You are not the only one who has opened up a slot game and wondered what all the symbols mean and how the winning combinations work. At first glance, slot games can seem complicated but once you understand the symbols and paylines they all start to make much more sense.
What Slot Symbols Actually Are
Every slot game is built around a set of symbols. These are the pictures you get on the reels when you spin them. Each symbol has a value, and when you get certain combinations of those symbols, that’s when you get paid out.
Most slot games have various symbols, each worth a different value. The symbols with the lowest value occur most frequently, whereas higher value symbols occur less frequently but pay out more when they appear in the correct combination. The first thing worth looking at before you start playing is to understand which symbols are worth the most in any given game.
Common types of symbols you will come across:
- Standard symbols. These are the basic symbols that make up most of the reels. They vary by theme but work the same way across most slot games.
- Wild symbols. A wild acts as a substitute for other symbols, helping you complete winning combinations you might have otherwise missed.
- Scatter symbols. These usually trigger bonus features like free spins or bonus rounds, often regardless of where they land on the reels.
- Bonus symbols. Some games have dedicated bonus symbols that unlock special features or mini-games when enough of them appear.
What Paylines Are and How They Work
A payline is a line across the reels where a winning combination of symbols needs to land in order for you to receive a payout. In older, simpler slot games, there was usually just one payline running straight across the middle. Modern slots can have as few as a handful of paylines to as many as hundreds, running in all different directions.
Some games have a fixed number of paylines, so all of them are always active when you play. Some allow you to choose how many paylines you wish to activate, which will affect your chances of winning and your cost per spin.
Some games have a fixed number of paylines, so all of them are always active when you play. Some allow you to choose how many paylines you wish to activate, which will affect your chances of winning and your cost per spin.
How Symbols and Paylines Work Together
A win is generated by matching symbols landing in the correct sequence across an active payline, usually beginning on the leftmost reel. The exact rules vary from game to game, so it’s always worth checking the paytable before you start.
The paytable is an in-built guide that tells you exactly what each symbol is worth and how paylines work in that specific game. It takes a minute to get through and can save you a lot of confusion during a session.
What to check in the paytable:
- Which symbols pay the most
- How many matching symbols you need for a payout
- How paylines are structured in that game
- What the wild and scatter symbols do
Wrapping Up
All slot games are based on symbols and paylines. Once you understand what each symbol does and how paylines determine wins, the game becomes far easier to follow and a lot more fun to play. Always review the paytable before beginning a new game. That one habit will make every session clearer from the very first spin.
