On traditional reel slots, the pay table typically looked the same from 1 credit to 3 credits until you looked at the top prize. If the prize for 3 Wild Cherry symbols was 1000 credits for 1 coin played, 2000 credits for 2 coins played, and 10000 credits for 3 coins played ... it pretty much forced you to play the maximum in order to get the best "bang" for your buck. It was a way to "encourage" you to always bet the max.

For years now, multi-line slots did not have this kind of "kicker" in the pay table. Essentially, the payouts were linear (you bet 3 per line, you win or lose three times as much). However, leave it to slot manufacturers to find a way to re-introduce the "kicker".

Aristrocrat has multi-line machines with Mr. Cashman -- where you need to play an extra 5 credits each spin in order to qualify for the random, "Mr. Cashman" bonus. If you opt out of the bonus, the Cashman game has no bonus rounds ... and frankly, it is just another so-so slot (with graphics that are often less than so-so).

IGT jumped in with games like "Giant Wheel" of fortune, but they require a double bet in order to qualify for the wheel bonus (with 40 pay lines, you need an additional 40 credits to qualify for the wheel bonus) (the nerve).

WMS jumped in with the very popular "HOT HOT PENNY" series ... where 3 additional credits are rquired in order to qualify for the free spin bonuses. WMS was already into this with their somewhat innovative Monopoly, "Once Around" and "Free Parking" --- where you could spend more in the bonus round in order to try and win more.

I wonder what happened to the "good old days", where the bonus round was included in the cost of the bet. Sheesh.

/\/\/\/\ the Shamus /\/\/\/\