There are three primary ways in which slot machines work: 1) mechanical slots that use spinning reels to produce random outcomes, 2) video slots that use simulated images of people, places, or things to generate winning combinations, and 3) pull tab machines, in which players pull a lever or press a button to release a set number of tokens that can then be used to play games.
In mechanical slots, spinning reels with different symbols on them produce random outcomes. The player may be lucky enough to land on a symbol that pays out a large amount of cash, or they may simply lose their entire bet. Video slots use simulated images of people, places, or things to generate winning combinations. The player may be rewarded with prizes for correctly guessing the outcome of a game show or for playing along with a movie clip.
Finally, pull tab machines provide players with tokens that can be used to play games. Some games require players to collect as many tokens as possible before time runs out; others reward players for matching symbols in a given row or column.
