Obviously, the number of possible combinations increases with the number of reels you have to spin, making higher-numbered reel games more common-but also more complicated and visually busy. Most slots fall into three categories: three reels, five reels, or seven reels, though there are some alternative formats that do are slightly different. Reels are the number of vertical sections that roll with each pull of the lever.
One basic way that slot machines are categorized is by the number of reels they have. Traditional casino goers and those online players who would rather just spin the wheels as opposed to being carried off to second-screen bonus events and other fancy slot features will find three reel slots are adequate enough. These games are also often referred to as classic slots. Slot machines traditionally started out as three reel slots.