Different slot machines are activated differently. The traditional “one-armed bandit” type of machines requires the insertion of a coin in the slot. The coin is validated by a coin detector. The lever is then pulled to activate the reels and generate the combination. Though this type of machine has the traditional charm, it requires the insertion of a coin for each try. Hence “ticket in – ticket out” machines are more suitable for those who want to play many games. A single paper ticket with the total amount is inserted in the slot. The machine automatically deducts the wagered amount and adds the winning amount to create the current balance, which is displayed. Such machines are normally operated by buttons instead of levers to activate the reels. When the player has finished playing, a ticket with his balance is printed by the machine, which can be cashed at the cash counter. The latest machines are electronic and are known as video slots. The winning combinations are generated using a computer program known as the Random Number Generator. The advantage of these slot machines is that they are much faster and have many more winning combinations, also known as paylines. Reel slots have up to 5 paylines, whereas video slots are known to have up to 100 paylines. There is another advantage of video slots. Different player like to wager with different denominations. Beginners usually start with smaller bets, while high rollers look to place larger bets. In reel slots there are different machines for different denominations. However in video slots all machines play all denominations and the player can select the appropriate choice.
Progressive slots is a special format of the game that offers more excitement and players ultimately gravitate to these. Progressive slots offer lower individual payouts but also offer the life changing jackpots, which are its main attraction. In progressive slots a fraction of the bet placed contributes to the jackpot. As more games are played the jackpot keeps on increasing. The jackpot amount is displayed on the machine. If a player gets the jackpot combination then he wins the entire jackpot amount. The jackpot then starts again from zero. There are three types of progressive slots. The first is the stand-alone type in which the games played on that machine only contribute to the jackpot. In the second type, also known as in-house, many machines in the same casino are linked and games played on any of these machines contribute to the common jackpot and a player playing on any of these machines can win the jackpot. In the third type, also known as wide area, machines in different locations are lined electronically.