Types of Slot Machines
Slot machines are a popular choice of casino visitors in Las Vegas; Atlantic City, N.J.; and many other gambling destinations. Traditional slot machines have a lever that spins the reels by releasing a coiled spring. Each reel stops at a random time, and the machine reads the result and awards a payout, if necessary. Instead of mechanical reels, computerized slots use a random number generator to control when the reels stop.
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Straight Multiplier
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Straight multiplier slot machines increase the payout by a consistent multiple for each additional coin played. There is no advantage for playing maximum coins on this type of slot machine. For example, getting three bars will pay 10 coins if you play one coin, 20 coins if you play two and 30 coins if you play three.
Bonus Multiplier
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Bonus multiplier slots have a similar pay structure for playing one or two coins (assuming a maximum three-coin machine), but also add a bonus payout for playing the maximum. An example of this would be a payout schedule that awards five coins for hitting a cherry with one coin inserted, 10 coins with two coins inserted or 25 coins with the maximum three coins inserted.
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Multiple Pay Lines
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Some slot machines allow you to buy additional pay lines by inserting more coins. Playing one coin generally activates only the middle pay line. If you score a winning result on the top or bottom line, you won't be paid if you have played only one coin. The second coin usually adds the top line, and the third coin will add the bottom line. If it is a five-coin machine, the fourth and fifth coins will activate two diagonal pay lines.
Progressive Jackpots
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Progressive slots are linked to a master network that awards a large jackpot to any machine in the network that hits the correct combination of reels. A small amount of each coin played throughout the entire network is added to the progressive jackpot so that it continually increases until someone wins, at which point it resets and starts building back up again.
Bonus Games
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These slot machines include a bonus game that activates when a certain symbol appears on the reels. One of the most popular bonus game slots is the Wheel of Fortune machine, which spins a wheel similar to the one on the television show to determine the bonus amount.
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References
- Photo Credit Jeff Kubina, Flickr.com
