Most people will be familiar with slot machines in their most basic form, but like everything else, the machine with three reels and a lever on the side has developed considerably over the years. Although there is still very much a place in Colorado gaming for the old-school mechanical machines with their three reels and single win line across the middle, there are a number of other slots today for you to enjoy. Here we take a look at what’s out there to help you decide which ones are for you.
Classic Slots
There’s more to classic slots today than just the most basic three-reel machines mentioned above. Now there are five-reel variants and it’s also possible to increase your potential winnings by playing more than one coin at a time, effectively increasing your stake. Three-reel classic slots will often have a single win line across the middle, but some now also offer three and even five win lines. Three line machines will pay out on the three horizontal lines, while five-line machines add the two diagonals. Playing more than one coin brings additional win lines into play.
Video Slots
The overwhelming majority of slots these days are video slots. Although they follow the same format as classic slots by having spinning reels, video slots employ a screen instead of mechanical reels, which allows for all manner of different games, features and ways of winning. Most video slots usually have five or seven reels, although there are ones now that can have as many as nine reels. This creates the opportuning for as many as 25 or even 50 win lines that zig-zag all across the reels to offer many more opportunities to win.
Keep in mind that you pay for each win line you operate. If you are playing 25 lines on a 25-cent machine for example, it will cost you $6.25 for each spin to have all win lines in action and twice as much if you’re playing a 50-line machine.
The versatility of video slots means they come in all kinds of well-known brands and themes, from comic-book superheroes to blockbuster movies and TV shows.
Progressive Slots
Although a progressive slot will also be a video slot, these are not stand-alone machines, and that means they offer the chance to win big, really big! Progressive slots are found in both online and land-based casinos, and they can be linked to other machines in the same bank, the same casino, or even in other casinos. Every time one of these linked machines is played, a small proportion of the stake is added to a progressive jackpot that can be won on any of the machines in the group.
Bonus Slots
A bonus slot is one that has an extra game that is activated when the player gets a correctly positioned line of a special symbol. These bonus games give players an opportunity to win extra money without having to place extra bets. Bonus slots are another type of video slot and they can also be part of a progressive jackpot pool of machines.