If you’re a serious slot player, it pays to learn as much as you can about the game. A little extra knowledge will keep you from making big mistakes that could sour your experience. Fortunately, there’s plenty of information available to help you. But there are also a lot of buzzwords and abbreviations you need to understand. Here’s a handy glossary of key terms to help you play the slots better.
Slot (slang)
A slot is an allocated space for an aircraft to take off or land, granted by an airport or air traffic controller. Often it’s far enough back from the runway to allow smooth airflow over the wings.
In football, the Slot receiver is a deep-threat wide receiver who is positioned in the middle of the field to act as a decoy for the defense’s best tacklers and make open field running plays possible. The Slot receiver’s pre-snap motion is to glance off the linebacker to see where the defensive coverage is and then run outside the linebacker’s zone to find open field.
Slot is also a term used to describe the number of ways a player can win on a slot machine. Gone are the days of a single payline; modern video slot machines offer hundreds of different combinations of symbols on each spin. Some are themed, some have stacked symbols, some even feature cluster payoffs that replace reels and trigger special bonus events.
Carousel (slang)
A carousel refers to a group of slots in a circular or oval formation. They are usually lined up next to each other and are usually labeled with the game’s name. They are also equipped with a credit meter, which shows the amount of money or credits a player has available for a spin. The meter can be activated by pressing the “service” or “help” button, and it will flash when change is needed, hand pay requested, or a machine is experiencing a technical problem.
POP and RTP
The POP or Percentage of Payout is a statistic provided by slot manufacturers that indicates the percentage of the money paid in to the machine that is expected to be returned to the player over time. The RTP is a longer-term calculation that takes into account the volatility of the machine, betting limits and bonus features.
Getting greedy or betting more than you can afford to lose are the 2 biggest mistakes that can ruin your slot playing experience. It’s important to remember that you’re in a communal gaming environment, and you need to respect other players to help protect the quality of the experience for everyone.
While a good understanding of slot terminology is helpful, the best way to improve your slot game is by playing the games you enjoy. Try out different games from various game makers and pick machines based on their themes, paylines, jackpots, and bonus features. Eventually you’ll find your favorites and start winning more often! And if you’re ever in doubt about what to play, don’t be afraid to ask the staff for advice.