Slot terminology might sound confusing at first, but once you know the basics—like reels, paylines, wilds, and scatters—it all starts to make sense and adds to the fun.

We have prepared a beginner-friendly guide to understanding slot machine terms! Before that, let's first find out why we bother learning slot machine terminology.

Why Learn Slots Terminology?

Those who know the game have more fun playing the game. That’s the golden rule: if you constantly wonder why bother learning slots terminology. Besides, learn them, and you can: 

• Choose games you think are enjoyable and understandable.
• Know how the payouts work so you can double your money.
• Understand cool features like bonus rounds without feeling lost.

Convincing enough? Let’s roll!

Essential Slots Terminology Made Easy

If you’re a newbie to slot machines, learning the essential terms can significantly enhance your experience and help you choose the best online slots.

Here we are introducing the essential slot terminology made easy from A to Z:

A

Action – It’s the total amount a player bets within a specific timeframe. You can usually track it in your account, which may be necessary to meet wagering requirements or qualify for bonuses.

Active Payline – A payline on which you’ve placed a bet.

All Ways – Slot machines with paylines that work both ways, left-to-right and right-to-left.

Annuity Winner – A player who’d rather receive their earnings in annual installments than as a lump sum.

Autoplay/Autospin – It's called autoplay when the machine spins on its own for a set number of rounds. The best part? Sitting back and watching it win for you.

B

Bars – Classic slot machine symbols, available in single, double, or triple versions.

Basic Slots – Simplified slot games featuring three reels, a single payline, and a fixed jackpot.

Bet – The amount a player bets on each spin.

Bet Max – The highest amount that can be bet per spin.

Bet One –A setting where the player places one coin per spin.

Betting Units – The denomination or unit used for wagers, set by the game.

Big Bertha – Oversized slot machines meant to grab attention, often placed at casino entrances.

Big Hit – A large payout or jackpot win.

Bonus Feature – Extra game features, like free spins or multipliers, are listed in the paytable.

Bonus Multiplier Slot Machines – Slots that give bigger payouts when you bet the maximum number of credits.

Buy a Feature – The option to buy bonuses in the game, like extra spins.

C

Candle – The light on top of a land-based slot machine that signals when assistance is needed or when there's a big payout.

Carousel – A group of similar slot machines placed together on a casino floor.

Cascading Reels – A feature where winning symbols vanish, allowing new ones to drop in and possibly trigger more wins.

Certified Slots – Slots that ensure a certain payout percentage.

Coin In – The total amount bet on a machine.

Coin Out – The total amount won by a player.

Coin Size – It’s the value of one coin or credit, and it helps figure out your total bet by multiplying it by how many coins you’re betting and how many paylines you're playing.

Cold Slots – Machines are famous for infrequent payouts.

Collect – A button allowing players to cash out their remaining credits.

Columns – Vertical reels where slot symbols show up.

Credits – Units used for betting. For example, $1 in a dollar machine equals one credit.

D

Denomination – The value of each credit in a slot machine.

Demo Mode – A free-play mode that lets players try out a slot game without risking real money or winning anything.

Doubles – Special symbols that double the payout amount.

E

Expanding Wilds – Wild symbols that expand to cover extra rows or reels.

EGM – Short form of "Electronic Gaming Machine."

Feature – Any extra element in a game, like free spins or multipliers.

Fixed Value Slots – Slots with a fixed coin size or bet amount that can't be adjusted.

Fixed Jackpot – A jackpot with a fixed, non-variable amount.

Five Liner – A slot machine with five reels and five paylines.

Free Play – A game mode that lets players play for fun and for free while still earning payouts.

Free Spin – A spin that doesn’t require a wager but still offers a chance to win.

G

Gamble – An optional feature where players can gamble their winnings for a chance to increase them, often risking everything.

Games Per Hour – The average number of spins a player makes in an hour, usually around 500.

H

Hammer a Machine – Slang for sticking with a specific slot machine for a long time.

Hit – Landing a winning combination.

Hit and Run – A strategy where a player quickly moves to a new machine after winning.

Hit Frequency – The average number of payouts a machine produces.

Hold Percentage – The money 9in percentage) a slot keeps rather than pays out.

Hopper – The container in a physical machine where coins are stored after they’re paid out.

Hot Slots – Machines that frequently produce payouts.

J

Jackpot – The largest payout available on a specific slot machine.

L

Line Bet – The bet placed on a single payline.

Linked Progressive Jackpot – It’s a jackpot fed by multiple machines, sometimes even in different locations, making the prize grow bigger.

Loose Slots – Machines with a payout percentage higher than usual.

M

Max Bet – The highest allowable bet per spin.

Mechanical Slots – Old-school slot machines with physical reels and levers.

Min Bet – The lowest allowable bet per spin.

Mobile Slots – Slot Games designed for mobile devices.

Multi-Line – Slots featuring multiple paylines.

Multiplier – A feature that ramps up payouts by a set factor, like 2x or 3x.

N

Near Miss— A near miss occurs when the symbols almost line up for a win but don’t quite make it. It makes you feel like you could have won.

Nudge Slot – A slot where players can move symbols up or down after a spin, giving them a chance to create a winning combination.

Numbers – Reels can have symbols like numbers, and the number 7 is a classic because it’s considered lucky and often linked to big wins.

O

One-Armed Bandit – An old slot machine with a handle you pull to spin the reels.

One Liner – A machine with only one payline.

Onesies – A slang term for players who bet only one coin at a time.

P

Payback Percentage – The average money a machine returns to players over time.

Payline – The line where matching symbols must land to win, whether straight, diagonal or in patterns like zig-zag.

Payout – The amount of money won in a spin.

Pay table – A guide showing betting limits, payouts, bonuses, and rules of the games.

Penny Slots – Machines that accept bets from as low as $0.01.

Pokies – Australian slang for slot machines.

Primary Jackpot – The biggest jackpot a slot can offer.

Progressive Jackpot – A jackpot that grows with each bet placed.

R

Reels – Vertical strips that spin and show symbols. (Instagram decoded)

Reel Array – How the reels are set up, from basic 3-reel machines to more complex grids or wheels.

Reel Stop – On classic slot machines, each reel has a set number of positions where it can stop. Each of these positions is called a "reel stop."

Random Number Generator (RNG) – Software that ensures symbols appear randomly in digital slot machines.

Return to Player (RTP) – Another term for payback percentage.

Rollover Requirements – The amount you need to bet to claim bonus money.

Rows – Horizontal lines of symbols across the reels.

S

Scatter – A special symbol that pays out no matter where it lands on the reels.

Second Screen Bonus – A bonus mini-game that appears on a separate screen.

Select Lines – A button to choose which paylines to activate for a spin.

Shifting Wilds – Wild symbols that change to a new position with each spin. (They go wild)

Short Win – Winning a big payout after just a few spins.

Skill-Based Bonus – A bonus that depends on a player’s skill, not luck.

Signature Slots – Slot machines customized with a casino's branding.

Slot Host – A casino employee who helps slot players.

Slot Schedule – A synonym for the pay table.

Slot Testing – Players test payout percentages by betting a specific amount.

Slot Tournament – A competition where players try to win the most money within a set time, with prizes for the top winners.

Slot Type – The slot category, such as classic, video, or 3D.

Slots Drop – A slot drop is the total amount of money inserted into a slot machine.

Slots Hold – Money a machine keeps instead of paying out.

Sound of Rain – The sound of coins falling after a big win on a physical machine.

Spin – One round of play on a slot machine.

Staggered Payout – Higher payouts for betting more coins.

Symbols – Pictures, numbers, or bars that appear on the reels.

T

Tight Slots – Machines with a lower payout percentage.

Three Liner – A 3-reel slot requiring three matching symbols.

TITO (Ticket In/Ticket Out) – Machines that print tickets with winnings, which can be used in other machines.

Total Bet – The total amount wagered on a single spin.

U

Unique Reels – Slots with unusual layouts, like grids or wheels.

Up/Down Slot Cycle – The changing slot payout percentages over time.

V

Variance (Volatility) – How often and how much a slot pays out. Low variance slots pay small amounts often, while high variance slots pay larger amounts less frequently.

Video Slots – Slots with digital reels displayed on a screen.

W

Ways to Win – The number of possible winning combinations.

Wager Management – Managing your bets to stretch your bankroll.

Well – Where coins are ducked in a physical machine.

Wide Area Progressive (WAP) – Machines in different locations contribute to one jackpot.

Wild Symbol – A symbol that substitutes for others to create winning combinations.

Wild Multiplier – A wild symbol that also multiplies winnings.

Win – When a matching combination lands on a payline.

Win Both Ways – Machines that pay for winning combinations from left to right and right to left.

Z

Zig-Zag – A payline that moves up and down across the reels instead of being straight.

Confusing Terms

Some confusing terms and phrases can be easily mixed up in slot terminology and lingo. Here they are: 

RTP vs. Volatility:

RTP: The money the game pays back over time.

Volatility: How often and how much you can win in the short term.

Paylines vs. Ways to Win:

Paylines: Follow specific patterns to win, like a line.

Ways to Win: Any matching symbols on neighboring reels count.

Wild vs. Scatter Symbols:

Wilds: Wilds replace any missing symbols you need to complete the combo. 

Scatters: Scatters unlock bonuses and free spins and don’t even need to be on the payline.

Check out our guide on slot symbols to understand them better.

How to Practice the Terminology of Slots

If you practice the slots terminology, you understand how paylines work and how to use wild symbols to maximize your chances of hitting the jackpot. But how to practice?

Look for Graphics

Look for charts or images showing paylines and features. These will help you become more familiar with the slot working process. 

First Play Free and for Fun

First, test your knowledge of the terminology by playing for free and for fun. Once you get the hang of it, you can try it for real and bet your dollars. 

Keep This Glossary Handy

You may have read this terminology guide, but it is only natural that you need to double-check many terms. So keep this as your cheat sheet. 

Finally, Play Smarter, Not Harder!

Learning the basics of slot machine lingo makes the game less confusing and more fun. If you’re playing online slots from the comforts of your home, you’re or in a physical casino, knowing terms like paylines, wild symbols, and jackpots keep you from falling behind.

Learning the slots’ terms makes you feel like a pro, and pro confidence is the secret key to unlocking luck. Good luck, and may the odds be in your favor!