Pokies Glossary: 31 Terms Every Player Should Know
FRENZY96 ·
Open the info screen of any online pokie and you will meet words like scatter, cascading reels or hold and win. This glossary explains the terms you are most likely to see, in plain English and in alphabetical order. Every game has its own rules, so the info screen of the game you are playing always has the final say.
A to F
Autoplay — plays a set number of spins in a row at the same bet. Most games let you stop it at any time or after a win or loss limit.
Base game — the normal spins, outside any bonus round.
Bet level / coin value — the two settings some games use to set your total bet per spin. Total bet = coin value × coins per line × lines, or simply the total shown on screen.
Bonus buy (feature buy) — pay a fixed multiple of your bet to start the bonus round straight away. It does not change the game's maths in your favour; it only skips the waiting. Not every game offers it.
Cascading reels (tumbling, avalanche) — winning symbols disappear and new symbols drop into their place, which can create several wins from one spin.
Cluster pays — wins are paid for groups of matching symbols touching each other, instead of lines across the reels.
Expanding wild — a wild that grows to cover the whole reel.
Feature — any special event in a game, such as free spins, a pick-a-prize screen or a respin.
Fixed jackpot — a top prize that is always the same amount or the same multiple of your bet.
Free spins — bonus spins that do not cost you anything from your balance, usually triggered by scatters. Wins during free spins are often boosted by multipliers or extra wilds.
H to M
Hit rate (hit frequency) — how often a spin pays anything at all. A 25% hit rate means about one spin in four returns a win, even if it is smaller than your bet.
Hold and win (hold and spin) — a bonus where special symbols lock in place and you get a few respins to land more. The count usually resets each time a new symbol lands.
House edge — the casino's long-run advantage, equal to 100% minus RTP.
Max win — the largest win a game can pay on one spin, shown as a multiple of your bet (for example 5,000×).
Megaways — a reel system licensed by Big Time Gaming in which the number of symbols on each reel changes every spin, so the number of ways to win changes too.
Multiplier — multiplies a win, such as 2× or 10×. Some games add multipliers together during a feature.
Mystery symbol — symbols that all turn into the same random symbol after the reels stop.
P to R
Payline — a pattern across the reels that pays when matching symbols land on it, usually from the leftmost reel.
Paytable — the screen that shows what each symbol pays and how the features work. Worth reading before you play a new game.
Progressive jackpot — a jackpot that grows as players bet, until someone wins it.
Reels and rows — the columns and lines of symbols. A 5×3 game has five reels and three rows.
Respin — a free re-spin of some reels, often while other reels stay locked.
Retrigger — landing the trigger symbols again during free spins to win more free spins.
RNG (random number generator) — the software that decides every result. Each spin is independent of the last one, and timing or patterns do not change it.
RTP (return to player) — the share of all money bet that a game pays back over millions of spins. Read more in RTP and volatility explained.
S to W
Scatter — a symbol that pays or triggers a feature wherever it lands, not only on a payline.
Sticky wild — a wild that stays in place for several spins, usually during free spins.
Turbo / quick spin — speeds up the reel animation. The result is the same; only the waiting is shorter, so your budget is used faster.
Volatility (variance) — how wins are spread. Low volatility pays small amounts often; high volatility pays rarely but can pay big.
Ways to win — instead of fixed lines, any matching symbols on adjacent reels from left to right pay. "243 ways" is the common 5×3 version. See paylines, ways and cluster pays.
Wild — substitutes for other symbols to complete a win. Wilds usually cannot replace scatters or bonus symbols.
Putting the terms to use
When you try a new pokie, open the paytable first and look for four things: the RTP, the volatility (if listed), how the free spins or bonus are triggered, and the max win. That takes a minute and tells you most of what you need. For more on the bonus rounds themselves, see pokies bonus features explained, and if you are brand new, start with how to play online pokies.
What is the difference between a wild and a scatter?
A wild replaces other symbols to complete a winning line. A scatter pays or triggers a feature wherever it lands, and usually cannot be replaced by a wild.
What does 243 ways to win mean?
On a 5×3 game, matching symbols on adjacent reels from the left pay in any row position, which gives 3 × 3 × 3 × 3 × 3 = 243 possible combinations.
Is a bonus buy worth it?
A bonus buy costs a large multiple of your bet and does not improve your long-run return. It only skips the base game, so the swings are bigger. Only use it if the cost fits your budget.
Does turbo spin change my chances?
No. Turbo only shortens the animation. The result of each spin is decided in the same way, but you will play more spins per minute.
Where can I find a game's RTP?
In the game's info or paytable screen. Most studios publish the RTP for each game there.