Spinal Tap slot is a movie-themed slot machine. Blueprint has pulled this theme quite well, and the symbols used include a Spinal Tap, David St. Hubbins & Nigel Tufnell, Derek Smalls & Temporary.
Spinal Tap Payouts. Like most video slots, the lower payout amounts of the game are the card symbols, while the band members pay out a lot more. The Spinal Tap logo is the game’s highest paying symbol. Spinal Tap Graphics and Sound. The game’s design is obviously centred around the (fictitious) band with a heavy metal theme. Enjoy slot machine game in christmas style. Play for free Las Vegas Casino slots!Featuring cute xmas style theme and feel like you play slot machine in the snow field. Become a money maker machine while spin a santa wheel of luck.Get bonus as much as you can in this game. Spend hours of fun with tons of betting slot machines to play.
Readers ask if quick reflexes are the key to winning
By John Grochowski
I keep a list of questions that I’m most often asked about slot machines. You could probably tick off some of them: “Are games programmed to go cold after a big win?” “Do you get less payback when you use your rewards card?” And the big one, “Can you tell me how to win?”
Those have been standards ever since I started writing about casinos and casino games 20 years ago. But recently, another question has been shooting up the charts. I have it all the way up at No. 2 on the readers’ hit parade:
“I’ve noticed on a lot of video slot games that if I hit the button a second time while the reels are spinning, they stop right away. I was wondering if I could use this to my advantage. If I see the bonus triggers or the jackpot symbols at the top, should I quickly hit the button again and try to stop the reels?”
I had that thought myself the first time I accidentally double-hit a button and saw the reels click to an immediate halt. Could this be an answer to the chart-topping question, “how to win on the slots?”
Unfortunately, it doesn’t work that way. In nearly all slot games that allow you to stop the reels, there is no skill or timing involved on your part. The random number generator has already determined your outcome when you hit the button to spin the reels, and you’re going to get the same result regardless of whether you stop the reels early, or let them halt in their own time.
When you play a slot machine, the game isn’t actually being played out on the reels, whether it uses “real” reels or video reels. It’s being played internally, on the game’s random number generator. The reels are just a player-friendly interface, and are told where to stop by the RNG. If there’s a malfunction and the reel display doesn’t match the numbers generated, it’s the RNG that counts. Large jackpots can be denied—and have been denied—if a check shows the random numbers on the internal computer chip don’t match the winning symbols on the reels.
But this is extremely rare. The engineering is good enough that almost all the time, the RNG and reel display are going to match up. This doesn’t change if you double-hit the bet button. If the RNG has spit out a random number that tells the first reel to stop on a single bar, then you’re going to get a single bar—regardless of whether you hit the button a second time for a “quick stop,” or just let them take their own sweet time.
There are rare exceptions. When I’ve answered similar questions in the past, I’ve mentioned IGT’s Reel Edge games. In their original incarnation, Reel Edge games enabled players to touch and stop the reels one at a time. There was actual skill involved. Your timing in stopping the reels determined the outcome. The reels spun very, very fast, so it was going take a keen eye and sharp reflexes to get better than random results, but it was possible.
I gave it a try, and found my reflexes just weren’t fast enough to generate more than my normal share of winners. In the original three-reel Blood Life game, I identified a green 7 as the easiest symbol to pick out as it whizzed by. I touched each reel individually as I saw a green 7 reach the top of the slot window, and managed to stop 7s on all three reels. Alas, I failed to land them all on the same payline. Some younger folks with quicker reactions may have been able to do better.
I don’t know if any of the first generation of Reel Edge games remain on casino floors. They were never widespread, and I don’t get lists from casinos or manufacturers telling me what games are available in any given casino. The new generation of Reel Edge puts the skill-based portions of the games in the bonus events.
Blood Life’s updated video incarnation, Blood Life Legends, allows you to test your skill with a joystick to guide a bat through the ups, downs, twists and turns of a cave as you try to collect gems for bonuses. There is actual skill involved, but it’s not the reel-stopping experience readers have been asking about.
Hand Tapping Machine
On most slot games, even in the bonus events you’re getting an illusion of skill rather than actual skill. And when it comes to stopping the reels, it’s the random number generator, not your reflexes, that determines the results.
What about my readers’ other top questions?
To answer another—no, games are not programmed to go cold after big wins. Results remain as random as humans can program a computer to be. As long as the RNG keeps doing its thing, any big jackpot, any hot streak, and any cold streak eventually fade away into statistical insignificance, and the machine comes very close to its expected payback percentage.
No, you don’t get less payback when you use your rewards card. The player rewards system doesn’t interact with the RNG.
And no, with rare exceptions, there is no way to beat the slots except by being in the right place at the right time. There have been opportunities for small profit on games with banked bonuses such as the old WMS game Piggy Bankin’, where the sharpies would start to play only when there were enough coins in the bank to give the player an edge.
Such games are not common. Just as with stopping the reels early, your results are up to chance and the RNG.
If you’re a total beginner and have never played slots before, or have played once or twice but are still confused by how it all works, this guide on how to play slot machines for beginners has been written just for you.
At Gambperspro.com, we’re slot machine pros, and we know every element of the games to an expert level. We’re going to explain exactly how slot machines work, what all the different slot symbols mean, the jackpot rules which determine payouts, and how to play slot machines from A to Z.
Even if you’ve never played slots before, you’ll understand the A-Z by the time you’ve finished reading.
How to Play Slot Machines for Beginners
The first thing you need to understand about slot machines is the different elements of the game. These are:
Reels – Slot reels run horizontally across the game screen and are the ‘slots’ in which symbols spin. Games can be 3-reel, 5-reel, or even 6-reel. If you look at the screenshot above, this game has five reels.
Rows – Each slot has a number of rows which run vertically. Most slots have three rows, but some have more. In the game screenshot above, you’ll see three reels.
Paylines – Paylines are the patterns which can make winning combinations. For example, if a slot has 25 paylines and you play the game with all of them activated, you’ll have 25 different ways to win. In the screenshot above, you’ll see that this game has 25 paylines.
Symbols – The symbols are the icons which spin on the reels. Each symbol has a different value and how much you win for making combinations will be determined by the value of the symbols.
Once you understand the basics of slot machines, it’s time to take a look at how to play casino slot machines step-by-step.
How to Play Slots for Beginners – A Step by Step Guide
For the sake of keeping things simple, we’re going to pretend you’re playing the game you see in the screenshot above. It’s called Mega Fortune and is a great game for beginners since its simple and has several huge progressive jackpots.
Below is a step-by-step procedure showing how you how to play slot machines, specifically Mega Fortune in this example. It works basically the same way for all slot machines, although there may be some variations depending on the software developer.
So, to place a bet on Mega Fortune slot, you would:
Step 1
Make a deposit. Unless you’re playing free slots or have a no deposit free spins bonus, you’ll need to deposit funds before you can play. You can usually do this in the ‘account’ or ‘banking’ section of your casino.
Step 2
Determine the number of paylines you want to play. In this game, the number is fixed at 25, but you can view each payline by clicking the numbers at either side of the game screen. In some other games, you can determine how many lines you want to play per spin.
Step 3
Taping Slot Machine Player
Decide your coin value. In Mega Fortune, you can set your coin value between £0.01 and £0.50. Remember, you’re betting one coin per payline, so if you were to set your coin value at £0.01, you would be betting £0.25 per spin.
Step 4
Set your bet level. This isn’t a feature of all video slots, but it is for this one. You can increase your level from between one and four. The higher you go, the bigger your bet size. For example, if you bet with a coin value of £0.01 at level one your bet size would be £0.25. If you bet with the same coin value at level four, your bet size would be 4x greater or £1.
Step 5
Hit the spin button. This is where the fun begins. You’ll see the symbols spinning on the reels, and if you land a winning combination, you’ll receive a payout. The payout size depends on how many symbols you’ve landed, your bet size, and the value of the symbols.
Playing slot machines is as simple as that. It’s not rocket science, and you’ll master it in a few spins. If it all seems foreign to you, we suggest getting familiar with the process by playing some of our free slots until you feel comfortable.
Slot Machine Lines Explained
Paylines often confuse beginner slots players the most, and no How to Play Slot Machines for Beginners guide would be complete without explaining them further.
Basically, paylines are patterns, and if you match symbols across them, you win payouts. On most slots, payline one will be straight across the middle row, as in the screenshot below.
However, paylines aren’t always so simple. They can go in all sorts of directions. Just take a look at payline 10 on Mega Fortune in the screenshot below.
Paylines can go in many directions, but don’t worry about them too much. All video slots will calculate your wins for you automatically. You don’t have to look out for these patterns at all. If you land symbols on an active payline, the game will let you know. It will also calculate and display exactly how much you have won.
Understanding Slot Machine Symbols
The basic mechanics and structure of a slot machine is one thing, the paylines are another, and the different symbols are yet another thing you’ll need to understand.
Most slots have the following symbols, although again, it can vary from game to game.
Common Symbols – These are the common slot machine symbols which make up winning combinations. They don’t hold any special function, and landing combinations of them pays out wins in accordance with the paytable.
High-Value Symbols – These are common symbols, but they pay the most. If you look at the screenshot above, the white limo is the highest value common symbol. Keep in mind that this might not be the highest value symbol once special symbols are considered, as is the case in Mega Fortune.
Scatter Symbols – Scatter symbols can trigger bonus rounds and also often pay when you land three or more of them on the reels.
Wild Symbols – Wild symbols can substitute for other symbols. For example, if you had four matching symbols on reels one, two, four, and five, and a wild landed in the middle, you’d have a five symbol combination. Wild symbols can sometimes stick, move, or expand on the reels.
Bonus Symbols – These are special symbols which trigger bonus rounds when the land is certain patterns or combinations. For example, in this game the bonus symbol is a wheel, which leads to a special bonus round.
Understanding Slot Machine Bonus Rounds
Modern video slots are a far cry from the simple fruit machines you might find in pubs and bars across the world. Even in world-class casinos in Las Vegas and elsewhere, few slots have bonus rounds which can match online slots.
Bonus rounds can confuse some new players, so we thought we’d describe them here so that this How to Play Slot Machines for Beginners piece is complete.
First, you should note that you can always find out what bonus rounds and special features a game has by viewing the paytable.
As the above screenshot shows, you can see which slot machine bonus games the game has built into it. You can also see how to trigger each one. One of the best things to do when you’re learning how to play slot machines is to study game paytables.
Some of the best slot machine bonus rounds are:
Free Spins – You’ll get a predetermined number of free spins. Sometimes you’ll be given a multiplier which boosts your wins, for example by 3x or more.
Bonus Wheels – The name explains it all, really. A wheel will spin, and you’ll win cash prizes, free spins, and access to other special rounds and features.
Picking Rounds – You’ll see a number of items on the screen and will need to pick some of them to win cash payouts. Sometimes progressive jackpots are built into picking rounds.
Secrets to Winning on Slot Machines
If we knew how to win jackpots on slot machines every time, we’d be too busy sunning ourselves in the Bahamas to write this guide for you.
However, while we can’t tell you how to win every time, we can show you a few slot machine tricks which will help you win more often. This is knowledge we’ve gained over decades, so take it in and make sure you understand it before choosing which game to play.
- Manage your bankroll effectively. This is probably the number one trick to winning slots more often. Don’t get carried away and don’t chase losses. Decide how much you’re willing to lose beforehand, and only increase the size of your bets when you’re playing with ‘house money.’
- Check how volatile the game is. Some games go for long dry spells and then pay big wins, or lots of big wins, suddenly. These are high volatility slots. Some pay smaller amounts more frequently. These are low volatility slots. Your strategy on how to play slot machines should be determined in part by the game’s volatility.
- Investigate the bonus rounds. If one free spins round has a 2x multiplier while another has an 8x multiplier, it makes sense to play the one with the bigger potential. Take your time to look at the paytables and see what’s in store.
- Understand that you can’t cheat. There are lots of articles online titled ‘How to cheat at slots’ and other variants of this. They’re all BS. Save yourself the time and money wasted with these systems. Random number generators determine game outcomes. There are no patterns, and slot cheat codes don’t work. Period.
- Pick high RTP slots. Each slot is programmed to pay a certain percentage of all bets back to players. You’re better off playing a slot with a 98% RTP than one which pays 92%.
How to Play Slot Machines for Dummies – Common Questions
Q. How are slot machines programmed?
Random number generators control slots payouts. These are advanced mathematical programs which spit out billions of numbers per second. Some of these numbers will instruct the slot to pay. Just hope you’re playing when a winning number is generated.
Q. Are slot machines rigged?
There are some dishonest casinos which run rigged slot machines. However, the vast majority of them are legit and fair. Stick with our approved casinos to avoid getting cheated. The games at them are powered by world-class slots software companies like Playtech and Microgaming.
What is a progressive jackpot?
Progressive jackpots can pay out multi-millions. Every bet made on a progressive jackpot slot at every casino which offers it contributes to the progressive jackpot. This network effect leads to massive jackpots, some of which can be truly life-changing. You can win them randomly, or for landing a specific combo of symbols, or in special bonus rounds. when you’re learning how to play slot machines, these jackpots can be tempting, but you should be aware that these games almost always have a higher RTP than regular slots.
Q. What are free spins bonuses?
Some casinos choose to give new players free spins on slots for making a deposit. For example, you might get 10 free spins for making a £10 deposit.
Free spins bonuses are not the same as the free spins bonus rounds built into games. Special symbols trigger these features within the game. They offer a number of free spins at no additional cost.
That about wraps up our How to Play Slot Machines for Beginners guide. If you’ve enjoyed it and are ready to try some free slots for yourself, check out our free slot games page now. After a few spins on those, you’ll fully understand all of the concepts you’ve learned about here.