Choosing stake amounts for straight slots (single and or multi-payline machines_ is simply done by clicking on the + or - symbols where the wager box is on the playing screen.  Choosing the number of paylines to bet on is simply done by clicking on a button that says "Bet Max" (meaning play all paylines at once) or by clicking the "Bet One" tab.  Each time this button is clicked, a payline will be highlighted or checked.  For instance, on a slot machine with nine paylines and a maximum bet of $5, if a player chooses to play the maximum wager on 3 paylines, they will do so by insuring $5 appears in the stake box and by clicking the "Bet One" button three times.  The total wager on this bet will be $15 on a single spin ($5 x 3).  If the player chose all nine paylines, the wager would be 9 x $5 = $45.  Each payline has its own chance of winning, and will therefore payout on an individual basis according to the payout table. If multiple paylines win at once, the machine will highlight which lines are winners, and will add all the winnings together, displaying the total in a box that says "Win".  (Online slots usually do not show the symbols for all the paylines, especially when more than three lines are picked - However, they will show the number corresponding to each payline on one side of the machine with a line running from the payline number through the the winning combo symbols shown on the playing screen) Because there are more reels and paylines, does not equate to less chances of winning.  The number of symbols and frequency of each, as well as the varied symbol combinations will ultimately effect the odds of winning.  Usually, the more reels there are, the fewer symbols there are composing each reel.  Another point to remember about straight slot machines is that many of them will have a bonus multiplier, which will award a bonus on winning combinations -  but only if all the paylines are bet on a single spin. After all betting amounts and paylines are settled, the player will click on the "Spin" button.  At this point, all the reels will commence spinning, followed by a display of results and winnings.  Some online slots engage a separate payline at the bottom of a series of multiple paylines, which solitarily spins after the player clicks the Spin tab.  These are called multi-spin slots.  After the results of this single payline are displayed, the player then has an option of putting a 'Hold' on any of the symbols.  If the player chooses to do so, they will click on a button that says 'Hold' directly underneath the symbol. All empty payline spaces of the reel put on hold will then adopt this symbol.  The player will then click the 'Spin' tab again, and all reels not put on hold will begin spinning for the selected paylines.  If the player does not like any of the symbols produced on the initial spin of the multi-spin game, the hold tabs should not be engaged.  Rather, the player would click 'Spin' again, and all reels of the chosen paylines will begin spinning without Holds. Progressive online slot machines operate according to the same rules and principles, except these slots award winnings based on a percentage of the jackpot, which is networked with thousands of other online slot machines in several online casinos at once.  As would be expected, these jackpots usually climb into the hundreds of thousands of dollars - some in the millions.  The key point to remember about progressive slot machines is that in order to be eligible for the large jackpot, the player must bet the maximum number of paylines and stake amount on a single spin.  If the player hits a jackpot winning combo and did not bet the maximum on the machine, the jackpot will be paid out considerably lower than if all the paylines were staked at their maximum.  This can get expensive - but has the potential of producing large winners.  Usually, the more the jackpot is, the more the betting size is.  Players should find a happy medium they can afford in stake amounts when playing progressive slots.  If this entails selecting a machine with a lower maximum wager, this should be carried through - For the maximum bet is always considered the best option at online slots.  For more on this, please read the slots strategy section.