What are the symbols on a slot machine? Only the most important part of any slot machine! Without symbols, there wouldn’t be any slots to play. So, in today’s article, we’re giving slot machine symbols the spotlight they deserve by giving you a whistle-stop tour of some of the most common slot machine symbols and their purpose within gameplay. Read on to learn more.
A Closer Look at the Most Common Slot Symbols
Slot machine symbols may seem random, but many of the most common ones have a long and interesting association with the history and development of the game. Listed below are some of the most common slot symbols you’ll come across when playing slots online:
Bars
Originally the symbol for gum packets, the bar symbol is today associated with retro slots and appears as single, double or triple bars which award increasing payout values.
Bells
Originally derived from one of the first slot machines; the Liberty Bell machine, bells are common in retro-themed slots and frequently serve as high-paying symbols.
Fruits
Fruit symbols originated from the earliest days of slots where to circumvent gambling laws, the prize offered from machines was gum, with the fruit symbols representing the flavours.
Jewels and Gems
In classic slot machines gems like diamonds, rubies, or emeralds can represent the highest paying or jackpot symbols. In video slots gems can be the entire inspiration of the game, or can appear as either high or low-valued symbols.
Playing Cards
Playing cards are a staple of both classic and modern slot machines. Most commonly the values 9-A will be used as low-paying symbols. Some slots use the card suits as their lower-paying symbols instead.
Sevens
A universal symbol of luck, sevens appear in slot machines across the globe as they transcend cultural and religious beliefs.
Stars
Less common but still seen in plenty of slots, stars usually represent higher-value symbols or even a special symbol like a scatter or wild.
Themed Symbols
These are common in video slots and are symbols designed to match the theme of the game. For example, in an Ancient Egyptian slot, themed symbols might include gods, scarabs, and jewellery. Usually the themed symbols and the medium and high value paytable symbols.
Different Categories of Slot Symbols
While you’ll often come across the most common visual forms of slot symbols when playing, not all symbols are made equal. Next, let’s explore the most common examples of the different forms that slot symbols can take.
Standard symbols (low and high paying)
Also referred to as ‘base game’ symbols, these are the symbols that populate the majority of the games’ payables. Most commonly these are classed as high and low-paying, but slots with larger pay tables may also feature some ‘medium paying’ symbols too.
Wild symbols
These are the most common bonus symbols seen in online slots. These symbols can stand in for all standard symbols to form winning combinations. In some slots, the wild symbol may also multiply the value of symbols for larger payouts. In some games, the wild is also the highest-paying symbol and can award a payout of its own when appearing in combination across a payline. Typically, the wild symbol cannot substitute for special symbols like bonus symbols.
Bonus symbols
It is possible for a bonus symbol to operate like a scatter symbol (see next section), but these symbols can also require multiple landing across a payline or the appearance of the symbol in combination with some type of ‘activator’ symbol. However it is used, the bonus symbols' purpose is to trigger additional features such as pick-and-win bonuses, jackpot games, and free spins when the specified criteria are met.
Scatter symbols
Scatter symbols are the second most common special symbol alongside the wild symbol. Scatter symbols are unique because they can land in any position on the reels and award payouts or feature activations; there simply just needs to be 3 or more (sometimes 2) to do so. Most commonly scatters are used to activate a free spins bonus. Oftentimes scatters have no paytable value of their own, but it is not uncommon for them to award a small payout too.
Multiplier symbols
A multiplier symbol is a special symbol which is used to either multiply the value of winning combinations it is part of, or to increase the global multiplier when it appears on the reels. Most commonly multipliers appear attached to other symbols and any of the above special symbols could become multiplier symbols in this way. In the case of two multiplier symbols coming into effect, many games will multiply their values together so a 2x multiplier combined with a 3x multiplier would result in an overall multiplier value of 6x.
Even More Symbols to Explore!
In our article, we’ve discovered the most common forms of symbols you’ll come across when playing online slot machines, but there are so many more to discover. Slot developers are some of the most creative out there and are always coming up with new bonuses and concepts for their releases. Therefore, plenty of unique symbols have been created such as hybrid scatter and wild symbols, collect symbols, sticky symbols, and so on.
With thousands of online slot games available to play at Spin Genie, why not test some out and discover the symbols on offer? We hope you have fun, and always gamble responsibly. Sign up and play today.
