x1000 Golden Penny 2

The top prize is capped at 20,000x your stake. On a $1 spin that is $20,000; on $0.20 it is $4,000. When the cap is reached the round usually ends immediately.

Because wins don't depend on lines, every symbol in view can count towards a pay. The paytable lists how many matching symbols each tier needs.

Multipliers are applied to wins as they land; in many games several multipliers add together or multiply each other, which is where the largest wins come from.

Because winning symbols tumble away and are replaced, one paid spin can produce a chain of wins. All of them count towards that spin's total.

Free spins

A bonus round of spins played at no cost to your balance, usually triggered by landing three or more scatter symbols. Wins during the round are added to your balance, and many games let you retrigger extra spins.

Tumbling reels

After a win, the winning symbols are removed and new ones fall into their place. This can create several consecutive wins from a single paid spin. Also called cascades or avalanches.

Bonus buy

Lets you pay a fixed multiple of your stake to enter the bonus feature straight away instead of waiting for it to trigger. It raises variance considerably and is not available in every country (it is banned in the UK).

Multipliers

Multipliers increase a win by a set factor, such as 2x or 10x. They can be attached to symbols, applied to a whole spin, or grow during a feature, and are a main driver of the biggest wins.

Mystery symbols

Special symbols that all reveal the same randomly chosen regular symbol, which can complete several wins at once.

Wild symbols

Wilds substitute for regular paying symbols to help complete winning combinations. They do not normally replace scatter or bonus symbols.

• Set limits before you spin. Decide your loss limit and session time in advance and stop when you reach either. No pattern or betting system changes the outcome of a spin.

More on this in slot RTP and volatility explained and bankroll management.