Slot Machine Pay Tables Guide and How to Read Them

In the past, slot machines featured a simple 3-reel layout and were straightforward to understand. At that time, all you had to do was spin the reels and see if three matching symbols landed on the payline. If yes, you’d receive a payout in those games.

Over the years, several different types of features and symbols have been added to slot machines. While understanding the working mechanism behind these extra slot features is still easy, their specific function tends to differ from game to game. As such, it becomes crucial for players to take a look at slot machine pay tables.

What is a pay table?

Simply put, a pay table is a dashboard that details relevant information about the given slot game. In most UK slots, you can access the pay table by clicking/tapping on the information (i) icon. In some other slot games, clicking on the question mark (?) icon will take you to the paytable of the game.

In the pay table, you’ll find the different winning combinations and the payouts associated with them. Also, it will include information on the specific function of various symbols that are present in the game.

What’s more, the pay table will tell you how the bonus rounds can be triggered, if any. And if the game comes with a progressive jackpot, you’ll find details on that as well. All in all, a slot machine pay table has everything that players need to know about the game.

The basics of reading slot machine pay tables.

Since all video slots feature varying themes and have different sets of symbols, slot machine pay tables also come in several different styles. But despite that, every slot machine pay table is pretty straightforward to understand. Note that some online slots have pay tables that run over multiple pages, so make sure you go through all of them before playing the game.

Upon loading the pay table, you’ll find information on the different symbol combinations that players need to form. Also, the details about the various bonus rounds and online slot features will be presented here. You must carefully go through all of that as it will help you in understanding what to expect from the game.

Just like the information section for other casino games, a pay chart lists the minimum and maximum bets that can be placed in the game. Also, you’ll find the RTP rate of the game mentioned here. Again, reading through all this information will allow you to determine whether the slot game suits your playing style and bankroll budget.

A look at the contents of the pay tables

Now that you know the basics of reading a slot pay table, let’s have a detailed look at the different things that are present in slot pay tables. While the specific elements of pay tables will change from one slot game to another, you can expect to find the following things:

Payline

Paylines are the specific patterns or lines where the winning symbols must line up in both online and mobile slots in the UK. Traditionally, slot games have a single payline on which players need to line up their symbols. Unlike traditional slot machines, modern slot machines feature different types of payline patterns, such as straight, diagonal, and zigzag. It is, therefore, imperative that you always check the payline patterns of the slot machine you choose.

Wagering requirement

Wagering requirements, also known as betting requirements, can be found in almost all online slot games out there. And the most popular RTP slots are no exception to that.

When playing slots online, you’ll usually come across two types of betting requirements. They include:

• Some online slot features can only be triggered by wagering a specific amount
• In the case of online slot bonuses, bonus wagering requirements are the specific number of times you need to wager through the bonus amount. This is before you can cash out.

To avoid disappointments, make sure to check the wagering requirements for your chosen slot title.

Symbol value

Pay charts are the right place to know the available slot symbols and the slot payouts associated with them.

Traditionally, slot machines had symbols such as bells, horseshoes, and diamonds. In later versions, fruit symbols like oranges, cherries, and lemons, as well as playing card symbols like Kings, Queens, and Jacks, were added.

These days, the symbols in slot games are created in a way that matches the theme of the game. Also, it’s not uncommon to find slot symbols that are based on real-life characters and things. All of this makes the overall gameplay more engaging and exciting.

Special symbols

Along with the standard symbols, many slot machines come with special symbols that add an extra bit of thrill and entertainment to the slot gameplay. Below are some of the most common types of special symbols that can be found in online slots:

• Wild symbols – They can act as a substitute for other slot symbols to help you form a winning combination.
• Scatter symbols – The basic function of scatter symbols is similar to that of wild symbols. But unlike wilds, they can appear anywhere on the reels. Also, slot scatters trigger special bonus rounds in some online slot tournaments.
• Bonus symbols – Although not as common as wilds and scatters, bonus symbols can activate exclusive bonus rounds in slot games.

Why you should always read slot pay tables?

When playing slots online, many players tend to ignore the pay charts as they think that doing so won’t have any impact on their winning odds. While it’s true that slot machines are completely based on the element of luck, reading through the pay table will help you in increasing the entertainment value of your slot gaming experience. Also, reading the pay table will help you make more informed decisions during your slot gameplay.