Single-reel slots offer a nostalgic yet modern gaming experience, combining simple gameplay with unexpected thrills.
The popularity of slots transcends all other casino games. They account for as much as 97% of all bets on Stake.com. Today, thousands of types of slot games are available across the casino spectrum. However, the simplicity of single-reel slots makes them a choice for many. Unlike their primitive counterparts, modern online single-reel slots have several special features. They remind you of the bygone era when slots were simple to spin, and results were even simpler to read. Today, single-reel slots may be less popular, but they are nevertheless in use.
For example, stake.com offers a wide array of single-reel slots, including 1 Reel Buffalo, 1 Reel Fruits, 1 Reel Cash Vault, 1 Reel Egypt, 1 Reel Monkey, 1 Reel Reef, 1 Reel Patrick, 1 Reel Beauty, 1 Reel Baba Yaga, 1 Reel Panther, 1 Reel Joker, 1 Reel Xmas, 1 Reel Mammoth, 1 Reel Golden Piggy, and 1 Reel Cash Vault.
Rollbit offers 1 Reel Elves, 1 Reel Santa, Lordi Reel Monsters, 1 Reel Fruits, 1 Reel Monkey, 1 Reel Panther, 1 Reel Shamrock, 1 Reel Thanksgiving, 1 Reel Majestic King, 1 Reel Wolffang, and 1 Reel Cash Vault.
Compared to multi-reel slots, single-reel slots reflect both simplicity and nostalgia. Multi-reel slots, which predominantly rule casino games today, have multiple pay lines and offer more possibilities to win. However, their gameplay is also more complex to understand and follow.
What Are Single-Reel Slots?
Single-reel slots have only one reel or active pay line. In modern online single-reel slots, there are typically three symbols and a few special features, such as special symbols and special wins.
When you spin, they throw up one symbol. Alongside the slot machine, there is a paytable, where the winning amount for each symbol is mentioned in a tabular format called a progress bar, indicating the multiplier in a progressive manner with the lowest multiplier value at the bottom and the highest at the top. When you spin and land one of the symbols for the first time, it occupies the lowest multiplier box at the bottom.
However, when you land the same symbol next time, your win receives the next multiplier level. The exact mechanism works for the other two symbols on the progress bar. When you fill all the multiplier blocks in the progress bar, you win the jackpot, whose value is fixed depending on your bet value. However, the progress bar gets totally emptied the moment you land the special symbol, Reset Bank. Before you land “Reset Bank”, you can “Collect” your wins to your bank, which will empty the progress bar but receive the wins in your bank.
Progress Bar
A progress bar corresponds to paytable in older physical slots. It lists potential payouts for specific symbols when they land on the slot machine after a spin. In single reel slots, the outcome depends on the symbol that lands when the reel stops spinning.
- Symbols: Each symbol on the reel has a corresponding payout value.
- Payouts: The paytable clearly outlines the amount won for each symbol. This could be a fixed amount or a multiplier of the bet.
- Jackpot: Some single reel slots offer a jackpot prize for landing a specific symbol.
Special Symbols
For example, in all one-reel slots by Spinomenal, a special Wild symbol counts as landing all three possible win symbols at once. Another special symbol is Reset Bank, which empties all your winnings. When you land a Reset Bank, all your winnings convert to zero.
Special Wins
In the progress bar, there are five blocks of multiplier. When your spin lands on a symbol for the first time, it occupies the lowest multiplier block, progressively increasing. When your spins result in all the blocks of a symbol in the progress bar occupied, and you land another same symbol, you win the final level win amount, which is added to your balance and not to your bank, which can become zero if you land Reset Bank next.
Advantages of Single-Reel Slots
Single-reel slots offer a simple and straightforward gaming experience. Some of their advantages include:
Simplicity: The gameplay of single-reel slots is easy to understand and follow.
Beginner-friendly: With just one reel, users don’t need complex strategies that suit beginners.
Faster gameplay: Because of their simple and easy gameplay, single-reel slots have quick spins and results.
Focus on core mechanics: They allow players to concentrate on the game without getting overwhelmed by multiple features.
Clear odds: Because the pay line or symbols are limited, calculating or understanding the odds can be more straightforward for some players.
Classic appeal: Because of all the simplicity and origin tied to the yore, single-reel slots have a classic appeal.
Disadvantages of Single-Reel Slots
In modern times, when slots are available in a wide range of varieties, single-reel slots have some drawbacks, too. Here are a few of them:
Limited Features: Single-reel slots lack attractive features often available on multi-reel slots, such as free spins, bonuses, and progressive jackpots.
Repetitive gameplay: Single-reel slot games could appear too simplistic and repetitive for some players, making some players find them less engaging over time.
Less variety: Some players may find single-reel slots lacking in variety. While thematic diversity is available, they do not match the variety of gameplay and additional features offered by multi-reel slots.
Lower volatility: Casino games are often seen as avenues for high profits. This is due to the high volatility of multi-reel slots. Single-reel slots tend to have lower volatility, offering fewer losses and smaller wins.
How to Play 1-Reel Slot Games
Playing a single-reel slot is incredibly straightforward. Here is how it goes:
Place your bet: Decide and mention the amount you want to wager on a single spin.
Spin the reel: Click the spin symbol, and the reel will spin. When it stops, it will display a specific symbol, may not display any symbol clearly, or may display a special symbol, such as a Wild symbol or a Bank Reset.
Check for a win: Depending on the symbol that the spin throws up, it triggers a simple win or a special win, depending on the symbol. If it lands a Bank Reset symbol, all your wins become zero. Sometimes, there may need to be a clear symbol. In this event, there is no action on the paytable.
Odds, House Edge, and Return to Player (RTP) of 1-Reel Slots
In online single-reel slots, the RTP ranges from 92% to 98%, meaning the house edge could vary between 8% and 2%. The betting range typically starts at 0.10 units and extends up to 100.00. The maximum potential ranges from 250x to 1000x the bet amount.
Take Away
Single-reel slots are easy to understand and play. In contrast to ubiquitous multi-reel slots with multiple pay lines, single-reel slots have one reel with three basic and a few special symbols. Online 1-reel slots have a multiplier progress bar, which creates a jackpot by keeping your wins on this multiplier progress bar. However, at any time, your wins can get wiped out if your spin lands a Bank Reset symbol.
In essence, single-reel slots are a good fit for beginners and those who seek entertainment with a few quick spins and wins. As there are only three basic symbols, your odds to land them are high. Most online casinos, including Stake.com, Rollbit, TrustDice, and Bitstarz, offer 1-reel slots.
