How to read a slot's game info screen
How to read a slot's game info screen: open it from the ‘i’ or menu icon before your first spin, then work through it in order, starting with the paytable, then the symbol and feature rules, and finally the general rules where the RTP, max win and malfunction terms sit. Five minutes there tells you how the game pays, what triggers its bonus and where its limits are.
By the Best Slots UK team. Last checked .
Key takeaways
- Check whether paytable values are multiples of the line bet or the total bet; it changes what a win is worth.
- Feature rules tell you exactly what triggers the bonus, how many spins it gives and whether it can retrigger.
- The general rules hide the important small print: win evaluation, max win caps and ‘malfunction voids all pays’.
- Many games update paytable values to your current stake, so set the stake first and then read.
- UK versions of games don’t show bonus buy or autoplay, even where the developer’s page mentions them.
- How to open it
- ‘i’, menu or cog icon
- Read first
- Paytable at your chosen stake
- Where RTP sits
- General rules, usually near the end
- Time needed
- About five minutes per new game
- UK differences
- No bonus buy, no autoplay
How to read a slot's game info screen: what it contains
Every online slot carries its own instruction manual, built into the game. Studios call it different things (info, help, game rules, paytable), but the contents follow a similar pattern because UK rules expect players to be able to see how a game works and what it pays before they play. The screen is where the paytable, the feature rules, the RTP and the maximum win are all written down by the developer.
Most players skip it, and that is why so many questions come up later: why a win was smaller than expected, why the bonus ended early, why a disconnected spin was settled the way it was. The answers are almost always in these pages.
| Section | What it covers | Key question it answers |
|---|---|---|
| Paytable | Symbol values for 3, 4, 5 (or more) of a kind | What does each combination pay at my stake? |
| Special symbols | Wilds, scatters, bonus or mystery symbols | What does each special symbol do? |
| Feature rules | Free spins, respins, collect or pick features | How do I trigger the bonus and what happens in it? |
| Paylines or ways | Diagram of lines, or ways-to-win explanation | Where can wins form? |
| General rules | Win evaluation, RTP, max win, malfunctions, disconnections | What are the limits and edge cases? |
| Settings | Sound, visual options, stake controls | How do I adjust the game? |
Reading the paytable: line bet or total bet?
The paytable is the page most people glance at, but the detail that matters is what the numbers are multiplied by. Older and many classic-style games show multiples of the line bet. Newer games usually show multiples of the total bet, or simply update the cash values as you change your stake.
Here is why it matters, using an illustrative 20-line game. At a total bet of £1, the line bet is 5p. If the paytable says five of the top symbol pays 100x line bet, that line is worth £5. If a different game says five of a kind pays 5x total bet, the same £1 stake returns £5 too. But a game that says 100x total bet would pay £100. Same-looking number, completely different value. There are more worked cases in reading a slot paytable.
Wild, scatter and bonus symbol rules
The special symbols page explains the exceptions to the normal paytable, and it is where small but important details hide.
- Wilds: a wild symbol usually substitutes for regular symbols but not for scatters or bonus symbols. The rules also say whether it can appear on every reel or only some.
- Scatters: a scatter symbol normally pays in any position and is often multiplied by the total bet rather than the line bet.
- Bonus or collect symbols: these may carry cash values or trigger a separate feature, and the rules say when the values are collected.
- Mystery symbols: a mystery symbol turns into one randomly chosen symbol after the reels stop.
Look out for wording such as ‘wild appears on reels 2, 3 and 4 only’ or ‘wild does not substitute for the bonus symbol’. Lines like that explain why a combination that looked like a win wasn’t one.
Feature rules: triggers, spins and retriggers
The feature pages describe each bonus in turn. A well-written one answers five questions, and it is worth finding the answer to each before playing.
- What triggers it: how many scatters, which reels, or a random event?
- What you get: how many free spins or respins, and at what stake?
- What changes during the feature: expanding symbols, multipliers, sticky wilds, extra symbols?
- Can it retrigger, and is there a cap on total spins?
- How it ends: after the spins run out, when the grid fills, or when a win cap is reached?
The last question catches people out most. On many games the feature, and sometimes the whole round, ends immediately if the win cap is reached, even with spins left. That is stated in the rules, not shown on the main screen.
Payline diagrams and ways-to-win explanations
If the game uses paylines, there will be a diagram showing each line’s path across the reels. Check whether wins pay left to right only, or both ways as in Starburst. For ways to win games, the rules explain that matching symbols on adjacent reels count wherever they land; for cluster or scatter-pay games, they give the minimum group size, such as five touching symbols in Reactoonz or eight anywhere in Gates of Olympus.
The general rules: small print worth reading
This is the least exciting page and the most useful one. It explains how wins are calculated, what happens when something goes wrong, and the game’s key numbers. Here is what common phrases mean.
| Phrase | What it means in practice |
|---|---|
| Only the highest win per line is paid | If one line forms two possible wins, you get the bigger one, not both |
| Wins on different lines are added | Several winning lines in one spin are totalled |
| Scatter wins are added to line wins | Scatter pays are separate and stack on top of line wins |
| Malfunction voids all pays and plays | If the game is proven faulty, affected results are cancelled |
| In the event of disconnection, the round is completed | The server settles the spin; check your history on return |
| Maximum win is capped at X times the bet | Once reached, the round or feature ends and pays the cap |
| The theoretical RTP of this game is X% | The long-run return for this version of the game |
The malfunction clause sounds alarming but applies to genuine faults, not to a win the casino would rather not pay. Our answer on what ‘malfunction voids all pays’ means explains when it can be used.
The key numbers: RTP, max win and stake range
Somewhere in the general rules you should find three figures. The RTP tells you the long-run cost of the version you are playing; the maximum win shows the ceiling as a multiple of stake; and the stake range shows the smallest and largest bets the game allows. Read each with a little context. RTP is a long-run average, and the casino may run a lower version than the developer advertises, so checking a slot’s live RTP is worth a minute. Max win is a ceiling reached very rarely, if ever, by most players. And the stake range on a UK site will stop at £5, or £2 if you are 18 to 24, whatever the game’s own maximum.
How UK versions of the info screen differ
Many slots are built for several markets, and a few lines in the rules may not apply in Great Britain. The UK version will not offer a bonus buy, autoplay or quick-spin mode, even if a developer’s website mentions them. Some games still describe an optional extra stake, such as an ante bet that raises the chance of a feature; if that appears, the rules will give a separate RTP for it. If something in the rules doesn’t match what you see on screen, the UK-specific build is usually why. The UK slot game design rules list what has been removed and when.
A five-minute read-through before your first spin
- Set the stake you intend to play at, then open the info screen.
- On the paytable, note the top symbol’s value and the smallest win; check whether values are line or total bet.
- On the special symbols page, note what the wild can and can’t replace.
- On the feature pages, write down the trigger, the number of spins and whether it can retrigger.
- In the general rules, find the RTP, the max win and any cap that ends a feature early.
- Close the screen and play a handful of spins, checking that wins match what you read.
You can reopen the info screen at any time between spins. If a result looks wrong, take a note of the time, then check your game history from the account menu.
When the info screen isn’t enough: game history
The rules explain how the game should behave; your game history shows how it did behave on each spin. Most casinos let you open a record of past rounds with the stake, result and time, and some show a replay of the reels. If you ever need to query a result, the history entry and the relevant line from the rules are the two things support will ask for. Our guide to checking your slot game history explains where to find it.
18+. Gambling should be entertainment that costs money, not a way to make it. Set a deposit limit before you play: how to set limits. Free, confidential help: National Gambling Helpline 0808 8020 133.
Frequently asked questions
Where is the info screen on an online slot?
Look for a small ‘i’, a menu icon with three lines, or a cog, usually in a corner of the game or next to the spin and stake buttons. On phones it is sometimes inside a menu that slides out from the side. Tapping it opens the paytable and rules, often as several tabs or one long scrolling page. You can open it between spins at any time. Our guide on how to play online slots shows where the other main controls sit.
What does ‘x line bet’ mean on a paytable?
It means the win is a multiple of the amount staked on each individual payline, not your whole stake. To find the line bet, divide your total bet by the number of lines. On a 10-line game at £1 total, the line bet is 10p, so a symbol that pays 50x line bet returns £5. Many newer games show multiples of total bet instead, which is simpler. The glossary entries on coin value and total bet explain the related terms.
Why didn’t the wild complete my win?
Usually because the rules limit what the wild can replace. Most wilds substitute for ordinary symbols but not for scatters, bonus symbols or certain special icons, and some only appear on particular reels. A combination can also fail if it doesn’t start on the first reel of a left-to-right payline. The special symbols page of the game’s info screen spells this out. The glossary entry for wild symbols covers the common types and their usual limits.
What does ‘malfunction voids all pays and plays’ mean?
It means that if a game is shown to have malfunctioned, any results affected by the fault are cancelled, including wins and stakes. It is a standard clause in slot rules. It applies to genuine technical faults, not to normal outcomes the casino dislikes, and a licensed operator would need to show the fault existed. If you think it has been misused, you can complain to the operator and then to an independent dispute service. See why a slot win might be voided.
Does the info screen show the real RTP?
Yes. The RTP in the game’s own rules describes the version loaded at that casino, which is why it is the figure to trust over a developer’s website or a review page. Some games list more than one figure, for example with an optional extra bet or a jackpot, so check what each applies to. It is a long-run theoretical average, not a forecast for your session. The details are in finding a slot’s RTP.
Why did my free spins end before they ran out?
Most likely the game reached its maximum win cap, which ends the feature, and often the whole round, immediately. The general rules or feature rules usually say this in a line such as ‘if the maximum win is reached, the round ends and the win is awarded’. Less commonly, a feature has its own end condition, like filling the grid. If neither explains it, check your game history and contact support. The guide to slot max wins covers how caps work.
Can I read a slot’s info screen without playing?
Yes. On most casino sites you can open the game and read its rules without pressing spin, so nothing is staked. Developer websites also publish summary sheets. On UK-licensed sites, demo play and some game previews require you to be logged in and age-verified first. Reading the rules before a session is one of the easiest ways to avoid surprises. Our slot features guide explains the common bonus mechanics you will see described.
Why does the info screen mention features I can’t use?
Many slots are built for several countries, and the rules text sometimes covers options that are switched off in Great Britain, such as bonus buy, autoplay or turbo modes. UK players can’t buy features, and autoplay and quick spins have been banned on UK slots since October 2021. If the rules describe something you can’t find on screen, that is usually the reason. Our page on whether you can buy bonuses on UK slots explains the rule.
What is the most important part of the info screen?
For most players, the feature rules and the general rules matter most. The feature rules tell you what triggers the bonus and what it does, which is where most of a slot’s bigger wins come from. The general rules hold the RTP, max win cap and the clauses on malfunctions and disconnections. The paytable is useful but easy to understand once the stake is set. Our slot symbols guide adds context on how symbol values are structured.