VLTs are a lot similar to slot machines. In both, you pull a handle or press a button and reels spin. Many modern slots machines have payout rates above 95%. The best slots can multiply.
- Slot Machine Payout Percentage
- Slot Machine Payout Incorrectly Multiplied 100
- Slot Machine Payout Patterns
- Slot Machine Payout Incorrectly Multiplied Calculator
Most people look at the vast array of casino slot machines and assume they are all alike. They see a handle, a coin slot, flashing lights and figure one is as good as another. However, in making this assumption, they fail to see a lot of valuable information to help determine if they should play a particular slot machine.
Surprisingly perhaps, machines aren't all the same. The best way to separate one from another is to learn how to “read” a machine by looking at the payout schedule on the front. Let’s see what information can be found on a typical slot machine.
Casinos here in the U.S. and abroad keep several types of slot machines in play at any given time. A few you'll most often see:
Multiplier: This machine has a payout for a certain symbol and the number of coins played multiplies it. If the machine pays 5 coins for three lemons when you play one coin, it would pay 10 for the second coin and 15 for three coins played. This machine does not penalize you for not playing maximum coins. If you plan to play only one coin at a time, this is the type of machine you should look for.
Bonus Multiplier: This machine operates like the multiplier but offers a bonus when you play maximum coins and hit the jackpot. Three 7’s may pay 1,000 for one coin, 2,000 for two coins and 10,000 for maximum coins. The central question is whether the bonus is worth playing the extra coin.
Multiple Payline: These machines have more than one line of play. Each coin activates a particular line. If you hit a winner on a line that is not activated, you will not receive anything. The older machines used to have three lines but the newer video slots can have up to nine lines.
Buy-a-Pay: These are the most misunderstood machines in the casino. Each coin activates a different payout. You need the maximum coins to receive the largest jackpot.
One example is the Sizzlin' 7s machines. This machine will pay on cherries, bars, and sevens. The sevens pay 1,000 coins. If you play one coin you collect only on the cherries. If you play two coins you collect on cherries and bars.
Three coins are required to collect on the Sizzlin' 7s. If you hit the jackpot with one coin in you will not win anything -- do not play this machine under any circumstances unless you are playing the maximum coins.
Progressive Slots: The progressive slots take a certain percentage of the money played and add it to a pool for the top jackpot.
First and foremost, It is never wise to play a progressive machine with less than the maximum coins -- stories abound of people losing out on lesser progressive jackpots because of short coin play.
Some casinos link machines together within their own facility to offer mini-progressive jackpots.
Megabucks and Quarter Mania are examples of machines from several casinos linked together to offer 'life-changing jackpots'. It's important to keep in mind that payback percentage on lesser wins is lowered to allow for these jackpots.
All of the information you need is posted on the front of each slot machine. Before sitting down to play, taking a minute to “read” the machine will help make you more knowledgeable in determining which machines may be best suited for you.
Until next time, remember:
'Luck comes and goes...Knowledge Stays Forever.'
What is claimed is:1. A slot machine including a set of spinning reels having a plurality of symbols thereon, means for spinning and stopping said reels to display symbols, means for paying out prizes, and a processor operating according to a game program for controlling the spinning means and which defines a multiplier which sequentially increases in value, winning symbol combinations and standard prize amounts therefor, said processor including:
a) means for randomly selecting symbols to be displayed by said spinning reels;
b) means for determining if a winning combination has been selected for display and if a multiplier symbol is included in said winning combination; and
c) means for calculating the prize to be awarded for said winning combinations based on the standard prize amounts multiplied by said variable multiplier, if the winning symbol combination includes said multiplier symbol.
2. A spinning reel slot machine according to claim 1 wherein said processor includes means for decreasing said muliplier value after the occurrence of a winning symbol combination involving said multiplier symbol.
3. A spinning reel slot machine according to claim 1 wherein said processor includes means for sequentially increasing said multiplier from an initial value thereby increasing the potential prize which may be paid out.
4. A spinning reel slot machine according to claim 3 wherein said processor further includes means for decreasing said muliplier to said initial value after the occurrence of a winning symbol combination involving said multiplier symbol.
5. A spinning reel slot machine according to claim 3 wherein said means for sequentially increasing said multiplier includes
means for incrementing a counter variable each time a special symbol is selected for display; and
Slot Machine Payout Percentage
means for incrementing said multiplier and resetting said counter variable to an initial value each time said counter variable reaches a predetermined value.
6. A method of operating a slot machine, said machine including a set of spinning reels having a plurality of symbols thereon, means for spinning and stopping said reels to display symbols and a processor, operating according to a game program which defames a multiplier which sequentially increases in value, winning symbol combinations and standard prize amounts therefor, said method comprising the steps of:
a) randomly selecting the symbols to be displayed;
b) determining if a winning symbol combination has been selected for display and if a multiplier symbol is included in said winning symbol combination;
c) calculating the prize to be awarded for a winning symbol combination based on the standard prize amounts multiplied by said multiplier, if the winning symbol combination includes said multiplier symbol;
d) spinning and stopping said reels to display the selected symbols;
e) paying out the prize, if any.
7. The method of claim 6 further comprising the step of decreasing said multiplier after the occurrence of a winning symbol combination involving said multiplier symbol.
8. The method of claim 6 further comprising the steps of:
incrementing said multiplier from an initial value as a function of the symbols selected for display, thereby increasing the potential prize which may be paid out.
9. The method of claim 8 further comprising the steps of:
decreasing said variable multiplier to said initial value after a prize payout involving a winning symbol combination including said multiplier symbol.
10. The method of claim 8 wherein the step of incrementing said multiplier includes the substeps of:
incrementing a counter variable each time a special symbol is selected for display;
incrementing said variable multiplier each time said counter variable reaches a predetermined value; and
Slot Machine Payout Incorrectly Multiplied 100
resetting said counter variable to an initial value.
11. A slot machine including a set of spinning reels having a plurality of symbols thereon, means for spinning and stopping said reels to display symbols, means for paying out prizes, and a processor operating according to a game program for controlling the spinning means and which defames a variable multiplier, winning symbol combinations and standard prize amounts therefor, said processor including:
a) means for randomly selecting symbols to be displayed by said spinning reels;
b) means for determining if a winning combination has been selected for display and if a multiplier symbol is included in said winning combination;
c) means for calculating the prize to be awarded for said winning combinations based on the standard prize amounts multiplied by said variable multiplier, if the winning symbol combination includes said multiplier symbol; and
d) means for increasing said variable multiplier from an initial value as a function of the symbols selected for display, thereby increasing the potential prize which may be paid out.
12. A spinning reel slot machine according to claim 11 wherein said processor includes means for decreasing said variable muliplier after the occurrence of a winning symbol combination involving said multiplier symbol.
13. A spinning reel slot machine according to claim 11 wherein said means for increasing said variable multiplier includes:
means for incrementing a counter variable each time a special symbol is selected for display; and
means for incrementing said variable multiplier and resetting said counter variable to an initial value each time said counter variable reaches a predetermined value.
14. A method of operating a slot machine, said machine including a set of spinning reels having a plurality of symbols thereon, means for spinning and stopping said reels to display symbols and a processor, operating according to a game program which defines a variable multiplier, winning symbol combinations and standard prize amounts therefor, said method comprising the steps of:
a) randomly selecting the symbols to be displayed;
b) determining if a winning symbol combination has been selected for display and if a multiplier symbol is included in said winning symbol combination;
c) calculating the prize to be awarded for a winning symbol combination based on the standard prize amounts multiplied by said variable multiplier, if the winning symbol combination includes said multiplier symbol;
d) incrementing said variable multiplier from an initial value as a function of the symbols selected for display, thereby increasing the potential prize which may be paid out;
e) spinning and stopping said reels to display the selected symbols;
f) paying out the prize, if any.
15. The method of claim 14 further comprising the step of decreasing said variable multiplier after the occurrence of a winning symbol combination involving said multiplier symbol. 16. The method of claim 14 wherein the step of incrementing said variable multiplier includes the substeps of:
incrementing a counter variable each time a special symbol is selected for display;
incrementing said variable multiplier each time said counter variable reaches a predetermined value; and
resetting said counter variable to an initial value.