Popular slot machine games in Finland
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Slot machines produce a ratings bonanza. Recent statistics show that more than 70 percent of casino revenues come from slot machines. This is a significant increase from the 1970s, when the figure was only 40 percent. In the Las Vegas Strip, the area with the largest number of slot machines in the world, a slot on average earns $226 per day. Because there are around 38,434 slot machines operating in the Las Vegas Strip, an average monthly profit from all of them amounts to $269,527,000. In smaller countries like Finland, for example, where only 18,500 slot machines are distributed between local casinos, supermarkets, gas stations, and restaurants, the revenue from them is considerably smaller. And yet, Veikkaus, the Finnish national casino operator, has recently estimated that, if it removed 8,000 slot machines from public use, as it plans to do, the rollback would shrink its annual turnover by 150-200 million euros.
Not only do slots produce a lion share of the gambling industry’s revenue but they also win a popularity contest among gamblers. Another study showed in 2006 that 71 percent of players preferred slot machines over other games. This research also found that, although all interviewed people were seasoned gamblers and did not need to learn how to play slot machines, they turned to them for completely different reasons. Some of them played slots in order to reduce boredom and enjoyed watching people gamble as much as playing themselves. Others looked for excitement and the thrill of hitting the jackpot. Younger gamblers preferred themed slot machines and played them in the hope of winning some money. Other players watched rolling pictures on slot machines in order to relax after a stressful day.
These findings have helped the slot gambling industry to diversify slot machine games and introduce to the playing public various innovations designed to cater to its different testes and gambling purposes. New themed slot machines have appeared since, attracting people by their cutting-edge graphics and a rich arsenal of topics, from holidays to adventure, sports, movies, popular shows, animals, fairy tales, horror, and space. Creators of themed slots often play on people’s psychological needs, allowing them either to dive deeply into their childhood memories or fulfil their long-cherished fantasies. By playing themed slots, gamblers can relive past events, imitate their favorite superheroes, or impersonate their much-admired movie stars or talk show hosts. Themed slot machines also invite players to go back to their roots and participate in the daring feats of their ancestors, as do Norse mythology themed slots, for example, when they transplant Nordic players into the tough everyday reality of medieval Vikings.
Indeed, the Norse mythology themed slots have lately been gaining in popularity in Finland and other Nordic countries. Whether they go to a land-based “kasino” or play online, Finnish players feel excited to immerse into the dark and icy world of the Viking Age. Their most favorite games are NetEnt’s Hall of Gods and the North Storm from Rabcat. Based on mystical Nordic legends, the latter game bears magical runes as symbols and comes with Avalanche reels. A free spin symbol of North Storm is a frightening Viking mask with glowing eyes, appearing on reels one and three. When players land three of these masks in a row, they receive eight additional free spins.
There is also a blood-curdling trilogy consisting of Vikings Go Wild, Vikings Go Berzerk, and Vikings Go to Hell games that were designed by Yggdrasil for admirers of Norse mythological figures. The first part of the trio features three male and one female Vikings who serve as high value symbols. When gamblers land five symbols, they will see the Viking against a blue background who will award them with x250 the stake. Other symbols appearing in the game are multicolored coins: the gold coin is the most generous reward, while the green pentacle represents the smallest one. The Viking ship is the game’s scatter symbol.
Like the majority of slots, the Vikings Go Wild game has the free spins feature, brought into play by three or more Free Spin Scatter symbols. When gamblers land three symbols, they win eight more free spins; four symbols award them with sixteen free spins; five of them bring players twenty-four free spins. While the free spins feature is being operated, any appearing Viking symbol will be fighting a scary sea monster. If he is victorious, the symbol will become a sticky wild. All sticky wild symbols remain themselves until all free spin rounds are completed. Any other wild symbol that was present on the reels during the spin that triggered the Free Spin feature will remain sticky during the free spins.
Slots based on Nordic legends are not the only games firing the imagination of the Finnish players. Another popular slot game in Finland is called Kulta-Jaska. Inspired by stories about legendary goldsmiths, this game invites gamblers to dig out gold from the mines of the Lapland Province of Finland. Finns find this and other theme slot games highly appealing, because winning in them depends on luck rather than on gaming strategies and complicated techniques.
There is no doubt that future technological developments will take the slot machine gaming industry to the higher level. Designers and casino operators are always willing to cater to players’ tastes and will definitely incorporate technological innovations into slot games as soon as they appear on the market.
