Slot Machine Symbols - Standard, Wilds, Bonus Symbols & More!
You cannot have a slot machine without slot symbols, and as slots have been around for 130+ years, you can imagine there are quite a few different symbols to talk about. Whether you're an experienced casino player or somebody new to casino games, you've probably come across your fair share of slot symbols. However, have you ever wondered what these symbols are and the history behind them?
The History of Slot Symbols
The first slot machines were invented and developed in the late 1800s, and while slots as a whole have changed massively since then, many of the slot symbols you see today were the same or similar to those used over a century ago.
Traditional symbols that have stood the test of time and still feature on slot machines today include the Liberty Bell, Horseshoe, Single, Double, and Triple Bar symbols, and Red Sevens.
With the development of the fruit machine came many popular fruit symbols that we still see today. Many of you will be familiar with the likes of cherries, berries, watermelons, plums, lemons, oranges, and blueberries. These, along with the above early regular symbols, still make appearances on modern slots, especially those developed as classic slots.
Types of Slot Symbols on Modern Slot Machines
Slot machines and their symbols have evolved over the years, even though many slots still use many of the same or similar symbols used way back when. In modern slots, you will have regular symbols, often containing low-paying symbols and high-paying symbols.
On top of that, many slots will have special symbols such as wild symbols, scatter symbols, bonus symbols, and other symbols.
In this section, we break down the symbols you will come across when playing modern slot machine games.
Regular Symbols on Modern Video Slots
Regular symbols are the most commonly seen slot machine icons when you spin the reels. Depending on the slot mechanic used, the idea is to line up matching symbols on an active payline, on subsequent reels, in clusters, or anywhere in view. Doing so will result in a winning combination and, therefore, a payout.
Just note that one slot machine is different from another, so how many symbols you need, or how they need to land on the reels to form winning combinations, will also differ.
Low and High-Value Slot Machine Symbols
Standard reel symbols usually get split into the highest-paying symbols and the lowest. This helps you to quickly distinguish the sort of payout you're going to receive for the matching symbols on a pay line.
- High-Value Slot Machine Symbols
These are the symbols that bring you the best payouts when you land them on the winning line, in a cluster, etc. Because of their potential value, these often attract the most work and offer a more prominent design than low-pay symbols. For that reason, these often relate to the theme of the slot.
For instance, if the slot's theme is luck, these symbols might represent symbols of luck. You could find four-leafed clovers, horseshoes, pots of gold, leprechauns, or a rabbit's foot. If the slot theme is a classic fruit slot machine, the main symbols might be the fruit symbols previously mentioned. Another example is the main characters in a slot appearing as the symbols for the best payouts.
- Low-Paying Symbols
These are the standard reel symbols responsible for the smallest payouts possible on online slot machines. Often these are playing card symbols ranging from 8-A or playing card suits. Some slots feature theme-related symbols for low-value symbols and high-value symbols.
Wild Symbols
Although not used in all slot machines, the wild symbol is probably the next most commonly known type of slot symbol behind the aforementioned traditional symbols. This is a special symbol that, as standard, has the power to create symbol combinations when they might not materialize otherwise.
The core role of wild symbols on a slot machine reel is to substitute for other symbols when a winning combination is possible. For instance, if, let's say, a bar symbol lands on reels one and two across an active pay line. If a wild symbol lands on that payline on reel three, you win the payout associated with that bar symbol.
In some cases, a wild symbol will even have its own payout. By that, we mean that landing matching wilds on the same payline 3 or more times will result in a payout.
Different Types of Wild Symbols
Aside from the above symbol replication role a wild symbol holds, many modern slot games also give wild symbols additional powers. Below, we take you through some of the most popular types of wild symbols:
- Expanding Wild Symbols
In some slot games, when a wild symbol lands, it can expand to fill all positions on its reel. As you can imagine, that improves your chances of landing a winning combination. In fact, you could land multiple wins thanks to this slot machine symbol.
- Random Wild Symbols
Rather than appear as a result of a spin, a wild can appear randomly in positions on the reels after the completion of a spin.
- Stacked Wild Symbols
Depending on the slot game, you might come across stacked wilds. Standard wilds usually appear on their own on a reel. However, in modern slots, this type of wild can appear stacked on top of each other.
- Sticky Wild Symbols
Sticky symbols will remain locked in place for the next spin or for all remaining spins of a free spins feature. When this happens with wilds, it increases the potential of landing winning combinations on the spins where the wild is locked in place.
- Scatter Wild Symbols
We'll talk more about scatter symbols and their function of triggering bonus features later. However, sometimes they play a duel role as both a scatter symbol and a wild.
- Floating Wild Symbols
These are not as common as many of the other variations of wild symbols, but they do exist in certain video slots. These are similar to random wilds but float across the reels at random, transforming a number of standard symbols into wilds.
- Walking Wild Symbols
These will stay on the reels and move positions after each spin. How long they stay on the reels and how many positions or which directions they move will depend on the slot game.
The list goes on as well, as you will also come across spreading, overlay, wild duplication, and soaring wild symbols, among many others.
Scatter Symbols
Another common special symbol that many video slots feature is the scatter symbol. This bonus symbol is often the rarest slot symbol you will see on the reels after a spin. However, there is a reason for this.
For one, if they have a payout value attached (called scatter pays), scatter symbols count no matter where they land on the reels - they do not have to be on a winning line. That also counts for the main purpose of scatter symbols, triggering a bonus game.
In most online slots that feature them, landing a certain number of scatter symbols on the reels will activate the main bonus game feature. Usually, this is a free spins feature, but on other occasions, it could be a re-spins bonus round, a Hold & Win bonus game, or whatever other bonus features a slot machine might have.
Additionally, landing more occasions of scatter symbols during a free spins bonus will result in extra free spin rounds credited.
Bonus Symbols
These often get confused with scatter symbols, as they share a similar trait. However, bonus symbols are there purely to trigger bonus games. Bonus symbols can trigger bonus rounds by landing three or more times in any position on the reels. They will not usually hold a paying value of their own. Some online slot games will have scatters and bonus symbols. This is usually an indicator that the slot has more than just a single bonus feature.
Multiplier Symbols
Another of the most popular slot machine symbols on casino slots is multiplier symbols. When these land, they can multiply the payout of wins a player might receive. The value of the multiplier depends on the slot game as these can range from 1x, 2x, 5x, and go up to insane numbers depending on the title and how the multiplier symbols are designed to work.
Multiplier symbols often come as standalone slot machine icons or work as part of a wild symbol, scatter symbol, or as a result of a cascading win.
Stacked Symbols
We already mentioned how wilds can appear stacked on the reels of online slot machines. Well, this is possible with all other symbols as well. Of course, it depends on the slot game, but it is possible to see standard slot symbols, bonus symbols, and scatters appear as stacked symbols.
Expanding Symbols
Expanding symbols can expand to fill all or part of the reel they land on. This ensures that they play their part on more than just a single winning line. Depending on the slot, this could be a part of the base game or one of the perks of a bonus game.
Sticky Symbols
Another symbol to look out for when playing online slots at your favorite online casinos is a sticky symbol. These stick to the reels and remain in place for a re-spin, the duration of free spins, or for several base game spins.
Slot Machine Symbols Compared - Which Are the Best?
As a team, we have reviewed thousands of slots games here at Playcasino, so we have a good understanding of which symbols you will want to see the most when playing at online casinos.
Standard symbols will allow you to roll in wins and keep your casino balance ticking over. However, it is the bonus symbols that usually offer you the potential to rack up bigger wins. Scatter symbols will trigger bonus rounds, while wild symbols will create winning combinations by replicating all other symbols (except other bonus symbols).
Our Opinion of the Best Slot Machine Symbols
Overall, each symbol plays its part, and that includes low-paying symbols often represented by card symbols. They all have their function, but ultimately, you will want to land special symbols such as wilds, scatters, bonus symbols, multipliers, expanding symbols, and all the rest, as much as possible if you want the potential of a big win.
Hopefully, this guide has given you the information you were looking for regarding the different slot symbols used on slot machines. From the Liberty Bell to fruit symbols and bonus symbols, we have covered all the main symbols you're likely to see when playing your favorite slot games.
