Slot Machine Symbols Explained

The reason they were exciting was because they often served as early scatter symbols. It is easiest to explain what scatter symbols are and how they work by examining their history and how they have evolved. The answer to that is “it depends.” On many slot games which include both wild and scatter symbols, a wild symbol cannot stand in for a scatter symbol. If you can’t tell a scatter symbol from a wild symbol, you may find yourself confused about what is going on when special symbols land on the paylines.
Besides offering bigger payouts (ranging from 5X to 500X+), these symbols establish the game’s theme and overall identity. Once you understand the different symbols and what they represent, you’ll be better tweedbet casino able to strategize each spin (and know when it’s time to get excited). Others are quite rare, and these trigger big payouts or lucrative bonus rounds. Understand these symbols and how they work, and you’ll have a leg up on slot jockeys who are just mindlessly pressing buttons. Additionally, an understanding of the pay table will mean you know exactly which symbols to look for so you can get excited as soon as they land on your screen.
In the image below, you’ll see a welcome sight from ‘A Night with Cleo.’ In this game the Ankh Keyhole is the game’s lone scatter symbol. You’ll usually need a minimum of two or three scatter symbols to reap the benefits. Like bonus symbols, scatter symbols sometimes deliver a nice payout, or they could trigger a bonus game mode.

👑 Standard symbols

In terms of symbols, it featured the famous Liberty Bell, which is still commonly seen at slot machines today. It featured three reels and a single payline, plus payouts were automatic. For example, if the Stacked symbol covering multiple frames on a reel happens to also be a Wild symbol, you’ll have that many more Wilds and are all the more likely to create winning combinations.

Classic Slot Machine Symbols

In this guide, I’ll break down the different types of slot machine symbols you’re likely to encounter and explain what each of them means. Checking what a game’s wild actually does is one of the most useful things to know before you play. Cherries, bars, sevens, crowns and Liberty Bells still anchor countless games and not just classic slots, and plenty of players seek them out on purpose. For all the wild themes and licensed tie-ins crowding the lobby these days, the old slot machine symbols just won’t quit.

Special Slot Machine Symbols Explained

• For example, the popular online game ‘Mega Moolah’ uses cards from 10 to Ace as their standard symbols.
• Land enough of these anywhere, and you’ll win a prize and/or start a feature.
• Not only will you find a great casino, but on the off chance you’re also in sports, you’ll find one of the best sportsbooks as well!
• The next time you push the spin button, you’ll see all the other symbols depart the payline as the reels turn—but not the sticky wild.
• Wild symbols are common, and you’ll find them in almost every modern slot game.
• On any given spin, most of the matrix will be filled with standard symbols.
• Besides wilds, many slots also feature something called scatter symbols.

Let’s move onto another class of special symbols called scatter symbols. While both trigger features, scatter symbols typically award free spins or instant payouts, and bonus symbols usually launch a separate feature or mini-game. Along with expanding wilds and expanding scatter symbols, expanding multipliers are possible.

Fun Facts About Slot Machine Symbols

These classic slot machine symbols evoke nostalgia while remaining foundational to modern game design. Besides wilds, many slots also feature something called scatter symbols. While the exact function of a scatter symbol can vary depending on the game’s design, it is generally used to unlock rewarding gameplay opportunities. When a certain number of scatter symbols appear (usually three or more), they often activate bonus rounds, such as free spins, mini-games, or other interactive features. Scatter slot machine symbols are special symbols that typically trigger bonus features, regardless of their position on the reels.

• Scatters usually pay regardless of where they land, and you’ll need at least three to trigger their function.
• Re-spins will continue until no more special symbols fall into the reels, and once this happens, your total win will be calculated by adding up the value of each of the special symbols.
• The slot paytable explanation reveals that payouts often follow a logarithmic scale — two matching symbols might pay 2x your bet, three pay 5x, four pay 20x, and five pay 100x.
• While the exact function of a scatter symbol can vary depending on the game’s design, it is generally used to unlock rewarding gameplay opportunities.
• You’ll find a giant range of themes at online slots, supported by slot machine symbols matching the theme perfectly.
• Unlike regular symbols, scatters don’t need to appear on a specific payline to be effective, they only need to land in the required quantity anywhere on the screen.

An icon is the small image and title that represents the whole machine, and a surprising amount of design work goes into each one. If slot machine symbols are the gameplay, icons act as the storefront. Figuring out what a game’s wild actually does is an important part of learning how to win at slots, or at least knowing what you’re chasing. This concept kept the machines legal and the players coming back.

Key Takeaways on Slot Machine Symbols

So, you’ll find everything from animals to historical figures and aliens to pets spinning on the reels. Nowadays, all kinds of slot machine symbols are used – the only limit is the developer’s imagination! The BAR symbol also became common in the early 1900s, as it was the logo of the Bell-Fruit Company, a popular game manufacturer of the time. The next evolution in slot machine symbols came with fruit being added. As you can see, classic slot machine symbols owe much to Charles Fey and his Victorian invention. It also used other classic slot machine symbols, such as playing card values and horseshoes – also symbols still widely seen.
Unlike regular symbols, scatters don’t need to appear on a specific payline to be effective, they only need to land in the required quantity anywhere on the screen. The wild symbols on a slot machine have a unique ability to substitute for any other symbol to create a winning combination. Classic slot machine symbols are the traditional icons that date back to the early days of mechanical slots. Moreover, each symbol has its own value or function; some award payouts, while others trigger bonus features like free spins or mini-games. To receive these winnings, you’ll usually need to line up matching symbols.
You should now have a solid grasp of everything you need to know about slot machine symbols and icons. Wild symbols are common, and you’ll find them in almost every modern slot game. If you’re familiar with online slot machines, you’ll know that symbols and icons are the very things that make the slots exciting.