When you play a slot machine, you have to know that no two machines pay out the same way. Even if they look the same, they may have different minimum bets and/or payout percentage caps. You can find out this information by reading the pay table for each machine you’re interested in playing. The pay table will list all of the symbols in the game, along with their payouts and which bet sizes match them. You’ll also see how many pay lines a slot has, and this is a key factor in determining the probability of landing a winning combination.

Some slots have as few as one payline, while others have dozens or even hundreds of them. It’s a good idea to read the pay table for each machine you play, and it’s always a good idea to check if there are any bonus features, as these can be very lucrative. You’ll also want to check to make sure that you understand the rules of any triggered or re-triggering free spins rounds or scatter pay games. Often, these bonus features will be explained in the pay table or on the HELP or INFO button that’s located on the bottom of the screen. A lot of modern video games have their pay tables incorporated into these help screens as well, so they’re easy to access. This is great if you’re new to playing a game, or just need a refresher on the rules of a particular slot.