This is a good and substantial question. Thank you for asking it. Pay lines are the
distributions of symbol combinations which provide an award. It sounds rather
convoluted, so
it is a time for a practical example. A slot with only one pay line would usually follow
the
center, horizontal line.
A slot with three pay lines would follow the center horizontal
line
and the ones above and beneath it. A slot with 243 pay lines will consider every two
symbols
which are next to each other as a winning combination. In a slot game’s information
menu,
there is detailed information on the amount of pay lines and their distribution.
How much am I actually betting?
When the wager is calculated, the number of pay lines is taken into consideration.
Typically, the coin value would be multiplied by the number of pay lines. This means
that if a coin has a value of 5, playing on 40 lines would make your wager 200. Some
games allow you to set the number of pay lines you are going to play on and it directly
reflects on the wager.
Some games would have “Levels” or a similar term. This represents
a multiplier by which the wager would proportionally grow (and with it the reward).
Paying 5 to play on 40 lines on level 5 would turn the wager from 200 to 1,000, but it
would also increase the payout fivefold.
What is a Sticky?
These are symbols, usually special symbols, which remain on the screen over multiple spins. Each game has its own rules about it, but in the common case, stickies would usually remain during bonus free spins. The “Sticky” symbol would usually be the “Wild”, which significantly increases the chances of winning a line.
Should I double my Winnings?
This is a question, the answer of which depends only on you and is your personal responsibility. Some slot games, after achieving a win, will ask you if you want to double your wins. Doubling the wins is a minigame in which your wins are the wager. Whether you win or lose may be decided by calling a side of a coin, shape or color of a card, or some other, similar, easy to grasp concept. In most of the cases, you are free to double your winnings repeatedly until you lose them.
What are hot and Cold Slots?
Cold slots are slots, which have recently lost their jackpot. By many gamblers it is
considered a sign that soon, the jackpot for this slot will not fall again. Hot slots
are slots which have not recently dropped their jackpot.
This means, that the more
superstitious gamblers would prefer playing on them, as they consider it a sign that
there is a big chance to score a jackpot on this slot than any other. From a pragmatic
standpoint, no dependencies between “hot” or “cold” slots and their jackpots have been
objectively proven. It is widely considered just a superstition.
Do volatile slots evaporate, or do they change form and rules?
Not really. You can be completely sure, that under the most common circumstances, the
game would not change its physical state. Volatility relates to the ratio between
payouts of the same category. High volatility slots have a ratio of 10 or more, this
means that the lowest payout for a winning combination with a certain symbol must be at
least 10 times lower than the next highest payout for the same symbol.
If having three
bananas pays $20, but having five bananas pays at least $200, this is a high volatility
slot. A ratio between 5-10 is considered medium and everything under 5 is considered
low. Low volatility slots give small prizes often, while high volatility slots give big
prizes, but more rarely.
Give me the Super-Secret Tactic to Always Winning
There is no such thing, at least as far as legality is concerned. The games are crafted
to be completely random and based on nothing more than chance.
Being lucky would
probably be a good tactic for success, but there is no objective way to measure luck.
This means that all forms of guides and strategies you find on the internet should be
considered, on the least, irreputable.
