Symbol glossary
Wilds, scatters and bonus symbols: a field guide
The short answer
Three symbol classes run modern slots: wilds substitute for other symbols to complete wins, scatters pay or trigger features regardless of position, and bonus symbols unlock the game's named feature rounds. The details that matter — which reels carry them, whether they multiply, and what a cluster of them triggers — live in each game's paytable, not in the symbol name.
In this article
A slot's symbol set is a tiny language: a handful of ordinary paying icons plus three special classes that bend the rules. Learning the three classes covers most of what a paytable is trying to tell you.
Wilds: the substitute
A wild completes winning combinations by standing in for other symbols — the slot's version of a joker. Variants multiply the effect: expanding wilds fill a whole reel, sticky wilds hold position across respins, walking or shifting wilds move a reel at a time, and multiplier wilds scale the win they help form. The paytable lists which symbols a wild cannot replace — almost always scatters and bonus triggers.
Scatters: position-free
- Scatters pay or trigger regardless of line position — three anywhere on screen is the classic condition.
- Their most common job is unlocking free-spin rounds; the scatter is usually the only symbol that does not need a payline.
- On 'ways' and cluster games, scatters may count anywhere in the grid rather than per line.
Bonus and feature symbols
Beyond wilds and scatters, games layer named triggers: bonus symbols that open pick games or wheel features, collect symbols that gather visible values, and jackpot symbols tied to progressive awards. These are game-specific — the same word, 'bonus,' can mean a free-spin trigger on one cabinet and a side wager on another. The paytable remains the only authoritative text.
Illustrative example
| Class | Core job | Common variants |
|---|---|---|
| Wild | Substitutes to complete wins | Expanding, sticky, walking, multiplier |
| Scatter | Pays/triggers from any position | Free-spin trigger, instant pays, collect |
| Bonus | Unlocks a named feature round | Pick games, wheels, hold-and-spin |
| Jackpot | Feeds or awards a progressive | Tiered prizes, must-hit variants |
Next steps: reading a paytable properly, how 'ways to win' layouts differ from paylines and why hit frequency is not the same as return.
