Slot Reel Explanation - Everything You Should Know To Win

Slot games seem to be the most popular gambling game genre today. No matter what region you are in, if you have a casino, whether online or offline, they most likely offer slot games. In today's iGaming market, there are many different types of free slot games, and they are often varied over time. Let's take a more in-depth look at the history and the types of slots on the iGaming market today!

History of Reels

Slot machines have been around since 1891, and they contain poker-based cards invented in New York. Although very popular in bars, these machines do not have a payment mechanism, meaning that gamblers could only win food, beer, cigars, etc.

When Charles Fey invented a simplified version with just three real coils and five different symbols, soon after, an improved copy of this slot machine appeared with the iconic bubble gum attachment.

The fruit image placed on the roll represents the taste of bubble gum. And that was when the classic 3-reel fruit slot machine started.

The reel is placed in a vertical position on the grid, spun after a bet, and different symbols land on them each time. All slots come with wheels, and these coils have fixed and physically rotating characters. Typically, each emblem has ten symbols per spin, and with three reels, that means there can be 10,000 different combinations.

Nowadays, reels are an important component of the slot experience, but they are much different from before. For starters, the video slots have no moving parts, and the entire game is rendered with a processor. This allows for many new possibilities to be created, and the genre's potential exponentially increased.

The refreshing way means the coils don't have any of the symbols pre-assigned on them as they were in the early days. Whereas players previously had only two of a particular icon appearing on a reel, now you can have the entire reel covered with that icon if you're lucky.

In slot games, the Random Number Generation (RNG) software also plays an important role, as RNG determines a spin’s outcome randomly. This has revolutionized the iGaming industry and has opened the door for software vendors to develop much more exciting games.

Read more: What Are Multi-line Slots? Winning Chances Of Gamblers!

Structure of Reels

The structure of the reels in classic slot machines is straightforward. There are only three reels, and a single payline needs to be activated before those reels spin. 

Triple-slot slots differ from classic slots in that there will be more than one pay line, but always check the checkout tables of the slots for more pay lines often. The larger the trigger, the higher the jackpot payout will be.

The three-reel slots or video slots offer two main types of playback architectures: a fixed stream structure and an optional pay stream structure.

When playing optional payline slots, gamblers will always have the option to play more or less of the available paylines that such slots enter live play on each spin at will.

The fixed payline slots, however, are entirely different, as players will always be forced to play the maximum number of paylines on such slots but will be able to choose the coin value setting. Bettors are comfortable to play and can increase the number of coins per line.

Fixed payline slots have always been a much more expensive slot game to play due to the requirement to play all available paylines. When playing optional payline slots, try and play live as many lines as possible, reducing the coin value setting if needed.

If you are new to slots, getting started with everything about paylines and reels in a slot machine.

How to Distinguish Traditional and Modern Slots

In general, traditional and modern slots have many similarities. But the modern slot game is "a monster" compared to old mechanical machines.

Now, slots have had many new changes. These modern video slots have no moving parts and the entire game is rendered with a processor.

As for traditional slots, there will be a certain familiarity that people have with the spins which are inherently more appealing, and can simply see the results of the selected random number on the screen.

The way modern slots are designed and developed also allows for many differences from traditional slots. Modern slot machines sometimes have a bunch of bonus games, features, bigger prizes, lots of paylines and many other new features, but they're still simpler and more fun than ever.

As a result, today's modern slot is complete with an array of stunning sound, animation and visual effects, offering a much more immersive experience for gamblers. In general, video slot machines are more likely to engage players than basic mechanical slot machines.

You can try Fairytale Legends: Hansel and Gretel Free Play, Gonzo's Quest Free Play, Pixies of the Forest 2 Free Play and so much more right on our site.

Modern slots can be said to be quite complex. There is a large percentage of modern slot machines that are easy to play and offer only a few payment lines and a relatively small amount of payouts. However, sometimes there will be a lot of games that offer more detailed and complex gameplay. If you have no idea about a slot's payout and how it affects your winning odds, check out what is payout out now.

Types of Reels

Typically, slot machines fall under the classic slots and modern slots categories defined by the number of reels they possess. Here are the four hottest sorts of reel slots you’ll find online:

Classic 3-reel Slots

These slot machines feature three reels and fruit symbols. The 3-reel slot machine is the most popular of its kind derived from land-based casino games. Despite their simplicity in gameplay, these machines are still able to offer some attractive bonus features and high bounties.

The 7s on Fire slot is a prime example of the classic 3-reel online slot game. This is a Barcrest Gaming gambling game, which has five payout lines and offers a potential win of 1,250x the stake. Typical of this 3-reel slot is easy-to-understand gameplay without any complicated bonus features. Therefore, it is very suitable for beginners.

Modern 5-reel Slots

Contrary to the classic fruit slot machine design, the 5-reel slot has many lines and exciting bonus features, giving gamblers better chances to win multiple grand prizes. Besides, these slots have many different themes.

For a feel of a modern 5-reel slot, try playing the Dead or Alive slot by NetEnt Gaming.

This is a slot with stunning graphics and thrilling bonus features. Free spins with natural points and gravity multiplier will double all wins. Dead or Alive slot is an excellent choice for both new and experienced players.

Slots Have 7 Reels or More

Unlike the 5-reel slots that make up the bulk of the industry's slot market, lucky 7-reel slots are pretty decent slots. Slots have seven or more reels, and are an incredibly unique new-generation online gambling game, offering players more ways to win. It has multiple payouts and additional bonus features.

The Viking Runecraft slot is the perfect example to learn 7-reel slots. The game not only offers a beautiful Viking theme but also provides engaging gameplay for any gambler.

Slots without Reels

Game developers are continually looking for ways to produce slot machines with novel gameplay to impress gamblers. The non-reel slots, also known as cascading mesh positions or cluster payment positions, promise to bring many new things.

The way these slots work is that gamblers will have to combine several adjacent identical symbols with at least one other logo in a cluster to win. When forming a set, the logos disappear, making room for new icons that fall on the grid for a chance to create new winning clusters.

The first hexagonal cascade grid slot, the Honey Rush slot (Play’n GO Gaming), is a perfect illustration. This slot creates colonies and charges Rush watches to unlock additional features. Plus, the sticky wild game has a multiplier of up to 27x for some impressive wins.