Do you know your Ps from your Qs when it comes to slots games symbols? If so, lucky you. But if not, never fear, as we’ve got you covered here in our guide on slot symbols to wish for. Of course, there are thousands of valuable symbols, but we’re only going to discuss the 3 most treasured ones.
1. Wilds
In essence, wilds are similar to jokers in certain card games as they can substitute for any other symbol in a game (bar the scatter). So, let’s say you’ve 4 king card symbols in the first 4 reels of a payline and a wild shows up beside them on the fifth reel. Since the wild can replace any other symbol, you win a payout (as it serves as a fifth king). But in many games these days, wilds don’t just act as substitutes; they also perform other functions such as awarding you cash prizes and triggering bonus rounds. But what do wilds look like? Well, they often boast the letter W, the logo WILD, or are formed by theme-related symbols. For instance, in Slingshot Studio’s Zombie Hoard slot, the Zombie Hoard logo acts as the wild.
Furthermore, there are many kinds of wilds these days. For example, walking wilds move one position after every new spin, whereas expanding wilds expand to fill the reels. Meanwhile, multiplier wilds do not only complete a winning combination; they also multiply your winnings.
2. Scatters
Scatters are also admired by slots players. And normally they’re easy to spot, too. In fact, in many games the word scatter is printed on them in block capitals like this: SCATTER. In others, scatters are formed by special symbols connected to the theme. For instance, in Shaman’s Dream Native American-themed slot by Pragmatic Play, the scatter is a dreamcatcher.
Scatter symbols normally grant you a certain amount of money and/or trigger bonus rounds and unlock free spins. And the cool thing about scatters is that they don’t have to appear on a payline or line up side by side on the reels; nope, most scatters pay out when 3 or more turn up anywhere on the reels. Take Shaman’s Dream, for example. No matter where you land 3 or more scatters, you trigger a cash bonus worth 5-40 times your betting stake and 15 free spins.
3. Bonus Symbols
Unlike scatters, bonus symbols usually only take effect after you’ve lined up 3 or more of them on consecutive reels. In addition, bonus symbols rarely pay out any cash; instead, they trigger bonus games. However, like wilds and scatters, bonus symbols vary from game to game. So, before you start playing a slot, read through the game information to find out what all 3 of these special symbols look like.
Final Thoughts
We hope that you’ve enjoyed this article and now that you’re familiar with the most valuable symbols, why don’t you try and land a few the next time you play a slot.
