Guide to Slot Machine Symbols
A good knowledge of slot machine symbols won’t influence the results, as they’re determined by built-in RNGs. However, the gameplay is a lot more fun when you understand what you’re looking at. So, have a look at this guide from the Legalcasino team.
The Meaning of Slot Symbols
The slot symbols you see on the reels all have different values. Basic ones pay less, while others can trigger much bigger wins. To follow what’s happening, you need to understand how they rank, interact, and how paylines are formed. Without that, it’s hard to keep track, and the game quickly loses its fun.
For example, in classic-style slots, landing several 7s can trigger a jackpot or the highest payout, while symbols like cherries and fruits usually lead to smaller wins.
How Many Symbols on a Slot Machine Reel
The number of symbols per reel may vary. This depends on the game title you choose. A 3-reel slot is a classic game, and there are typically 10-20 elements per reel. Accordingly, the total is 30-60. Modern slots can contain 50 to 100 or more per reel.
The online format lets developers add as many symbols as they think players can handle. Some games get pretty complex. If that’s not your thing, you can always go for classic slots — they still feel like old-school machines.
Slot Symbol Types Explained
Symbols on slot machines can be subdivided into several groups. Their roles vary significantly.
Classic Symbols
Classic slot machine symbols in mechanical and online slots are not the same. Always check the game’s paytable to reveal what classic images mean in a specific title.
There are basic symbols that only bring modest payouts when combined. In modern games, they can look completely different — developers get quite creative with the designs. To give an example, let’s go back to classic slots, where long-established standards still apply.
There, you’ll often see fruits like cherries, lemons, plums, and oranges, along with bars and bells. Fruit usually doesn’t pay much, while bells and bars carry medium value. There are also 7s, which indicate higher payouts. The table below shows typical classic images and their values.
| Symbol | Description | Payout |
|---|---|---|
| Fruit (cherries, lemons, oranges, plums, grapes) | May have various designs depending on the provider and the game. | Low |
| Bells | Have their roots in the original Liberty Bell slot | Medium |
| Bars | The icons marked with the BAR word | Medium |
| 7s | Symbolise luck and may be single, double, or triple | High |
Fire Joker by Play’n GO is one of the games with classic images. You will find cherries, lemons, grapes, plums, bars, stars, and 7s here. Landing three 7s multiplies your bet by 25x.
Slots Wild Symbols
The icons that may substitute for others are slots Wild symbols. This helps form winning combinations and, accordingly, increases the chance of getting lucky. However, Wilds cannot substitute for Scatters. Collecting Wilds may also trigger bonus rounds.
Take Starburst, provided by NetEnt. The Starburst is actually a Wild, and it belongs to the expanding kind. It appears on reels 2, 3, and 4.
Scatter Symbols
Their key purpose is to trigger free spins. Scatters pay out regardless of where they land on the reels. You typically need several Scatters to unlock free spins.
A pink lollipop acts as a Scatter in Sweet Bonanza by Pragmatic Play. It may appear on all reels and pays out everywhere as well. Landing 4+ Scatters rewards you with 10 free spins. You will receive 5 extra free spins by hitting 3 more Scatters during the round.
Multiplier Symbols
These slot machine symbols have the meaning of increasing your winnings. Your bet is multiplied by a certain value depending on the game rules.
In Money Train 2 by Relax, you have a chance to enter a bonus round. It features the Golden Bonus symbol, which can reveal a value between 20x and 200x your bet. The multiplier range for the regular Bonus images is 1x-10x.
Bonus Symbols
They simply trigger bonus rounds. It may seem that bonus elements are close to Scatters in their essence, but there are several differences. Bonus icons are restricted to certain reels and usually require 3 to activate a bonus feature.
The Dog House by Pragmatic is one of the games containing this symbol in the paytable. It looks like a pink paw print and appears only on reels 1, 3, and 5. As you land 3 of them, you enter a free spins round.
Other Slot Symbols
Apart from the mentioned modern and vintage slot machine symbols, you can also encounter Mystery ones when playing. They increase suspense and add fun to the process. It is usually depicted as a question mark, and its value shows up as the reels stop. Some of these can transform into Wilds, which help form a winning combination. Look for them in Ted Megaways by Blueprint.
Additionally, there are Expanding symbols. They cover the whole reel, increasing the likelihood of winning. You may see the Expanding Wild in Book of Dead by Play’n GO.
Some icons also act as Sticky ones. They stay on the reels as the spinning goes on. Have a glance at Sticky Wilds in Dead or Alive 2 by NetEnt.
Cascading symbols are closely associated with relevant game mechanics. Winning images disappear, and new ones take their place. The mechanic is also called Tumbling Reels or Avalanche. The feature is included in Gonzo’s Quest from NetEnt.
Legalcasino’s Tips on Using Slot Machine Symbols Wisely
It’s not about strategy — slots are pure luck. Tips are just meant to help you enjoy the game more. Consider these points before playing:
- Start with simple slots — fewer symbols, easy rules. As you learn, the complex ones will make more sense.
- Explore the slot machine symbols list in the paytable. Check what images are Wilds, Scatters, and Bonus ones. Understanding how they work won’t affect your odds, but it helps you follow what’s going on and stay interested.
- Launch the demo first. This way, you practice and see how images exactly work and pay within the gameplay. Don’t forget to refer to the paytable when playing this way.
- Try the games with various mechanics. This includes Cascading Reels, Win Both Ways, Megaways, etc. It will help you figure out what you like more.
- Be careful with Bonus Buy. On one hand, you get special symbols and fun mechanics, but on the other, it’s expensive and rarely pays for itself.