- Term For.people In A Casino Who Swoop On Slot Machines Jackpots
- Term For.people In A Casino Who Swoop On Slot Machines Dispense
- Term For.people In A Casino Who Swoop On Slot Machines Play
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- Casino operators usually think of price in terms of what is known as the average or expected house advantage on each bet placed by players. Basically, it’s the long-term edge that is built into.
- Grandma and Grandpa at the Slot Machines. Grandma and grandpa's idea of a romantic getaway is a trip to the casino, where they spend the whole night trying out all the slot machines.
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by Steve Bourie
The Seminole Tribe of Florida has six casinos in the state: Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino-Tampa; Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino-Hollywood; Seminole Casino-Coconut Creek; SeminoleClassic Casino-Hollywood; Seminole Casino-Brighton; and Seminole Casino-Immokalee.
All of their casinos offer slot machines and five of them also offer blackjack, as well as other kinds of house-banked card games. According to the Miami Herald, it was estimated those casinosgenerated about $2.3 billion in profits in 2016 http://www.miamiherald.com/entertainment/article166085722.html. Since the average U.S. casino generates about 65% of its profits from its electronic gaming machines, it would be fair toestimate that the Tribe’s machines earn about $1.5 billion a year for them.
The only other competition for the Tribe’s casinos are the eight local pari-mutuels in Miami-Dade and Broward Counties which all offer slot machines, but are not allowed to offer live tablegames, such as blackjack. All of these pari-mutuel casinos, also known as racinos, are in competition with the Seminole’s three Broward county casinos, but the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel& Casino in Hollywood alone generates more profits than all eight of the racinos combined.
Florida gaming regulations require all of the pari-mutuel casinos to report how much their slot machines actually pay back to the public. This “Average Payout Percentage” information isavailable to the public and can be seen on the state’s website at http://www.myfloridalicense.com/dbpr/pmw in the “Slot Revenues” section. Additionally, each racino must post a sign in the casino showing the average monthly payback percentage forall of their gaming machines. Usually, the average for all of the casinos is around 92.5%
The Seminoles are not required to release information on the payout percentages for any of their casinos and they keep this information a closely guarded secret. They say that theirmachines pay out at a rate comparable to the pari-mutuels, but no one knows for sure, and the topic is sometimes a source of controversy.
If you read reviews of Seminole casinos on Yelp, Tripadvisor, or on our website at americancasinoguide.com you will see some reviewers say they believe the machines are set to around 60%, orlower. As someone who has written about casino gambling for more than 25 years, I know that isn’t true. The procedure for deciding what a slot machine is set to pay back to the public is rathersimple. When a casino orders a slot machine the manufacturer will offer them a choice of chips to put in the machine and that chip is what controls the long-term payback percentage in thatmachine. Generally, there are about six to eight different chips to choose from and the payback percentages can be as high as 98 percent to as low as 82 percent.
Casinos, almost universally, put the highest-paying chips in the highest denomination machines and the lowest-paying chips in the lowest denomination machines. This means that $25 slots willhave chips returning around 95-98 percent and the penny machines will have chips returning around 86-89 percent.
The lowest payback I ever heard of for a chip was about 80 percent, so I knew that the 60 percent number in the user reviews was not correct, but could there be some way to find out what themachines at the Seminole casinos really paid back to the public? After a lot of research, I believe that I have correctly calculated this information and what follows is my story of how I didit, plus a simple formula to show how anyone can do it. Additionally, we’ll take a look at the returns on some specific machines at some Seminole Casinos and see how they compare to the returnsat other casinos. Now, in order to start this discussion properly, you’ll first need some background information on how casinos work.
When discussing how casinos make money, it is important to know the term “theo,” which is short for theoretical. This is how a casino expects to make money on its games. It’s referred to as“theo” because it is a theoretical number that is not guaranteed. However, the casino knows that the longer you play, the more likely your loss will approach the theoretical win for thatparticular game.
As an example, if you play a slot machine that has a 10% theo, then the casino would expect to keep about 10% of all the money you play through that machine. So, if you played $1,000 throughthat slot machine, the casino would calculate its theoretical win as $100 because 10% of $1,000 is $100. Now, since this is gambling, anything can happen when you play that machine. You may win$600, or you may lose $400 and, actually, the casino itself doesn’t know what will happen. All they know is that as long as people continue to play that machine, the casino will end up keepingabout 10% of the money that goes through that machine because the machine has a “theo” of 10%.
In order for a casino to calculate your total theo for your visit, and what you are worth as a player to them, your play must be tracked and that is done by the player’s club at each casino.All casinos have a player’s club where visitors can join and have their play tracked on the machines in order to earn “comps” such as free food, free drinks, free shows, free gifts, invitationsto special events and more.
To track your play you are issued a card, similar to a magnetic-striped credit card, that is inserted into the machine and it will track your wins and losses, as well as the total amount of allyour bets. Naturally, the more you play on the machines, the more free stuff you will get from the casino. When deciding how much to give you back in benefits for your play, the casino mustfirst calculate your total theoretical loss to determine how much they have earned from you. Then, based on that total, they will rebate a certain percentage back to you in the form ofcomps and free play. The actual percentage rebated to the player is a trade secret for each casino but, again, it is always based on a player’s tracked theoretical loss.
I live only one mile from the Seminole Hard Rock Casino in Hollywood and I joined their Seminole Wild Card player’s club shortly after the property opened in 2004. Although I did not playmuch in the ensuing years, in late 2013 I began to play rather heavily and it continued through early 2017. My game of choice was video poker rather than slot machines because there is a skillinvolved in video poker and I used software to learn how to play my hands properly. Eventually, I played at an expert level that allowed the casino to have only a slight mathematical edge overme.
Overall, my results were pretty good as I hit quite a few royal flushes in 2016 and that helped me to come out ahead for my three years of play. In early 2017 the casino made some changes totheir video poker games, which made them less desirable, and I stopped playing. During my period of play I used that opportunity to analyze the Seminole Wild Card Player’s club and, following,is what I discovered.
The set-up of the Seminole Wild Card Player’s club is somewhat unusual because at most casinos when you play a machine you will earn points based on the total amount of money you put through amachine. On some machines it may be that $5 earns one point, while on other machines it may be $10 or $25 earns one point.
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The Seminole Wild Card Player’s club is different because players don’t earn points on each machine, instead they earn comp dollars. As an example, for playing $10 through one machine you mightearn six cents, while on another machine you might only earn three cents. So, if you ended up playing $1,000 for the day on the same machine, your comps would total $6 on the first machine, or$3 on the second machine. As a player, you wouldn't really know why one machine gave more comps, but you could correctly theorize that the machines that had a higher rate meant that the casinowas making more of a theoretical win from you and that's why they could give you back more comps.
The comps you earned could then be spent like regular dollars at hotels, restaurants, bars, lounges and retail stores at any of the six Seminole Casinos. Besides earning comps, each day's playalso earned you status credits and those enabled you to reach a higher player's card level. Interestingly, there was no information on a formula for how the status credits were earned. As aplayer all you knew was that you could check your account each day to see how many status credits you earned for your previous day's play.
The player's club only has three tiers: Platinum, Elite and X Card. All players start at Platinum and to reach Elite you need to earn 3,750 status credits within a three-month period. X Card isreserved for the casino's biggest players, but there is no public information available on what is needed to attain that level.
I easily attained Elite level and after tracking the comps and status credits I earned each day, within a few months I began to realize that the status credits actually represented my totaltheoretical loss for each day. I was able to confirm this through test play on certain machines, as well as speaking with other knowledgeable players.
Once I knew that the earned status credits represented my total theoretical loss I was then able to compare that number to the total comps I earned on that same day and I realized that therewas a relationship between those two numbers. As an example, one day I earned $48.75 in comps and I was awarded 828 status credits. By multiplying $48.75 by a factor of 17 the result was828. Another day I earned $30.83 in comps and 524 status credits. Once again, by multiplying $30.83 by 17 the result was 524. That relationship was absolute and no matter what day I played, Ifound that I could always multiply the amount of my earned comps by 17 to determine my status credits (theoretical loss) for that day.
Since I now knew how to calculate my theoretical loss for the day, based on the comps I earned, I then realized that I would be able to calculate what the casino had set as its theoreticalpayback percentage for any electronic game on the floor.
How to Calculate the Theoretical Payback Percentage on a Slot Machine - I believe that anyone can calculate the theoretical payback percentage on any gaming machine in aSeminole Casino by using a formula that I created. The key to calculating a machine’s theoretical payback percentage is to track how many comp dollars you earn for putting exactly $100 in playthrough a machine. For example, if you bet $1 a spin, just track how many comp dollars you have earned after making 100 bets. Once you know that number, you can simply multiply it by 17 and youwill know the casino’s theoretical win rate for that machine. Deduct that number from 100, and you will then know the theoretical payback for that machine.
As an example, let’s say you put $100 through a penny slot machine and you earn 54 cents in comps. Just multiply .54 x 17 and you will get 9.18, which represents the casino’s theoretical winrate for that machine - 9.18%. Then, deduct 9.18 from 100 and you get 90.82 which would represent the casino’s theoretical payback percentage for that particular machine - 90.82%.
I found this method to be accurate and I tested it on dozens of machines at four different Seminole casinos. It should also work at the other two Seminole casinos since they all share the sameplayer’s club. One word of warning, however, is that I found the method to only be accurate for single-denomination machines. If you play a multi-denomination machine the method cannot berelied upon to give you an accurate payback percentage for all of the denominations.
How Do Slot Paybacks at the Hard Rock in Hollywood Compare to the Other Local Casinos? In trying to determine an average payback percentage for slot machines at the Hard Rock in Hollywood, Irealized that it would not be possible to get an actual accounting and I would just have to make an educated guess based on the results of playing some machines in different denominations.
Therefore, I randomly played 10 different machines throughout the casino in three different denominations: pennies, quarter and dollars. As mentioned previously, I had to play exactly $100through each machine and in some instances it wasn’t possible to play exactly $100, so I might have gone over by a few pennies.
In the table below you can see the results for playing 10 random penny slots and the average theoretical return was 88.37%
| Date Played | Machine # | Name | comps earned for $100 coin-in | Theoretical Hold | Theoretical Payback |
| 30-Nov | 012714 10130 | Moon Maidens | $0.68 | 11.56% | 88.44% |
| 17-Aug | 040312 04892 | Quick Strike Mystery Rewards | 0.69 | 11.73% | 88.27% |
| 30-Nov | 010103 11114 | Desert Dawn | 0.59 | 10.03% | 89.97% |
| 17-Aug | 034106 09083 | Quick Hit Platinum | 0.64 | 10.88% | 89.12% |
| 17-Aug | 050907 10010 | Fu Dao Le | 0.69 | 11.73% | 88.27% |
| 30-Nov | 012106 11952 | Jungle Riches | 0.69 | 11.73% | 88.27% |
| 17-Aug | 013504 10609 | Super Wheel Blast Lion of Venice | 0.70 | 11.90% | 88.10% |
| 17-Aug | 013510 10618 | Wild Leprecoins | 0.70 | 11.90% | 88.10% |
| 17-Aug | 043702 08245 | Buffalo Special Edition | 0.72 | 12.24% | 87.76% |
| 14-Oct | 051502 12178 | Rumble Rumble Bison | 0.74 | 12.58% | 87.42% |
| Average | 11.63% | 88.37% | |||
In the table below you can see the results for playing 10 random quarter slots and the average theoretical return was 90.89%
| Date Played | Machine # | Name | comps earned for $100 coin-in | Theoretical Hold | Theoretical Payback |
| 30-Nov | 067510 11231 | The Enforcer | $0.45 | 7.65% | 92.35% |
| 30-Nov | 032301 32091 | Triple Double Diamond | 0.53 | 9.01% | 90.99% |
| 30-Nov | 013704 09830 | Thunder Eyes | 0.54 | 9.18% | 90.82% |
| 30-Nov | 074701 11731 | Quick Hit Platnum Plus | 0.63 | 10.71% | 89.29% |
| 30-Nov | 101406 08598 | Cash Cove | 0.49 | 8.33% | 91.67% |
| 16-Oct | 064103 09534 | Colossal Cash Grand Dragon | 0.47 | 7.99% | 92.01% |
| 16-Oct | 034708 12048 | Double Hot Fire | 0.54 | 9.18% | 90.82% |
| 16-Oct | 075307 10059 | Black Diamond | 0.59 | 10.03% | 89.97% |
| 16-Oct | 101309 09950 | Mystery Rewards Glistening Jade - Rapid Hit Fever | 0.53 | 9.01% | 90.99% |
| 30-Nov | 075305 09528 | Crystal Star | 0.59 | 10.03% | 89.97% |
| Average: | 9.11% | 90.89% | |||
In the table below you can see the results for playing 10 random dollar slots and the average theoretical return was 91.40%
| Date Played | Machine # | Name | comps earned for $100 coin-in | Theoretical Hold Hold | Theoretical Payback |
| 17-Aug | 075504 50787 | Spin & Win Instant Spin | $0.47 | 7.99% | 92.01% |
| 17-Aug | 069001 09079 | Quick Hit Platinum | 0.51 | 8.67% | 91.33% |
| 12-Oct | 069710 09348 | Wild Red Sevens | 0.44 | 7.48% | 92.52% |
| 12-Oct | 069707 09345 | Triple 777 Red Hot 3 Reels | 0.44 | 7.48% | 92.52% |
| 12-Oct | 041806 05563 | Black & White 7s | 0.47 | 7.99% | 92.01% |
| 30-Nov | 067804 10546 | Double Jackpot Lions Share | 0.59 | 10.03% | 89.97% |
| 14-Oct | 065405 10508 | Midnight Eclipse | 0.47 | 7.99% | 92.01% |
| 30-Nov | 068904 08728 | Dragons Luck | 0.59 | 10.03% | 89.97% |
| 30-Nov | 068105 10158 | Sky Rider | 0.58 | 9.86% | 90.14% |
| 16-Oct | 055307 50806 | Blazing 7s 3 Reel | 0.50 | 8.50% | 91.50% |
| Average: | 8.60% | 91.40% | |||
So, now that we have analyzed the theoretical payback percentages on these machines, how do they compare to the actual returns on slots at other South Florida casinos in those samedenominations?
Well, unfortunately, Florida’s Division of Pari-Mutuel Wagering, which compiles the statistics on payback percentages for all racetrack casinos only releases information on the average payoutfor all machines within each casino and not for specific denominations. We did put in a public records request asking for a breakdown of those stats by denomination, but we received thefollowing reply: “The Division does not maintain information responsive to the following request: slot machine gaming revenue reports by denomination (one cent, nickel, quarter, dollar, etc.).”
Since we couldn’t get information on payback percentages by denomination, it was not possible to compare the Hard Rock’s machines with those at the pari-mutuels. However, it was possible tomake an educated guess about the overall returns on the Hard Rock’s machines. For the 12-month period from July 2016 through June 2017, the pari-mutuel casino with the highest average returnswas Magic City at 93.55% and the lowest returns could be found at the Isle in Pompano where they averaged 90.91%. Therefore, based on the numbers shown in the tables above, I would have toagree that the Hard Rock Hollywood’s slot paybacks are “comparable” to those at other local casinos and they are not set to pay back at the low rates that some people would suggest.
How Do Returns on Machines at The Seminole Hard Rock Casino in Tampa Compare to Returns at Casinos in South Florida? On the American Casino Guide website visitors can leave a review forany U.S. casino and the Seminole Hard Rock in Tampa has gotten almost 200 reviews - https://www.americancasinoguide.com/florida/seminole-hard-rock-hotel-a-casino-tampa.html The vast majority of those reviews are complaints about how bad the paybacks are on the slotmachines. The thinking seems to be that, once again, the machines are set to pay back at a very low rate, especially since the Tampa casino has no competition because the nearest non-Seminolecasino is about 250 miles away. That sentiment seemed somewhat logical to me so I thought I would investigate further by making a trip to Tampa to visit the casino.
I arrived late in the day and I spent a few hours that evening, as well as a few more hours the next morning testing various machines using my formula. My thought was to find some of theexact same machines I played at the Hard Rock in Hollywood and to see if the theoretical payback percentages were lower. This turned out to be harder than I expected as I found it difficult tofind the same machines in the same denominations. One other thing I noticed was that there did not seem to be too many penny slots. Instead, the vast majority of the lower denomination gameswere two-cent slots. This was not the case at the Hard Rock casino in Hollywood, where penny machines were abundant.
Eventually, I did find a few machines, in three specific denominations, that were the exact same as the ones I played in Hollywood and the table below shows how the results compared.
For penny games there were three machines I tested and, interestingly, all three had the same theoretical payback percentage as at the Hollywood Hard Rock.
| Date Played | Machine # | Name | comps earned for $100 coin-in | Theoretical Hold | Theoretical Payback | Location |
| 14-Oct | 051502 12178 | Bison Rumble Rumble | $ 0.74 | 12.58% | 87.42% | Hollywood |
| 23-Oct | 082802 05797 | Bison Rumble Rumble | $ 0.74 | 12.58% | 87.42% | Tampa |
| 17-Aug | 050907 10010 | Fu Dao Le | $ 0.69 | 11.73% | 88.27% | Hollywood |
| 23-Oct | 092206 6026 | Fu Dao Le | $ 0.69 | 11.73% | 88.27% | Tampa |
| 17-Aug | 070712 04056 | Buffalo Special Edition | $ 0.72 | 12.24% | 87.76% | Hollywood |
| 23-Oct | 043702 08245 | Buffalo Special Edition | $ 0.72 | 12.24% | 87.76% | Tampa |
Finding quarter games proved to be a bit harder. I only found two machines that were identical to ones at the Hollywood casino and, once again, the theoretical payback percentages matched upfor both casinos.
| Date Played | Machine # | Name | comps earned for $100 coin-in | Theoretical Hold | Theoretical Payback | Location |
| 16-Oct | 075307 10059 | Black Diamond | $ 0.59 | 10.03% | 89.97% | Hollywood |
| 23-Oct | 324002 30380 | Black Diamond | $ 0.59 | 10.03% | 89.97% | Tampa |
| 30-Nov | 075305 09528 | Crystal Star | $ 0.59 | 10.03% | 89.97% | Hollywood |
| 23-Oct | 015205 30371 | Crystal Star | $ 0.59 | 10.03% | 89.97% | Tampa |
At the dollar level I found four machines that matched up with their Hollywood casino counterparts. On the first one, Triple 777 Red Hot Three Reels, the comps earned were the same as at theHollywood casino. This was great because the comp rate on every machine was matching up perfectly, so far, but that soon stopped.
| Date Played | Machine # | Name | comps earned for $100 coin-in | Theoretical Hold | Theoretical Payback | Location |
| 17-Aug | 069707 09345 | Triple 7 Red Hot Three Reels | $ 0.44 | 7.48% | 92.52% | Hollywood |
| 23-Oct | 380605 50232 | Triple 7 Red Hot Three Reels | $ 0.44 | 7.48% | 92.52% | Tampa |
| 16-Oct | 055307 50806 | Blazing 7s Three Reel | $ 0.50 | 8.50% | 91.50% | Hollywood |
| 23-Oct | 040111 50330 | Blazing 7s Three Reel | $ 0.39 | 6.63% | 93.37% | Tampa |
| 17-Aug | 069001 09079 | Quick Hit Platinum | $ 0.51 | 8.67% | 91.33% | Hollywood |
| 23-Oct | 180209 50437 | Quick Hit Platinum | $ 0.41 | 6.97% | 93.03% | Tampa |
| 17-Aug | 075504 50787 | Spin And Win Instant Spin | $ 0.47 | 7.99% | 92.01% | Hollywood |
| 23-Oct | 353601 50197 | Spin And Win Instant Spin | $ 0.56 | 9.52% | 90.48% | Tampa |
On the three-reel blazing 7’s machine the comp rate was 39 cents, which would correspond to a theoretical payback percentage of 93.37%, which was higher than the 91.50% figure for the samemachine in Hollywood. A similar thing happened with the next machine I tested: Quick Hit Platinum. The comp rate on this game was 41 cents which would equal a theoretical payback percentage of93.03% which, again, was higher than the 91.33% figure for the same machine in Hollywood.
Then, on the last dollar machine I played, Spin & Win Instant Spin, the results were slightly worse. That machine gave 56 cents in comps, which would correspond to a theoretical return of90.48%, versus the same machine in Hollywood which came in at 92.01%
So, interestingly, the theoretical payback percentages for the first eight slot machines in Tampa were either equal to, or better than, the same machines in Hollywood. This was very surprisingas I thought they would be lower at the Tampa casino because they had no direct competition.
But what about all those player reviews complaining that the slots in Tampa paid less than the slots in Hollywood? Well, my research showed that the machines were set to pay back at about thesame rate in both places. However, there didn’t seem to be quite as many penny machines in Tampa, most of them were 2-cents and higher, and this could offer an explanation.
Penny machines are the most common denomination found in U.S. casinos. For example, at the two Indian casinos in Connecticut, Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun, penny machines make up about 60% of allthe slots on the floor. While I didn’t take an inventory of all the machines in Tampa I was struck by the fact that penny machines were not in abundance. Since the Tampa casino has nocompetition, it could be that they were forcing players to make a higher average bet simply by having fewer penny machines available. If so, a higher average bet would result in players losingtheir money faster, thus explaining the sour sentiments of some players. Keep in mind that the Hollywood casino would not be able to easily do the same thing because of competition from othercasinos. If a player in Hollywood didn’t think there were enough penny games available they could just go to a different casino. A player in Tampa would not have that option.
Now, looking back, it is true that one slot machine in Tampa did come in with a lower theoretical rate, but that could have simply been a mistake. Keep in mind that the casino knows what thechip in each machine is set to pay back to the public on a long-term basis and, in turn, they will set the player’s club comp rate to approximate that number. Sometimes mistakes are made andthe rate could be set too high, or too low. That could be what happened here, or perhaps it was intentional and there was a specific reason for that particular setting.
In conclusion, I hope that everyone reading this report understands that it is not a complete analysis of all machines at either casino. To undertake such a project would have required a hugeamount of manpower, plus a rather large bankroll to withstand the gambling losses that would be expected.
I am just one person who set out to investigate this subject as it is my area of expertise. I have been writing about payback percentages at casinos for more than 25 years and I believe that mywork is accurate. Should anyone from Seminole casino operations want to present any further information on this subject I would welcome hearing from them. I would be also be glad to print anyrebuttal that they might want to send to me concerning this article.
Do you know your slots terminology? Want to learn all of the definitions from our list? Our complete slots glossary will teach you all you need to know about slots terminology!
Slot Machine Glossary and Terms
Slot machines are among the most popular, easiest, and the most profitable games you’ll ever see in casinos and online. But a lot of players might not know that there’s more to slots than merely a cheery array of lights and sounds. In fact, pulling a lever and watching the reels spin is only the beginning. It’s essential to know all the key slot machine terms and phrases in order to make it rain.
So if you learn all the basic slot terms, you will be more confident on the gaming floor or online. What’s more, the easiest way to do that is to browse through this handy A–Z slots glossary that we have created for new and experienced players alike. Players can use our glossary of slot terms to find out about different slot machine types, basic slot functions, and more. This guide will cover terms such as progressive jackpots, random number generators, slot volatility, and many more.
Luckily, you can simply look over this glossary and learn as many terms as you can before your next game, and we bet you’ll be more successful. Plus, the convenient thing about this dictionary is that you can simply bookmark it and use it later. So if you need to learn slot terms quickly, just check them out below!
Slot Terms
A
Action — Alternatively called “Play,” this term refers to the total amount of funds a player wagers during a game session or over a specific time period. The casino often tracks the action to give out reward points or other benefits in the players’ club.
Active Payline — During a game, this term denotes a payline which is in play. It means that payouts will occur if that active payline has a winning match. See “Payline.”
Annuity Winner — Refers to jackpot winners who choose to get paid in yearly installments. When players request a full jackpot payout, they might get a high tax, so in some cases, it’s easier to get paid in installments.
Autoplay — Many slots have an autoplay feature. Players can trigger it when they want the reels to spin automatically without needing to operate the machine each round.
B
Bank — A bank is a row or line of machines that are placed next to each other in a casino. Sometimes, the machines can be connected physically and feature a similar theme or name.
Bars — The most basic game symbols you will see on slots are marked with the word “BAR” on the reels. Usually, they form a winning match if two or more appear on a payline.
Bet — Signifies how much money players use per spin.
Big Bertha — A slang term for a machine used as a marketing device to attract attention. The machine is usually bigger than most slots and is located close to the casino entrance to attract the largest number of players.
Big Win — Signifies the highest payout available on a slot game or a jackpot.
Blank — The blank space found between the game symbols on a reel.
Bonus Feature — Also called the “bonus game” or the “bonus round;” the term refers to an additional feature in the game that can lead to a win on top of the typical reel pay.
Bonus Multiplier — A game type similar to the “Straight Multiplier,” but includes a bonus prize. See “Straight Multiplier.”
Bonus Slots — These are specific machines that will give players free spins or other bonus features if they match a certain number of bonus symbols.
Branded Slots — These licensed slots feature themes based on popular TV shows or movies (e.g., Game of Thrones).
Buy-a-Pay Slot — A unique slot type in which each wagered coin unlocks new winning matches. This slot type is a rare sight on casino floors nowadays.
C
Carousel — Another word for “Bank.”
Candle — The candle is a small light at the top of a machine. When it lights up, it means there is a malfunction in that particular machine.
Cashback — A feature on some slots or casino reward programs in which players will receive money back for their losses.
Certified Slots — These types come with a 98% to 100% payout rate.
CICO — This is an abbreviation for “Coin In, Coin Out.” It’s an industry term that denotes how many coins the machine has received and how many it has paid out in total.
Classic Slot — Another term for “3-Reel Slot.” It was introduced due to the fact that the earliest slots only had three reels.
Coins — The currency that players use at the machine. Coins come in various denominations, including a penny, $5, etc.
Coin Size — Signifies how much money one coin is worth. Also known as “Denomination.”
Coin-Free Play — In land-based casinos, coin-free play games will give the players tickets instead of payouts in coins. The tickets can be exchanged for rewards or money.
Coins Per Line — The number of coins players choose or are allowed to wager per available payline.
Coins Per Spin — The number of coins players choose to wager during one spin.
Coin Hopper — A container or box which holds all the coins until they are paid out.
Cold Slot — Players use this term to refer to a machine that hasn’t paid out for a while paying out.
Collect — Some machines may have a “Collect” button that players can press to get their winnings. The machine will then turn the players’ credits into real money.
Comps — Players receive comps or complimentary points depending on how much they have played or wagered. The casino tracks their actions and then gives out comps in the form of free gifts or/and other prizes.
Combination Slot — A slot game that combines different types, i.e., buy-a-pay and multiplier.
Console Slots — A special type of slot machine in land-based casinos that contains built-in features that ensure player comfort (customizable display settings, special seats, etc.).
Credits — When players insert coins into slot machines, their funds will be changed to credits. Then, the players will use the credits to place wagers during every spin.
Credit Indicator — Often found at the bottom right corner in electronic or virtual machines. It indicates the number of credits or coins the player has at their disposal.
D
Denomination — The denomination is the value of one coin. Also called the “Coin Size,” it can indicate a penny, quarter, or a dollar value.
Double Symbol — Indicates a game symbol or a group of symbols. When double symbols appear in a winning match, they can double the payout.
E
Edge — Expressed as a percentage, the edge is the advantage the casino has over players.
F
Fill — A casino term for a bag which contains coins and is used to fill up a coin hopper when it runs dry.
Five Liner — A slang term for a machine that contains only five paylines.
Fixed Jackpot — A jackpot that is worth a fixed sum of money which never changes.
Fixed Value Slot — Fixed value slots are machines which come with only one bet size. Generally, they do not allow players to choose the number of paylines or coins per line.
Free Spins — Many slot games will give you free spins that you can play and cash out without wagering. Players might receive or unlock free spins based on an achievement in the game, as a casino bonus, rewards club prize, or a slot tournament prize.
Free Play — Online slots frequently offer a free play or free money mode. The players will get a certain “fun” balance to play with but will not be able to cash out the winnings from the free play rounds. Some land-based casinos could also offer a free play mode.
Fruit Machine — A British slang term used to describe a basic slot machine with few gaming options. Quite often, the symbols on these machines are fruits.
G
Games Per Hour — Casinos and players use this phrase to refer to the number of spins played per hour. The average for most players is approximately 500.
Term For.people In A Casino Who Swoop On Slot Machines Jackpots
H
Hand Pay— When the payouts are made by the casino cashier as opposed to the actual slot machine.
Hammer A Machine— Refers to the act of playing the same machine for a long time, usually in hopes of winning a big progressive jackpot.
High Volatility Slot — These machines come with a high difference between the maximum and minimum win sizes. If jackpots are high, the volatility will also be high. See “Volatility.”
Hit — Indicates a winning round or spin.
Hit and Run— A technique in which the players only spin the reels a few times. If there is no payout, they then change machines to find one that will pay out after only a few spins.
Hit Frequency— This term denotes how often a specific slot will pay out. Some players might measure this frequency to increase their odds and win more often. Generally, machines with a lower frequency will pay out more often but with smaller amounts. Alternately, those that pay less often might pay larger amounts. Sometimes called “Hit Rate.”
Hold Percentage — Indicates how much money is kept by a particular machine. It’s a percentage of the total action on that slot.
Hold and Respin — A game feature in which the player can choose to “hold” some of the reels that contain the best symbols. That way, those reels will stay frozen on the screen while others can keep spinning. This could lead to more winning combinations. Some machines in land-based casinos could feature a “hold and respin” button.
Hot Slot — Players use this term to refer to a “hot” machine that seems to be paying out more often than others.
I
Instant Winner — Opposite of ”Annuity Winner.” Refers to jackpot winners who get a full jackpot payout at once.
J
Jackpot — Refers to the top prize offered by a particular slot.
L
Line Bet — The amount of money players wager on the paylines.
Linked Progressive Slot — A slot that is connected to a network of games which share a progressive jackpot. See “Progressive Jackpot.”
Loose Slot — A machine with a high payout rate. Loose slots offer high chances of winning.
Loss Disguised as a Win — This phrase is used to denote a partial victory, and it’s a mind trick the casino can sometimes play on its customers. The machine will make sounds and light up to make it appear like there is a win. However, it will give the players less than they wagered in the first place without them noticing. It’s a trick to make players feel like they got lucky.
Low-Level Slot — In land-based casinos, the machines that have a chair or some type of seat are called low-level slots.
Low Volatility Slot — A slot that gives out wins more often but only for small and mid-sized payouts. See “Volatility.”
M
Major Jackpot — If a slot offers multiple progressive jackpots, the major jackpot is the largest of the two.
Maximum Bet — The max bet is the highest allowed bet at a particular slot. It is set per spin, and it varies depending on each game.
Mechanical Slot — Older machines did not operate electronically and were made with mechanical reels and symbols. Some of them are still made this way, and in general, the number of reels and paylines is lower compared to other types.
Minimum Bet — Opposite of the max bet, i.e., the lowest allowed bet a game will allow. It is set per spin, and it varies depending on each slot game.
Minor Jackpot — If a game offers multiple progressive jackpots, the minor jackpot is the smallest.
Multi-Denominational Slot — A machine that allows a variety of coin denominations.
Multi-Line Slot — Describes a machine which contains multiple paylines. See “Payline.” Generally, multiple paylines offer more ways to win.
Multiplier — This is a bonus feature found in many slots. When activated, the winnings will be multiplied by a specific number (e.g., a 10x multiplier).
Multi-Spin Slot — Unique slots that have up to 9 reel sets, instead of only one.
N
Near Miss — When players miss a winning match by only one game symbol.
Nickel Slots — Slots that are played with only a denomination of a nickel or 5 cents.
Nudge — Some machines in land-based casinos could include a “Nudge” button. When pressed, a reel can be nudged up or down to form a winning match.
Number Symbols — Also referred to as minor symbols, these symbols are generally 10, J, Q, K, and A. They appear on most games and are the symbols that pay the least.
O
One Armed Bandit — One of the most popular slang terms for a slot machine. The moniker refers to the mechanical lever that players used to pull while playing. Over time, the machine would rob them of their money.
One Liner — A game that only has one reel.
Onesies — A slang term for only playing one coin/credit per spin.
P
Payline — The payout of each game depends on the payline or paylines on which players bet on. When the winning pattern appears on a payline, players will win. This pattern can be horizontal, vertical, or diagonal.
Payout — The amount of money won after each winning spin.
Payout Percentage — Also known as “return to player” percentage, or RTP, the payout percentage refers to the money players are guaranteed to get back from the machine over time.
Paytable — The paytable is clearly displayed on a machine or in a virtual slot game, and it shows all the potential payouts one can receive based on the winning combination in question. Players can also view information about the bonus features in the paytable.
Penny Slot — Slots that are played with only a low denomination of a penny or $0.01 for each spin.
Pick and Match — A common bonus round in which the game will display a selection of items, and then the players have to find two of the same ones to get a prize.
Pick to Win — A bonus round similar to Pick and Match. The slot will display symbols which contain a hidden object behind it. When players select a symbol with the hidden object, they will get a prize.
Pokies — In Australia, “pokies” is a popular slang term for slot machines.
Progressive Jackpot — A large jackpot that increases in size over time, depending on all bets made in a particular game. For example, for each bet, the game adds a small portion of the wager to the jackpot size. In time, the progressive jackpot can grow to a huge size. These types of jackpots can be won at random and can be worth an entire fortune.
Progressive Slot — Refers to games which offer a progressive jackpot. Progressives are often interlinked online or in land-based casinos. The progressive jackpot is offered on all the machines which feature it.
Q
Quarter Slots — Slots that are played with only a denomination of a quarter, or 25 cents.
R
Raining — When a slot machine pays out, and it looks and sounds like it’s “raining” coins.
Random Number Generator — Land-based and online slots contain a random number generator (RNG). The RNG is used to make sure the machine is fair by creating random results. In theory, players should not be able to use strategy to win since the machine determines the winning patterns. However, players have found several ways to employ strategy and increase their odds.
Reels — Reels are the rotating barrels which contain the game symbols. Early machines featured reels made of metal. To start the game, players will instruct the machine to spin the reels mechanically, electronically, or virtually. And when the reels stop and a winning pattern shows up on them, the players will get a payout. The 3-reel slot type is the most common, but there are many variants of games with 1, 2, 4, 5, and even more reels.
Roll-Up — A roll-up is a suspenseful sound made by a machine right after a win.
S
Scatter Symbol — This game symbol doesn’t need to show up in a predetermined combination or on specific lines or reels during a spin. When it appears anywhere on the reels, the scatter will activate the game’s bonus features or free spins.
Scatter Pay — A winning match that contains the scatter symbol.
Second-Screen Bonus — Used mostly by casino game developers, the term signifies a unique bonus round in a video slot that takes the player to another game screen.
Select Lines — The number of selected paylines in one game.
Short Win — When a player hits a winning pattern but doesn’t get paid due to a low-denomination bet.
Signature Slots — A proprietary slot brand designed by a particular land-based or online casino.
Skill-Based Game — A common bonus round that resembles a video game.
Slant Top Slot — A newer type of machine found in land-based casinos. It is wider and smaller than common machines, and it is becoming increasingly popular.
Slot Club — Refers to a rewards club for players in a casino.
Slots Drop — A term used in live casinos to denote the total sum of money played on a particular slot machine.
Slots Hold — A term used in live casinos to denote the total sum of money that the machine will not pay out to players.
Slot Host — A slot host is an employee in a land-based casino who will assist players in case they need help. Plus, the host is often in charge of hand pays.
Slot Machine— Used to refer to the casino game as well as the actual machine found in casinos.
Slot Talk — When players exchange information about a game with a host in a land-based casino.
Slot Testing — When a player spends a roll of coins on a slot machine in order to test it and find out the payout rate.
Slot Tournament — An offline or an online event which makes groups of players compete for big prizes.
Slot Type — Refers to the game type (e.g., classic, video, progressive, etc.).
Slot Schedule — Another term for “paytable.”
Stand-Up Slot — In land-based casinos, the slot machines that are placed upright and require the player to stand while playing are referred to as stand-up slots.
Streaky Slot — A slot that is both hot and cold.
Stop — A stop or stops refer to the moment when the reels stop.
Spin — Describes the physical or virtual spinning of the reels.To spin the reels, players can push a button or pull a lever. In online casinos, players can press the “Spin” button. Additionally, players use this term to describe one round of a game.
Spin the Wheel — A common bonus round in which players spin a wheel, and when the wheel stops, it can determine their bonus prize.
Stacked Wilds — Refers to a stack of wild symbols in which the symbols are placed on top of one another on only one reel.
Straight Multiplier — A slot type in which the player can trigger all the winning matches with only one coin.
Symbols — The game symbols are the illustrations and images you will see in a slot game. They show up on the reels and have to form a predetermined combination in order for the player to win. The symbols can include numbers, cards, fruit, or any other type of illustration (e.g., animals, objects, funny characters, etc.).
T
Take/Pay Cycle — Signifies an assumption that machines have a cycle during which they will make a payout after players have inserted enough money into it.
Three Liner — A game that has three reels. Slang for a 3-reel slot.
Ticket — A printed ticket players get from the slot machine. Players can use the ticket to get their winnings at the cashier.
Tilt — A term denoting a malfunction or an error in a live or an online slot machine.
TITO — Signifies “Ticket in/Ticket out” machines that print paper tickets. The tickets include the payout amount and players can use the tickets at several machines after winning. The tickets replaced coin payouts for the most part; however, many modern slot machines use plastic cards nowadays.
Tight Slots — Opposite to loose slots — payouts will occur less often in tight slots.
Total Bet — The entire amount of credits a player wagers on a machine for the duration of the game.
Two Liner — A game that has two reels. Generally, it takes a match of three symbols to win. But if there is a match of six symbols, the payment will usually be doubled.
Taste — Used to signify an extremely small amount that a machine pays out and the assumption that the amount was paid to make sure the player keeps spinning the reels.
V
Volatility — Refers to the amount of risk in games and how difficult or easy it is to hit a jackpot in a particular game.
Video Slots — A type of slots that don’t contain mechanical reels. They are the most common machines in casinos and are operated by software. All the elements are shown on an electronic display.
Virtual Reel Technology — This technology allows the random number generator to pick more non-winning matches than winning combinations. It’s a solution to make players’ chances of winning smaller, and therefore, increase the jackpot size.
W
Wager — Same as “Bet.”
WAP — Abbreviation for “Wide Area Progressive.” Used to denote a progressive slot available in many different online casinos which offers a linked jackpot. It is the highest progressive jackpot available.
Wager Management — Refers to strategies some players might use to keep track of their betting habits.
Well — Denotes the tray in which the coins fall in after a payout.
Term For.people In A Casino Who Swoop On Slot Machines Dispense
Wild Symbol — These game symbols can be used as a substitute for others in a winning pattern on the reels.
Wild Multiplier — Much like the traditional wild, the wild multiplier symbol can swap out any other game symbols in a winning match, except for the bonus and scatter symbols. This symbol also multiplies wins depending on the combination and the game rules.
Win — When the player hits a winning combination.
Winning Combination — This is a pattern of game symbols. When the pattern appears on the reels, players will get a win. The winning pattern can be horizontal, vertical, diagonal, or it can pay all ways.
Z
Zigzag — A winning combination that forms a zigzag pattern, and it is featured in slots with multiple paylines.
#
243 Pay Lines — A special game with a high number of paylines (243). It is said that this game covers every line, so it is quite difficult to estimate all the available combinations.
3-Reel Slots — Same as “Three Liner.” A slot game that has three reels.
Term For.people In A Casino Who Swoop On Slot Machines Play
5-Reel Slots — Same as “Five Liner.” A slot game that has five reels.
Term For.people In A Casino Who Swoop On Slot Machines Free Play
Time to Spin and Get Lucky!
Now that you know about all the essential terms, it will be easier to start gambling and try to win a lot of money. So bookmark our complete guide and good luck playing some slot games!