A–ZThe slot mechanics encyclopedia
How do slots work? A labelled tour of Springbok's reels
A slot works in one step you never see: the moment you press spin, a random number generator chooses where each reel stops, and the game checks the symbols that land against its pay table. Paylines, ways, wilds, Hold & Spin coins and free games are all rules for reading or extending that single random result.
This encyclopedia takes those rules apart with labelled diagrams, using games from Springbok Casino's lobby: 244 slots as of 9 October 2026.
18+ · Affiliate link · Last updated 9 October 2026
RNew-player offers
Springbok's offers, updated 9 October 2026
Slots count towards bonus wagering under Springbok's T&Cs. Wagering is 30x the deposit plus bonus on the welcome codes and 60x on the free chip, with a R100 limit on each bet while a bonus is active.
Springbok's welcome package
R11,500 over three deposits
- 1st deposit 100% up to R1,500
SPRINGBOK100 - 2nd and 3rd 50% up to R5,000 each
SPRINGBOK50
SPRINGBOK100- Wagering
- 30x deposit + bonus (T&Cs default)
- Max bet while wagering
- R100
- Min deposit
- Springbok's blog says R25
- Offer updated
- 9 October 2026
18+. Redeem each code before the deposit it belongs to. Slots count towards wagering. Offer details
R250 free, no deposit needed
TEST-SPRINGBOK- Wagering
- 60x the bonus (R15,000)
- Max cashout
- R1,250
- Min deposit
- none
Springbok's promotions page and its T&Cs cap the payout at the figure above; some older Springbok pages still say R500.
18+. Enter the code in the cashier's Redeem Coupon box. Offer details
What happens in one spin
Every spin on every slot runs through the same five stages. Only the last two change from game to game, and they are what the entries here explain.
- You set the stakeA bet per line or per spin; either way the full cost of the spin leaves your balance (how top awards are quoted).
- The random number generator picks the stopsThe result is settled the instant you press spin, and each spin stands alone: the game keeps no memory of the last one. Springbok uses RTG games with a random number generator (RNG). No fairness certificate is linked Springbok's claim.
- The reels show the resultThe animation is presentation: the stops were chosen before the reels moved, so stopping them early changes nothing.
- The pay table is appliedMatching symbols are read along the paylines or ways, normally from the leftmost reel. Wilds stand in for other symbols; scatters count anywhere.
- Feature checks runEnough scatters can start free games, enough coins can start a Hold & Spin round, and on some older RTG titles a random jackpot can be awarded on its own.
Reading a slot tile in Springbok's lobby
Springbok's lobby describes each game in a short tile: reel layout, how wins are counted, a volatility label and the main features. Here is the sheet for Crimson Castle, a Hold & Spin slot released on 30 September 2026:
Spec sheet
Crimson Castle
- 5 reels x 3 rows Lobby
- 10 paylines Lobby
- Medium volatility Lobby
- Hold & Spin with Triggering Moon feature Lobby
- RTP 95% Springbok says
- Hit rate 1 in 95 Springbok says
- Top award up to 50,000x the bet per line Springbok says
- Halloween theme Lobby
Game details · updated 9 October 2026
5×3 and 10 lines tell you how a win is counted. Medium volatility is the lobby's label for how uneven results are (what each label means). Hold & Spin names the feature. Lines tagged "Springbok says" come from Springbok's review, not the tile, such as the RTP of 95% (what it measures) and a hit rate of 1 in 95 that the review does not define.
The entries in this encyclopedia
Each entry takes one mechanic, draws it as a numbered plate and points to Springbok games where it can be seen working.
- Free-games featuresScatter triggers, retriggers and rounds where you pick the mode.Read the entry
- Hold & SpinCoins lock in place, re-spins reset, and the Grand needs a full window.Read the entry
- Local random jackpotThe jackpot line on older RTG tiles, and how it differs from a network progressive.Read the entry
- Paylines vs waysFixed paths against adjacent-reel ways: how a win gets counted.Read the entry
- Return to player (RTP)What a listed return figure measures over the long run, and what it leaves out.Read the entry
- Top award and x bet per lineReading a multiple of the line bet, and why the ceiling is not a forecast.Read the entry
- VolatilityLow to very high: how the lobby label shapes a session in rand.Read the entry
How Springbok's slots count a win
Four rules decide which symbols form a win. Paylines are set paths. Ways count matches in any row of adjacent reels. Pays anywhere games pay for enough matches wherever they fall, and cluster games pay for touching groups.
| Mechanic | Titles | For example |
|---|---|---|
| Fixed or variable paylines | 27 | Shadow Gods, Crimson Castle, Treasure Sparks |
| 243 ways | 7 | Triple Tigers, Coyote Cash 2, Prosperity Pots: Lucky Coins |
| 1,024 ways or more | 4 | Bass Baggin' Bounty, Buffalo Mania: Thunder Springs, Buffalo Mania Deluxe |
| Pays anywhere or clusters | 3 | Olympus Thunderhold, Sweet 16 Blast!, Dr. Winmore |
| Hold & Spin or similar coin re-spins | 15 | Shadow Gods, Crimson Castle, Treasure Sparks |
| A free-games round | 26 | Shadow Gods, Triple Tigers, Seahorse Surge |
| Local random jackpot | 4 | Cleopatra's Gold, Achilles, Lion's Lair |
| Network progressive jackpot | 5 | Aztec's Millions, Megasaur, Spirit of the Inca |
Across the 44 slots covered here as of 9 October 2026; a game can sit in several rows. The lobby holds 244 slots, so these are samples.
More ways do not mean better odds: a ways game spreads its return over more, usually smaller, combinations. Paylines vs ways, side by side
Features that change a spin
Features are extra rules that start when particular symbols land. Three families cover most of the lobby.
Coins that lock
Coin symbols lock while the rest of the window re-spins, and each new coin usually resets the count. 15 of the 44 slots covered here run this kind of round.
Hold & Spin, explainedScatters that open free games
Enough scatters, landing anywhere, start a run of free games, sometimes with a choice of modes or extra games. 26 of the 44 games covered here mention them.
Free games, explainedJackpots on top
Older RTG titles such as Achilles carry a local random jackpot; the Progressives tab lists 10 titles, Caribbean poker tables among them. We never quote jackpot amounts.
Random jackpots, explainedThe numbers on a slot, and what they cannot tell you
Three listed numbers do most of the describing, and each answers a narrower question than it seems.
RTP
The share of all stakes a game is built to pay back over an enormous number of spins: 95% for Crimson Castle, says Springbok's review. A long-run average, not a forecast for your evening.
The RTP entryVolatility
How the return is spread out: low means frequent small wins, very high means long gaps and rare large results. 24 of the 44 games covered here say Medium.
The volatility entryTop award
The largest single result the pay table allows, often quoted against the line bet: for Shadow Gods, Springbok's preview quotes up to 50,000x the bet per line. A ceiling most sessions never come near.
The top-award entryA slot cannot run hot, cold or due. Each spin is drawn fresh, so a long stretch without a feature makes the next spin no more likely to trigger one, and a near miss signals nothing.
Spot the mechanic in the lobby
Six games from Springbok's lobby, each showing one mechanic clearly; the gold tag names it.
- Hold & SpinCrimson Castle5×3 · 10 lines · Medium volatilityRead the entry
243 waysTriple Tigers243 ways · Medium volatilityRead the entry
Free gamesSeahorse Surge6×4 · 30 lines · Medium volatilityRead the entry
Pays anywhereOlympus Thunderhold6×5 · Pays anywhere · Medium volatilityRead the entry
Very high volatilityCash Bandits 325 variable lines · Very high volatilityRead the entry
Top awardLiberty Rockets3×3 · 9 lines · Medium volatilityRead the entry
Open these slots at Springbok18+ · Practice and real-money play in the lobby
Trying a mechanic before you stake real money
The cheapest way to understand a feature is to watch it run in Springbok's practice mode, with fun money; Springbok says that balance is a one-off Springbok's claim.
Playing for real? Set the budget first. Bonus money carries wagering and a R100 cap per bet, and slots are on the T&Cs list of games that count T&Cs.
See these mechanics in Springbok's lobby18+ · T&Cs apply · Affiliate link
18+ · Before you spin
Winners know when to stop
Every mechanic here has the same bottom line: over time a slot keeps part of what is staked, and no feature or label changes that. Treat what you put in as the price of the entertainment, decided before you open the lobby.
- Set a rand amount for the session and a time to stop, and keep both.
- Never chase a loss, and never play with money meant for rent, food or debt.
- Springbok's responsible gaming page offers daily or monthly deposit limits and self-exclusion, arranged by contacting its support team. Springbok's page
Time to pause if you notice that you
- chase losses with another deposit
- play longer than you meant to
- hide how much you play
- borrow, or spend bill money