Symbols and Free Spins in slot machines
Classic symbols
Classic symbols can be as follows:
Playing cards are in denominations of 9, 10, J, Q, K and A.
Card suits - spades, clubs, hearts and diamonds.
Fruits and berries - cherries, lemons, oranges, watermelons, plums, etc.
BAR - single, double or triple BAR.
Gems - diamonds, rubies, emeralds and other precious stones.
Other traditional images are bells, stars, sevens, and other familiar objects.
By the way, for many it will not be news, but the oldest and most revered symbol is the Horseshoe. Everyone knows that this is a traditional sign of luck, especially when it comes to playing online slots.
Standard Symbols
It is characteristic of standard symbols that they have no specific function, except to accumulate a certain amount of money when they form a winning combination, taking into account the rules of the game: by lines, groups, directions, etc. All symbols can differ in the minimum number of elements in a combination, and each of the symbols has its own payout ratio.
Special symbols
Special symbols are especially welcome and expected by any player. And the professionals know this as nobody else. But it is important to understand the difference between the two. The appearance of certain combinations of these slot symbols in combination with the standard symbols can activate a number of different functions that will increase the payouts each time they appear.
The more special symbols there are in the slot, the more interesting it is to play it, since it is these symbols that bring the slot machine to life. But every player should also be aware of the possibilities that special symbols offer:
- Wild (wild symbol) - replaces other images and can form win combinations. They, as a rule, are paid at high odds. Wilds usually cannot be used instead of Scatters, bonus symbols and other special symbols.
- Scatter. The peculiarity of the Scatter is that it is not associated with active lines. Most often, scatters that appear in any cell of the screen bring wins. In most slots, it is Scatter that triggers free spins.
- Scatter / Wild is a symbol that combines the characteristics of wild and scatter. For example, it can replace other images and trigger free spins.
- Bonus (bonus symbol) - required to start bonus rounds. These can be bonus games of various formats.
- Jackpot (jackpot symbol) - usually used to draw progressive jackpots. In some variations, the player receives the jackpot amount by collecting 5 jackpot images on the center line. Sometimes this will be just the start of a special spin that will trigger the progressive jackpot.
- Gigantic symbols - most of the so-called giant symbols are a variation of the base image and are usually square in size. They are usually square and occupy four (2x2), nine (3x3), sixteen (4x4), or even twenty-five (5x5) contiguous positions on the screen.
The multipliers (x2, x3, x5...) do exactly what their name means: they multiply the winnings and increase the payouts several times. These multipliers, combined with the images, show the coefficients x2, x3, x4, etc. They are taken into account when calculating the payout. Multipliers are often a Wild variant.
All these special symbols affect the popularity of the slot machine, since gamblers, both beginners who have read useful information, and advanced users or professionals, often choose exactly those games where the above symbols are present on the screen.
Special symbols in online casino slots
Online slots or slot machines today occupy a leading position among gambling entertainment. In addition, slot machines offered in any online casino differ from their counterparts in traditional gambling establishments in a wide variety of designs. The developers are constantly trying to improve slot machines to make them more interesting and functional. There are a lot of their variations on the Internet, there are also many of their topics. Slots can be either with three reels or with 5. And video slots are generally a separate topic that is gaining more and more popularity among players.
Almost all online slots have the same symbols, which we described in the material, the only difference is the picture itself, but if it is presented with a signature, then the essence is the same. But when choosing a specific game, it's always a good idea to check the different types of symbols and how they work. This is not to say that there are special rules for a particular slot game. Nevertheless, the availability of such an option as free spins makes life easier, especially for a beginner, so as not to waste all the money while exploring the slots.
All the special symbols affect the popularity of the slot machine, since gamblers, both beginners who have read useful information, and advanced users or professionals, often choose exactly those games where the special symbols are present.