Slots Dictionary (Cont.)

Denomination: Most slots offer several denominations options, usually from pennies to $5.

Double/Triple Symbols: Whenever these symbols appear in the center of a single payline slot   in combination with other symbols that create a winning combination,  the payoff amount is doubled or tripled. Two or three of these same symbols increase the jackpot payout.
Re: Double/Triple Diamonds.

Free Spin(s): Slot bonus feature that offers one or more free spins.

Games/Hour:  500/games/hour is an average for slot players. These stats can change dependent upon whether coins are manually inserted or credits used. 

Hammer a Machine: Play the same slot over a period of time vying for a higher-than-usual progressive jackpot. Video Poker games particularly are an example of this.

Hit and Run Winner: Play a maximum bet at a single payline slot for 4-5 spins. If no credits come your way, move on to another machine.
Used as a wager management tool, see also Slot Testing.

Hit Frequency: average number of spins for slot machines. The lower the hit frequency, the better. For example, a 2 indicates some kind of hit every second spin, while a 7 is a hit approx. every 7th spin.
Further, the average hit frequency is based on an overall % and number of spins for that particular slot. If the 'hit frequency' is 50%, that would mean that there is some sort of payout every 2nd spin. Conversely, if it is 14%, that would be a payout every 7th spin. 14 divided into 100 = 7.
It is better to have a payout on average every 2nd spin (50%) rather than every 7th spin (14%). Think of it this way: if you are sitting at XYZ slot, would you like to get some credits every second spin or wait until 7 spins have gone by? 
Hold and Re-Spin Bonus Slot: Player holds the reel results while the other reels spin with the goal of additional credits.

Hold Percentage: Percentage of coins played that casinos keep.  The looser 98% slots hold two dollars while returning 98 dollars to the player.
However, that percentage is over the long term, perhaps months, while short-term play return percentages can bounce around more than a roulette ball.

Line Bet: Wager for each line activated. Tip: to receive full value at a multi-line bonus slot, you should activate all available paylines.

Linked Jackpot: increased by a percentage of coins bet by two or more machines.
See WAP: Wide Area Progressives.

Loose/Tight Slots:  Loose slots will have better payoffs to a ‘certified’ high of 100%, on average over a period time. A machine will have a symbol; let’s say 2-3 cherries, which pay a couple of coins. These cherries will replace a symbol that doesn’t pay, and presto you have a loose machine.
Reverse this procedure for a tight slot. In other words, the more paying symbols a machine has, the greater the probability of payouts - thus a loose slot.

Multi-Line Bonus Video Slot: offer multiple paylines up to as many as 50. Most of these versions come in penny denominations; also nickel, quarter and dollar.

Multiplier: Slot feature where winning credits are multiplied 2X-10X for a bonus win.

Multiplier Slot Version: pays for certain symbols on a graduating scale. On a three reel, you get 5 coins for a “cherry” playing 1 coin, 10 pay for 2 coins and 15 pay for 3 coins. The payouts for playing 1 coin are much smaller than if you played maximum coins

Near Miss: Non-winning combinations or reel blanks. The reason there are so many near misses is that the blanks or ‘almost’ winning combinations are programmed to come up more often, therefore you see them more; still selected randomly.

Nudge Slot: Come on baby, drop that paying symbol down and give mama a big win.
It could be a basketball, diamond, cherry or wild symbol. You just need a little nudge up or down and you are in the money. Nudge slots use the word ‘Deluxe’ in the slot name.

One Armed Bandit: Slang name for slot machines. Can be appropriate depending on where your bankroll is at the time.

Onesies: Slot players who play only one coin.  I advocate wager management, but this is wager suicide.  I suggest you drop down a denomination and play max. coins where at least you are in the running for the top jackpot without the ‘slot bends’ of missing out on the top jackpot payout.
Payback Percentage: Percentage of each dollar on a certain slot machine that is returned to players over the long term.

Payline: Alignment of reel positions where symbols land resulting in a winning combination.

Payout: Number of credits converted to cash paid out for a winning combination(s).

Paytable-Pays: Slot Pay Schedule that details the value of payouts for each symbol, line, scatter pay and/or other winning combinations offered by that specific game. Tip: Scan the slot paytable
before play to determine payouts for specific winning combinations.

Primary Jackpot: Top prize offered when a player hits a specific combination.
In the case of Megabucks, linked to participating casinos, the Megabucks symbols lined up correctly produce a bountiful payday.
This progressive jackpot, increasing with each coin played is the one showing the highest dollar value and is usually displayed with the largest sign and numbers. After a progressive jackpot is hit, the meter automatically resets to the base jackpot amount.

Progressive Slots: offer growing jackpots dependent upon amount of monies played through the linked bank/carousel slots. A larger bankroll is required and all progressives are at least three coin max slots with two jackpot levels - primary and secondary. When either jackpot wins, values are reset to minimums for each. Max play is mandatory here.

Reel Stop: One position on the reel, either a symbol or blank space that determines the results of the game.

Reels: Number of wheels/reels displayed in glass window of slot imprinted with symbols specific to that particular slot theme or game.
RNG - Random Number Generator: A computer program for slots placed by the manufacturer which sequences through a series of numbers that corresponds to the result of a single game. Moving at high speed, the RNG selects a random number upon the player triggering the spin button or slot handle.
This program is also designed to determine that particular slot’s average payout %.
No slot machine will pay back its preset payoff percentage rate every time. because the final outcome of every spin is randomly selected.