The Slot Pay Tables Guide
Another Friday means another Casino tip! This week, we’re sharing everything you need to know about pay tables. If you’re looking to play a new slot, maybe one from our “Slots to Play if” series, it’s always a good idea to check the in-game pay table. This list will tell you about which symbols you should aim for, the game’s bonus features and even all the possible payouts you can win!
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What Is A Pay Table?
To start off, let’s explain what exactly a casino pay table is. Simply put, a pay table is the name given to a list of payouts on a slot or even on a video poker game. The table will include a full breakdown of paylines, symbols and all possible winning combinations. Including as well the coin wins based on different combinations. A pay table is basically information on how the slot will pay out its winnings based on symbols, bonus rounds and other special features.
Why Should You Check The Pay Table?
Other than just giving you the necessary information you need to play smart, the pay table is also great for beginners! When you’re just getting into playing casino, checking out the pay tables on a few different games can help you learn a lot about slot machines, while still having fun at the same time.
Pay tables will also outline which symbols are the Scatters, Wilds, high and low paying, etc. So you’ll know which symbols you want to land on the reels. If the slot has a free spins feature you can usually also see how many free spins you can get.
It’s also on the pay table that you’ll find the information you need to see how a game’s bonus feature (or features) are triggered and how they work once you’re in them. Especially in collecting-based slots or slots that let you choose from multiple types of free spins of bonus features, reading the pay table information can help you make an informed decision about your choice. Plus of course the added bonus of crossing your fingers when that particularly high paying symbol starts falling in on the reels!
Where Do You Find The Pay Table?
In land-based casinos on more simple slots and on some retro online machines, you’ll see the pay table directly on the game itself. Usually right above or below the reels. However, on many more modern slots, both offline and online, you’ll have a button available on screen, usually in the shape of an “i”, like the normal information symbols. The icon is normally found in online slots either on the bottom or top of the reels, tucked away in the corner and is available on both mobile slots and slots for PC. Simply click this icon to access the game’s unique pay table.
The pay table will open up as a pop-up with everything you need to know about slot and its payout information.
Reading The Pay Table
The pay tables found in online slots can vary in design and how they display information based on the game’s features or even the game provider. However, they’re usually very easy to navigate and you’re more likely than not to find most of the same type of information in them. Such as features, symbols and paylines.
When you open the pay table, the order might vary based on the games and providers, but more often than not you’ll see the symbol list, with all the symbols and their value in winning combinations. For certain games the first page might instead focus on the slot’s special feature. If not, this information is usually on the second page. Followed by special symbols, like Scatters and Wilds, and finally a breakdown of the game’s paylines.
Depending on how many features and special symbols a slot has, the pay table can have multiple “pages” or slides. However, going through them is easy enough as there’s arrows on the bottom or sides of the pop-up window that let you flip back and forth through the information.
To make it easier for you to read the slot pay tables we’ve listed the most common features below:
1. The Symbol Values
The symbol chart lists all the symbols in the game, usually from order of highest paying to lowest, and includes the coin value of each of them along with possible winning combinations. This is where you can find out which symbols to aim for if you’re looking for high coin wins.
2. The Special Symbols
This list will normally feature at least two symbols: the game’s Wild symbol and the Scatter symbol. If the game has a bonus feature, you’ll also find the bonus symbol here and extra Wilds if the game offers more than one. Basically all the symbols that work differently will be explained here.
3. Feature Explanations
Bonus features and free spins features are normally broken down and explained in detail in the pay table, sometimes over multiple slides. This information can include any special things, like extra Wilds during the bonus rounds, Multipliers in the free spins rounds and even how many free spins you get. So it’s good to familiarise yourself with this information if you’re a big fan of in-game features, like us.
4. The Paylines
Sometimes this appears on all slides, along the top or bottom, whilst at other times it appears as its own slide. This is a list of all possible lines you can win on in the game. From horizontal and vertical to even zig-zag lines! If you want to learn more about how paylines work, why not check out our handy guide?
5. Jackpot Information
If you’re playing a jackpot slot, progressive or otherwise, you’ll also be able to find out how the jackpot can be won in the pay table. Sometimes this might be mixed into the bonus feature section however, since slots like for example Mega Fortune Dreams have their jackpot in their bonus round. So make sure to check carefully.
What questions would you like answered next? Let us know in the comments.
