Slot Dictionary
Playing online slots is not rocket science, but that’s exactly what it sounds like when you hear seasoned players chatting. Don’t worry, we’ve put together a list of terms to help you make sense of it all.
Slot Tracker Terminology
| Term | Definition |
| Avg. Bonus Win | The average win (multiplier) in the bonus games. |
| Best Win (Monetary) | The largest win tracked so far (monetary value). |
| Best Win (Multiplier) | The largest win tracked so far (multiplier). |
| Bonus Buy Info | Statistics on the performance of slots which allow entry into the bonus rounds for a fee, specifically within the bonus rounds. |
| Bonus Frequency | The frequency at which bonuses are triggered. |
| Community RTP | RTP is short for Return to Player. Community RTP is an RTP stat that’s based on the data gathered from ALL our community’s players/spins. Note: RTP is used to describe the percentage of wagered money that players can expect to win back over time. It is calculated by dividing the amount of money paid out by a slot by the amount of money wagered, and multiplying by 100. |
| Community Volatility | The volatility of a game based on the results of the community’s spins. Volatility describes how a slot’s payout potential is distributed across its spins. In simple terms, a game which is extremely volatile can be expected to pay out rarely, but when it does pay out, the wins are significantly large. A game which has an extremely low volatility, on the other hand, is fairly predictable and pays out regular (small) wins. |
| Declared Volatility | The official volatility rating provided by the slot’s manufacturer which is based on millions of simulated spins. |
| Declared/Official RTP | The official RTP provided by the slot’s manufacturer which is based on thousands of simulated spins. |
| Hit Rate | The frequency at which wins are triggered. |
| In (Loss) | The total amount of money wagered. |
| Out (Profit) | The total amount of money that has been won by players. |
| P&L | The total sum of all profits and losses. |
| SRP | SRP is a prediction of the return-to-player on a per-spin basis. SRP adds up the RTP of each and every spin and divides the final amount by the total number of spins. What you’re left with is the estimated RTP for an average spin (Per Spin RTP). Per Spin RTP is less likely to be affected by bet sizes. |
| Total Bonuses | The number of bonus games triggered. Every time a player enters into the bonus rounds, a single bonus game is registered irrespective of the number of bonus rounds (aka free spins) that are awarded. |
| Total Spins | The total number of spins tracked. |
| Wagering Rate | A rating of the player’s chances of fulfilling a casino’s wagering requirement when using bonus money. |
| Win Ratio | A pie chart showing base game wins (teal) vs bonus game wins (red). |
Slot Terms
| Term | Definition |
| 243 Ways to Win | A slot in which any combination of three or more matching symbols can result in a win as long as they appear on adjacent reels, from left to right. In the end, such slots have 243 ways to win. |
| 3 Reel Slot | A slot that is composed of 3 reels. |
| 3D Video Slots | Slots which utilize 3D graphics and animation. |
| 5 Reel Slot | A slot that is composed of 5 reels. |
| Action | A term used to describe the total amount of time spent by a player playing slots. This term is commonly used when players are part of a slots club, and is connected to rewards or bonuses that the player might receive. |
| Active Payline | A payline that has been activated by the player’s wager. |
| All Ways | A slot that does not require symbols to be adjacent to one another in order to form part of a winning combination. As long as the symbols appear on adjacent reels, they count as part of the same combination. |
| Annuity Winner | A winner of a lottery prize which, rather than being paid in a single lump sum, is paid out in yearly annuity payouts. |
| Autospin | A function of online slots that allows the player to spin the reels automatically for a preset number of times. |
| AWP | Stands for ‘Amusement With Prize’ – this is a type of slot game that incorporates player interaction into the gameplay. |
| Bar | A common symbol found in many old slot machines. |
| Basic Slot | A slot game with a single payline and a static (non progressive) jackpot. |
| Bet | Synonymous with wager, it is the monetary value that is gambled on a spin. |
| Bet Max | The maximum amount that can be wagered. |
| Bet Min | The minimum amount that can be wagered. |
| Bet One | When a player bets one unit or credit on a single spin. |
| Big Hit | When a spin results in a significantly large payout – possibly a jackpot win. |
| Bonus Round (Game/Feature) | Sometimes called bonus game or free spins. It is an event that can be triggered in which the state of the game changes, usually with different mechanics and RTP. |
| Branded Slots | A slot game that has been created utilizing a well known brand or intellectual property as part of an agreement between the manufacturer of the slot and the brand. |
| Buy a Feature | Some slots allow you to activate specific features in the game for a price. This is called Bonus Buy or Buy a Feature. |
| Buy a Pay | Some slot games will only award their top payout if your wager is bigger than a certain amount. ‘Buying a pay’ is a term that refers to placing a wager that allows you to compete for the top prize. |
| Carousel | In land-based casino, a carousel is a group (or row) of slot machines that are usually grouped according to betting units. |
| Cascading Reels | Cascading reels, also known as tumbling reels, are slots mechanics in which symbols that form winning combinations disappear, allowing more symbols to drop. |
| Cash Out | The amount of cash paid out by a slot. |
| Cashback | Cashback usually refers to cashback bonuses. This is a form of bonus money that enables you to recoup a percentage of your losses. |
| Casino Bonus | Bonus money or credits. Casinos offer several promotional offers, often in the form of bonus money with wagering requirements. |
| Certified Slots | A slot that has been certified and checked by relevant authorities to ensure that it is compliant, random and fair. |
| Classic Slots | A traditional type of slot that usually involves three reels and one to three paylines. Symbols tend to include fruits, bells, shamrocks, jokers, and BAR symbols. |
| Coin | Coin is related to the value of the overall wager. The value of the coin can be adjusted along with other variables. Increasing coin value increases the monetary value of the bet. |
| Coin Size | Often referred to as coin value, this allows you to adjust the monetary value of your wager. |
| Coin Slot | A traditional type of land-based slot that requires the player to insert coins to play. |
| Cold Slot | A cold slot is a slot that hasn’t paid out in a while (opposite of a hot slot). |
| Collect Button | A button that converts credits into cash. |
| Comps | Comps is short for complimentary. It refers to complimentary items or services given out by casinos to encourage players to play at their casino. |
| Console Slot Machines | A slot machine which is angled downwards, designed to be more comfortable for the player. |
| Credits | Often referred to as coins, these are the units that comprise the wager, which always has an underlying real monetary value. |
| Denomination | Different values and sizes of coins that the player can choose from when determining the wager. |
| Drops | Usually used to refer to when a jackpot ‘drops’ i.e. gets triggered. |
| Feature | A feature within the gameplay intended to make the game more exciting. These features can be triggered randomly or through symbol combinations. |
| Five Liner | A five liner is a slot machine that contains three reels and allows wins on up to five payout lines. |
| Fixed Value Slots | Slots where the betting amount and coin size cannot be altered. |
| Free Spins | Free spins can refer to bonus spins that are used to promote slot games or casinos. These free spins are usually connected to wagering requirements. Free spins can also refer to bonus spins that are built into a slot game – often in the so-called bonus game. |
| Free-to-Play | A term used to describe slots – especially online slots – which allow the player to play for free. |
| Fruit Machine | An old term for slot machines. |
| Gamble Feature | A feature found in some slots that typically offers players the chance to double the winnings that they have just accrued on the board or in a bonus game. |
| Hammer a Machine | A term used by slot players that refers to when a player plays the same slot for a long period of time. |
| Hit | A winning event in slots. |
| Hit and Run | A term used to describe a slots player that plays a single payline slot at maximum bet, and moves on to a different slot if it doesn’t pay out. |
| Hit Frequency | In simple terms, hit frequency is a percentage that refers to the probability of a spin resulting in a win. It is a theoretical number and certainly not an accurate prediction. |
| Hold Percentage | “Hold” is the expected amount of each wager that the slot game “holds” over time. This is a theoretical number and reflects the behaviour of slots over the long term. |
| Hopper | A term, used in land-based slots, that refers to a payout reserve container in which coins are retained by a slot machine to automatically pay jackpots. |
| Hot Slot | A term used to describe a slot game that has recently been delivering consecutive wins. |
| i-Slot | A modern type of online slot game that allows you to save your position during a bonus game and resume it later. |
| Icons | Another term for slot symbols. |
| Instant Winner | A term that refers to a jackpot win that is instant rather than paid in installments. |
| Jackpot | A large sum of money that can be triggered and won by players. |
| Lever | The lever, attached to some traditional-type slot machines, initiates a spin. |
| Line | A line of symbols that awards a paying combination according to a slot’s paytable. Most slots’ lines go from left to right, covering one symbol on each reel. They usually don’t have to go straight across the reels, but can zig-zag. Many times, lines need to be activated by adjusting the bet level. |
| Line Bet | When a bet is placed on a specific line in a slot game. |
| Linked Progressive Jackpot | When multiple progressive jackpot games are linked, with each game contributing to a shared jackpot. |
| Loose Slot | A term used to describe a slot game that pays out often. |
| Maximum Bet | The maximum amount that can be bet on a game. |
| Megabucks | A specific type of traditional slot machine; Megabucks slot machines have three reels and one payline going right through the middle of the reels. |
| Minimum Bet | The minimum amount that can be bet on a game. |
| Multi-Line | Slots which have multiple paylines – these allow for winning combinations to be made on multiple lines rather than just one. |
| Multi-Way | Slots which don’t require symbols to land on adjacent positions – but rather adjacent reels – are known as ways-to-win slots. |
| Multiplier | When describing wins, gamblers often use multipliers – describing the win in relation to the size of the wager. This gives a better indication of the profit made. |
| Nudge | A feature that offers the possibility to change the outcome of a spin by shifting a reel down, either a single position or multiple positions. The way this is executed varies. |
| One-Armed Bandit | An old term for land-based slots. |
| Online Slot | A digital slot game that is played online. |
| Payback Percentage | Payback percentage (also known as RTP) refers to the percentage of wagered cash that is won back by players over the long term. It is a theoretical number and should not be considered as an accurate prediction of the outcome of your spin. |
| Payline | The line on which a payout will be awarded if winning combinations land. Some slots require the player to choose the number of lines that are active. |
| Payout | The amount of money that is paid out as a result of a winning spin. |
| Paytable | A chart within each slot that explains how to win on a particular slot. This includes information on how to unlock features and the payouts of various combinations. |
| Penny Slots | A term used to describe a slot game with a minimum bet per line of 1 cent. |
| Pokies | An Australian term for a traditional slot machine. |
| Primary Jackpot | The highest payout prize that a player can win from a slot. |
| Progressive Jackpot | A jackpot that increases as a portion of the players’ losses contribute to increasing the size of the jackpot. |
| Random Number Generator (RNG) | At the heart of each slot game is the Random Number Generator (RNG). This is what generates the randomized result of each of the player’s spins. |
| Reel Stop | A function of slots that enables players to stop the reels early rather than wait for them to come to a halt automatically. |
| Reels | The vertical columns of symbols that spin. The symbols that show up on the screen when the reels stop spinning are what determine the outcome of the spin. |
| Return to Player (RTP) | RTP refers to the theoretical percentage of the players’ wager that is returned to the player as winnings over the long term. |
| Rows | The horizontal sequence of adjacent symbols (one on each reel) that show up when the reels stop spinning. |
| Scatter Symbol | A common type of symbol, especially in online slots. Very often, landing a certain number of scatter symbols is required to trigger free spins. |
| Short Win | A term used to describe when a player wins a large jackpot after very little time playing. |
| Signature Slots | Bespoke slots created for casinos which often include the brand’s name in the title. |
| Skill Bonus | Online slots that include a skill element in the bonus rounds. |
| Skill Stop | A function of slots that enables players to stop the reels early rather than wait for them to come to a halt automatically. |
| Slant Top | A type of slot machine with a slanted screen, and seats that are lower to the ground because the games are set lower. |
| Slot Club | Slot clubs are clubs set up by casinos that usually require a membership fee. Once a player is part of a slot club, they stand to gain benefits such as bonus spins or prizes. |
| Slot Host | An employee at the casino who is there to assist in serving customers as well as handling slots club member issues. |
| Slot tournament | This can refer to a variety of competitions organized by casinos for their players. Players usually compete with each other by trying to land the biggest win on a slot in a specified amount of time. The winner gets some sort of prize. |
| Sound of Rain | A term used by players – especially in land-based casinos – to describe the sound made when a player hits a big win or cashes out. |
| Spin | The act of spinning the reels in a slot game determines whether you win or lose. |
| Stacked Symbols | Symbols that cover multiple positions within a reel. |
| Stacked Wilds | Wild symbols that cover multiple positions within a reel. |
| Streaky Slots | Used to describe slots that have a reputation of delivering a string of consecutive wins. |
| Symbols | Each reel consists of various symbols – low, mid, high-paying symbols. There are also other symbols like Scatter symbols and Wilds. Each symbol serves a different function and combines with other symbols to trigger events. |
| Three-Liner | A slot that is based on a 3×3 block, with just one payline. |
| Tight Slots | Used to describe a slot that is perceived as not paying out generously (i.e. having a low RTP). |
| Total Bet | The total amount wagered on a specific spin. |
| Trail | A specific bonus feature that can be triggered in online slots. The player moves along a track, unlocking prizes and awards as they go. |
| Tumbling Reels | Tumbling reels, also known as cascading reels, usually refers to a type of slot where symbols that form winning combinations disappear, allowing more symbols to drop. |
| Variance | In the casino world, variance is used synonymously with volatility. |
| Video Slots | A slot that features digital animations – especially feature animations – sounds, and thematic graphics. |
| Virtual Reel | A reel in online slots such as would appear on a PC or mobile screen. |
| Volatility | Volatility refers to the theoretical distribution of RTP within a game. In simple terms, a high volatility slot is one that pays out rarely, but delivers significant wins (high risk/high reward). A low volatility slot, by contrast, pays out often, but delivers small wins (low risk/low reward). |
| Wager | The amount bet on a spin. |
| Wide Area Progressive (WAP) | A type of progressive jackpot slot which is linked to several participating jurisdictions and/or regulated markets. |
| Wild Multiplier | A wild symbol that multiplies any payout that it helps deliver. |
| Wild Symbol | A symbol that substitutes for other symbols, delivering the highest possible value within a combination. |
| Win | The amount paid to the player after a winning spin. |
| Win-Both-Ways | A slot that allows winning combinations that can be formed from both left-to-right and right-to-left. |
| Zig-Zag | A term used to describe the line that is created when the winning payline/s on online slots results in a zig-zag shape rather than a straight line. |
A Note From Our Spin-Tracking Team
We hope you found these definitions useful. If you have any questions or disagree with one of our explanations, don’t hesitate to get in touch! We’re always ready to help.