We would be wasting your time if we tried to categorize all types of slot machines. Each casino offers a variety of slots to attract gamblers. Slots come in hundreds of types and variations, from single line and 3-line, to 3 or 5 reel, and from bonus games to progressive, to name just a few.

It makes more sense to look at the distinctive characteristics of slot machines.

Number of rolls

There are usually 3 or 5 reel slot machines. Early slots only had three reels. We remember them as “classic” or “regular” machines.

Currently, 5 reel slots are common, and generally feature more than one payline (see below).

Number of rows

Slot machines feature one, two or multiple positions marking horizontal rows on vertical reels.
Additional rows, usually one above and one below the payout display, tempt players with the view of how narrowly they have missed winnings.

Number of Pay Lines

There may be one or more paylines across the reels. It is common to see 3, 5, 9, 15 and recently even 20 lines. For a winning combination, the designated symbol must fall on a line, often the center horizontal line.

There is only one payline across three reels on classic machines. You can bet one or more coins per spin but only the center line pays out, and increasing your bet does not increase your chances of winning.

On slots with more than one payline, you can play additional lines by increasing the number of coins you play with. You don’t have to bet on every available payline.

Suppose you are in a 3 line slot and you have to insert one coin to play the center line, the second coin to play the line above the middle and the third coin to play the line below the center. If you now bet only one coin and the reels display a winning combination on a line above or below the center, you won’t win anything because you played too few coins.
By offering diagonal matches, slots with 5 reels can have from 5 to 20 paylines.

One coin denomination

There are slot machines that accept denominations ranging from 5 cents to $5. High roller slots can accept “coins” denominated as much as $500, though they are few and far between. Some online casinos have special limits set up for their big players to accommodate big bets..

Number of coins that can be played

The maximum bet on classic slots is usually three coins, but there are some slots that accept a maximum bet of 2 coins. Once again, video slots have changed this characteristic dramatically, with some multi-line video slots now accepting up to 10 coins per line.