Slot Terms: Glossary
Whether you like to play your slots at a live casino or online, you may encounter some terminology that is specific to the slots game. Here is a breakdown of some of the most common terms used to discuss both live and online slots.
Glossary of Slots Terms:
Banking Game:
A variation of slot machines where continued play stores up bonus credits in a "bank" in the machine. Fulfilling a certain task in the game "releases" the bank, awarding you the credits. These machines are used to encourage slots players to continue to feed the machine. In a live casino, abandoning a banking game means leaving those bonus credits for a new player to win.
Bankroll:
The amount of money you have designated for gambling. Keeping your bankroll separate from your personal finances is a good way to avoid gambling problems.
Bet Max:
A button on the slot machine which gives you the option to play the maximum amount of coins the machine allows. This tends to speed up play.
Comp:
A bonus that a live casino offers players for continued play at one of their machines. It can take the form of free meals, shows or even cash rewards. See also Sign-up Bonus.
House Edge:
The amount the casino is mathematically guaranteed to win over a long enough period of play. If the House has an edge of 5 percent on a particular game, they will win five cents over every dollar played at that game over a long enough time.
One-Armed Bandit:
An old name for slot machines, named for the "arm" on the side of the machine that once had to be pulled in order to set the reels in motion.
Payback:
The reverse of the House edge for slot machines. The payback is how much a slot machine gives back for every dollar it takes in. If a machine has an 85 percent payback, it pays out 85 cents for every dollar it takes in; therefore, the House edge on the machine is 15 percent. Ideally, a slot machine you play will have no worse than a 90 percent payback, especially if you play slots online.
Progressive Jackpot:
A jackpot that builds as players pay into it. All the machines connected to and eligible for a specific progressive jackpot contribute to the jackpot with each spin. Since it is a very rare combination of symbols that triggers the jackpot, progressive jackpots can reach enormous amounts of money. You can only win the progressive jackpot by playing the maximum amount of coins.
