What are classic slots?
In terms of differentiating various slot machine types, classic slots might be a good spot to begin. The exact definition of what constitutes a classic slot is slightly ambiguous depending on who you pose the question to, but we find that the simplest way to define it is to state that a classic slot is one that has mechanical reels, or as an alternative in the case of online slots, a game designed to replicate mechanical reels within an online environment. As the gaming industry keeps evolving, so too are the players eager for new slot machine launch that introduce fresh innovative twists on the classic format.
Fruit slots, for example, are a perfect example of this type of slots, with simple paytables and minimal special features, if any. These types of slots will bring to the fore the excitement of the game with fast rounds of playing without frills that accompany modern online slots. The spin-and-(maybe)-win concept is preferred by those playing to experience a couple of quick rounds of playing with minimal distractions.
Progressive jackpot
A second type of slot machine is the progressive jackpot slot, which is typically linked to multi-million-dollar life-altering jackpots that might hit at any time, at any casino, to any player.
The key difference between a non-progressive and a progressive slot is that while a non-progressive slot has a fixed top prize, limited to a single online casino, progressive jackpots are aggregated across a network of producers, with the top prize escalated incrementally by each real-money bet within the network, not a single casino.
Take the Mega Fortune slot from NetEnt, the largest online slot win ever, to the tune of $24 million. What that suggests is a portion of real-money bets at any casino on the globe, through the NetEnt interface, had contributed to the jackpot to its staggering amount, which was subsequently won on a 25-cent stake by an ex-Finnish poker professional.
Other notable progressive jackpots include $22.4 million in Microgaming's Mega Moolah in 2018 and $19.9 million in Mega Moolah for a British player in 2015.
Single and multiline slots
Casino slots were originally created with three reels and a single payline. This meant that you needed to obtain three of the same symbols on the line in order to win. Such types of slot machines have evolved over the years to have more reels and more than a single payline, having hundreds of paylines as they are today.
Some of these games enable you to set the number of paylines you would like to play per spin, while others have a set number of paylines, which tends to slightly inflate the minimum wager. Ultimately, it's your own personal choice that's going to get you selecting between these two types of slot machines, and while some of us are neat freaks and prefer things neat and simple, it's impossible not to notice that multiline slots are way more exciting, though ultimately, it's really just a choice of what type of slot machine you're in the mood for playing today.
Mobile slots
As the popularity of online casinos has been increasing, the spread of this activity to other devices seemed to be the next step in a logical direction. That is why the majority of slot machine types nowadays are available for users on all devices, offering an identical gaming experience on laptops and computers and tablets and smartphones.
With the latest HTML5 technology, game providers and coders are able to offer the same popular types of slots to play on multiple devices using a web browser, so that people can enjoy their favorite types of slots wherever and whenever they want!
Other popular types of slots
In our pursuit of determining the different types of slot machines available today, we have described some of the other common slot machine types in this section for you to make an informed decision. They are:
- Straight Multiplier Slots
- Bonus Multiplier Slots
- Combined Slots
- Megaspin Slots
Straight multiplier slots
This machine allows players to cause all winning combinations with a single coin, while additional coins are used to enhance the multiplier of the possible win. Two coins, then, should pay twice what you would get for a one-coin bet. Some might still insist that it is the correct way to play by playing maximum bet, while experts still recommend playing a one-coin bet.
Bonus multiplier slots
These slots are similar to Straight Multiplier Slots but are played with a single coin, but money coins can multiply potential winnings — in addition to the potential bonus payoffs and sizable jackpots that generally only activate when playing bigger bets. Since this bonus is not generally used during the game, slot experts still recommend playing with a one-coin bet.
Combined slots
These types of slot machines tend to combine two or more types of slot machines, such as, for example, a multiline progressive jackpot or a multiplier classic slot. If you want to play these types of slot machines, the majority of casino specialists will confirm that it is always optimal to bet high enough to activate all the available bonus features.
Megaspin slots
As the name suggests, Megaspin slots allow you to spin multiple sets of reels at the same time. This is typically a bonus or a special round, and when it's triggered, additional reels that you can spin may be unlocked.
