The game of online slot can seem intimidating to a new player. But it is actually one of the easiest casino games to play. The basic principles are the same as with mechanical slots – players make a wager and spin the reels until a winning combination appears. Then the player receives a payout and the machine is reset. The difference is that in the case of online slots, a random number generator determines the results rather than a mechanic. There are still a few misunderstandings about how online slot works though, and these misconceptions can lead to serious mistakes in the game.

A common misconception about online slots is that the results will be different depending on what time of day it is or whether the player has previously played a certain slot game. This is untrue, as the RNGs used by reputable casinos ensure that slot results are random and independent of previous outcomes.

Another common myth is that there are hot and cold slots, or that certain types of symbols are more likely to appear than others. This is also untrue, as there are no patterns in the way that slots pay out – each individual spin is random and does not depend on what symbols have appeared in previous spins.

Online slot players should always check the pay table of each slot game before they start playing. This will provide all of the important information about how much the different combinations of symbols and paylines pay out. There are also some special symbols called scatters, which can award a payout regardless of their position on the screen. In addition, many online slot sites offer progressive jackpots, which pool a portion of every bet across thousands of players in order to grow the prize payout.