When you play slot, the main goal is to get winning combinations of symbols. However, it’s important to know the pay tables and betting limits before playing, as they determine what type of prizes and features you can win, and how much each spin costs.

A pay table is the list of payouts on a slot machine, listing prize values for different symbols and which bet sizes correspond to each. It can be found on the face of older machines, or on a separate help screen on video slots. Some slots allow players to choose how many pay lines they wish to bet on, while others automatically wager on all paylines.

Volatility or variance is the average amount of wins versus losses in a slot game. A low-volatility slot will have regular, small wins, while a high-volatility slot will have few, larger wins.

A progressive slot is a machine that collects a percentage of each bet and adds it to a base jackpot that keeps growing until it’s claimed by a player. Progressive slots can be played for real money and are some of the most popular casino games online and in land-based casinos. They can also be played on mobile devices like smartphones and tablets.