Social Casino Glossary – Game Terms Explained
Not sure what a wild symbol does? Wondering what “Megaways” means? This glossary is here to help. Whether you’re brand new to social casino games or just want a quick refresher, you’ll find simple explanations for the most common terms used in slots, scratchcards, Plinko, and more.
A
Auto Spin – A slot feature that spins the reels automatically for a set number of rounds. Perfect for relaxed play.
Avatar – Your profile image or icon that represents you in the game, often shown on leaderboards or during multiplayer events.
B
Bonus Round – A special in-game feature triggered by certain combinations (like Scatter symbols). Often includes free spins or multipliers.
Buy Feature – A game mechanic where players can unlock bonus rounds instantly. Not always available in social casino versions.
C
Coins – The virtual currency used to play games in a social casino. You can earn Coins through daily rewards, welcome bonuses, or in-game achievements.
Cluster Pays – A payout system where wins are formed by groups of matching symbols, rather than traditional paylines.
Cascading Reels – A slot mechanic where winning symbols disappear and new ones fall into place, giving you the chance for additional wins on the same spin.
D
Daily Bonus – Free Coins or rewards you receive just for logging in each day. It resets every 24 hours. (at Smiles Casino)
Drop Feature – A mechanic (common in Plinko-style games) where a ball or token drops into a prize zone, often with multipliers or instant wins.
E
Expanding Wild – A wild symbol that grows to cover a full reel, increasing your chances of landing a big win.
Extra Spins – Another term for free spins; often awarded during bonus rounds or as a reward.
F
Free Spins – Bonus rounds that let you spin the reels without using your Coins. Usually triggered by landing Scatter symbols.
Feature Game – A special part of a slot that offers a different gameplay style, usually unlocked during bonus rounds.
Fruit Machine – A classic slot game style with symbols like cherries, lemons, and bars. Also known as traditional or retro slots.
G
Game Volatility – Describes the risk level of a game. High volatility means bigger wins but less often, while low volatility offers smaller, more frequent wins.
Gold Coins – A type of virtual currency used in social casinos for standard gameplay. These cannot be redeemed or exchanged.
H
Hold Feature – A mechanic that lets you lock certain reels or symbols in place for the next spin to boost winning chances.
Hit Rate – The frequency with which a game awards any kind of win, even small ones. Higher hit rate means more frequent payouts.
I
Instant Win Game – A fast-paced game where the outcome is revealed immediately, such as scratchcards or Plinko. No spinning or waiting involved.
In-Game Bonus – Any reward, feature, or special round that happens within a game, such as free spins, wilds, or multipliers.
J
Jackpot – A large top prize in a slot or instant win game, usually triggered by rare symbol combinations or bonus features.
Jackpot Reel – A special reel that appears during some bonus rounds and determines whether you win a mini, major, or mega jackpot.
K
Kicker Symbol – A less common feature; it adds an extra boost to certain combinations or activates additional bonuses.
L
Leaderboard – A ranking of users based on gameplay activity, scores, or achievements. Often used in time-limited events or challenges.
Line Stake – The amount you play on each payline in a slot game. Your total stake is usually the line stake x number of active lines
Low Volatility – A game type that gives smaller, more frequent wins. Great for longer play sessions without big swings.
M
Megaways™ – A game mechanic that changes the number of symbols on each reel every spin, creating thousands of possible ways to win.
Multiplier – A feature that boosts your win by a certain factor (like 2x or 10x). Often found in bonus rounds or special symbols.
N
Near Miss – When a game outcome looks close to a win but falls just short. Adds suspense and excitement to gameplay.
Non-Progressive Jackpot – A fixed jackpot prize that doesn’t increase over time. The amount stays the same every time it’s triggered.
O
Overlay Symbols – Extra symbols placed on top of regular reels during bonus rounds to enhance your chances of a big win.
Odds – The statistical chances of winning a prize or triggering a feature in a game. Displayed in pay tables or feature information.
P
Payline – A line across the reels where matching symbols must land to create a win. Some slots have just a few paylines, others have hundreds.
Plinko – A game where a ball drops through a pegboard and lands in a prize zone at the bottom. Rewards vary based on where it lands.
Progressive Jackpot – A jackpot that increases over time as more players participate. Often displayed at the top of the game screen.
Q
Quick Spin – A setting that speeds up reel animations, letting you get faster results without waiting for long spins.
Queue Bonus – A delayed reward that becomes available after meeting certain conditions, such as playing a set number of rounds.
R
Re-Spin – A feature where you get an extra spin on one or more reels without starting a full new round. Often used to increase winning chances.
RTP (Return to Player) – refers to the theoretical percentage of played coins that are returned to the player long term. Note that these are average theoretical RTP and takes millions of spins to get to this range.
Random Bonus – A surprise reward that can trigger at any time during a game, even if you don’t hit a specific combination.
S
Scatter Symbol – A special symbol that can trigger bonus features or free spins, often without needing to land on a specific payline.
Scratchcard – A quick game where you “scratch” off tiles to reveal symbols or prizes. Great for instant results and casual play.
Slot – A casino-style game where you spin reels to match symbols across paylines. Themes range from classic fruit machines to fantasy adventures.
Sticky Wild – A wild symbol that stays in place for multiple spins, increasing your chances of landing winning combinations.
T
Turbo Mode – A gameplay setting that speeds up the spinning and animation process, allowing for faster game rounds.
Table Games – Classic-style games like blackjack, roulette, and solitaire, usually based on real casino formats.
U
Unlockable Content – Special features, levels, or game modes that become available as you play more or achieve specific goals.
User Account – Your personal profile that stores your progress, Coin balance, and gameplay history.
V
Virtual Coins – The in-game currency used to play. Earned through daily bonuses, gameplay, or special promotions.
Volatility – Another word for risk level. High volatility = big wins, less often. Low volatility = smaller wins, more frequently.
W
Wild Symbol – A symbol that can stand in for most others to help create winning combinations.
Win Table – A display showing all the possible symbol combinations and their payouts.
X
xMultiplier – A common format showing how many times a win is boosted (e.g., x2, x10, x100). Especially popular in Plinko and bonus rounds.
Y
Your Stats – A summary of your play history, wins, and bonuses, often available in your account area or player profile.
Z
Zero Coin Mode – A gameplay state where your balance is empty.
This social casino glossary covers the most common terms you’ll find across our games, from slots and Plinko to scratchcards and bonus features. Whether you’re new or just brushing up, we hope this helps make your next spin a little more exciting.