A slot is a position on a machine where matching symbols must line up to trigger a winning combination. Generally, the more symbols in the combination, the higher the payout value. Slots can also include special symbols, like wilds and scatters. They can also contain bonus features, such as free spins and jackpots.
In a land-based slot machine, the pay table is listed on the front of the machine above and below the reels, although on many modern video machines they can be found in a help menu. The pay table shows how much you can win for matching symbols on a pay line, and it may also list the number of pay lines in the machine.
The pay table is also a good place to look for information on the game’s bonus features. These can be as simple as a mystery chase through a crime zone in NetEnt’s Cash Noire, or as complex as an outer-space cluster payoff in ReelPlay’s Cosmic Convoy. While it is tempting to choose a game based solely on its return-to-player (RTP) rate, the best slots balance RTP, betting limits, and bonus features.
In a computerized slot machine, the RNG generates a sequence of numbers that correspond to the positions on the reels. It then uses an internal sequence table to match the three-number sequence with a corresponding reel location. When the computer finds that location, it causes the reels to stop at those positions.