Slot Terminology You Should Be Aware Of

Slot games are among the more straightforward you can choose to play online. You simply spin the reels and hope for the best, yes? For the most part, that’s true. However, if you want to become a more seasoned slot player, it pays to know some of the vocabulary and terminology involved in slot gameplay. Join us as we explain some of the most commonly occurring slot terms you may not already know.

RNGs

First up, RNGs is a term that gets bandied around a lot at casinos right now. RNGs equate to “random number generators”, and these are the mathematical algorithms that ensure fairness and randomness behind each spin of the slot’s reels. They cannot be cracked and cannot be hacked. They are utilised to ensure that a random set of symbols appears on the reels with each spin you make. Of course, the fairest slots will be RNG-certified. This means that they have been checked to ensure that they truly are random and fair.

RTPs

RTP is another big word when it comes to online slots. This abbreviation stands for “return to player”, and it is deemed the theoretical return rate that players can expect. Of course, it isn’t referring to you alone. It refers to all the money paid out to players over time. In effect, it is the opposite side of the house edge. If an internet slot has an RTP of 97%, this means 3% of all bets made go straight to the casino’s pocket, while the other 97% are made available to be won.

Volatility and Variance

Volatility and variance are the same things. However, you’d be surprised how many players don’t understand how they work. Games can be high, medium, or low in terms of risk. Highly volatile games don’t pay frequently, but these slots do deliver big wins. Low variance games pay impressively regularly, but the wins are often very small by comparison. With medium volatile games, you’re going to find the sweet spot that’s in the middle.

MegaWays

Choose to play MegaWays games, and you’re playing a wholly different type of slot. While most slots rely on paylines to sort out wins, these games don’t. These highly volatile titles instead have “ways to win”. These may run into the hundreds of thousands of lines over six reels and can offer cascading reels, progressive multipliers, and other goodies. The engine was developed by BTG and leased to many providers across the gambling world.

Progressive/Non-Progressive

We should also look at progressive and non-progressive games. Do you know the difference? A progressive jackpot represents the best-paying type of prize in the slot world. It is a game that has a shared jackpot that is uncapped. It will rise with each bet until one player wins it, and then it disappears for every player in every casino. It will rise once more with each new bet made after being won. By contrast, a non-progressive jackpot slot is a game that always has the same fixed prize to be won, based on the total amount you wager, irrespective of how frequently it has been won.