| 3x3 | The layout of a slot machine with 3 reels and 3 symbols high. | Typically the style of original slot machines. |
| 5x3 | The layout of a slot machine with 5 reels and 3 symbols high. | Style of many video, mechanical and transmissive slots. |
| 5x4 | The layout of a slot machine with 5 reels and 4 symbols high. |
| 6x4 | The layout of a slot machine with 6 reels and 4 symbols high. |
| any way | Usually used by WMS, where reels pay adjacent instead of by lines to determine pays. |
| Bonus | Anytime, not during the regular game, any other feature triggers. | Not all the time, but Progressives are not bonuses. |
| Candle | The light on top of a slot machine. | Different denominations tend to have different colors. |
| Cascading Reels | Generally a WMS term, where winning symbols disappear and new symbols appear. | aka Tumbling Reels |
| Clumped symbols/reels | When multiple similar symbols appear on reels. | aka Stacked symbols/reels |
| cold | Term used to describe a machine not paying out very often or not paying out at all. | aka tight |
| Credits | Balance of money in a slot machine, determined by denomination. | $1 in a penny machine equals 100 credits and so on. |
| dead spin | Usually during a bonus round when spins are played, every time a spin results in either a low pay (under the total bet) or zero. |
| feature | Typically another word for 'Bonus'. |
| Full Retrigger | When 3 or more bonus symbols retrigger more spins and maybe accompanied by a scatter pay. | aka Major Retrigger |
| Grand | Usually a name for the top progressive jackpot. |
| handpay (aka jackpot handpay) | Whenever a total win exceeds the maximum amount that needs to be paid by a casino's slot attendant. | Basically any win, usually, over $1,200. But not always. |
| Hopper | The space in the slot machine that holds, in reserve, coins or other items. | More likely on older machines. |
| hot | Term used to describe a machine paying out frequently. | aka loose |
| Jackpot | Sometimes used loosely. Any big win that is at least big to the winner. |
| Local area | A type of progressive that is linked usually in one casino. |
| loose | When a slot machine is paying out frequently. | aka hot |
| Major | Usually the larger of progressive jackpots. |
| Major Retrigger | When 3 or more bonus symbols retrigger more spins and maybe accompanied by a scatter pay. | aka Full Retrigger |
| Maxi | Usually the largest of some progressive jackpots. |
| Mechanical | Original type of slot machine, that actually uses moving parts. |
| Mini | Usually the smallest of progressive jackpots. |
| Minor | Usually the smaller of a progressive jackpot. |
| Minor Retrigger | During bonus spins, when 1 or 2 bonus symbols add additional spins and may or may not be accompanied by a scatter pay. |
| Multi-Denominational (or MD) | Any slot machine that can allow the player to select more than one denomination. | Typically some might have 1, 2, 5 cent on one or 25, 50 cent, $1 on another or other combinations. |
| Multi-Game | Any slot machine that carries more than one game, usually by the same manufacturer. | Mainly one comes to mind: IGT's 'Game King' |
| Multiway/Multiway Xtra | IGT term where pays are evaluated by adjacent reels with no lines. 243, 720 and 1024 ways respectively. | Similar to Aristocrat's Reel Power and Xtra Reel Power. |
| One Armed Bandit | Term used as slang to describe a slot machine. | Usually used to describe how money steals from gamblers and the fact it's 'handle' is referred to the 'one arm'. |
| pokie | Generally an Australian term, shortened to be similar for 'poker machine' as in video poker. |
| Power Pay | Aristocrat term, generally a bonus bet to enable a special feature. |
| Progressive | Either a set or increasing pot of money awarded, dependent on type of machine when to pay off. | Megabucks and Wheel of Fortune games are most common type. |
| Reel Power/Xtra Reel Power | Aristocrat term to describe payout of symbols paying on adjacent reels. 243 ways and 1024 ways, respectively. |
| Replicating/Radiating Wilds | Generally WMS term, whenever a special wild symbol appears and causes multiple similar symbols to appear. |
| Retrigger | During a bonus, whenever a spin results in triggering the bonus again. |
| Scatter Bucks | IGT term, 1 or more symbols with/without additional symbol that pays credit amount based on bet, usually with bonus bet. |
| Scatter/ scatter pay | Two or more symbols that pay credits/bonus game with payout determined by bet. |
| slot play/free play | Whenever the casino gives away money to played directly on a slot machine. |
| Stacked symbols/reels | When multiple similar symbols appear on reels. | aka Clumped symbols/reels |
| Standalone | Usually a description for a type of progressive, that is limited to one specific machine. |
| taxable | Another word for handpay. |
| tight | When a slot machine isn't paying out much. | aka cold |
| TITO | Usually stands for 'Ticket In Ticket Out', generally a ticket or voucher that prints after cashing out of a machine. |
| Token | Mainly seen with denomination machines $1 and up. Coins used by the casino as currency. |
| Transmissive Reels | Type of slot machine that implements mechanical reels with a video overlay. |
| trigger | Whenever a feature or bonus is 'triggered' |
| trigger pay | Whatever pay is available for triggering the bonus. |
| Tumbling Reels | Generally IGT term, whenever winning symbols disappear and new symbols appear. | aka Cascading Reels |
| Upgrade feature | Whenever a feature upgrades pay symbols to a either a slightly better or the best pay symbol. | Doesn't always have to be in the bonus round (spins) to activate. |
| Video slot | A video version of a mechanical slot machine. |
| Volatile/Volatility | Usually used in place of or to describe the 'tightness' of the pay on a machine. | Usually the higher, bigger wins less often. |
| Wheel of Fortune | Generic term, sometimes used to label type of bonus on some slot machines. | aka Wheel Bonus |
| Wide area | A type of progressive that is linked to multiple casinos. | Megabucks |
| wild | Usually a wild symbol that substitutes or multiplies with almost all symbols. |
| zero bonus | Whenever a bonus game results in a zero payout. |
