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Free Slots Glossary: How Slots Work

To understand how free online slot machines work, you first need to know the glossary of the most common terms found in this vast world. Free slot machines can have many different features, and there are all flavors. Knowing these terms will also help you easily find the slot that best suits you in the search filters of online gambling providers.

Here is the glossary of important terms you should know before playing slot machines:

  • The RNG - this is an acronym that means Random Number Generator in Italian. It is a computer program that works according to an algorithm and is specially designed for use in slot machines or casino games. Its task is to make sure that the chances of winning or losing are 100% realistic. As expected, it is an algorithm that generates an infinite number of combinations that are always different. So, this allows you to have an authentic gaming experience.
  • The RTP - this is a second very important specification. Its acronym means Return to the Player, i.e. what percentage of the total theoretical win there is. For example, if a slot machine has an RTP of 97%, it means that it should theoretically return the player 97 out of 100 coins played. However, this calculation always takes into account the entire sessions and not a single game. So better opt for slot machines with a higher return to the player.
  • Volatility - this figure is equally important, as it indicates the frequency - always theoretical - of winnings. A game with a high probability allows you to get few wins in the short term, but potentially high values. A slot machine with low volatility, on the other hand, allows you to achieve a large number of wins in the short term, but with limited values.
  • Profit potential - slot machines always indicate the maximum possible profit. It goes without saying that the higher the potential, the greater the chance of high winnings.
  • Maximum and minimum bet - another important information you need to consider before starting a game with online slots is the stakes. It is important that when choosing the bet, you go by the type of experience you want to have, and most importantly, always by your means. After all, there are slot machines on the market where you can bet even a single penny! We have summarized the latter for free on a special page called 1 Cent Minimum Bet Slot.
  • The paylines - are another basic feature that distinguishes online slots; they represent the lines on which you have to line up the same symbols; some slots do not have them at all and the wins are for adjacent symbols on the game screen, yet others may even have only 1, and they are the ones that want to remind you in a more blatant way of the slots of the past (they will also feature only 3 reels, as mentioned above).
  • The special features are what give a slot machine dynamics and an engaging gameplay and increase the chances of winning; the features can be very diverse and range from the presence of the classic Free Spins to more elaborate features like Wilds that spread on the reels, Re-Spins with blocked Wild symbols, win multipliers or symbols that drop from the top after a win
  • The theme represents the "story" in which the game moves, for example, with animals of the jungle or savannah, or with trademarks of famous movies, or even if they take place in a specific context, one of the most popular of which is "Ancient Egypt".
  • The number of reels, the feature that immediately catches the eye on a game screen; the vast majority of online video slots have 5 reels, but there are also 3, 4 or 6 reels; just from the number of reels you can get an idea of the slot, for example, if a slot has 3 reels, it is very likely that it is a traditional slot or a bar-style slot, reminiscent of the slot machines of the past (which were just equipped with only 3 reels)

 

The most popular features you can try in free slot machines.

Every free slot machine has special modes that characterize it. There are so many of them, but we decided to select the most popular and well-known ones below:

  • Free Spins - this special mode is usually activated by the combination of scatter symbols on the reels. These are free spins that sometimes offer double or triple prizes or are played with special reels.
  • Respin - This feature is usually triggered by wild symbols appearing on the screen. It involves 1 or more free spins where part of the reels are locked. This mode offers a second chance to win.
  • Sticky Wilds - some online slots offer wild symbols that remain fixed in the spawn position for several spins, giving you more chances to win.
  • Walking Wilds - as in the previous case, free video slots may offer moving wilds. These move to the right or left until they disappear from the screen. However, on their way they leave a trail of wins.
  • Bonus games - there are infinite types of bonus games, which each provider modifies depending on the protagonist of the slot. This mode can bring cash prizes, free spins or more.
  • Pick and Win - after a combination of special symbols, the player must choose one of the options that will bring him an additional special prize.
  • Cascade wins - after each winning combination, the symbols that make it up disappear, making room for new proposals and possible additional wins
  • The Wheel of Fortune - it happens that before the start of the free spins a wheel of fortune appears, which allows you to double or lose all available free spins
  • Double wins - the risk or gamble mode is always a very popular feature. Those who want to try their luck will not miss it. In fact, any winning combination is enough to get it.
  • Two-way payouts - some free slots offer paylines that pay out in both directions, from left to right, as is usually the case, but also from right to left.
  • Increasing multiplier - during free spins, which is often the case with Megaways slots, a multiplier is active that increases after each winning cascade. This significantly increases the final win.

The Free Slots production sites.

Who is behind the world of free slots? Who produces them? Slot machine manufacturers are also called software houses, because all online slot machines have software that controls their operation. Just like any other product, let us think of shoes or cell phones for example, each company has its own characteristics, its own strengths and a certain authority that it has acquired over time. Just as there is a difference between a Nike and an Adidas, or between an iPhone and a Samsung, there are also differences between the slot machines produced by international providers such as Pragmatic Play, NetEnt and those by Microgaming.

These are the names of well-known and appreciated providers in the world of slot machines, real gambling giants that release dozens of slot machines every year; but the biggest software houses are not necessarily the best.

Since the market is very competitive, there are many companies that try to focus on the quality of a game rather than the number; this is not to say that the aforementioned providers lack quality. However, it is not uncommon for some younger and smaller providers to stand out with a certain style and innovation in their products.

Lately, there has been an upsurge of providers from Northern Europe, more precisely from Scandinavia, where NetEnt, among others, is based in Stockholm. For example, one of the most interesting realities is represented by the young Yggdrasil, which in a few years has become popular among players with its slots with accurate graphics and many special features.

 

Tricks for winning at online slots, do they exist?

There are no real tricks. Online slot machines are equipped with increasingly sophisticated software and random number generators, so it is impossible to "cheat" them.

However, there are tricks and strategies you can use to optimize your chances of winning or at least limit your losses. As we have already said in the section about the return for the player, the slot machine always retains a part of the bets, otherwise the operators would not make a profit: This is physiological.

Playing a slot machine for free online increases the chances of winning, since you are not playing with real money, but you can still see the reels and the features of the game in action, so you know the mechanics and functions if you choose to do so. seriously about an online casino. Trying out free online slots or free bar slots on our platform can be considered as a kind of "training" in terms of playing for real money. To learn more about strategies to maximize your chances of winning, take a look at our page with tips and strategies for playing slots.

Free slot production sites Who is behind the world of free slot machines? Who produces them? Slot machine manufacturers are also known as software houses, as all online slot machines have software that controls their operation. Just like any other product, let us think of shoes or cell phones for example, each company has its own characteristics, its own strengths and a certain authority that it has acquired over time. Just as there is a difference between a Nike and an Adidas, or between an iPhone and a Samsung, there are also differences between the slot machines produced by international providers such as Pragmatic Play, NetEnt and those by Microgaming.

These are the names of well-known and appreciated providers in the world of slot machines, real gambling giants that release dozens of slot machines every year; but the biggest software houses are not necessarily the best.

Since the market is very competitive, there are many companies that try to focus on the quality of a game rather than the number. However, it is not uncommon