What are the key terms to understand in casino gaming?

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When you start playing online casino games, you are sure to come across a lot of new terms. While this might seem confusing at first, by getting to grips with a few terms, you will soon understand what is going on. 

Jackpot

This word is typically used to express the biggest cash prize in a game. If it is a fixed jackpot, the amount that can be won always stays the same. However, with the case of progressive jackpots, the amount rises with each new player to give it a try. The game rules should clearly state what you need to do to win the jackpot.

Live games

If you see live games mentioned, you can expect to see a human dealer giving out the cards or spinning the wheel. The dealer is live-streamed onto your screen in NJ online casino games such as Dream Catcher, Infinite Blackjack, and Live Dealer Baccarat, among other options. You place your chips on a virtual basis while you watch the action unfold.

Paytable 

This is where you can see the full details of all the different prizes and how to win them. You can go to the paytable by looking for a button with this name on it, or by clicking on the information button if there is one. Some paytables are short and simple, while others run to several pages and have a lot of details on them.

RTP 

The return to player (RTP) of a game tells you how much the operator expects to give back to all of their players over a period of time. It is the opposite of the house edge, so an RTP of 97% means a house edge of 3%. It doesn’t guarantee how much you will win but it does give you some sort of idea of how generous a game is to players.

RNG 

How do you know that online casino games are fair? A key element of any game is the random number generator (RNG). This piece of software ensures every single game is played out on a totally random basis and gives unpredictable results. Any reputable games developer will thoroughly test their RNG and get it independently checked by a major testing company over thousands of games.

Scatter

This is a special symbol in slots games that typically triggers a feature such as free spins. One of the interesting things about this symbol is that it doesn’t have to appear in a certain order. For example, if you need three scatters to trigger free spins, they can appear anywhere on the screen.

Volatility

While the RTP tells us how much a game should pay back overall, it is the volatility that lets you see how regularly you can expect to get wins. A high volatility win may give bigger prizes but less frequently. A low volatility game is likely to provide you with more regular but smaller prizes.

Wild

This is a special symbol that is commonly seen in slots games. It can replace any regular symbol to complete a winning line, although the paytable will mention any restrictions, such as if it can’t replace bonus symbols like scatters.