- Image: pixabay Progressive jackpots are not restricted to online slots, though. The largest ever payout on a slot machine came back on March 21, 2003, when a 25-year-old engineer from Los Angeles.
- The classic slot machine design works on an elaborate configuration of gears and levers. The central element is a metal shaft, which supports the reels. This shaft is connected to a handle mechanism that gets things moving. A braking system brings the spinning reels to a stop, and sensors communicate the position of the reels to the payout system.
- How Do Slots Work
- How Casino Slot Machines Work
- Slot Machine Jackpots Today
- How Slot Machines Work Inside
- How Do Slot Machines Work
Slot Machine Myths; Slot Machine B.S. Wrong info that's published elsewhere. Tips for increasing your chances of winning, and saving money. Odds of hitting the jackpot, progressive jackpots, and other jackpot topics. Skill-Based Slots. The scoop on the new games in which your results aren't entirely determined by chance.
Buffalo is without a doubt one of the most loved and played slot machines ever, especially the classic version that’s found in almost all casinos and gambling rooms across the US.
It wasn’t until 2012, however, that Aristocrat produced the online version of Buffalo slot machines. And it also became an instant hit with newbie and seasoned slot players alike.
Buffalo slot machines boast some of the best graphics, rich gameplay, and plenty of ways to bet and win. In fact, it was one of the first slot machines to ditch the old 243-way reel betting system for the robustXtra Reel Power system.
Today, there are a ton of fabulous versions of Buffalo slot machines to play at an online or land-based casino, including Buffalo Grand, Buffalo Stampede, Buffalo Gold, and the spanking new Diamond edition.
With a fresh look & feel, the slot is more popular than ever and has certainly made a name for the Australian gaming software developer.
What makes Buffalo slot machines stand out and so popular? More importantly, is playing the slot game worth your time and money?
For all the answers and more, please read this top-down review of Buffalo slot machines.
Buffalo Slot Machines: an Iconic Slot That Continues to Push the Envelope
You don’t need to look far and hard to realize that Buffalo is hands down the most popular slot machine in the United States. Walk into any Vegas casino, and you’d be surprised to find a row of Buffalo slot machines fully occupied by satisfied players.
Even in the online casino realm, a lot is going for the slot. It has cut a niche for itself in the past six or so years, eclipsing other wildly successful slots like Mega Moolah, Hall of Gods, Starburst, and Wheel of Fortune when it comes to player numbers and online casinos that carry it.
Whether you are in the UK, Australia, Canada or here in the US, you will have no trouble finding a Buffalo slot machine in a land-based casino. If you are a Las Vegas fanatic, head over to Harrah’s Hotel & Casino, and you’ll be overwhelmed by the number of machines right at the heart of the slot room.
Buffalo Slot Machines Review: Symbols and Gameplay
At the core, Buffalo is a standard five-reel video slot machine featuring 4 rows populated by up to 1024 betways or ways to pay.
All winning combinations pay from the leftmost end towards the right and are paid as multipliers of the wager on a per reel basis.
The exception is Scatter wins which are paid as a multiple of the total wager and are paid in any combination. The slot features scatter symbols, wild symbols, and other special bonus features, helping keep the play interesting as well as rewarding.
Scatter Symbol
The Scatter symbol is represented by a Gold Liberty coin in the Buffalo slot game. The Free Spins bonus feature is activated when 3 or more Scatter symbols appear anywhere on the board. They pay as follows:
- Five (5) of a kind pays 20x the total wager
- Four (4) of a kind pays 10x the total wager
- Two (2) of a kind pays twice the total bet.
Wild Symbol
Buffalo slot games come with non-stacked Wilds. The Wilds are depicted by the Sunset symbol which can land only on the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th reels. When it appears on any of these reels, the Sunset (Wild) symbol can substitute for all other symbols except for Scatters.
When the Wild symbol substitutes for other symbols on the reels, the Sunset symbol shines bright or glistens before replacing them on the tiles. As such, every Wild count toward the winning combo.
No Pay Lines!
This is perhaps what makes Buffalo a stand-out slot game.
Unlike most video slots, Buffalo slot machines don’t feature pay lines. Instead, they employ the Reel Power betting system, the latest creation by Aristocrat. This not only adds some sizzle to the game but also builds trust, which means you don’t have to worry about ifthe slot game is rigged.
Instead of activating pay lines with credit/money, you can buy positions or tiles in the playing area represented by 5 reels by 4 rows in five levels. In other words, the first four Reel Power levels buy one to four reels, beginning from the screen’s left side, as well as all positions/tiles on the third row.
With that in mind, instead of wagering on a per-line basis as with many slot games, with Buffalo you bet per reel. Moreover, there is a wager multiplier associated with each of the five reels.
Other Key Symbols
Again, Buffalo slot boasts five classic reels, each with 4 spaces that can deliver more than a thousand betting ways. The reels can be filled with any of the 13 different symbols, with every symbol having its paytable.
The low value symbols are the standard playing card ranks, starting from nine through Ace — i.e. 9, 10, J, Q, K, and A.
The Ace is unsurprisingly the most important of the card symbols. It’s represented by a green gemstone emblazoned with a red-colored letter A. Three of a kind pays 10x wager per reel, four of a kind pays 50x, while five of a kind pays 100x the bet per reel.
The King is represented by an orange letter K. Three of a kind pays 10x wager per reel, four of a kind pays 50x, while five of a kind pays 100x the bet per reel.
The Queen is depicted by the letter Q in yellow. Three of a kind pays 5x wager per reel, four of a kind pays 20x, while five of a kind pays 100x the bet per reel.
The Jack is represented by the letter J in blue. Three of a kind pays 5x wager per reel, four of a kind pays 20x, while five of a kind pays 100x the bet per reel.
The Ten is depicted by number 10 in red. Three of a kind pays 5x wager per reel, four of a kind pays 10x, while five of a kind pays 100x the bet per reel.
The Nine is represented by the number 9 in green. Two of a kind pays 2x per bet on the reel, three of a kind pays 5x wager per reel, four of a kind pays 10x, while five of a kind pays 100x the bet per reel.
Apart from the two special symbols mentioned above (Scatters and Wilds), the remaining 5 are animal symbols, namely: the Buffalo, the Puma, the Eagle, the Elk, and the Wolf.
The Buffalo (actually American Bison) is the only stacked symbol, and the highest paying, for that matter. When two of a kind appear, it pays 10x the wager per reel. Similarly, three of a kind pays 50x, four of a kind pays 100x, and full house (five of a kind) pays 300x bet per reel.
The Puma and the Eagle (Bald eagle, to be precise) are the next most valuable symbols on the Buffalo slot game. They pay similarly, with three of a kind paying 50x your bet per reel, while 4 of a kind and 5 of a kind pay 100x and 150x your bet per reel respectively.
Both the Elk and the Wolf pay 20x your wager per reel for three of a kind, while four of a kind and five of a kind pay 80x and 120x your wager per reel respectively.
The Free Spins Bonus Game
The bonus rounds add to the excitement of playing Buffalo slot machines, which is why it is one of thebest slots in Las Vegas.
The Free Spins bonus game is triggered when 3 or more Scatters appear on any place on the screen, including non-purchased tiles/positions. The number of free spins you receive will depend on the number of Scatter symbols that appear on the reels.
You will get 8 free spins for 3 Scatters, 15 free games for 4 Scatters, and a whopping 20 free spins for 5 Scatters.
The good news is that you can receive additional free games when you’re playing the bonus round with free spins. For instance, you will get 5 free spins when a set of two Scatters appear concurrently on the screen during the bonus game.
But that isn’t all. All free spin winnings are increased twofold or threefold by the Wild symbol appearing anywhere on the screen. This is purely random, and the multiplier is shown on the board.
On the overall, the total win per spin can be multiplied during the bonus game up to 27x.
Popular Versions of Buffalo Slot Machines
What we love about Aristocrat is that every Buffalo version they release becomes a huge hit. These new variants are more robust and offer more rewarding features than the last, all while retaining the best features and bonuses.
The classic Buffalo slot machines were replaced by deluxe version. It was very similar to the original, except for the fact that you’d pick the multiplier of the Buffalo symbols. This choice game with a small catch.
If you choose a larger multiplier (the highest was 5x), then you receive fewer free spins in case you activate the bonus game.
The Stampede version came right after the deluxe edition. It came with portrait screen, and it felt a bit fresh with Buffalos running up the screen. Aristocrat followed this version with the two most popular versions — the Buffalo Grand and Buffalo Gold slots.
The two came with bigger screen real estate, new bonus games, and more innovative features such as spinning wheels. The latest iteration is the Diamond edition which is one of the most exciting and innovative versions yet.
Let’s take a closer look at each popular version.
(a) Buffalo Stampede Slot Machines
This version came right after the deluxe edition. From afar to a newbie player, it looked very similar to the original version. For instance, it integrated all the attractive features of the original slot, including the Wilds, Scatters, and Bonus game.
Buffalo Stampede was and is still unmistakably fun and rewarding to play. However, it comes with a tiny price: it’s not exactly cheap to play, with a 70-cent minimum bet per spin.
Perhaps the most prominent new addition was the animation of the Buffalo symbol that seems to charge straight at you on the screen. It also waved the lasso on the screen, making the slot quite exciting.
The buffalos also appeared from the bottom on the stampede, running up across the screen. Their move upwards elongated the screen, increasing the number of rows. This implied that you could win on a far higher number of paylines during the Buffalo stampede.
Much akin to the original version, the Buffalo Stampede games offer the player an opportunity to re-activate the free spins bonus game. That is because you only require 2 bonus symbols to re-activate the game, including Scatters and Wilds.
(b) Buffalo Gold
Just like the original version, Buffalo Gold is an All Ways slot with Scatters and Wild symbols. Unlike the Stampede and deluxe versions that are relatively expensive, however, you can spin the Buffalo Gold slot machine with just 40 cents per spin.
Plus, you can garner massive wins during the bonus game. In fact, it is not uncommon for some players to rake in up to $4,000 or more when playing Buffalo Gold bonus round.
Whereas the classic edition provides you with a standard free spins bonus game, the Buffalo Gold version gives you a collection bonus game. What that means is that you can collect Gold Buffalo coins that will convert symbols into jackpot symbols for the rest of the bonus game, increasing your chances of winning by a huge margin.
To win the maximum payout, you will have to land all of the 15 golden Buffalos. When this happens, you can hit one of the biggest jackpot payouts. And the best part is that the bets can usually be adjusted so it won’t cost you a fortune.
Another advantage of playing Buffalo Gold slot is that it comes with a very commendable RTP. That implies that you can get plenty of playtime out of the game even if you have a small to medium bankroll.
It is worth noting that, while Buffalo Gold is generally a generous slot, it occasionally goes through sporadic spells where there are no free spins triggered or decent wins made. This is where you patience can pay handsomely.
(c) Buffalo Grand Slot Machines
The Grand is perhaps the most enjoyable version of all Buffalo slot machines out there. It offers plenty of entertainment, but this doesn’t necessarily translate into value for money.
From experience, it looks like the Grand favors high-roller players who bet more money per spin. This is because the jackpot can only be triggered when you have wagered the maximum bet, which is totally different from the gameplay of Buffalo Gold and Stampede.
The bottom line is that if you are a low-stakes slot player, you can expect to deal with lower payouts, which means you will most probably run through your bankroll a lot quicker.
On a more positive note, the Grand lives up to its hype when it comes to fabulous graphics, and high-stakes players have a bigger chance of landing huge payouts.
In a nutshell, the Grand is not for small-time slot players who’d like to turn their pennies into gold. It’s for high rollers who want to get value for their status of play.
Another upside of this version is that the screen is so big, housing a lot more paylines than the previous edition. This multiplies your probability of landing a decent win, even if you are playing a minimum bet. Unfortunately, that also means it can guzzle up your entire bankroll in a few spins.
(d) Additional Versions
Aristocrat has released numerous other successful and not-so-successful versions in between and after the three editions mentioned above.
For example, one highly popular version allows the player to pick the volatility of the game. Interestingly, you can find versions with different math in different countries, casinos or areas of the country.
Buffalo Max is a version designed for high-roller players. It’s meant to reward players who play more, but it doesn’t seem to have any traction with its target audience. Perhaps, gamblers have given it a cold shoulder for punishing them for wagering 40 cents rather than playing the max bet of $4.
The latest version released by Aristocrat is the Diamond edition as part of its tenth anniversary. The slot machine is what it seems to be – it has a honeycomb feel and look to the reels, and boasts 4K display to boot.
Buffalo Slot Machines Review: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Are Buffalo Slot Machines Penny Slots?
No, you will not be able to play Buffalo slot machines with a penny per spin. However, the slot machine has been designed similarly as a penny slot. That might be the reason why most people keep thinking it is a penny slot. If you want to learn more about this topic, here is a handyguide to penny slots.
Who Designs and Makes Buffalo Slot Machines?
From the original to the Diamond Edition, all Buffalo slot machines were designed and produced by Aristocrat, one of the best providers of slot machines and games for the US casino industry.
Where can I Play Buffalo Slots?
The allure of Buffalo slot machines is that they are so popular with players and casinos that they are found virtually everywhere. In Vegas, you can find them at hotel lobbies and of course on casino slot floors. Flamingo Casino or Harrah’s Hotel are some of the greatest venues.
Online is where the action is as far as Buffalo slot games are concerned. Here, you can try out every version to figure out which one is best for your style of play and bankroll.
Major gambling sites like Slots lv (you can read our comprehensiveSlots lv review here) offer several versions of the game.
Are Buffalo Slot Machines Rigged?
To the best of our knowledge and experience, we have found Buffalo slot machines to be credible and trustworthy. If you want to learn more about how to choose a safe and reputable slot, please read this article that explains all about slot rigging.
New slot machine players are going to find a lot of advice for beating the slots. Have a healthy skepticism when a slots expert tells you they know how to beat the slot machines. Among the games in a casino, video slots (in general) have a high house edge. Besides finding gaming machines with high jackpots and a low house edge, no skill or strategy is required to play slots. That means you can’t expect to increase your odds of winning in most situations.
Read through the advice below to optimize your chances of winning at slots. None of the advice assures winning sessions. Instead, it helps you stretch your bankroll, so you enjoy playing the slots longer. Also, the longer your bankroll lasts, the more chances you’ll have of hitting the big jackpot every slots player wants.
Use a Slots Card
Upon entering a live casino, sign up for a slots card. This provides comps and cashback, which automatically lowers the house edge by a bit. Never play a spin without using your slots card. In an online casino, accept the highest slots bonus and play according to the terms and conditions until you meet the wagering requirement. Once again, this lowers the house edge on online slots.
Make Max Bets
Look at the payout chart on a slot machine to determine how jackpots are paid. On many slot machines, the 5-coin bet pays out a higher percentage on the top fixed jackpot. For instance, a 1-coin bet might pay $200, a 2-coin bet might pay $400, a 3-coin bet might pay $600, and a 4-coin bet might pay $800. You might expect the 5-coin bet to pay $1000, but many slot machines pay out $1200 or $1500 in that case, trying to convince bettors to make the max bet.
If the jackpot increases a bigger percentage with a maximum coin wager, then it makes sense to make the max bet on a slot machine. If the bet size is too high for your tastes, then lower the coin denomination and make a max bet at that level. Of course, if there is no additional jump between the 4-coin and 5-coin bet, then you can wager a single coin and max out the coin denomination to the bet size you like.
Read the RTP Information
If an online casino or land-based casino publishes its return-to-player information, read through the RTP percentages to find the video slots with the best RTPs. Return-to-player or expected return is the percentage of a theoretical $100 you expect to see returned to you. It is a theoretical percentage based on probability, so an RTP of 95% does not assure you’ll be paid $95 for every $100 you put in the machine. You might lose $50 or you might win $150, or you might win a progressive jackpot and go home rich.
The point of the RTP percentage is to give a player an idea of their expected return. If two slot machines sit next to one another and one has an RTP of 93% and the other an RTP of 95% (and both have similar jackpots), then it pays to play the game with the higher percentage. Over time, this leads to you maintaining a higher percentage of your bankroll.
Money Management Techniques
Read about bankroll management techniques. “Money management” or “bankroll management” is a series of steps you take to lock on winnings when good luck happens and limit your losses when a bad streak occurs. These do not assure that you’ll win, but it optimizes your bankroll.
Players should know three core bankroll management methods: percentage betting, win goals, and loss limits. Learn to calculate your bankroll and divide this into percentages. Then bet between 1% and 5% of your bankroll on any given hand, depending on your capacity for risk. This limits the amount of your stake you lose on any given session, keeping you playing for longer throughout your vacation. It is a given that people go to the ATM machine or credit card when they lose their whole bankroll — which means you spend more than you intended. The point of percentage betting is to assure your bankroll last through your whole trip, so you never have to replenish.
What Is a Bankroll?
How Do Slots Work
“Bankroll” is not defined as your entire bank account. It isn’t defined as your discretionary spending budget or the money you have earmarked for entertainment expenses. Instead, it is a part of your discretionary spending cash and entertainment budget which is set aside specifically for gambling. In this case, a bankroll is less than your entertainment budget.
Once you have your bankroll figured, divide this into easy to understand percentage. If you have a bankroll of $1000, then divide this into percentages. These are simple calculations, but you should have an understanding of 1%, 2%, 5%, 10%, and 20% of your bankroll. In the earlier example, 1% would be $10, while 2% would be $20. 5% would be $50, 10% would be $100, and 20% would be $200.
Now that you have these, decide whether to bet 1% to 5% of your bankroll. Most experts suggest betting no more than 1% to 2% in order to maintain your bankroll throughout your casino trip or online slots session.
Setting a Win Goal
Next, set your win goal. This is the amount of winnings you set as your goal for any given slots session. If you have a win goal of 10%, then your win goal would be $100 for any given slot machine sessions. As soon as you hit that goal, you walk away from the slot machine — no matter what. A win goal is a hard-and-fast rule, because it locks in winnings. One of the biggest mistakes players make is losing back their winnings, because they think they’re on a hot streak.
Setting a Loss Limit
Even more dangerous is trying to win back cash you just loss. To protect against this tendency, set a loss limit. Once again, make this your hard-and-fast rule. Typical loss limits can be 5%, 10%, 15%, or 20% — though 20% means you could lose the entire bankroll in 5 slots session. 10% to 15% is a good middle ground. Once you’ve lost that amount, walk away from the slot machine under all circumstances. The slots game is not “due” to pay out, so step away from the machine and clear your mind.
How Casino Slot Machines Work
Win goals and loss limits guard against gambler’s fallacy. Gambler’s fallacy is the idea that the law of averages assures or weight the odds in your favor. Slots use random number generators and every spin is entirely separate from the previous spin. Losing the last spin does not make it more likely you’ll win the next spin. The odds stay the same, no matter how many wins or losses in a row you’ve had.
Slot Machine Jackpots Today
Avoid Progressive Betting
For that reason, avoid progressive betting systems like the Martingale system, D’Alembert system, Fibonacci system, and so on. Betting experts have used computer simulations to track the progressive betting methods against flat betting (same bet each spin). Flat betting beats all of the progressive betting schemes over 1 billion spins.
Progressive betting seems like it’s working, because it leads to a lot of small winning sessions. The problem is that it also has a handful of huge losing sessions which wipe out all the wins — and then some. You can’t beat the house edge with the Martingale system, however it might look to the naked eye. The Fibonacci numbers are incredible, but they are not a magical way to beat the casino.
The reason progressive bets are bad is they increase the size of your bets (in some systems exponentially). If you start with $5 or $10 bets, a streak of bad luck has you betting hundreds of dollars on one spin. That’s busts your bankroll and leads to a “risk of ruin” — meaning you’ll lose your whole bankroll if you hit a bad luck streak. No matter what you read online, flat bets are better.
Take Breaks for Rest and Refreshments
Play when you are at your best physically and mentally. Don’t play when you’re tired or sleepy. Don’t play when you’re hungry or thirsty. Take frequent rest and restroom breaks. If you get bored, take a break and walk the casino. Play another game to change up the betting pattern.
How Slot Machines Work Inside
When you are rested and engaged, you won’t have distractions that might lead to bad decisions. The idea is to have fun, so if anything is causing you to lose focus on the entertainment aspect of the game, walk away and save your bankroll.
Don’t Go on Tilt
Tilt is a concept in poker where a player makes decisions based on emotional responses instead of solid strategy. It can cost a player a lot of money if they make bets based on anything but rational decisions. While going on tilt is not a concept in slot machine gambling, every game of chance has a personal component.
How Do Slot Machines Work
In short, don’t play when you’re agitated. Take stock of your inner thoughts. If your ego or anger is causing you to make irrational decisions, take a deep breath and calm down. If that doesn’t work, walk away and clear your head. It stinks to lose a series of bets, but what stinks more is to lose a series of bigger bets when you’re trying to make up for lost bankroll.