The first time you sit down to play an online slot, the screen can feel crowded with terms and symbols that don’t make much sense. Wilds, scatters, paylines, RTP, it almost feels like another language, that’s why we’ve put together this slot game glossary, it’s a plain-English guide to the most common phrases you’ll bump into while spinning the reels at Goji Casino.
Paylines
Paylines are the patterns across the reels where wins happen. Early machines stuck with one simple line across the middle. Modern slots can have dozens, sometimes even hundreds, weaving all over the grid. More paylines means more chances to land a win.
Reels and Rows
Reels are the vertical strips that spin, rows are the horizontal ones. Put them together and you get the grid that makes up the game. Most slots stick to five reels and three rows, but plenty experiment with larger layouts or unusual setups. The design isn’t just cosmetic, it changes how the paylines form and how often wins hit.
Wild Symbols
Wilds are like the joker in a deck of cards or the blank scrabble tile. They stand in for other symbols and help finish off a winning line. Some games keep it simple, others make wilds the star of the show. You’ll find expanding wilds that cover an entire reel, sticky wilds that hang around for a few spins, and even wilds that boost payouts with multipliers.
Scatter Symbols
Scatters don’t follow the rules of paylines. Drop enough of them anywhere and they’ll usually unlock free spins or a bonus round. Some games give scatters their own payouts too, no matter where they land. They’re often the key to triggering the features that keep things exciting.
Free Spins
Few things get players more excited than free spins. As the name suggests, they let you spin without dipping into your balance. Most of the time they’re unlocked with scatters, but sometimes they’re given as a bonus round. Free spins often come with little twists: extra wilds, stacked symbols, or multipliers that can really push up the payouts.
Multipliers
Multipliers are straightforward, they increase the size of your win. A 2x multiplier doubles it, a 5x makes it five times bigger. They can show up attached to wilds, during free spins, or in dedicated features. Simple idea, but powerful when it lands.
Paytable
Every slot has a paytable. It’s the info board that tells you what each symbol is worth, how the features work, and how wins are formed. Spending a minute reading it before you play can make a big difference, especially with games you haven’t tried before.
RTP
RTP stands for “Return to Player”. It’s expressed as a percentage and gives you an idea of how much a game pays back over time. A slot with 96% RTP should, in theory, return $96 for every $100 wagered over a huge number of spins. It’s a long-term measure, so your short sessions might swing higher or lower.
Volatility
Volatility is about risk and reward. Low volatility slots pay smaller wins regularly, high volatility slots make you wait longer but can deliver big payouts when they hit. Medium volatility sits in between. Knowing a game’s volatility helps you pick something that matches your mood and budget.
Bonus Rounds
Bonus rounds break up the regular spins with something different. It might be a pick-and-click game, a wheel of fortune, or a special set of reels with added extras. They’re usually where the bigger wins are hiding, and they give a nice change of pace.
Progressive Jackpots
A progressive jackpot is a prize pool that grows every time someone plays. A slice of each bet feeds into it until one lucky spin takes the whole thing. That’s how jackpots reach life-changing amounts. Sometimes they’re triggered randomly, other times you need a special symbol combination.
Stacked and Expanding Symbols
Stacked symbols land in groups, filling up more of a reel. Expanding symbols grow to cover the whole reel once they hit. Both are designed to give you more chances of lining up winning combinations and keep spins unpredictable.
Autoplay
Autoplay is for when you’d rather let the reels run on their own. You pick the bet size, the number of spins, and sometimes set limits so it stops automatically after a certain win or loss. It’s handy, though many players still prefer hitting the spin button themselves.
Final Thoughts
Slots aren’t nearly as complicated once you know the language. With this slot game glossary, you now understand what paylines do, why scatters matter, and how features like multipliers and volatility shape the experience. The next time you open a game at Goji Casino, the screen won’t feel like a puzzle. You’ll know what’s happening, which makes it all the more enjoyable.
