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Apr 13 2025, 2:01pm | 12 min read

Slot machines are one of the most popular attractions in a casino. They draw players in with bright lights, fun and engaging sounds, and the chance that luck could possibly be on their side. However, to play these slot machines effectively, it is important to understand the various slot machine symbols and their values.

In this comprehensive guide, we take an in-depth look at the symbols on a slot machine to help you understand the challenges and play with confidence.

How Do Online Slots Work, and What Are the Symbols on a Slot Machine?
A Slot Machine’s Reel Mechanism
The Classic Symbols in Analog and Digital Slots
Your Guide to the Special Symbols
Popular Slot Themes
Slot Machine Symbol FAQs
Other Slots Guide Chapters

How Do Online Slots Work, and What Are the Symbols on a Slot Machine?

Slot machines are popular in both physical and online casinos. Understanding how slots work, however, is important to improve your playing experience.

Slot machines have spinning reels. These reels are the vertical sections you see on the machine’s screen. When you press the spin button or pull the lever, the reels start spinning. Each reel has a variety of symbols on it.

When the reels stop spinning, they show you a combination of symbols. These symbols appear on the horizontal line, which is known as the row. If the symbols line up in a winning combination on the payline – a predefined straight or zig-zagged line that extends horizontally across the reels – you win a prize.

The slot symbols on the reel are key to understanding how much you can win. Different slot symbols have different values, which we will explain in more detail later on. Some slot machine symbols will appear more often and have lower payouts, while others are rarer and can offer more substantial prizes. Here are the main symbols on slot machines:

Cherries: These are found on classic slot machine games and offer smaller payouts. Landing a single cherry will give you a small prize, while multiple cherries will increase the payout.
Bars: These come in single, double and triple variations. The more bars you line up in a row, the higher the payout. Triple bars typically offer the highest payout.
Bells: Bells are the most common symbol and were part of the very first slot machine, named the Liberty Bell. These are among the higher-paying slot machine symbols and can potentially boost your winnings substantially.
Sevens: These are considered lucky and are usually one of the more valuable symbols in many slot games. Landing on a combination of sevens can give you one of the highest payouts available on the machine, while landing different colored sevens will give you different payout levels.
Fruits: Fruits such as oranges, lemons and plums are more common slot machine symbols on vintage or older machines. They are still used, however, and offer a range of payouts. Lemons tend to offer a lower payout, while plums and oranges are more valuable.

Winning a slot machine is all about the symbols that appear on the payline, and each slot game will have a different set of rules for winning combinations. These rules can be found in the game’s paytable, or in the help section.

To make it a bit easier to understand, here is a slot machine symbols list and their ratings:

Low-paying symbols: These slot machine symbols, such as cherries and single bars, might appear more frequently but typically offer smaller payouts.
Medium-paying symbols: These symbols, such as double bars and bells, appear less often and offer slightly larger payouts than low-paying symbols.
High-paying symbols: These symbols are quite rare, but offer the highest payouts. Sevens are a great example of high-paying slot machine symbols.

Special Symbols

Many slot machines also have ‘special’ symbols that can increase your chances of winning or unlocking a series of bonus features. Here are a few examples of these special slot machine symbols:

Wild symbols: Wild symbols can substitute for other slot machine symbols to help create a winning combination. Some slots have special wilds, such as expanding wilds, which expand to cover more spaces on the grid. Alternatively, you may come across sticky wilds, which stay in place on the grid for several spins.
Scatter symbols: Scatter slot symbols can trigger bonus rounds or free spins, regardless of where they appear on the reels. The payout from these slot machine symbols can be significant, especially if the free spins or bonus rounds come with multipliers.
Bonus symbols: These symbols unlock special bonus games, leading to more prizes. Bonus rounds offer an extra chance to win through mini-games or additional spins. The payouts vary depending on the game and the bonus feature or symbol.
Multiplier symbols: Multiplier symbols increase your winnings by a specific multiplier. For example, if you hit a 2x multiplier, your win amount for that spin is automatically doubled. Multipliers can be applied to base game wins and even those wins during bonus rounds.

Understanding what each symbol means and how they affect your payouts can make your gaming experience more enjoyable. But remember, slot machines are controlled by a random number generator (RNG), which means that the outcome of any spin can’t be predicted.

A Slot Machine’s Reel Mechanism

Slot machines are a favorite in casinos because of their simplicity and interesting themes. One of the more important parts of a slot machine is its reels. The reels are the vertical sections that spin when you press a button or, in the case of older machines, pull a lever. Understanding how these reels work can help you enjoy the game that much more.

There are two main reel types: digital and analog.

Analog Reels

Analog reels are typically found in older, more traditional slot machines. These reels are physical and spin mechanically. Here’s how they work:

When you pull the lever or press the button, the reel spins due to mechanical parts inside the machine.
The symbols that appear on the payline, such as cherries, bars and sevens, are printed on the reels.
The reels stop spinning randomly, showing a combination of the symbols above. If the symbols line up on the payline, you win a prize.

Digital Reels

Digital reels are found in modern slot machines and online. These are virtual and work electronically. Here’s what happens when you push that button or click your computer mouse:

When you press the spin button, the reels spin virtually on a screen.
The symbols are not printed on the reels like analog reels but are instead displayed on a digital screen.
A computer program, or RNG, determines where the reel stops. This ensures that each spin is completely random and fair.

Digital reels allow for more complex games and provide more graphics and special features such as bonus rounds and free spins.

Understanding the differences between the two reels can help you appreciate the game and how slowly machines have evolved over time. Whether you enjoy the classic feel of analog reels or the sleek, modern features of digital reels, knowing how they work adds an element of enjoyment to playing slot machines.

The Classic Symbols in Analog and Digital Slots

Slot machines, whether they are the old-school, vintage slot machines or the more modern, digital kind, use a variety of symbols on their reels. These classic slot machine symbols, as we explained above, determine if, and how much, you win per spin. Let’s look at the different types of symbols you can expect to see in analog and digital slot machines.

Analog Slot Machine Symbols

Symbol	Description	Payout
Cherries	Found on older slot machines	Low-paying symbols.
Bars	Single, double or triple bar variations. They look like black rectangles with the word ‘BAR’ written on them.	Bars offer a higher payout depending on their variations.
Bells	Bells are the oldest symbol and date back to the very first slot machine.	Higher-paying symbols.
Sevens	Known as lucky symbols and come in a variety of colors such as red or blue.	Highest-paying symbols in traditional slots.

Analog slot machines have been around for years and use physical reels with printed vintage slot machine symbols.

Digital Slot Machine Symbols

Symbol	Description	Payout
Fruits	Cherries, lemons, oranges and watermelons take you back to the days of old fruit machines.	Lower-paying symbols.
Card Rank Symbols	Card rank symbols are popular in digital slot machines and typically include 9, 10, J, Q, K and A.	Lower- to medium-paying symbols.
Sevens	These are a staple in digital slot machines.	High-paying symbols that offer more significant wins.
Wild and Scatters	Only found in modern slot machines and online slot machines.	These trigger bonus features and offer more significant wins.

Digital slot machines offer more diverse and vibrant symbols than their analog counterparts. Symbols typically vary depending on the slot’s theme. For example, Buffalo Blitz uses card rank symbols and various high-paying animal symbols such as a bear, moose, cougar, racoon and a buffalo. However, some still include the more ‘classic’ symbols to give players that nostalgic feel.

Your Guide to the Special Symbols

When playing slot machines, you will encounter a few special symbols that add a more technical element and offer a few more chances to take part in bonus rounds. These special slot machine symbols are known as scatters, wilds, multipliers and bonus symbols, and understanding them can help you get the most out of your spin.

Let’s look at each of these symbols and find out just what each of them means for your game.

Scatters

Scatter symbols are unique because they don’t have to appear in a straight line to win. Here’s what happens when they do appear:

Trigger a win or special feature. Scatters slot symbols can appear anywhere on the reels and do not need to be on the payline.
Landing a certain number of scatter symbols – for instance, three or more – will trigger free spins. These free spins will let you spin the reel a certain number of times without betting your own money and give you more chances of winning.
Trigger bonus games. These bonus games are like mini-games with different rules. These can also sometimes be accessed through a bonus buy.
Scatter wins can lead to your total bet being multiplied, leading to larger payouts.

Wilds

Slot wild symbols are essentially like the joker in a deck of cards and can substitute for other symbols to help players create winning combinations. Here are a few more facts that you need to know:

Wild symbols can substitute for almost any other symbol (except special symbols) to create a winning combination.
Expanding wilds can cover an entire reel to increase your chance of forming multiple winning combinations.
Sticky wilds stay in place for several spins and give you more chances to win during free spins and bonus rounds.
Stacked wilds are a group of wilds that appear to be stacked on top of each other on the reels. These boost your chances of landing multiple wins on a single spin.

Multipliers

Multiplier symbols significantly increase each overall win they are applied to. Here’s how they work:

Multiplier symbols increase your win by a specific number. For example, 2x doubles your win, 3x triples it, and 5x increases it fivefold.
Multipliers are applied to line wins or free spins. For example, if you have $10 and have a 3x multiplier, you win $30.
Some multiplier symbols only appear during bonus rounds.
In some slot machines, multiple symbols can be added up. If you land two 2x multipliers, they might combine to give you a 4x multiplier and further increase your winnings.

The Bonus Symbol

Bonus symbols are like the keys that unlock special features in your slot machine games. Here’s what they do:

Trigger bonus games that involve extra spins, mini-games or picking games where you select items to reveal prizes.
Unlock interactive features in the form of bonus games that allow you to make choices that can increase your winnings.
Offer variety to each spin.

Special symbols such as scatters, wilds, multipliers and bonus symbols add a lot of variety to slot machine games and not only increase your chances of winning, but also make the game more engaging.

Popular Slot Themes

Slot machines come in a number of different themes, making your gaming experience that much more engaging and varied. Visit any brick-and-mortar casino, online site or casino app and you will be met with a choice of different slot machine games, each with a different theme.

Here are some of the most popular themes:

Fruit machines: These traditional slot machines feature classic symbols such as cherries, lemons and watermelons. A few examples are the super-popular Sweet Bonanza by Pragmatic Play and the timeless classic Starburst, which uses both bar and seven symbols.
Adventure and exploration: These slots are designed to take the player on an adventure, sometimes inspired by a famous movie or game. Well-executed games such as the iconic Book of Dead with explorer Rich Wilde and Gates of Olympus are great examples of adventure and exploration-themed slot machine games.
Ancient civilizations: Slot machine themes based on ancient Egypt, Greece and even the Wild West are incredibly popular with many players. These include games such as Wanted Dead or a Wild by Hacksaw Gaming.
Fantasy and magic: Who isn’t intrigued by a slot machine game filled with mythical creatures, wizards and magical lands? Try stacked symbols slots such as Immortal Romance, a vampire-themed game with stacked wilds, or the alien-themed Reactoonz.
Animals and nature: Slot games featuring animals and nature are always a hit among players. Think of the legendary Big Bass Bonanza and Wolf Gold, a slot packed full of animal symbols such as buffaloes, big cats and even bald eagles.

Themes not only make the game more visually appealing but can also allow players to choose slot games that match their likes and interests.

Slot Machine Symbol FAQs

If you still have a few questions about what falls under the slot machine symbols umbrella, what they mean, or what to expect, here are a few of our most popular FAQs.

What do the lines on a slot machine mean?

The lines on a slot machine are called paylines. These determine where the symbols need to line up for you to win. Paylines can be straight, zig-zagged or even diagonal. When the reel stops spinning, and the symbols line up along a payline in a winning combination, you win a prize.

What do fruit symbols mean on slot machines?

Fruit symbols are images used in a slot machine. They can be cherries, lemons, plums, oranges and watermelons and are popular in both traditional analog and more modern digital slot machines. In the early days of slot machines, fruit symbols were used because the machines would give out fruit-flavored gum as prizes.

What are wild symbols in slots?

Wild symbols are special symbols that can substitute for other symbols to help create winning combinations that can mean more significant payouts. You can also think of them like a joker in a deck of cards. For example, a wild symbol and two cherries on a payline would count as three cherries, meaning a higher payout.

Is there a maximum number of symbols for each slot machine?

Yes, this number generally depends on the game and also the type of slot machine. Traditional analog slot machines have around 10 to 15 different symbols, while digital slot machines can have many more. The number of symbols helps to keep the game balanced. Be sure to check out the game’s paytable to see the slot machine symbols’ values.

Conclusion

Slot machines are certainly about luck, but they’re also about enjoying the variety of themes and features available. Whether you prefer the nostalgia that comes with traditional analog or vintage slots, or you are more interested in digital or online slot machine games, there’s something out there for everyone.