While online slots game makers have done their best to ensure that games are fairly self-explanatory, sometimes they can be a bit confusing for totally new players. After all, most slots games today feature multiple paylines, different coin sizes and various symbols that can confuse beginners slots players. This being the case, here is a brief beginners guide to online slots that will help you get started.

Slots Reels - The best place to begin when discussing online slots is the reels. There are three different reel amounts that are featured in slots games, and they are 3 reels, 5 reels and 7 reels. Out of these, 3 reels and 5 reels are by far the most common today since 7-reel games are just starting to be noticed. As for the best place to begin playing slots, 3-reel games are highly recommended because there are fewer winning combinations to worry about, which makes the games easier to understand.

Paylines - In addition to reels, the second most common way to classify online slots games is by the number of paylines they have. A payline merely refers to each line that you play on a slots spin, and the number of available paylines differs from game to game. For example, if a game offers 20 paylines, you could potentially have 20 chances to win on a single spin. However, it also costs one bet for every payline you play.

Coin Number - Another option that online slots provide players with is the ability to bet more than one coin on each payline. For instance, if a game allowed you to bet anywhere from 1-10 coins per line, you could multiply a winning combination by 10 if you bet 10 coins per payline.

Coin Size - One more common option that players have with internet slots is being able to adjust the size of each coin they bet. For example, an online casino might let you change the coin size from $0.01-$5.00 with denominations such as $0.01, $0.05, $0.25, $0.50, $1.00, $2.00, $3.00, $4.00 and $5.00.

Scatter Symbols - A scatter symbol multiples winning combinations that slots players get. In most cases, 3-5 scatter symbols need to show up somewhere on the reels, and then your wins will be multiplied by the designated amount. For instance, some games might feature 5x (3 symbols), 20x (4 symbols) and 100x (5 symbols) scatter symbol payouts.

Bonus Games/Free Spins - With bonus games, slots players get the opportunity to win extra money without having to pay anymore coins. Slots bonus games are usually unlocked by scatter symbols, and the reward is typically a certain number of free spins.

Jackpots - Slots jackpots vary quite a bit based on the game you're playing. For example, one slots game might offer a fixed 10,000-coin payout, while another game may feature a $1 million progressive jackpot (keeps growing with every bet). Assuming you play for progressive jackpots, keep in mind that you'll probably have to bet the maximum coin size to win.