Slot Symbols

History

Modern slot symbols are way different from the traditional symbols of slots that existed until the 1970s. Slot machine symbols come in all shapes and sizes today. Characters can now be modified according to mythology, history, or popular television shows and movies. Despite the apparent difference between the original symbols invented in 1895 and their modern counterparts, they are still critical. However, the current characters that we know and love would not exist without the events of 1895.

The most exciting thing about the evolution of slot machine symbols so far is how they manage to stay relevant despite the time. To know more about where we were with slot machine symbols and how far the industry has come, do well to read further.

Types of Slot Symbols

Slots come with a wide variety of symbols. Symbols are categorized into standard, scatter, bonus, and wild. These symbols are what bring the video slot alive. we are going to explore different slot symbol meaning and the importance of each type of symbol.

Wild Symbols

There are varying forms of wild symbols nowadays. It can be very challenging to keep track of the different ways these symbols function and work! Wilds function like a magic stick, as it can be anything you want it to be on the reels. The most straightforward type of wild symbol will replace other standard slot symbols, and it will help to create a winning combination. However, wilds cannot replace bonus symbols like the scatter.

You can find that certain Wild symbols are also Wild Multiplier symbols. These do not only help you complete winning combinations, but the payout is enhanced by the multiplier value added to the Wild symbols.

Some online slot machines now have Random Wild Symbols, Soaring Wild symbols, or Floating Wild symbols. When the slot performs every single spin or after the reels have come to rest, these symbols may be automatically attached to one or more reel positions.

A few slot machines will often have a different and scarce bonus game feature for wild symbols. Such unique wilds is also an entirely randomly activated type of bonus game that turns one or more of the reels into entirely wild reels when awarded. This can be found in the Book of Gods' slot by BF games.

Multiplier Symbols

In slots, multiplier symbols will multiply the one or many payouts obtained from the payline(s) they appear on. For example, a 3x slot multiplier will multiply your payout by three. If the multiplier icon appears on two winning paylines, both payouts will be multiplied.

Slot games featuring multiplier symbols tend to be extremely attractive to players and do give a positive hit when you see them.

Scatter Symbols

In slots, scatter symbols offer a payout whenever they appear, regardless of them being on a payline or not. They are hugely popular with slot players as you often only need one or two to win. Slot scatter icons are particularly needed in 5-reel slot machines to keep players entertained.

Scatter symbols are quite different from any other slot symbols. When you generate the appropriate number of these icons anywhere on the slot, they will offer a winning payout. Also, they can activate a bonus game feature. Scatters are one of the highest paying symbols in video slots.

The beauty of scatter symbols lies in the fact that they can help players generate bonus games or Scatter payouts. Also, the scatter only needs to appear anywhere on the reels for you to get rewarded.

You will also find that the more of these symbols you spin, the larger and better the Scatter payout may be. Players could benefit from more free spins or a potentially higher-paid bonus game feature round with scatter symbols. So you will, of course, expect to have at least one scatter symbol appearing on each reel when the reels eventually come to a stop!

Bonus Symbols

Bonus symbols are used on most slots to trigger a bonus game, but they vary from the above-mentioned scatter symbols. The difference is that you sometimes have to get a specific quantity of these kinds of slot symbols spinning in certain locations on the reels before the bonus game is activated. Examples of slots with bonus games include Jurassic Park and Pharaoh's Fortune.

Scatter and bonus symbols often play the same role and are just describing the same slot feature (but not always).

The most common way to receive a bonus game for a series of bonus symbols is for you to have at least three of these slot machine symbols. Furthermore, they need to be spinning only on enabled pay-lines on consecutive reels starting on the first reel. However, you can also find slot games that require a bonus symbol to spin on reel one and reel five at once and sometimes in the same position. There are cases where bonus symbols have to spin on every other reel, such as reel one, reel three, and reel five, to cause the bonus game feature round.

For a particular reel, certain three-reel slots have a single bonus symbol in play, and you will only be able to kick start the bonus game feature round when the maximum coins on the payline are activated, and the symbols also spin in.

It is always advisable to check the paytable when playing any slot game that offers a series of bonus symbols. The aim of this is to see precisely how they trigger the bonus games. It is important to note that there are different ways the symbols can do this, depending on the type of slot game you are playing!

Standard Reel Symbols

In any slot game, there is a fundamental set of standard symbols. They have no extra use at all. They just grant a winning payout when a player scores the correct order of a series of matching symbols. The standard reel symbols are crafted according to the slot games' theme. It is common for slots to use the traditional reel symbols of fruit-based icons such as cherries, strawberries, melons, oranges. Other everyday standard reel symbols are playing card symbols, like a king, queen, jack, or ace.

Slot machine icons that may function in the place of old standard reel symbols in some slots today can be centered on the slot theme. For instance, it is not uncommon to see Ship, Fish, Treasure Chest, and Anchor symbols in Pirate or Underwater-themed slots. A good example is the Book of Gods' slot. Once you line up a set of matching symbols on any payline in the correct order, you are guaranteed a winning payout.