Slot Game Symbols Explained: Wilds, Scatters, and More

Every special symbol in the slot, be it a wild or a multiplier adds extra excitement to your gameplay.

A game cannot operate without symbols - they represent the building blocks of any slot, no matter how they function.

Put simply, the symbols are graphic representations used in online slot machine games to determine the outcome of each spin.

The goal for the player is to match symbols across paylines. Some symbols are worth more than others and the goal is to have as many of them as possible on a payline. The more matching symbols you have, the better.

Historical Evolution of Slot Symbols

Some slot symbols have stood the test of time. The Liberty Bell, for example, was the main symbol in the first-ever mechanical slot machine, which was pioneered by Charles Fey in the late 20th century.

More than 100 years have passed since, but the famous Liberty Bell symbols remain a common feature of many online slot symbol rosters produced today.

However, the digitalisation of slots has enabled creative developers to become more inventive with their symbol designs and the impact they have on game mechanics.

In brick-and-mortar casinos, in the age before the internet, slot machines would focus more on matching symbols to generate wins. Now, there are bonus games within bonus games, reel boosts, pick ‘em features, wild reels, win multipliers, and many more modifiers that increase the volatility of any given slot.

Every time a player spins the reels, they are looking to land a wild symbol. But what is so important about this mythical and mystical iGaming beast?

We’ve defined them below:

Definition and Functionality of Wild Symbols

Essentially, the wild symbol acts as a substitute for others within the slot to help make winning combinations.

For example, if you have two K symbols adjacent to each other on a payline followed by a wild symbol, this combination would payout the equivalent of three Ks in a row. You can find the value of each combination within the information section in the game client.

Types of Wild Symbols

There are several different types of wilds, which can be awarded at random or as part of any bonus feature.

Here are some examples:

• Expanding Wilds: Land this on any spin and it expands to cover a larger portion of the reel. This feature is a staple of hundreds of slots, including NetEnt’s Secret Of The Stones and Big Time Gaming’s Lil Devil.
• Sticky Wilds: A type of wild symbol that remains in place for multiple spins.
• Stacked Wilds: Wilds appear stacked on top of each other on a single reel, maximizing potential payouts.

Stacked Wilds in the Wild Stack Frenzy slot by Yggdrasil.

One of the most important symbols in a slot game is the scatter - but how do they work and why are they so crucial?

Check out our explainer below

What Are Scatter Symbols?

Scatters are usually a type of bonus-triggering symbol - players need only find three or more of them anywhere on the reels to launch the bonus round. In some instances, scatters reward a payout if two or more appear anywhere on the reels.

Once the requisite number of scatter symbols have landed, the bonus game is triggered.

Role of Scatter Symbols in Bonus Features

Once a bonus game has launched, scatters are often relevant within the feature. For example, landing a scatter may award an extra free spin, an increase in the multiplier, or an upgrade in the feature.

Then there is the ability to retrigger - players can land a pre-set number of free spins within the bonus round if a certain number of scatters appear.

If you want to understand the power of the scatter symbol we would recommend the following slots: Sweet Bonanza, Immortal Romance, and Dead Or Alive II

Remember, you can try each slot for free right here with Slotsjudge.

Scatter Symbol in the Wisdom of Athena slot by Pragmatic Play.

Like in real life, some symbols are worth more than others. Below, we compare the common types of low-value and high-value symbols.

Understanding Low-Value Symbols

Not every win on an online slot will be a big one. Indeed, most of the wins will be minimal, returning amounts equal to or sometimes less than the stake amount.

High-Value Symbols and Their Impact

It should be no surprise to anyone that online slots will always beat the player in the long run, and low-paying symbols help the slot achieve a Return To Player (RTP) percentage, which is usually around the 96% mark. Low-paying symbols often include playing cards and some common fruits.

High-value symbols depend on the slot but are usually associated with the main theme of the game. For example, if you’re betting on Book Of Dead, the highest-paying symbol is Rich Wilde, the daring explorer on which the slot is based.

The greater the payouts associated with high-paying symbols, the bigger the volatility of the game. Remember, slot volatility means a bettor is likely to lose money at a faster rate but win bigger amounts when their luck turns.

Within some progressive jackpot games, landing progressive slot symbols can win bettors millions of dollars (or currency equivalent).

These types of symbols are linked to a network of jackpots that operate under a single-slot developer. In a nutshell, progressive jackpots are pools of money that increase every time a player makes a bet on a specific game. A small percentage of each wager goes towards the jackpot, and this continues until someone hits the winning combination.

One such example of the progressive jackpot feature is Divine Fortune. You can try it out for free with Slotsjudge.

We hope this article has left you with a better understanding of how slot symbols work, how their importance to a game can vary, and why it’s vital to garner a thorough understanding of the game rules before partaking in online slot play.

Playing slots is much more fun when you know what you’re looking for.

Learn your game and play it responsibly, with loss limits and deposit limits in place to help you control your play level.