When most people think of gambling, they likely picture blackjack and roulette—high-stakes bouts of chance that can change fortunes in an instant. But the image is slowly changing, with slot machines now driving the industry and bringing in the majority of profits. In fact, one gambling official estimates that slots are twice as profitable as the rest of the casino floor combined.

With so many different slot games to choose from, it’s hard to know which ones will give you the best chances of winning. While going solely by a game’s return-to-player (RTP) rate isn’t always the best call, years of experience have shown that great slot games tend to combine key components such as volatility, betting limits and bonus features to reward players generously.

To play a slot machine, the player simply puts in some credit, pushes the spin button and hopes that matching symbols line up in a row. When this happens, the player wins credits based on how much they have bet and the win factors for each symbol. The more symbols that are matched, the higher the payout.

It is also important to read the rules of a particular slot machine and understand what each button does. Usually, you can find this information in the “Info” section of the screen. Some sites even offer video results for specific slots, allowing you to see the game in action and compare how different combinations of paylines and coins affect your winnings.