Thanks to the advanced technology at the grasp of our hands as well as the innovative approach of game providers, slots have become extremely diverse and are more than capable of providing players with the most entertaining and electrifying gaming experience.

Back in the day, a vast majority of the slots were classic – they had a 3×3 layout and a couple of regular symbols through which you could form a winning combination. All of that has changed now. Not only can you find slots with various layouts, but slots nowadays have numerous types of symbols, all of which are designed to provide you with a next-level experience and even help you win prizes.

That is exactly what we are going to focus on in this article. We’ll be taking a look at all of the symbols that are featured in slot games and explaining them to the tiniest detail. Without any further ado, let’s start breaking down the details.

Wild Symbol

Let’s start with arguably the most beloved slot symbol – the Wild. The reason why so many slot fans adore the Wild is that this is one of the symbols that actually helps them form wins. How? It substitutes the slot’s regular symbols.

As you may know, in order to form a winning combination in a majority of slots, you need to land at least 3 matching symbols on a payline. If you happen to have 2 symbols and the Wild drops on one of the reels and matches a payline, then you will receive an adequate reward. It can also boost the reward by being the 4th or 5th matching symbol on a reel.

Scatter Symbol

Next up, we have the symbol that is often the key to free spins. Whenever you come across a slot that features a free spins mode, the feature is likely triggered by landing at least 3 Scatters on the reels. The more Scatters you land, the higher the number of free spins will be.

What’s even more interesting about the Scatter, is that you don’t have to land 3 or more of them on a featured payline to win free spins. They can drop anywhere on the reels. Free spins are a bonus mode where you can receive real money rewards without wagering any of your money. They are played with the bet that triggered them and, in many cases, if you happen to land more Scatters during the free spins mode, you are likely to win extra spins.

Apart from triggering free spins, the Scatter can also pay you rewards. With the Scatter Pays feature, you can land 3 or more Scatters anywhere on the reels and receive a cash reward.

Bonus Symbol

The Bonus symbol is actually similar to the Scatter. Some slots use a Bonus symbol instead of a Scatter to trigger free spins, but if both types of symbols are featured in a slot, the Bonus symbol is the key to winning a bonus round.

Now, it is worth noting that bonus rounds and free spins are not the same feature.

Standard/Regular Symbols

So far, we’ve explained the so-called special symbols. They trigger certain features and make the gameplay more dynamic. But the main symbols in every slot are its standard/regular symbols. They are the ones that trigger winning combinations on the featured paylines.

Each slot has a certain number of regular symbols, which are often divided into low-paying and high-paying categories, depending on how rewarding they are. High-paying symbols vary a lot, depending on the slot’s theme, but low-paying symbols are often Royals (10-A) or card suits.

If you are playing a regular slot that has the standard payline mechanic, then you will have to land at least three matching symbols on a featured payline. The case is a bit different with Cluster Pays slots. With the Cluster Pays mechanic, you need to form clusters of at least 5 matching symbols to form a winning combination.

The payout depends on three things – the number of matching symbols, the symbol itself and the bet that triggered the win.

Bonus Mentions

Before we close things off, it is worth sharing a word or two on a couple of other special symbols that can be found in slots. First off, we have Expanding symbols. As the name itself suggests, these symbols expand on one or more reels and thus, help players form winning combinations. Next, we have Mystery symbols, who are revealed after a spin ends.

Then we got Multiplier symbols who will multiply your wins if they are a part of a winning combination. Sticky symbols are symbols that remain fixed on a certain position for the next spin or next couple of spins. Stacked symbols are a relatively new invention and they take larger space on the reels. If a standard symbol occupies a 1×1 space, Stacked symbols can be as big as 3×3.

All of these newer types of symbols are usually featured in online slots. Land-based slots have more classic layouts and usually don’t feature them.

Online slots are by far the most diverse and most entertaining casino games. Players can enjoy them at both land-based and online casinos and they can experience decent rewards, especially if they are wagering at progressive slots.

Slots can be divided into numerous categories. Since we mentioned rewards already, if we are talking about the featured jackpot, slots can be standard/fixed or progressive. Then, we can diversify slots based on their theme (Ancient Egypt, Aztec, adventure, Wild west, space, oceans, jungle, etc), as well as their payline system (left-to-right, right-to-left, Megaways, Cluster Pays, Infinity Reels, etc.).

But we are not here to talk about slot diversification and the types of slots. We wanted to shift our attention to one slot symbol that many newbies might find difficult to understand – the Wild symbol. As you may know, every slot has regular symbols such as the Royals and card suites, as well as special symbols that make the gameplay a bit more dynamic.

Wilds are among those special symbols and below, we’ve explained everything that you need to know about them.

What are Wild Symbols?

A Wild symbol is a non-regular symbol that is a player’s biggest asset. Not only is this symbol able to form winning combinations on its own, but it also substitutes other regular symbols and will help you form a winning way.

Let’s provide you with an example that will help you understand its mechanic easier. When you spin the reels on most slots, you will need at least 3 matching symbols on a payline to form a win. If you land 2 matching symbols plus a Wild, the Wild will act as the third symbol and thus, provide you with the adequate win.

However, it is worth noting that in order to form a win, the Wild symbol needs to land at a position that is featured as a payline.

Types of Wild Symbols

Back in the day, there was just one Wild symbol – the regular Wild. This symbol had just one task which we explained above. But as the gambling industry progressed, game providers started becoming far more innovative and came up with various types of Wild symbols.

These days, you can come across regular Wilds, Expanding Wilds, Stacked Wilds, Sticky Wilds, Wild Scatters, etc. Expanding Wilds are Wild symbols that expand on a certain reel. In some slots, Expanding Wilds can cover the whole grid and provide players with the highest jackpot exposure.

Stacked Wilds are similar to Expanding Wilds as they can cover an entire reel. Sticky Wilds are Wild symbols that drop and stay fixed on that position for the next spin or next couple of spins and thus, increase players’ chances of hitting a winning combination.

Finally, we have the Wild Scatters, which are a combination of Wild symbols and Scatters. A Scatter is a special symbol that in most cases, triggers the free spins feature. Some slots combine these two symbols and if you land 3 Wild Scatters anywhere on the reels, you will trigger the free spins mode and possibly, be provided with a reward.

Does The Wild Symbol Pay?

One of the biggest questions about Wild symbols is whether they pay if you land 3 or 4 of them on the reels. The answer is that it really depends on the slot. Some slots might provide you with a reward if you land 3 Wilds on a paylines, some might not.

On the other side, some slots might provide you with rewards if you land more than 3 Wilds anywhere on the reels. To see whether the Wild offers these types of rewards, you will have to study the paytable of the slot itself. That way, you will learn everything there is to know about the Wild and the other features of the slot.

Which Slots Feature Wild Symbols?

Considering the fact that it is one of the favourite features of all players, the Wild symbol is featured at a vast majority of slots. After all, it has a very important role and aside from increasing players’ chance of hitting a winning combination, it also makes the gameplay far more dynamic and fun.

It is worth noting that some classic slots might not feature the Wild or any other special symbol or bonus feature for that matter. Why? Because classic slots are focused on the base game only. They do not have any bonus features and that is what makes them the perfect choice for newbies. Thanks to classic slots, new players can get a general idea of how these games work.

After they build a solid foundation, they move on to video slots that feature Wild symbols and are far more dynamic.

Finally, many players are wondering whether Wild symbols are featured at both land-based and online slots or just online slots. The answer is that both types of slots feature these symbols, but your chances of coming across a slot that features a Wild are much higher online. That’s because online slots are far more diverse and game providers are much more innovative in that field.