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Online Slot Game Glossary

Online Slot Game Glossary
The online slot industry is rapidly growing. The emergence of technology has encouraged players to shift from offline casinos to online casinos. The casino market has seen exponential growth over the years it is expected to grow at a rate of 6.37% from 2022 to 2029, reaching a market volume of US$14.76 billion by 2029.

The popularity of the online casino industry has also grown among the players. More and more players are willing to try their hand at gambling, especially after the COVID-19 Pandemic. Slots being one of the most popular games, attracts more players and is one of the most fun games to play in online casinos.

Are you ready to become a true slot game pro? The key is to master the unique terminologies of these games. With a solid understanding of slot development and its important terminologies, you’ll make predictions like a pro and double your winnings! Don’t miss the opportunity to learn from this well-researched slot glossary and take your gameplay to the next level.

But before moving to the slot machine terminology and slot game types, let’s learn about the game and how it works. So, let’s scroll.

What is a Slot Game?

A slot game is a kind of casino game where players/punters/bettors play slot games on a slot machine virtually or physically. The slot game presents a number of symbols that make combinations and gives rewards to the player if symbols land in the winning combination.

How to Play Online Slot Games?

To play a slot game, players push the lever or press the spin button to spin the reels shown on the screen. The symbols spin vertically and land on the payline. If they are in the winning combination, then the player gets rewards. For each spin, the player has to bet some money, and the return depends on the money the player bet. Moreover, you can check the pay table of each slot game to understand more about the winning combination and returns. The simple process of playing the game includes:

  • Pick the choice of your game
  • Place a bet according to the budget
  • Spin the reels or press on the ‘spin’ button
  • Collect your wins

Slot Machine Terminology Used in Slot Games

243 Ways to Win: A slot game type category which is a video slot with 243 fixed paylines awards a win when 3 or more matching symbols land on a payline.
Action: Action is a popular slot terminology that means the total amount wagered during a specific period of time.
All-Way Slots: There is no fixed payline in all-way slots. The punter/bettor has multiple ways to win in all-way slots.
Auto Play: A feature that allows the punters/bettors to set spin automatically for a specific time.
Auto Spin: Similar to the autoplay feature, the free spin feature allows punters/bettors to set a particular number of spins per day.
AWP: “Amusement with Prize” or AWP refers to a British-style slot machine commonly known as a Fruit Machine.
Bar: A common symbol in almost every traditional slot game.
Basic Slots: Traditional single coin slot machine with a single payline and fixed jackpot.
Bet Max: Minimum amount a punter/bettor can bet per spin.
Bet Min: Minimum amount a punter/bettor can bet per spin.
Bet One: It allows bettors to bet one credit or one coin per spin.
Bet Per Line:The money wagered per line for every spin.
Betting Units: A slot machine term used for credits or units a punter uses to bet.
Big Bertha: A big slot game machine with multiple reels is placed in a casino. It is mainly placed to seek people’s attention.
Big Hit: A slot machine lingo for jackpot winning or huge winning in the slot game.
Bonus Feature: A reward feature that includes re-spins, free spins, wilds, etc.
Bonus Multiplier: A bonus round feature that multiplies your win based on a number landed on the payline.
Bonus Round: A feature that allows a bonus game round as a reward.
Branded Slots: These are specifically theme-based slots based on movies, web series, characters, etc.
Buy a Feature: A slot game feature where punters can buy access to play the bonus game.
Buy a Pay: A type of slot machine in which players can unlock more winning combinations by inserting more coins.
3-Reel Slot: A slot machine featuring a configuration of 3 vertical spinning reels.
5-Reel Slot: A slot machine with a configuration of 5 vertical spinning reels.
Candle: A light flashes on the top of the slot machine.
Carousel: Grouping of multiple slot machines in a circle or oval shape.
Cascading Reels:Also known as tumbling reels in slot game terminology, swooping, and avalanche slots. In cascading reels, the winning combination symbols disappear after granting rewards, and the remaining symbols fill the blank spot. Cascading reels feature multiple paylines.
Cash Out: A slang term for withdrawing winnings
Cash Back: A refund received by the payer based on the percentage of the bet placed irrespective of the win or loss.
Casino Bonus: A bonus given by the casinos to improve the punter’s portfolio.
Certified Slots: A slot machine term tested and approved by the concerned regulatory authority.
Classic Slot Game: A traditional three-reel slot game type.
Coins: A medium to place bets in slot games, also called slot credits
Coin Hooper: A part of a slot machine where players can collect the winning coins.
Coin In: The total amount of a wager placed by a player.
Coin Out: The winning amount on the wager placed.
Coin Size: A term for the coin amount a bettor needs to place a bet.
Coin Slot: A particular place in a slot game machine where punters can enter a coin to play a slot game.
Cold Machine: A slang for slot machines that rarely reward winning
Cold Slots: A slang for slots that don’t offer frequent payout.
Collect: The process of converting credits or coins into cash.
Collect Button: A slot machine phase which is a button for converting credits into cash.
Comps: Casinos give rewards and benefits to the top slot player called comps.
Console Slot Machines: A special slot machine type with added features for a better user experience.
Credits: The money deposited in the slot games is converted into credits.
Credit Meter: A meter that indicates the credit balance of the punter.
Denomination: The unit of each coin or credit that can be used to wager on a particular slot is called a betting denomination or simply a credit.
Doubles: Multiplier symbols that double the paytable’s winnings are referred to as 2x Multipliers or doubles. When these symbols appear in a winning combination, they multiply the payout by two.
3D Video Slot: An online video slot game type featuring 3D visual graphic effects.
Dragonfish: An advanced concept referred to casino game company that deals in online casino games.
Drop bucket: A container at the base of the slot machine used to collect excess coins.
Drops: Referred to the total coins in the drop bucket.
EGM: Electronic Gaming Machine
Expanding Wilds: A wild symbol that expands and substitutes with other symbols to make a winning combination.
Five-reels: A slot terminology for a game with five-reels that spins vertically.
Fixed Jackpot: A jackpot that gives a fixed amount when you win.
Fixed Value Slots: When a player is unable to alter the coin size or bet amount of a slot machine is called fixed value slots.
Free Play:This means a chance to play a free slot game to win real money.
Free Spins: A slot game feature that allows bettors/wagers to spin for free
Free to Play: A scenario where the punters/players play the slot game without spending cash or credits.
Fruit Machine: A fruit theme-based slot machine game OR a slot game that has fruit symbols
Fill: A slot game type of drawing a card to complete a 5-card hand in video poker.
Five-liner: A five-liner is a slot machine with 3 reels that offers players the opportunity to win on up to five different payout lines.
Gamble:As per the slot terminology, it is a term for betting money or something valuable on a predicted outcome of an event with the hope of winning.
Games per Hour:The number of games a player can play in one hour.
Hammer a Machine: A slang term mainly used when a punter plays a specific slot game for a long time.
High Volatility: When the difference between maximum winning and minimum winning is higher than the average difference.
Hold Percentage: The percentage amount taken by the casino from the bettors/wagers money.
Hot Machine: A slang term for a slot game machine with a higher probability of paying out.
Hot Slots: A slang term for slots that have a higher probability of paying out.
Hopper: This feature allows players to hold one or more reels while spinning the others, in an effort to improve their results and increase the chances of a winning combination.
Icons: Symbols in the slot game
Instant Winner: A jackpot that pays the winning amount instantly rather than the jackpot that pays over a specific period of time.
Jackpot: The top winning prize in a slot game
Lever: An arm attached to the right side of the slot machine, which is used to spin the reels by the bettors.
Line: Also known as payline and money line in slot machine lingo, It is a combination of symbols to form a winning combination.
Line Bet: The slot machine’s active payline.
Loose Slot: Loose slot is a slang term for slots that assume to pay high rewards.
Low Volatility: A feature of slot machine payout frequency. In low volatility, the slot machine pays more often, but the payout reward is low. The risk factor is lower in low volatility.
Maximum Bet: The highest amount a bettor can bet in a slot game.
Mechanical Slots: A mechanically configured slot machine available in casinos where players/punters visit and play slot games.
Mega Bucks: According to the slot glossary, it is a traditional three-reel slot machine with a single pay line. In Megabuck, punters can bet $3 to win a progressive jackpot. The $3 bet is the maximum bet amount the megabuck accepts from the bettors.
Mega Ways: A slot machine design with 117,649 ways to form a winning combination.
Minimum Bet: Minimum amount a punter can bet.
Mobile Slots: Slot games available on mobile phones are called mobile slots.
Multi-line Bonus Slot Machine: A video slot machine with at least one bonus feature and more than one payline.
Multi-line Slots: Slot machines with more than one pay-line are called multi-line slots.
Multiplier: A bonus feature in slot games that allows the punters to multiply their winnings.
Multi-way: A video slot machine with multiple ways of forming a winning combination.
Near Miss: A slang term that means a winning combination lands almost on the payline.
Nudge: A feature that allowed the punters to move the reels up or down one more position to make a winning combination.
One Arm Bandit: A slang term slot players often use for slot machines (slot machines with levers).
One-liner: A slot game type with a single payline. In a one-liner slot game, players must line up three symbols to make a winning combination.
Onesies: A slang term slot player uses to bully or describe another slot player who spent one credit at a time.
Online Slots: Slot games are available online as video slots.
Payback Percentage: The percentage of money the slot machine returned to the bettors in the specific period as per slot terminology.
Pay line: Pay line is a number of active patterns in the reels. The punter wins if the symbols make a winning combination on the pay line.
Pay Table: A pay table indicates the winning combinations and their values for the player’s understanding.
Payout: The amount punters can receive after winning in slot games is called payout. It is in the form of credit, redeemable tickets, or coins.
Payout Percentage: The payout percentage is the money a slot machine pays as winnings to the players in a particular time frame.
Penny Slots: A slot game type that allows betters to bet with a minimum of 1 cent.
Pick Me: Pick Me is a type of bonus feature that allows players to choose from different options to receive special bonuses or multiplier symbols.
Pookies: A slang slot machine term that Australian people use for slot machines.
Primary Jackpot: The primary jackpot shows the highest amount of money a punter can win on a particular slot machine.
Progressive Jackpot: A jackpot prize that keeps increasing after every game if a player doesn’t win.
Progressive Slot Machine: A slot machine that increases the prize money until the player wins.
Random Number Generated (RNG): A software that generates random/unpredictable numbers in all slot game types.
Return to Player (RTP): A percentage amount of the total betted money returned to the players as winning is called RTP.
Rows: Arrangement of slot game symbols in a horizontal line called a row.
Scatter: Scatter is a symbol in the slot game phase that lands anywhere on the slot machine and still makes a winning combination.
Scatter Pay: Scatter pay is a feature in the slot game. A slot game with a scatter pay feature pays out cash even if the symbols don’t match.
Select Lines: In a particular slot game, the number of payline selected are called select lines.
Short Pay:Sometimes the slot game machine pays less than the amount of winning because the winning amount is higher than the slot machine’s payout limit, which varies from casino to casino.
Short Win: A slang term that means a player wins a jackpot in a short gameplay.
Skill Bonus: According to the slots terminology, it is a slot game bonus feature based on the bettor’s betting skills.
Skill Stop: A feature that allows the slot players to stop the spinning reels anytime.
Slant Top: Also known as low level. The slant-top slot machine has a stool for the players. So, they can relax or sit while playing slot games.
Slot Host: A person who welcomes and assists slot players.
Slot Talk: A slot machine lingo that means a discussion between slot players about slot machines or slot games.
Slot Testing: An evaluation process of particular online slot platforms to find the percentage return to the player.
Slot Tournament: A competition between online slot game participants for specific prize pools.
Slot Type: A type of slot game terminology that slot players can choose based on their preferences.
Slots: A type of casino game that has multiple symbols and spinning reels.
Slots Drop: Slots drop is an amount of coins and credits in the slot machine drop box or bucket.
Slots Hold: The amount or percentage of money the slot machine holds or does not pay back.
Sound of Rain: A slot machine phrase for the sound of dropping coins when the player wins.
Spin: Players pull the lever or press the spin button to spin the slot game’s reels.
Stacked Symbol: Symbols of slot games take more space in the reels to form a winning combination.
Stacked Wilds: Wild symbols that land on top of one another in each game.
Streaky Slots: A slang for slot machines that are popular for having cold and hot moments.
Symbol: Icons or illustrations shown in a slot game reel.
Taste: Players receive a payout of a nominal/small amount in return for the encouragement in a slot game. It is a slang used by the bettors.
Three-reel: A slot game that features three-reels only.
Tight Slots: A slot machine term for offering a frequently less payout than other slot machines.
TITO (Ticket In Ticket Out): A modern slot machine technology provides a barcode-printed ticket to punters as their payout.
Total Bet: The amount of money a bettor spent on a slot game at a go.
Trail: A slot game feature that requires unlocking levels to win the final prize.
Two-reel: A traditional slot game that has two reels only.
Video Slots: Slot games in the form of computerized video games.
Virtual Reels: Playing slot gaming using an emerging technology, where the outcomes are much more than traditional slot games.
Wager: Money bet on a casino or slot game.
Wager Management: A method for managing the slot player’s bankroll.
Volatility: The amount of risk associated with a slot game.
Wild Multiplier: A multiplier value attached to the wild symbol.
Wild Symbol: A symbol that substitutes with other symbols to form a winning combination except scatter symbols.
Win Both Ways: Slot games that form a winning combination from both ways: left to right and right to left.
Winning Combination: Combination of symbols that trigger win in slot games
Zig-Zag: A zig-zag pattern is a winning combination formed on a multi-line slot game.

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Why Choose GAMMASTACK as Your Slot Game Development Company?

GammaStack completed 13+ years by creating high-end slot games with a 100% satisfied client base. Our team of expert slot game developers knows how to make appealing slot games based on the client’s requirements. We believe in offering only the best-in-class software that ensures smooth and engaging gameplay that enhances the overall experience for the players.


Bonus: GammaStack follows a ‘No GGR share’ policy, meaning we do not follow any profit-sharing terms. Our clients get to keep all the revenue earned from their slot games. Our commitment is to provide exceptional service and support to our clients by exceeding their expectations every time.

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FAQs on Online Slots

I want to build a slot game for my online business. Can you help me with this?

Yes, at GammaStack, we work on creating the best online slot machine game that has all the unique features and capabilities. Contact us today for more information.

What are some slot machine terms used mostly?

Some most common slot machine lingos are:

  • coin machine.
  • coin-operated machine.
  • fruit machine.
  • gaming machine.
  • one-armed bandit.

What are the mechanics of different slot game types?

Slot machines work on random number generators(RNGs) that are built into the game’s mechanics. It generates thousands of combinations of numbers per second. All your wins or losses are determined by RNGs.

Does GammaStack build slot games for my casino business?

Yes, at GammaStack, we work on building robust slot game experiences for your customers. We also provide customization support in every stage of game building. Contact us for instant information.

What is the meaning of the slot machine phrase ‘all-way slots’?

All-way slots don’t have any winning lines. To win at these slot machines, you just need to land symbols on consecutive reels, and you are not restricted to specific win lines.

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