Water Dragons Slot Machine

The Water Dragons slot machine from IGT is a 5-reel, 30-payline game that originally appeared in land-based casinos around the globe. It enjoyed a decent amount of popularity during its initialrun, so it was converted into a virtual slot in 2013.

The theme of the game centers on Japanese water gardens, and the icons reflect the various aquatic life and decorations that you might expect to find in such a place.

The audio effects are notable, with each click of the spin button producing the tranquil sounds of running water and soft Japanese music.

In this article, we’ll take an in-depth look at the Water Dragons slot machine. All of the game symbols are covered in detail, and we also list the corresponding payout values for each icon.Bonus rounds are discussed, as well as the average payback percentage and game controls.

By the time you finish, there should be no mysteries involving this slot machine.

Whether you play a slot machine online or at a land-based casino, here are a few important facts to keep in mind:

• The outcome of every spin is independent. Therefore, the notion that slots get “hot” and “cold” is false.
• No matter how many times you spin, your odds of winning remain constant.

These two details should come as something of a relief, especially if you’ve mistakenly believed that slots are rigged.

It’s also important to know about the expected payback and how it impacts the player. According to the Water Dragons slot, the expected payback “reflects the theoretical return across a verylarge number of plays by numerous players over an extended period of time.”

Expressed as a percentage, the expected payback shows how much you should get back for every $100 wager (over the long term). Keep in mind that this number can fluctuate a great deal in the shortterm, but it’s always meant to take in more than it pays out over time.

For example, let’s say that a slot has an expected payback of 95%, which is the average for land-based games in Las Vegas. Over the course of thousands and thousands of spins, you could expect toget back $95 for every $100 wagered.

As you may have noticed, this gives the casino an advantage over the player. This is called the “house edge,” and it’s how casinos continue to flourish while paying out huge sums of money togamblers on a daily basis.

In the case of Water Dragons, the expected payback ranges from 93.51% to 94.92%. The more you play, the closer you’ll come to achieving the latter percentage. Over the course of a few dozenspins, however, you’re just as likely to wind up with the former.

Since the expected percentages are below 95%, the average Vegas slot is more beneficial to the player’s chances. Keep in mind, though, that playing at home doesn’t require you to pay for a hotelroom, gas, or any number of other expenses that might pop up during a gambling excursion. Due to this, you can stay at home, play on a machine with a lower average payback percentage, and stillcome out ahead.

As with any slot machine, the game’s symbols act as a direct link between the player and any potential payout. In this section, we’ll take an in-depth look at the various icons for the WaterDragons slot machine from IGT, as well as their corresponding payouts.

When you play the game, you’ll have two options when it comes to referring back to this information. First, you can choose to click on the “Pays” button and click through the various details ofthe game. Or, if you prefer, you can minimize this article on your screen and enlarge it whenever you need a refresher course. Either way, all the details you’ll need are only seconds away.

Please keep in mind that all wins pay left to right on the game screen. Also, line wins are multiplied by the line bet. The latter means that a line win of 300 on a $10 line wager results in apayout of $3,000.

• Red Koi

  These colorful fish have been an integral part of Japanese gardens and ponds for centuries. When part of a winning payline, this symbol pays 50 for three matches, 300 for four, and 1,000 forfive. The latter is the base game’s top prize, and a minimum line bet of $1 would result in a payout of $1,000. Meanwhile, the top wager of $30 per line would pay the player $30,000.

• White Koi with Red Spot

  Currently, there are 22 major varieties of koi available to the consumer. This icon features a leaping white koi with a distinctive red spot on their head. When part of a winning payline, thesymbol pays 40 for three matches, 200 for four, and 750 for five.

• Orange Koi

  While it looks an awful lot like a goldfish, this orange hued aquatic creature is just another variation of koi. When part of a winning payline, it pays 30 for three matches, 125 for four,and 400 for five.

• Blue Koi

  Thanks to professional breeders and a continual demand from the public, new types are koi are still being developed. When this icon makes up a winning payline, the player can expect toreceive one of the following prizes: 20 for three matches, 100 for four, and 300 for five.

• Violet Flower

  This delicate flower can often be found decorating a Japanese water garden, and its buds can sometimes be found floating in the water amidst playful koi. When part of a winning payline, itoffers 10 credits for three matches, 30 for four, and 125 for five.

• White Flower

  This symbol is similar to the previous entry, although it’s colored white instead of violet. When part of a winning payline, it offers the following prizes: five credits for three matches, 20for four, and 100 for five.

• Dragonfly

  In Japan, this winged insect is often associated with autumn. It also plays a role in the nation’s mythology, as the legendary founder of the country, Emperor Jinmu, was bitten by a mosquito,which, in turn, was gobbled up by a dragonfly. When part of a winning payline, this icon pays five credits for three matches, 20 for four, and 100 for five.

• Bonsai Tree

  Bonsai is an ancient Japanese art form that involves shaping a tree while it grows in a container. These trees can often be found in more ambitious Japanese gardens, especially when the ownerhas the time and resources to devote to their care. When part of a winning combination, this icon offers the following payments: five credits for three matches, 20 for four, and 100 for five.

• Stone Lantern

  Dating back to around the 8^th century, these stone lanterns often lined the paths and provided illumination for Buddhist temples. They were eventually introduced at Shinto shrines,and later they became a common feature in tea gardens. When part of a winning combination, the lantern symbol pays five credits for three matches, 20 for four, and 100 for five.

• Water Dragons Icon

  This is the game’s official symbol, and it also serves as the wild. It substitutes for all the icons discussed above, although it only appears on reels two through five.

• Oyster with Pearls

  This scatter icon serves as the game’s bonus symbol, and it appears on reels two through four during the base game. Scatter pays three times the total bet, while three bonus icons in anyposition activate the Free Spins Bonus and award the player with 15 free spins.

The game has a single bonus round, and it’s known as the Free Spins Bonus. As discussed in the previous section, it’s activated by getting three oyster icons in any position on reels two throughfour. Once this occurs, the player is given 15 complimentary spins that activate immediately.

Free spins are played at the same line bet and paylines as the triggering spin. This phase of the game lasts until one of the following conditions has been met:

• All free spins have been depleted
• The top award limit is reached
• The maximum of 225 spins has been played

The pearl icon is a new addition during this phase of the game, and it only shows up on the fifth reel. At the bottom of the screen are icons that correspond to the four types of koi from thegame. Each of these symbols has three vacant pearl icons next to them and getting a pearl on reel five causes one of these to be filled. When three pearls are completed next to a koi symbol, itbecomes wild for the duration of the bonus round and substitutes for any icon that doesn’t depict some manner of pearl.

Wild symbols only appear on reels two through five, and they also include the pearl and Water Dragons icons. If a trio of oyster scatter symbols appear in any position on reels two through four,they re-trigger the bonus round and award an additional 15 free spins.

The paytable for the bonus round is identical to that of the base game. While I would’ve preferred to see some variation in this area, at least it keeps you from having to remember two entirelydifferent groups of numbers.

You’ll notice a number of buttons and game controls scattered across the screen. In this section, we’ll look at each of these and discuss their individual functions.

• Pays

  Clicking this button allows access to information such as the paytable, paylines, payback percentage, and more.

• Lines

  The number of paylines currently activated by the player. The maximum number is 30, while the minimum is a single payline. Other options include five, nine, and 15.

• Line Bet

  Displays the amount of money that the player is risking on each active payline. Options include $1, $2, $3, $5, $10, $20, $25, and $30.

• Total Bet

  This section shows the total wager per spin. The minimum possible wager is $1 (for a single payline), while the maximum allowable bet is $900.

• Spin

  Clicking this golden button sets the reels to spinning. After five seconds, the outcome of the spin is revealed to the player (even though it’s actually determined the moment the button ispressed).

• Win

  If the player is fortunate enough to win on any given spin, the amount of their payout is displayed in this field.

• Balance

  In order to play at an online casino, the customer has to open an account and deposit money into it. This field displays the current balance for the player, and this fluctuates depending onwins or losses. If the balance ever falls to zero, then the player must add more money before being able to continue.

• Auto Spin

  If your gaming sessions tend to be long, repeatedly pressing the spin button can become a chore. The auto spin function makes things simpler, allowing you to sit back while the game continueson autopilot. Options include 10, 20, 30, 40, and 50 spins, and the automated feature can be halted by the player at any point.

• Options

  This feature is depicted by a wrench icon, and clicking on it provides four options for the visual quality of the game (best, high, medium, low). While the low option does make the imagesslightly fuzzy, all the others are more than adequate for a gaming session.

While the expected payback for the Water Dragons slot machines is average, it still manages to be a solid addition to any casino’s list of titles.

Those with an interest in Japanese culture should especially enjoy the game, and the soothing music and sounds of running water provide a perfect way to relax after a long day of toiling away atthe office.

The $30,000 top prize on the base game may not be as lucrative as some slots, but the ability to activate all paylines for $30 makes it ideal for mid-range gamblers.