Slot machine symbols are the defining factor of games because they decide winning combinations and how much you win. But symbols come in a wide variety of types, so knowing how they behave is important.
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The main symbol categories come in many shapes and sizes, but they mostly fall into these three categories:
Low-Value Symbols: Standard paying slot machine icons, usually displayed as card ranks 9, 10, J, Q, K, A
Higher-Value Symbols: Directly linked to the theme of the game.
Modifiers: Wild and scatter symbols - they literally modify/change the mechanics of a slot, with wilds substituting for other symbols to complete wins, and scatters often triggering free spins or bonus rounds.
Wild symbols are powerful because they replace other non-bonus symbols to help make a winning combination on active paylines. When browsing games online, you’ll see most slots have wilds, making them one of the most important symbols on a slot machine.
Expanding wilds increase in size to cover more positions or even entire reels.
Sticky wilds stay in place for following spins through a feature or bonus round.
Walking wilds move from reel to reel during spins.
Stacked wilds land on the reels in groups to cover more positions in a winning combo.
Wild symbols usually do not replace bonus symbols
They usually do not replace scatter symbols
Wild symbols typically do not trigger payouts, but there are exceptions
Scatter symbols on a slot machine are the triggers for bonuses that land in the base game to open the free spins round. If you get the number of scatter symbols you need on a spin, usually three or more, the feature opens.
1. Land scatter symbols anywhere on the reels, no paylines needed.
2. Meet the minimum scatter number set by the game.
3. Activate free spins, a bonus round, or a feature screen.
You need 3 or more scatter symbols to activate free spins, but landing more scatters on the reels can increase the number of spins you get or increase multipliers during the bonus round. This can be seen in slots like Book of Dead. Scatter symbols do not usually pay out on their own, but some slots like Big Bass Bonanza and Immortal Romance do give wins for scatter combinations.
Bonus and feature slot machine symbols unlock unique rounds like picking games, jackpot mini games, or respins features. If you land the minimum number of bonus symbols for the game, the regular gameplay will stop, and you will go to another feature.
Scatter and bonus slot machine icons sometimes have the same slot machine symbols meaning, but not always.
Similarities
Both trigger bonus rounds and features
They do not have regular symbol payouts
Give access to features outside of the base game
Differences
Bonus symbols usually trigger pick games, wheels, or jackpots
Scatter symbols generally trigger free spins
Bonus symbols often rely on your hitting certain payline patterns
Scatter symbols land anywhere on the reels
Check the slot paytable to see how you trigger bonuses with feature symbols.
Look for bonuses like wheels and collectors that you can see on-screen.
Choose slots that make their bonus payouts clear to understand.
Select slots with jackpot games that reward you with big payouts for bonus features.
Multiplier, stacked, and colossal symbols change how wins are calculated or how often symbols appear, often altering coverage on the reels or increasing the payout potential. Multipliers boost wins by multiplying payouts, whereas stacked symbols fill multiple reel positions and colossal symbols cover several spaces to help form larger combinations.
Multipliers can show up in the base game as a random modifier or during the free spins or bonus round. This depends on the specific slot game and whether it uses multipliers as a standard game feature or as a reward for bonuses.
Colossal and mega symbols cover more reel positions or even an entire reel. They essentially count as one big symbol at once, making it possible to win across adjacent reels and rows.
Classic symbols are based on the original visual style of mechanical slot machines, and they remain popular on both land-based and online slot machines. If you’ve ever spun the reels of a traditional fruit machine, these classic symbols are instantly recognizable. They even work in modern payline formats, including cluster pays.
The BAR symbol was originally used in land-based Bell Fruit Gum machines over a century ago. BAR is a reference to the company’s logo, but it has stuck on all fruit machines and has become known as a high-value symbol.
All players know fruit symbols as they define the era of mechanical slots. Their origin is interesting because early slots were not allowed to pay money, so they paid with fruit gums instead. Players were able to collect cherries, lemons, oranges, and plums.
Bells on classic slot machines are from the original Liberty Bell, the first ever commercial slot machine. Lucky 7s are often the highest paying symbol on fruit machines and are used on modern online games.
The number of symbols on a slot machine depends on factors including whether the game has mechanical or video reels and how the paytable pays on symbol combinations. If you look at a slot game, the symbols you see displayed on the reels are usually fewer than the total number available in the game.
Found in land-based casinos.
Use mechanical systems with fixed strips.
Each reel has a set number of symbols, typically 20–30 symbols per drum.
Only the symbols that line up on the visible part of the reel can form a win.
Found in online or video slots.
Use virtual reels controlled by software and RNG (Random Number Generator).
Both low and high RTP video slots use virtual reels that can house hundreds or even thousands of symbol positions.
Offers greater flexibility for paylines, payouts, and bonus features.
Displayed Symbols: The icons visible on the reels during a spin.
Symbol Set in the Paytable: This lists every symbol the game uses, including wilds, scatters, bonus symbols, and feature-only icons that may never appear together on the screen.
The fastest way to check symbol meanings, and how they work is by opening the game’s paytable. Here, you’ll see all symbol values, which display how much specific symbols pay by matching them on an active payline. The paytable shows what symbols open bonuses, how wild symbols behave, and what symbols are only available in the free spins round.
💡 Instead of going straight into playing with real money, it is best to play a demo version of a slot first. This allows you to play for free and read the paytable to learn how the symbols work.
What do the lines on a slot machine mean?
Paylines on a slot machine are where the symbols must match in a winning combination for the slot to pay out. If the symbols land outside of an active line, the game will not pay out for wins.
What do fruit symbols mean on slot machines?
Fruit symbols on a slot machine are usually found on classic games, and they act as low-value payout combinations. They originate from the times when mechanical slots were not able to offer real money wins and instead paid out in fruit gums.
What are wild symbols in slots?
Wild symbols on slot machines can replace non-bonus symbols to help complete a winning combination for a payout. There are different types of wilds, including walking wilds and expanding wilds.
Is there a maximum number of symbols for each slot machine?
Most slot games have a maximum number of symbols, but it is more than you’ll see on the reels. Mechanical slot reels usually have between 20 and 30 symbols, while video slots/online slots can host hundreds or even thousands of symbols.
How many symbols are on a slot machine reel?
The number of symbols on a single slot machine reel depends on the number of rows. Both high and low volatility slots can have 3, 4, 5, or more rows, and this directly shows how many symbols are on one reel. You can multiply the rows by the reels to see how many symbols are on a physical grid.
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