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.