They’ve been the fastest growing segment in off line gaming for years, and they’re a natural for online gaming.

Let’s have a little fun with the bonus slots in a quick five-question quiz.

Answers and explanations follow:

1. Modern slot machines:

A. Are always pure games of chance.

B. Sometimes incorporate elements of knowledge or skill

C. Are mostly tests of skill

2. A combination that pays off even if the symbols aren’t on the same line is called:

A. A scatter pay

B. A wild-card jackpot

C. A programming error

3. On a video slot machine, if the reels fade from the screen and are replaced by another scene, the player is getting:

A. A second-screen bonus

B. Taken to the cleaners

C. A double-or-nothing challenge

4. American slot designers:

A. Developed the modern video slot with scatter pays and bonus rounds in the early 1990s

B. Were inspired to move into video by the success of Australian manufacturers

C. Stick to three-reel slots, and leave the video to overseas slot designers

5. Compared with three-reel slots, five-reel bonus slot games:

Have fewer winning spins that return less than the amount wagered

Have more winning spins that return less than the amount wagered

Have about the same percentage of winning spins that return less than the amount wagered

Answers:

1. Modern slot machines: B. Sometimes incorporate elements of knowledge or skill.

Slot machines have traditionally been games of pure chance, but a few modern games allow the player to influence bonus paybacks with knowledge or skill. One prime example is Progressive Gaming’s (formerly Mikohn) Ripley’s Believe It or Not slots.

In the bonus round, the player sees trivia questions with multiple-choice answers. Bonus payouts are higher for correct answers than for incorrect responses.

2. A combination that pays off even if the symbols aren’t on the same line is called:

A. A scatter pay. One of the charms of video slot machines on PKRPoker is that players can find themselves with a nice win when they least expect it. Part of it is that players sometimes have difficulty sorting out all the paylines featured on five-reel bonus games, and just don’t see the winning combinations unfolding. But sometimes the payoff is just a complete surprise, because it comes from symbols that aren’t adjacent on any line.

Many games incorporate scatter pays, in which a symbol is designated to bring a payoff whenever a certain number lands on the screen. Sometimes it takes as few as two like symbols to launch a scatter pay, although three is more typical. Scatter pays then get larger if the screen shows four or five of the designated symbols.

3. On a video slot machine, if the reels fade from the screen and are replaced by another scene, the player is getting: A. A second-screen bonus.

Full Tilt Bonus rounds are the most interactive portions of video slots. When the player hits a particular combination on the first screen, the reels fade and is replaced by a scene with the bonus game. It’s all designed to keep the player active, interested–and in his or her seat.

4. American slot machine designers: B. Were inspired to move into video by the success of Australian designers.

Multiline, multicoin slots with scatter pays and other bonuses were well established in Australia and in Pacific Rim nations by the time Aristocrat brought them to the American market in 1996.

5. Compared with three-reel slots, five-reel bonus slots: B. Have more winning spins that return less than the amount wagered.

On three-reel slots, most wins are for several times the amount wagered, but less than 20 percent of spins will be winners. On five-reel bonus slots, 30, 40, even 50 percent of spins or more might bring some return, but the majority will be for less than the size of the bet.

The Proper Tools: Hardware & Software

At its most basic level, gambling online requires two critical components: a computer compliant with gambling software and access to the Internet.
If you bought your computer within the last five years, chances are that you’re already equipped with the necessary hardware to gamble online. (As a rule of thumb, if you have Internet access your system is ready.)

While you don’t need to have the latest, state-of-the-art computer in order to gamble online, if you’re working with an older model system, you will need to check to see if your computer is up to the task. Most online gambling sites such as TitanPoker provide a list of the minimum requirements needed to handle the software. This information can be found typically under the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page and sometimes on the Download page itself.
Generally speaking, the typical minimum requirements are:

Windows XP/2000/98/95/NT

64 MB of RAM (Random Access Memory)

256 color VGA monitor

30 MB of Hard drive space

14.4 Kbps modem

In addition to these minimum requirements, you’ll also need an Internet browser such as Microsoft Explorer or Netscape. If you’re system does not have a compatible browser, updates may be downloaded from the Microsoft or Netscape web sites.
Having established that your computer meets these minimum requirements, the next step is to install the gambling software from the selected site onto your system. This software contains all of the information your computer needs to allow you to gamble.
In essence, the software IS the casino or poker room or bingo hall whatever type of site you have chosen to play.
(Note: Bodog Sportsbook typically don’t require any software, only an active, funded account.) The software is always free of charge and accessible directly from the site or sometimes via a CD-ROM that can be requested from the site.
While the majority of sites favor poker download software (software that requires its key components be downloaded directly onto the users computer)
many sites now offer software platforms that allow users to skip the download process. Platforms such as Java or Flash are designed to allow players near instant access to the games with minimal hassle.

Unfortunately, these platforms often (though not always) sacrifice realism for convenience with the end result being a less-than-perfect simulation.
Happily, many sites now offer players the option to choose the version they would prefer to play.
Once you have selected a platform, the rest is easy. For a downloadable software package, click the link that says ‘download’ and the computer basically does the rest.
For the other versions, simply choose the appropriate Flash or Java option and get ready to play.

Opening a Player Account

The final steps before you can become an online gambler at a site like www.PokerStar.net is to register and fund your account. To register, simply fill out the registration form provided by the site after the software has been installed. This form requires basic personal information (name, address, etc.,) as well as a
selected user name and password so you can access your account.
Always remember to keep this information in case your forget it.
Once you have registered, you may begin playing For Fun (free) if the site has such an option, or you may deposit funds and begin playing for real. If you do sign up for a real account at poker stars, make sure to use the best Poker Stars Bonus Code that you can find.
While banking options vary with the site, the process is generally the same.
Click on the ‘Deposit’ option; select one of the methods (i.e. credit card, electronic check, pre-paid ATM, etc.), choose an amount and transfer that amount into your player account. Bear in mind, however, that depending on your selected method, initial deposits into an online gambling account may require you to do a little more paperwork.
For example, you may opt to open an account with an online money transfer service such as NETeller or
Firepay. In that case, you’ll need to open an account with them first, fund that account and transfer those funds to your player account. While this requires a little extra effort, it provides even more protection for your sensitive financial information and is well worth the time.
Once the funds have cleared and are in your player account this can range from immediate availability to several weeks, depending on the deposit method you can begin playing for real.

Congratulations, you’ve become an online gambler.

An Expanding Industry

You’ve now learned what it takes to become an online gambler. While at first it may sound complicated, it’s really nothing more than finding a site, getting the software, and getting cash into the account.
Of course, it really doesn’t end there, does it?
Just as any gambler learns and grows, so too does the online gambling industry. Sites are always evolving, developing new and faster software with more realistic games, or creating specialized VIP and comp programs that provide patrons with bigger bankrolls and higher rewards.
Some companies, such as UltimateBetPoker are even expanding into new directions such as mobile gaming and interactive television that will allow gamblers to play their favorite games just as easily as making a call or changing a channel. There’s truly no end in sight.
So, while today you may be playing at the perfect casino or poker room, tomorrow may present you with an even better version, greater accessibility and even better selection.