The terms our reviews use, defined without marketing spin. Every definition describes how the mechanic actually behaves, including where it can work against you.
The percentage of all wagered money a slot is designed to pay back over millions of spins. A 96% RTP means £96 returned per £100 staked across the long run — not per session. RTP is a theoretical average, never a promise about your next hour of play.
How a game distributes its payouts. Low volatility pays small amounts often; high volatility pays rarely but larger. Two slots can share an RTP and feel completely different because of it. Match volatility to your bankroll and session length, not to a jackpot fantasy.
The vertical columns that spin and stop to form a result. Most modern slots use five reels; classic machines use three. The reel count sets how many symbol combinations the maths engine can produce.
The patterns across the reels on which matching symbols pay. Fixed-payline games stake all lines on every spin; "ways to win" games pay for any matching symbols on adjacent reels regardless of position.
A symbol that substitutes for others to complete a winning combination. Variants include expanding wilds (fill a whole reel), sticky wilds (hold across respins) and walking wilds (shift one reel per spin.)
Pays or triggers a feature regardless of payline position — usually three or more anywhere on screen start free spins or a bonus round.
Multiplies the value of a win. Multipliers appear on symbols, on wilds, or as a progressive value that climbs during a feature. A 3x multiplier on a £10 win pays £30.
Spins awarded without deducting from your balance, either by a scatter trigger in-game or as a promotional bonus. Promotional free spins carry wagering requirements and often a maximum win cap — read those terms before opting in.
A separate game mode with its own mechanics — pick-and-click prizes, wheels, hold-and-win respins — usually triggered by scatters. Bonus rounds carry most of a high-volatility slot’s win potential.
A licensed mechanic where the number of symbols per reel changes each spin, producing a variable number of ways to win (commonly up to 117,649). Megaways titles typically run high volatility.
The capped ceiling on what a single round can pay, expressed as a multiple of your stake (e.g. 5,000x). The cap matters: a game can advertise a huge multiplier that only the rarest feature outcome can reach.
The minimum and maximum stake per spin. A wide range lets the same game suit a £0.10 session and a £100 one; your stake should be a small fraction of the bankroll you set aside before playing.
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