THE LANGUAGE BEHIND THE REELS
Slot machines use overlapping terms for bets, paylines, bonus features, jackpots and statistics. This glossary explains the language used across Slots on the Spectrum in plain English, with clear distinctions between what a game displays, what happened in one session and what can actually be supported by a source.
Use it alongside the Game guides and video library, or start with the essentials below.
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100 terms shown.
GLOSSARY TOPIC
Game Basics
The parts of a slot game and the labels that distinguish one title or setup from another.
Slot machine / slot game
A slot machine is a gambling device or game in which a wager buys a chance at a randomly determined result. Players encounter the term on a physical casino cabinet and in digital game descriptions. “Slot game” may refer to the software rather than the cabinet carrying it. The name alone does not identify the math, features, denomination or regulatory configuration.
Cabinet
The cabinet is the physical hardware around a casino game: screens, controls, speakers, player interface and other components. One cabinet model can host multiple titles, and one title may appear on more than one cabinet. A cabinet name therefore should not be treated as a complete game identity or proof that every installation has identical rules.
Game title
A game title is the specific name shown by the game and its approved materials. Similar names can identify sequels, editions or themes with different features. Slots on the Spectrum keeps exact titles separate when the evidence supports that distinction; a casual nickname or shortened video title should not be assumed to identify every variant.
Game family
A game family groups related titles that share branding, characters or recognizable feature ideas. For example, the verified Huff N’ Puff family contains distinct games, not interchangeable configurations of one game. Family membership does not prove that every title has the same trigger, paytable, volatility or jackpot structure.
Game configuration
A game configuration is the particular approved setup running on a machine, including choices that may affect denomination, wager options, paytable, features or theoretical return. Two cabinets showing the same title can have different permitted configurations. A value sourced for an online version, another jurisdiction or another cabinet should not automatically be transferred to the machine being discussed.
Reel and row
A reel is a vertical strip or displayed column of symbols; a row is a horizontal position across the visible result. Video slots can use fixed grids, changing reel heights or feature-only layouts. Calling a game “five reel” does not by itself state how many rows appear, how wins are evaluated or whether the grid expands during a feature.
Symbol
A symbol is an image or marked position used by the game to evaluate wins, trigger features or display prizes. Symbols can have different functions in the base game and a bonus. A coin, orb or character that looks similar across titles should not be assumed to follow the same rule; its role comes from the exact game’s paytable and help information.
Paytable
The paytable is the game’s displayed reference for symbol awards, winning patterns, feature rules and other information. Players usually open it through a Help, Pays or Info control. It is the best on-machine starting point for that installation, but a screenshot of one page may not capture every rule, denomination condition or configuration choice.
Base game
The base game is the normal state in which a paid spin begins, outside a separate bonus sequence. It can still contain wilds, progress meters, random events or instant awards. “Base game” does not mean featureless, and a win credited there should not be relabeled as a bonus win unless the project’s declared counting rules support that classification.
Bonus game / feature
A bonus game or feature is a distinct event or rule set within a slot title, such as free games, a pick screen, wheel or hold-and-spin sequence. Some begin from a symbol trigger; others may be awarded another way. “Bonus” does not guarantee a profit, a minimum win beyond published rules or the same behavior across similarly named games.
GLOSSARY TOPIC
Bets and Credits
How machines display credit values, wagers, money moving in and money moving out.
Credit
A credit is a machine-displayed unit whose cash value depends on the selected denomination or another stated conversion. One hundred credits at one cent is not the same money as one hundred credits at one dollar. Credits and cash figures are therefore not interchangeable without denomination context, and a credit-denominated prize should not be reported as dollars automatically.
Denomination
Denomination is the monetary value assigned to one credit, such as 1¢, 5¢ or $1. It appears in the bet controls or game display and is essential when converting credits into cash. Changing denomination may also change available wagers, paytable values or eligibility, so it should not be treated only as a cosmetic label.
Bet / wager and total bet
A bet or wager is the amount committed to a gambling outcome. Total bet is the full amount charged for one paid spin after the selected credit amount, denomination, lines or multipliers are applied. During a free spin, the interface may display the bet configuration used to value results, but that displayed amount is not necessarily a new economic wager.
Bet multiplier
A bet multiplier changes how a base bet unit contributes to the total wager or to displayed awards. It may appear as a bet level, multiplier choice or credits-per-line control. Its exact effect is game-specific: it should not be assumed to multiply every prize, improve odds or activate a feature unless the paytable explicitly says so.
Minimum bet and maximum bet
Minimum bet and maximum bet are the lowest and highest wagers available under the current game, denomination and configuration. A “max bet” button selects the machine’s current maximum; it is not a recommendation and may change if denomination changes. Published limits from another installation should not be treated as universal for the title.
Feature eligibility
Feature eligibility describes a wager or selection required for a particular feature to be available. A game may disclose this in its paytable or bet interface. Paying more should not be assumed to improve every outcome or guarantee the feature; the exact eligibility rule and effect must come from the specific game and configuration.
Jackpot eligibility
Jackpot eligibility is the condition under which a wager can qualify for a jackpot tier. Some games require a specified bet, denomination or enabled option; others use different rules. Seeing a jackpot amount on the cabinet does not by itself prove that the current wager qualifies, so the displayed help and eligibility indicators matter.
Buy-in
Buy-in is the money or value placed into play at the beginning of a visit, machine session or documented segment. It can come from cash, a ticket or another accepted source. Buy-in is not the same as coin-in: the same funds can be wagered repeatedly, making cumulative coin-in larger than the starting amount.
Coin-in
Coin-in is the cumulative amount wagered across paid plays in a stated scope. It is often much larger than the cash inserted because returned credits can be wagered again. On this site, coin-in must be tied to a clear population such as recorded or reviewed spins; it should not be inferred from session length or starting balance alone.
Cash-out
Cash-out is the value removed from play when a player ends or pauses a machine visit, often as a printed ticket or account transfer. It is not automatically the session’s total return because money may have been added, removed or moved during play. A net result needs a defined calculation and complete enough source coverage.
Ticket-in, ticket-out (TITO)
TITO is the ticket system many casinos use to move machine credits. A ticket can be inserted as value and printed when cashing out, then redeemed or used in another compatible machine. The ticket records transferable value, not the history of how it was won or lost, and local procedures can vary by casino.
Promotional free play
Promotional free play is wagering value supplied under a casino or rewards-program offer. Rules can differ on eligible games, expiration, conversion to cashable credits and whether the promotional amount itself can be withdrawn. “Free play” should not be confused with free spins inside a game, and its exact terms must come from the issuing program.
GLOSSARY TOPIC
Symbols and Pays
How symbols are evaluated and why one game’s winning pattern may differ from another.
Payline, line pay and ways to win
A payline is a defined path across reel positions, and a line pay is an award evaluated on one of those active paths. A ways-to-win system generally counts qualifying symbols on adjacent reels without one fixed line. Games can add direction, reel or symbol requirements, so the paytable—not the phrase “ways”—defines the exact winning pattern.
Scatter pay
A scatter pay awards for a stated number of scatter symbols under rules that may not require them to land on an active payline or on adjacent reels. Scatters may also trigger a feature, but those are separate functions unless the paytable combines them. The symbol count, eligible reels and award calculation are game-specific.
Cluster pay
Cluster pay evaluates groups of matching symbols that touch according to the game’s stated connection rule, often horizontally or vertically. It differs from fixed paylines and adjacent-reel ways. The required cluster size, diagonal treatment, cascading behavior and eligible symbols vary, so a visual group is not automatically a win.
Wild and scatter
A wild usually substitutes for specified symbols in a winning combination; a scatter commonly pays or triggers based on its own placement rule. Either symbol can have extra behavior, and some games limit what a wild can replace. They are not interchangeable terms, and their exact effect must be read from the game’s paytable.
Stacked Wild
A Stacked Wild is a group of wild symbols placed together on the same reel or column. A stack can cover part or all of the visible reel depending on the result. The term does not guarantee a full-reel wild, a win or a particular multiplier; those details depend on the game’s rule set.
Expanding Wild
An Expanding Wild grows beyond its original position when the stated condition is met, sometimes covering a reel, row or area. Expansion can occur before or after evaluation and may carry restrictions. It should not be assumed to behave like a stacked or sticky wild unless the game explicitly combines those functions.
Trigger symbol
A trigger symbol is one the game uses as part of the condition for starting a feature or event. It may need to appear on particular reels, in a minimum count or with another symbol. A symbol that resembles a trigger in another title is not proof; exact trigger rules belong to the specific game and configuration.
Winning combination
A winning combination is a set or arrangement of symbols that satisfies a rule in the active paytable. It may be evaluated on a line, through ways, as a cluster or by another disclosed method. A visually impressive screen is not necessarily a payable combination, and multiple wins may be combined according to game-specific rules.
GLOSSARY TOPIC
Bonuses and Features
Common feature structures, counters and visual presentations without assuming a universal rule.
Feature trigger
A feature trigger is the exact event that starts a bonus or special mode. It can involve symbols, a wheel result, a random award, a meter state or another documented condition. Similar-looking games do not necessarily share triggers, and a video title or thumbnail is not enough evidence to state the rule.
Free spins / free games
Free spins or free games are feature plays awarded without charging a new wager for each spin. The game normally carries forward a configured bet or prize basis to value the results, but that display is not necessarily new economic coin-in. Spin count, reel set, multipliers, retriggers and other rules vary by title.
Retrigger
A retrigger adds play or extends a feature after it has already begun, often when another qualifying symbol combination lands. It may add spins, reset a counter or start another stage. “Retrigger” does not mean the same number of added spins in every game, and a retrigger count should be recorded separately from the original trigger.
Multiplier
A multiplier increases a stated value by a factor such as 2x or 3x. It may apply to one symbol, one win, a feature total or another defined amount. The label should not be assumed to multiply the wager, every prize or a jackpot. Its scope and timing come from the exact game rules.
Respin
A respin is another reel evaluation awarded under a feature rule, commonly without a separate paid wager. Some respins hold symbols, replace only selected reels or use a reset counter. A respin is not automatically a free-spin bonus, and its displayed bet should not be counted as fresh coin-in unless an actual wager was charged.
Hold & Spin / Lock & Respin
Hold & Spin and Lock & Respin describe feature structures in which qualifying symbols remain while a limited number of respins can add more. A new symbol often resets the remaining-spin counter, but grids, starting counts, prize collection and reset rules vary. Verified games such as Buffalo Ultimate Stampede use title-specific versions of this broad structure.
Reset
A reset returns a feature counter, meter or value to a stated point after a qualifying event. In a respin feature, a new prize symbol may reset the spins remaining; in another game the word can describe a jackpot or meter returning to a starting value. Never assume “reset to three” without the exact rule.
Collect symbol and prize symbol
A prize symbol displays or represents an award, while a collect symbol gathers qualifying displayed values under the feature’s rules. A game may combine those roles or require the collect symbol in a particular position. Coin, orb and fireball imagery is common, but similar art does not establish identical collection behavior.
Wheel feature
A wheel feature presents possible awards or feature paths on a wheel-like display. It may be a trigger, an intermediate choice or the bonus itself. The visible wedges show possible outcomes under the current rules, not guaranteed future results. Fortune Harmony Grand Spins is one verified channel-related example with a game-specific wheel mechanic.
Pick bonus
A pick bonus asks the player to select from concealed objects or positions while the game reveals prizes, matches or stopping conditions. The player’s interaction advances the presentation; it should not be assumed to change a result already determined by the game system. Award counts, endings and prize tables are title-specific.
Mystery feature
A mystery feature reveals an award, symbol change or bonus event without showing the final result in advance. “Mystery” describes the presentation, not evidence that the event is due or that all outcomes are equally likely. The source, timing and range of outcomes must be established for the exact title.
Sticky symbol
A sticky symbol remains in position for a stated number of spins or for part of a feature. Wilds, prize symbols and other icons can be sticky, but persistence length and eligible areas vary. A held symbol in a Hold & Spin feature is not automatically called sticky unless that terminology accurately reflects the game.
Expanding reels / reel growth
Expanding reels or reel growth increases the visible play area, often by adding rows or positions during a feature. Growth can affect ways, available prize positions or only presentation. An animation suggesting a larger screen does not prove more paylines or a particular mathematical benefit unless the paytable states the effect.
Persistence meter / persistence presentation
A persistence presentation changes visually across paid play—for example, pots filling, characters building or objects becoming more active. It may communicate an actual saved state or simply present entertainment cues. A fuller-looking meter does not, by itself, prove a bonus is due unless an official rule for that exact game and configuration establishes that behavior.
Upgrade and feature level / tier
An upgrade changes a feature, prize set or presentation to a stated higher version; a feature level or tier labels the resulting stage. “Super,” “Ultra,” houses and palaces can be title-specific levels rather than universal categories. The label alone does not prove a fixed value, trigger chance or relationship to another game’s tiers.
Bonus counter and bonus total
A bonus counter shows a quantity such as spins remaining, collected symbols or completed bonuses. A bonus total shows value credited within the feature under the game’s display rules. Neither should be mistaken for total session return, and counters should be interpreted according to whether an original trigger, retrigger or nested feature is being counted.
Game-specific feature name
Labels such as Hard Hats, Buzz Saw, Wolf Howl, upgrades, houses or palaces belong to particular games or families. For example, Huff N’ More Puff has verified Hard Hat and Buzz Saw context. “Wolf Howl” is a game-specific event label seen in Huff N’ Puff-family content; its exact result and trigger rules depend on the title and configuration.
GLOSSARY TOPIC
Jackpots
Fixed and progressive awards, displayed tiers, resets and handpay terminology.
Jackpot
A jackpot is a named top-level prize or prize tier offered under a game’s rules. It may be fixed, progressive, linked or local to one machine. The displayed amount, qualifying bet and award method matter; the word “jackpot” alone does not establish that any visible amount is available to every wager.
Progressive jackpot
A progressive jackpot has an amount that can increase according to its approved system until it is won or otherwise reset. Contributions may come from one machine or a wider link. A rising display does not mean the next spin is more likely to win it unless an authoritative rule explicitly establishes a changing probability.
Linked and standalone progressive
A linked progressive connects eligible play across multiple machines or locations, while a standalone progressive is associated with one machine or installation. Casino and manufacturer labels can be more specific, including wide-area or local-area links. The network type does not by itself reveal odds, contribution rates or the current availability of a title.
Grand / Major / Minor / Mini
Grand, Major, Minor and Mini are common names for descending jackpot or prize tiers. Their amounts can be fixed or progressive and their triggers can differ within the same game. A “Grand” is not automatically linked, life-changing or available at every bet; the game display and eligibility rules define each tier.
Must-hit-by jackpot
A must-hit-by jackpot is designed to award by or before a displayed maximum value under its approved rules. The increasing meter does not tell a player exactly when it will hit, and proximity to the ceiling should not be presented as a predictable outcome. Eligibility, reset and jurisdictional requirements remain installation-specific.
Jackpot reset
A jackpot reset is the amount or state to which a jackpot returns after an award or another authorized reset event. It may include a base or seed value. A reset does not mean the game, cabinet or all related meters have restarted, and reset amounts observed elsewhere may not apply to the current installation.
Handpay
A handpay is a payout that requires casino staff or another approved process instead of completing entirely through the machine or ticket system. The trigger can depend on amount, machine condition, local rules or operating procedure. Thresholds and tax treatment vary, so this glossary does not publish one jurisdiction-specific number as a universal rule.
GLOSSARY TOPIC
Session Statistics
Terms used to describe results, frequency and variation within a clearly stated sample.
Return to player (RTP)
Return to player is return divided by wager for a clearly defined population, expressed as a percentage. In theoretical material it describes modeled long-run behavior for a configuration; in a session report it describes observed results. RTP is not a promise, a prediction for the next spin or a guarantee that any player will receive that percentage.
Theoretical RTP
Theoretical RTP is a long-run configuration value supported by an appropriate authoritative source. It belongs to a specific game setup and may differ across approved options. It does not describe what must happen in one visit, and Slots on the Spectrum does not substitute an online RTP or another cabinet’s value for an unverified land-based configuration.
Observed session RTP
Observed session RTP is total supported return divided by total supported wager within one declared session population. A short result can be far above or below 100%. It records what happened in that scope; it does not reveal the machine’s theoretical setting, erase missing coverage or forecast the next outcome. See Observed RTP Explained.
House edge
House edge is the theoretical share of wagers not returned over the long run under a stated game configuration, often expressed as the complement of theoretical RTP. It is not the casino’s profit on every session and cannot be calculated reliably from one short result. Configuration and source context are required before publishing a value.
Volatility / variance
Volatility describes how widely and how often a game’s results may vary around its long-run expectation; variance is the statistical concept behind that spread. Higher volatility often means less frequent or more uneven outcomes, but it is not the same as RTP. It does not make a game inherently better, worse or due for a large win.
Hit frequency
Hit frequency is the proportion of evaluated spins that meet the project’s definition of a winning result. Depending on the source, a “hit” may include wins smaller than the wager. It is not the same as bonus frequency, profit rate or theoretical RTP, and comparisons require compatible definitions and populations.
Bonus frequency
Bonus frequency describes how often a qualifying bonus occurs within a declared set of spins, often shown as bonuses per paid spin or paid spins per bonus. The original trigger and retriggers must be counted consistently. It is distinct from hit frequency and does not establish a future trigger schedule, especially in a small sample.
Average bonus win
Average bonus win is the total value credited to qualifying bonuses divided by the number of bonuses under a stated counting rule. The result can change sharply when the sample is small or one feature is unusually large. It should identify whether retriggers or nested features are part of their parent bonus rather than counted again.
Win multiple (“x” result)
A win multiple expresses a return relative to a stated wager, commonly written as 156x. The denominator must be clear: total bet for the triggering spin, a feature bet basis or another declared amount. It is not a cash value without wager context and should not be confused with a multiplier symbol shown inside the game.
Dead spin
A dead spin is an informal term for a spin with no credited return. It can still contain near-miss animation, meter movement or other presentation. The label does not mean nothing happened internally, that a feature became more likely or that the next spin has changed. Counting rules should distinguish zero-return spins from small wins below the wager.
Sample size
Sample size is the number of observations included in a calculation or summary—for example, paid spins analyzed or bonuses reviewed. It determines how much evidence supports the result but does not automatically make the sample representative. A large count with unknown gaps or mixed scopes can still answer the wrong question.
Short-term variance
Short-term variance is the visible swing created when a limited sample lands far from a long-run expectation. One bonus or long dry stretch can dominate a short session. The swing is real for that session, but it should not be read as evidence that the machine changed, is compensating for earlier results or will soon reverse course.
Session
A session is a bounded period of play defined for reporting. Its boundary might be one machine visit, one recorded segment or another clearly stated scope. The word does not guarantee complete footage or continuous play. Session metrics must state whether they cover what was played, recorded, analyzed or reviewed.
Paid spin
A paid spin is a play that places a new economic wager and contributes to coin-in. It should be counted separately from feature spins that do not charge another wager. A displayed bet during a bonus can remain visible for prize calculation without making each free spin a paid spin.
Free spin
A free spin is a feature play that does not place an additional economic wager at the moment it runs. It can still display the triggering bet or a configured credit value. For session analysis, free spins belong to feature activity and should not silently increase paid-spin count or coin-in.
Spin count
Spin count is the number of spins in a declared population. A trustworthy total identifies whether it means paid spins, free spins or both, and whether the source covers played, recorded, analyzed or reviewed activity. A number taken from a video title should not be expanded into detailed spin records that were never observed.
Base-game win
A base-game win is value credited from a paid spin outside the project’s defined bonus event. It may include line, ways, cluster or instant awards depending on the game. The classification should follow a consistent counting rule; a flashy animation does not automatically turn a base result into a separate bonus.
Bonus win
A bonus win is value attributed to a qualifying bonus or feature under the declared analysis rules. It can include retriggers and multiple stages when they belong to the same feature. It is not necessarily additional to every on-screen total, so analysts must avoid double-counting values already rolled into a displayed bonus total.
Total return
Total return is all value credited back from the included outcomes in a declared population. It can include base-game and bonus returns when both are in scope. It is not the same as cash-out or profit, and it should not include unsupported play outside the recording simply because a final balance is visible.
Net result
Net result is total return minus total wager for the same compatible scope. A positive number indicates more returned than wagered in that population; a negative number indicates less. Deposits, cash-outs and balances should not be substituted without a reconciled definition, and the result does not predict future play.
Bonus count
Bonus count is the number of qualifying original bonus events under a stated rule. It should say which feature types count and whether nested events are included. Retriggers are normally tracked separately when the purpose is to compare original triggers, preventing one feature from being counted multiple times without explanation.
Retrigger count
Retrigger count records qualifying feature extensions after the original trigger. It is separate from bonus count so viewers can distinguish how often features began from how often they extended. The count must follow the game-specific definition and should not treat every added spin or reset as a retrigger automatically.
High limit and low limit
High limit and low limit are relative labels for wagering environments, denominations or channel formats. They do not have one universal dollar boundary and may mean different things by casino, market or player. The label describes context, not game quality, volatility, expected return or an endorsement of a particular stake.
GLOSSARY TOPIC
Data and Evidence
The exact evidence states used across Slots on the Spectrum and why their boundaries matter.
Played
Played describes what actually occurred in the real-world session, including activity that may not appear in usable footage. A played total is used only when an appropriate source supports it. The site does not assume that recorded, analyzed or reviewed material covers everything that was played.
Recorded
Recorded describes the portion of play preserved in source footage or another recording. Recording can start late, stop early or contain unreadable moments. A recorded population is evidence of what the source contains, not automatic proof of the entire played session. Gaps remain labeled rather than filled with invented events.
Analyzed
Analyzed describes the recorded material that has been processed by the project’s analysis workflow. It may be smaller than the recorded population if only part of a source was processed. Analyzer output can contain detected values and uncertainty; analysis does not automatically make a value reviewed, corrected, authoritative or approved for publication.
Reviewed
Reviewed describes material checked by a human reviewer under the project’s review process. It identifies a coverage and quality-control state, not a blanket claim that every fact is perfect. Review status remains separate from correction history, authoritative sourcing and the editorial decision to publish a page.
Detected value
A detected value is produced by an automated process such as screen reading, event detection or another analysis step. It preserves what the tool reported along with relevant confidence and source context. A detected value is not silently upgraded to observed, corrected or authoritative merely because it looks plausible.
Observed value
An observed value is read or supported directly from the available source within a stated scope. It describes what the recording or evidence shows, not necessarily the entire played session or the machine’s theoretical configuration. Observation should include enough context to distinguish a meter, temporary display and final credited result.
Corrected value
A corrected value is an attributable change made after a detected or earlier value is found to be wrong. A trustworthy correction preserves the previous value, the replacement, who made the change, when and why. Correction does not erase source history or turn a partial recording into complete coverage.
Authoritative value
An authoritative value comes from a source accepted for the fact and scope being stated—for example, an appropriate full-session total or official configuration document. Authority is specific: a source may support a total without supporting every spin detail. It must not be used to fabricate missing events or silently override incompatible evidence.
Coverage
Coverage describes how much of the relevant play or source is available at a stated stage: recorded, analyzed or reviewed. It can be complete, partial, unknown or expressed as a supported percentage. Coverage labels prevent a partial record from being presented as the whole session. See Video Coverage & Session Data.
Recording gap
A recording gap is a known interruption or missing segment in source coverage, such as a late start, early stop or camera failure. The gap can limit spin counts and calculations even when surrounding footage is clear. It should be described, not reconstructed with invented spins or assumed average behavior.
Known gap
A known gap is missing coverage whose existence is supported, even if every missing event is not known. A visible cut or documented unrecorded period can establish the boundary. The site may report what is known before and after it, but should not claim the missing values without another suitable source.
Unknown gap
An unknown gap means the project cannot establish whether the available source covers all relevant activity. This differs from a known interruption with known boundaries. The honest response is to label completeness as unknown and limit conclusions to the supported population rather than assume either perfect coverage or a specific missing amount.
Scope
Scope states exactly what a fact or calculation covers: which session, time period, spins, source and evidence state. Operands in a metric must use compatible scopes. A correct formula can still produce a misleading result if recorded wager is combined with an authoritative full-session return or if paid and free spins are mixed without explanation.
Confidence
Confidence expresses how strongly the available method or evidence supports a value. It may apply to an automated detection, classification or editorial judgment. A high score is not the same as human review or an authoritative source, and a low score should guide review rather than be hidden from the workflow.
Source / evidence
A source is the artifact or record from which a claim is derived; evidence is the relevant support it provides. One source can support some facts but not others. Slots on the Spectrum keeps claims tied to suitable evidence and favors official material for exact game rules instead of treating a thumbnail, title or casual label as proof.
Full recording and partial recording
A full recording is believed to preserve the entire declared session scope; a partial recording preserves only part of it. “Full” still needs a defined start and end, while “partial” can remain useful for supported observations. Neither label says how much has been analyzed or reviewed, which are separate coverage states.
GLOSSARY TOPIC
Slots on the Spectrum Terms
Channel language for video formats, tracking projects, casino observations and displayed results.
Bonus hunt
A bonus hunt is a video or play format built around seeking or collecting bonus features, sometimes across several games before showing the results. Format rules vary by creator and episode. The phrase does not establish how many bonuses will occur, whether every wager is recorded or whether the hunt ends in profit.
RTP tracking
RTP tracking records supported wager and return values for a declared population so an observed percentage can be calculated. It is a description of the sample, not a way to discover when a machine will pay. Slots on the Spectrum keeps tracked results tied to scope, coverage and the distinctions in the Methodology.
500-spin session
A 500-spin session is a channel format or declared sample centered on 500 paid spins under the episode’s counting rules. The label should identify what was actually counted and what recording coverage exists. Five hundred observations can be useful, but they remain a finite sample and do not reveal the next result or theoretical RTP by themselves.
Bonus 1/10 and episode bonus numbering
A label such as “Bonus 1/10” identifies the first bonus in an editorial or episode sequence containing ten counted bonuses. It helps viewers follow the video; it is not a paytable term, prize rank or statement that ten bonuses were guaranteed. Counting should distinguish original triggers from retriggers and nested stages.
156x-style result
A title or card showing “156x” reports a win multiple relative to a stated bet basis. It lets differently sized wagers be compared at a glance, but it is not a dollar amount and does not promise repeatability. The underlying wager, return and feature scope should be available before using the figure analytically.
Filmed at / game observed at a casino
“Filmed at” or “observed at” records a past visit or documented sighting. For example, a video filmed at The Casino @ Dania Beach supports that historical venue context. It does not prove the game is currently on the floor, and machines visible in older photography are not treated as current inventory.
Current casino availability
Current casino availability is a time-sensitive claim that a specific game can presently be played at a venue. It requires recent, suitable confirmation from the casino or another approved source. Historical footage, an earlier visit, a game page relationship or a machine visible in a photograph does not establish current inventory. Browse casino guides for documented venue context.
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READ THE SIGNAL CAREFULLY
What these terms do not prove
A fuller meter does not mean “due.”
A pot, character or persistence meter that looks fuller is a presentation state. It proves an approaching feature only when an official rule for that exact game and configuration says so.
Recent losses do not predict the next spin.
A run of losing results can feel meaningful, but it does not make the next outcome knowable. A recorded history describes what happened; it is not a timing system.
One session does not reveal theoretical RTP.
A high or low observed session RTP can move sharply in a short sample. It cannot identify the machine’s theoretical RTP setting.
High volatility is not a quality score.
Volatility describes the shape and spread of possible results. It does not mean a game is automatically better, worse or more profitable.
Hit frequency is not bonus frequency.
Frequent small winning spins can produce a high hit frequency without frequent bonus features or a positive long-term result.
A past casino sighting is not live inventory.
“Filmed at” and “observed at” document a visit. They do not prove that the same machine remains available on the casino floor today.
For more context, read Observed RTP Explained and Responsible Gaming.
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Definitions last reviewed: August 2026