Thousands of slot games are available at casinos and online, with many more being dreamed up every day. But how do you know which ones to play?
In most slots, a pay table lists the symbols that can appear on a pay line. It also tells you how much you will win if your line contains the correct symbols. You can also find information on bonus games and special features in the game’s help menu.
The pay table is usually located on the machine’s front panel, above or below the wheels, and sometimes on a separate window. A pay table is an invaluable resource for players who are unfamiliar with the game’s rules and a good place to start learning about winning combinations and paylines.
It is also important to read the pay table before playing any particular slot game. A pay table helps you determine the minimum amount of money to wager, and it can also give you an idea of which slots offer the highest payouts.
You can also use a pay table to compare your win percentage with other players at the casino or on the internet. A win percentage is a mathematically determined ratio between the number of credits you are awarded and the amount you wagered. The higher the win percentage, the more credits you will receive per spin.
Some machines, especially video slots, feature a “candle” that flashes when the player’s coin is in the slot or if the door switch has been tampered with. The candle also displays the machine’s denomination and any special functions, like jackpot or service needed.
The ‘candle’ is also used to alert the slot attendant if there is any problem with the machine. It may sound complicated, but it’s a simple system that helps keep the machine running smoothly and minimizes any risk of accidents.
Tilt switches, once used on electromechanical slot machines, are now obsolete and are replaced by ‘fault detection’ systems that notify the machine operator if anything goes wrong. These systems can be designed to detect a wide variety of faults, including door switches not locking properly, faulty reel motors, or out-of-paper spins.
These systems can be very accurate and can even catch the most minute details. However, they can be expensive and require a lot of maintenance, which is why the majority of casino operators don’t include tilt switches in their machines.
Most slot machines return a high percentage of the money you put in them to you. This varies from 90% to 97%. It is best to check this out before you play and try to pick a machine that has the highest return-to-player (RTP) rate.
It is also vital to understand that slot machines are rigged to make the casino money, and they do not always return your money in a timely manner. This is referred to as variance and can explain whether the payouts come in larger but less frequent chunks or in smaller more regular ones.
