When players look at a slot game, they often think about watching the reels spin and high-paying combinations forming on the paylines. But does anyone actually sit back and think about how the reels function in slots? Granted, this topic does not receive much attention compared with others such as house edge, RTP, paylines, betting strategies, and so on. For this reason, we have prepared an article explaining what a reel is and how it functions in the world of online slot games. Additionally, you will find an FAQ section at the bottom that answers some frequently asked questions on the subject.
Slot Reels
To start with the basics, a reel in slot games is a vertical column on the grid that spins after you place a wager, and a different symbol lands on it each time. All slot games come with reels, which are arguably one of their most important aspects. After all, spinning the reels is the whole point of playing this type of game. When slots first appeared, they had three mechanical reels that would spin after the player pulled a lever. Being mechanical, these reels had fixed symbols and physically spun. Typically, each reel had 10 symbols and with three reels, this meant that there were 1,000 possible combinations. Over time, slots became more complex and interesting but still retained their mechanical aspect, and decades would pass before the technology improved into what we now consider standard slots.
Nowadays, slot reels are still a vital component of the slots experience, but they are very different from what they used to be. For starters, video slots have no moving parts and the whole game is rendered by microprocessors. This allows for a lot of new possibilities and exponentially increases the potential of the genre.
Watch How Slot Reels Work
This new approach means that the reels do not have any preset symbols on them like they did in the early days. Whereas before you could have only two of a given symbol appear on a reel, now you can have the whole reel covered with that symbol if your luck is good enough. This is handled by the RNG (Random Number Generator) software implemented in modern slot games. Basically, it is programmed into the core of the game and determines the outcome of every spin at random. This has more or less revolutionized the gambling industry and opened the gates for software providers to develop much more interesting games.
Slots Reels Additional TipsWith physical limitations no longer being a factor, game developers could experiment with new and exciting features that the old games could not support. For example, adding extra reels was considered unrealistic in mechanical games because of the sheer complexity and the large number of possible outcomes. However, this is no problem for modern processors, which can calculate probabilities and odds in a fraction of a second. As a result, we saw the number of reels increase to five, and this quickly became the industry standard. Nowadays, 5-reel slots are typical and make up the bulk of an online casino’s gaming library.
This has had significant consequences for the typical slots experience. To begin with, increasing the number of reels also increases the number of potential outcomes for each spin by a great margin. For instance, a 5-reel slot can have 15 or 20 positions on its reels, each of which is occupied by a symbol. If there are 12 symbols in a video slot, this means there are 248,832 possible outcomes per line, not accounting for the odds of each symbol appearing. Moreover, when you add more reels, you can also increase the number of paylines laid out on the reels. Old-school slots with 3 reels can have up to 8 paylines, whereas 5-reel games can easily have 40, 50, 100, or even more.
Misconceptions about Online Slots Reels
With the rise of online casinos and video slots growing in popularity, certain misconceptions have emerged and spread among players who do not fully understand how the games work. One such misconception is the idea of a near miss, where the game stops the reels so that a symbol is just one position away from forming a winning combination. This gives players the impression that they were just a fraction away from a large win and that if the reel had spun for half a second longer, the win would have occurred. A similar fallacy occurs when players can stop the reels manually and the same scenario happens.
This way of thinking is wrong because no actual reels are spinning. What you are shown on screen is nothing more than a visualization, a computer graphic. What you see on the screen is there solely for immersion, and it does not affect your chances of winning. If you have the option of stopping the reels manually, all you are doing is stopping the animation. In fact, the outcome of the spin is determined the moment you press the “SPIN” button, and everything else is just for show. The RNG generates a result in a fraction of a second, and because it is random, everything is based on luck.
Frequently Asked Questions about Slots Reels
The topic of reels is not widely discussed in the online gambling industry, and not many players seem interested in it. Still, we believe that the information we have provided is useful and gives you a better understanding of online slots. That said, you may still have questions on the subject. For your convenience, we have prepared a list of the most commonly asked questions about slots reels along with their respective answers.
Does the number of slot reels matter?
The number of reels is quite important to the overall experience when playing slots. When it comes to complexity, 3-reel slots are much simpler and usually offer only the base gameplay with no special features. This can be both good and bad, depending on your perspective. If you are a new player who is still trying to wrap your head around the genre, you might consider playing this type of game. However, if you want a more complex and intricate experience, then 5-reel titles are the way to go. These types of games come with many more features and include a wider range of themes and aesthetics.
Another factor to consider is that you can form winning combinations more easily in 3-reel slots than in their 5-reel counterparts, as you only need to line up three of the same symbol on a payline. This is somewhat subjective, though, and you should determine your own preferences. We recommend that you try out a few different games in free play mode before you commit real funds.
Should I play games with more or fewer reels?
That decision is completely up to you. Some players prefer the simpler gameplay of 3-reel games or want to experience the genre as it once was. Others like to play the newer 5-reel titles since they usually come with more features and bonus rounds, as well as a larger number of paylines. Of course, in today’s market, there is something for everyone, and you can easily find a game that you love. If you are not sure where to start, check out our articles, where we cover different games to help you decide what to play.
Can I change the number of active reels?
This is not feasible because, unlike the number of active paylines, the number of reels is fixed in all situations and removing some of them would break the gameplay. There are titles in which certain reels are unlocked only in specific scenarios; however, not only is this feature rare, but these games never reduce the number of reels. To put it simply, the number of reels is a constant factor and one that you cannot adjust. Therefore, choose a game that best suits your needs.
Are there slots beyond 3- and 5-reel games?
While the majority of slots come with 3 or 5 reels, there is no rule as to how many reels a game should have. There are plenty of titles that go against this standard and include more reels. For example, Playtech’s Epic Ape comes with 6 reels and 4 positions on each one. On the extreme end of things, Microgaming’s Playboy Gold and NetEnt’s Archangels: Salvation both come with 6 reels, but with 10 and 12 positions on each, respectively. Basically, software providers create games that players want to play and follow the wishes of the player base. There are plenty of unorthodox slots in the online gambling industry, and you can find them if you are motivated enough.