How do slot game mechanics work?

Among casino games, Slots stand out as the most popular category of games. Whether it’s online or in a land-based casino venue, slot machines remain a popular choice among players thanks to their wide variety of different options.

At a glance, the spinning reels may look straightforward but there’s a lot more going on behind the screen with these games. And not every slot game has all of the same mechanics, as a classic slot works quite differently to a game like Luck o the Irish Fortune Spins 2.

So, we’re taking a look at how the mechanics of slot games work, from their basic elements to the technology driving them.

The building blocks of Slots

Starting simple, there are three core elements that all Slots have in common: reels, rows and symbols.

Reels are the vertical columns that spin when the player initiates a game. The exact number of reels in a game varies, usually sitting between three to seven.

Rows are the horizontal lines of the grid, which are often used to determine whether matching combinations have landed. This isn’t the case in all slot games, as some use a different system instead of the traditional paylines.

Symbols are the images that are shown on the reels. These are what the player watches, as the aim of the game is to see whether certain combinations of symbols will land.

Some symbols are standard while others may have additional effects – such as wilds, which can substitute for a standard symbol within a matching combination, or multipliers, which increase the value of a combination.

The random number generator

Even in land-based venues, almost all Slots are now digital rather than mechanical. This means that they use computer algorithms to determine their outcomes, instead of using physical levers and spinning gears.

The random number generator (RNG) is what ensures that the outcome of every spin is entirely random and impossible to predict. In the space of a single second, the RNG can generate strings of thousands of numbers in a random sequence.

Each number corresponds to the position of a symbol on the reels, allowing the game’s software to determine which symbols will land when the RNG locks in its current set of numbers.

Regular audits from independent agencies make sure that all Slots RNGs are running fairly and have no biases. This ensures that every player has the same odds of landing a matching combination, regardless of any previous spins.

Volatility and return to player

Something else that’s important to understand about slot games are the factors known as volatility and the return to player (RTP) percentage. These are not direct mechanics but they have a significant impact on the function of the game. 

Volatility is a measure that indicates the relative risk level of a particular slot, with low volatility meaning a higher frequency of smaller payouts and high volatility meaning higher payouts at a lower overall frequency.

RTP is something that’s listed on the information page of any slot game, showing the percentage of wagers that it is expected to return to players over time. This is worked out over spans of thousands upon thousands of spins, so it’s no guarantee of short-term outcomes and is more of a guideline.

Thanks to the RNG that powers every spin of the reels, Slots are impossible to predict. But, understanding some of the mechanics at play in a slot game can help players decide which games are right for them.