How to play slot machines

How it works

A slot machine shows reels covered in symbols. On each spin the reels turn and stop; if the symbols that line up make a combination the game pays, on an active payline, you win credits.

What each combination pays is set out in the paytable, which you can open from the machine’s screen. The result of every spin is drawn at random by a random number generator: no spin depends on the one before, and nothing lets you predict the next.

A game, step by step

1. Sit down and take a minute to read the screen: the help or info button opens the rules of the game and the paytable.
2. Put credits on the machine. At Epiphany, the floor staff bring your tokens to your seat and show you how the machine works if you would like.
3. Choose your stake: depending on the game, you set the credit value, the number of paylines and the bet per line. The machine shows the total bet per spin.
4. Spin with the button, or straight on the touch screen.
5. Read the result: wins are added to your credit meter, and an animation marks winning combinations or the start of a bonus.
6. When you are done, ask the floor staff how to collect the credits left on that machine.

Features you will come across

• A wild symbol stands in for other symbols to complete a combination.
• A scatter symbol pays wherever it lands on the reels, and often triggers free spins.
• Free spins are played without taking credits, at the stake of the spin that triggered them.
• A bonus game is a short separate round, sometimes interactive, that pays extra wins.
• A multiplier multiplies a win by the factor shown on screen.

Not every machine has every feature: the paytable of each game says exactly what it offers. The guide’s glossary explains each of these words.

Before you start

• Decide what you are ready to spend in the evening, and treat it as the price of the entertainment.
• Start with a small stake while you find your way around the game.
• Read the paytable: it says what wins, how much, and how the bonuses trigger.
• Take breaks: the bar, the kitchen and the night’s show are a few steps away.

Frequently asked

Is there a strategy to win at slot machines?

No. Every spin is drawn at random and does not depend on the ones before; no method, time of night or way of setting your stake changes the odds of a spin. What you can control is your budget and how long you play.

Can a machine be “hot” or “due to pay”?

No. A machine does not remember what it has or has not paid: the next spin has exactly the same odds as the last, whether it has just paid a big win or stayed quiet for an hour.

Do I need to know the rules to play at Epiphany?

No: the floor staff explain how the machine works and bring your tokens to your seat. The help button on each game also shows its rules and paytable.

Who can play?

The gaming area is for adults only, and identification may be asked for.