal Romance, Thunderstruck II, and Game of Thrones.
- 720 ways to win slots use an unconventional reel grid in which the first and fifth reels contain three symbols each, the second and fourth reels contain four symbols each, and the middle reel contains five symbols. The games award payouts from left to right when identical symbols appear in any position on consecutive reels. Siberian Storm, Day of the Dead, Wheel of Fortune Triple Extreme Spin, and Candy Dreams all offer 720 winning ways.
- 1,024 ways to win games have significant winning potential because all five reels contain four symbol positions (4 x 4 x 4 x 4 x 4 = 1,024). Players have access to all possible matching combinations from the leftmost to the rightmost reel, regardless of where the symbols appear. Examples that use this payout structure include Hot Ink, Lucky Panda, and Dwarf Mine.
- 3,125 ways to win are available in some online slots, although these games are not as common as those with 243 or 720 ways. The reel grid increases to 5 x 5 x 5 x 5 x 5, creating even greater winning potential. Players can experience this concept in slots such as Reel Rush and Dolphin Coast.
Slots with Bonus Features
Players who choose multi-line bonus slots will benefit from a wider range of additional features. These features can enhance the gameplay and add excitement to each spin. Multi-line video slots usually feature wild, scatter, and bonus symbols, multipliers that boost players’ winnings, bonus games, and rounds of free spins.
Wilds and scatters are favorites among slot fans and demonstrate that not all symbols are created equal. Wilds can potentially substitute for almost all other symbols that land on the reels, enabling players to complete winning combinations that would otherwise have resulted in near misses.
These symbols play roughly the same role as a joker in card games, helping players complete stronger combinations. The exception is that wilds generally cannot substitute for other special symbols, such as scatters. In some slots, wilds can also unlock free-spin rounds or bonus games.
Scatters rank even higher in popularity than wilds, mainly because they do not need to appear on active paylines for the player to benefit from them. These symbols pay out as long as the required number of them lands on the reels.
Both wilds and scatters are game-specific, so their functions may vary depending on the bonus slot being played. In most cases, scatters trigger additional features, such as minigames and bonus spins. Sometimes, wilds and scatters have multipliers attached to them that increase players’ winnings from the last spin by a predetermined amount.
Slots in this category often feature additional bonus games designed to make gaming sessions more entertaining and challenging. Players can collect additional monetary prizes when they unlock a slot’s bonus side game, which often requires them to select hidden items or spin a wheel.
The same applies to free-spin rounds in bonus slots, which allow players to potentially win more credits without paying for the spins with their own funds. Free spins are triggered by some of the special symbols mentioned above and usually use the bet amount that triggered the feature. In some slots, players can retrigger additional bonus rounds by landing the required symbols during free-spin mode.
3D Slots
Players will find that 5-reel video slots and their advanced 3D counterparts share many of the same features and gameplay elements. These include lucrative features such as bonus rounds, free spins, wilds, and scatters. The key difference is the visuals and animations.
As soon as you load your preferred 3D slot, you will notice the enhanced depth of the three-dimensional graphics. These games rely heavily on immersive animations to attract players, which is why they often begin with animated introductions and display animated clips when players land winning combinations across the paylines. Some 3D titles even have animated reels, with characters interacting with one another or encouraging players to place a bet.
In addition to pushing creative boundaries with their 3D slots, software developers aim to introduce players to more elaborate narratives that keep them engaged in the games. Players are often required to complete different achievements and progress through various levels to unlock bonus features and games. Players may also see animated previews of bonus games showing what happens when the feature is triggered.
Megaways Slots
Megaways slots were developed by the Australian slot studio Big Time Gaming (BTG), which introduced this unique payout structure in 2015. The Megaways mechanic became so popular that other software suppliers began licensing it from BTG for use in their own releases. Some studios, including Pragmatic Play and NetEnt, have even revamped older iconic slots in this format.
Megaways slots feature a random reel modifier that changes the number of icons appearing on the reels with each spin. Most of these slots use six vertical reels, but some also feature additional horizontal reels. The random reel modifier can create hundreds of thousands of winning ways per spin.
The format may appear complicated at first glance, but it is actually quite simple. A standard slot from this category has six reels with up to seven symbols on each reel. To win, you need to match identical symbols on adjacent reels from left to right.
The size of the icons and their exact positions on the reels are irrelevant because Megaways slots lack traditional paylines. Symbols from winning combinations disappear from the reels and make room for new icons to appear in their places, potentially creating successive wins. This process can continue as new symbols fall into the vacant positions.
If all reels display the maximum of seven icons, the number of ways to win is 117,649, or 7 x 7 x 7 x 7 x 7 x 7. The maximum number of potential winning combinations differs across Megaways releases. Some slots, such as White Rabbit, offer up to 248,832 ways to win, while others, such as Holy Diver, offer a staggering 586,971 winning ways. Following the success of the Megaways format, Big Time Gaming launched the Megaclusters and Megaquads game mechanics.
- The Megaclusters format uses the popular cluster-pay formula with a twist. The goal is to form winning combinations by landing clusters of identical symbols horizontally, vertically, or even diagonally in some cases. Each matching symbol in a winning combination splits into several identical icons, creating additional chances to win. The process continues until a losing spin occurs.
Screenshot of Megaways Megaclusters (Star Clusters)
- The Megaquads format is another mechanic developed by Big Time Gaming. Slots from this category are unusual because they use four sets of reel grids with four reels each. Each reel contains four symbols, and each grid offers 256 ways to win (4 x 4 x 4 x 4 = 256). All wins form from left to right on adjacent reels within each grid. In essence, this is like playing four different games with a single click of the Spin button. During free spins, the changing grid transforms into two four-reel games, each offering 4,096 winning ways.
Screenshot of Megaways Megaquads (Slot Vegas)
Slots with Progressive Jackpots
These slots are in high demand because they give players a chance to win a large amount of money from a single lucky spin. While most video slots offer a fixed amount as their maximum jackpot, progressive slots feature prizes that continue to grow incrementally with each wager placed on the game.
A small portion of each player’s bet typically contributes to the progressive prize pool. The jackpot also has a seed, which is the base amount to which the prize resets after somebody wins it. There are several subtypes of progressive slots. Some are linked in a large jackpot network spanning all casino providers operating on the same software, while others have standalone jackpots that accumulate on a single slot at one casino.
Despite the large prizes they can offer, progressive slots are not suitable for every type of player. Players on a budget may find that progressives quickly deplete their session bankrolls. Because a portion of each player’s bet contributes to the prize pool, regular wins may occur less frequently. In other words, variance tends to be much higher in these games. If you lack the bankroll to sustain a series of losing spins, you might end your betting session empty-handed.
Additionally, players are often required to bet the highest amount possible to be eligible to win the progressive prize. This means playing at the highest bet level and using the highest coin denomination across all available paylines. If you fail to do so and land the combination of identical symbols that unlocks the pot, you will not receive the prize.
High and Low Denomination Slots
As mentioned earlier, slots can also be divided into categories based on the coin denominations available to players. One of these categories consists of slots with low coin denominations. These games use smaller coin values, but there are otherwise no differences in gameplay.
“Why is coin denomination important?” you may ask. As a general rule, slots with lower coin denominations may offer lower payouts as well. Casino operators generate less revenue per spin from low-denomination slots, which can translate into lower payout percentages and a higher house edge. Such games may be suitable for players with limited bankrolls because they can bet less per spin and typically win smaller amounts.
For this reason, many players prefer slots that offer higher coin denominations. Such games may provide greater value to players with larger bankrolls. Some people argue that it is better to play fewer spins on a high-denomination slot than to play more rounds on a low-denomination game because the former may have higher flat jackpots and better payouts for winning combinations. This can potentially result in higher returns when wins occur.