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NEAR MISS – A near miss is the bane of every slot player’s existence. This term describes the heart-stopping moment in which you realize that you have missed a fat payout by a single symbol, maybe even one above or below the image on which the reel stopped. Less than a quarter-turn of the reels stands, firm as a monument, between you and financial glory. Why have the heavens conspired to tease you in such a horrid fashion? Well, keep in mind that it’s not really Fate’s fault. Since the random number generator, or RNG was invented and became ubiquitous in latter-day slots, all “near misses” are really just illusions. Because the RNG turns out a random number corresponding to either a win or loss, the display of the reels is just for show. This is probably a good thing – can you imagine how frustrating it must have been to watch that last reel come up short back in the “good old days?”

Recent research has indicated that near misses actually trigger a chemical response in a gambler’s brain, shooting off a surge of adrenaline that primes them for the win that they are convinced is coming. Casinos know this, and exploit the near miss phenomenon for all it’s worth… because it makes them more money.

NINE/SIX OR EIGHT/FIVE – For punters who enjoy poker-based slot machine games, the nine/six or eight/five ratio is a reference to the payouts of video poker terminals. Card face combinations determine the payout, if any, of a given spin. Kings, Queens, Jacks, and number cards appear on the reels, and the combination you are given when the reels stop determines your “hand.” In terms of a “Jacks Or Better” pokey, a 9/6 (also known as a full house) pays out ninety-nine point five percent, and an 8/5 (a flush) pays out ninety seven point three percent.

NUDGE – Fruit machines are a certain style of slot machine that developed in England. Many display fruit in the reels in the style of old-fashioned slot games, but most simply feature a variety of neat components that are not seen in traditional American slots. The “nudge” function is one of them. At the start of a session, the player is normally given a handful of “nudges” that can be used in the event of a near-miss. The nudge allows you to push the reels up or down a bit in order to try and complete a winning combination. The nudge feature can be all that is necessary to turn a normal slot into a skill-based machine for the definition of legality.

NUMBER OF COINS BET – This is another term that is pretty transparent. The “number of coins bet” is synonymous with the coin size played, or the amount of coins that you play as a bet on your slot game of choice.

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