Wilds, Scatters, and Free Spins: Understanding Online Slots Features
Slots are undoubtedly the easiest game any casino beginner can start playing today. Not only do they look simple and straightforward, but they also require almost no skill, so it makes things easier than any other casino options. However, if you are playing online slots today, there are certain terms and features you will come across that need explanation for you to get. Although you can still manage to play the game without perfectly understanding these features, getting the hang of it makes things easier.
So, here, we will shed light on three important features you will come across in almost every online slot; wilds, scatters, and free spins. Understanding them will allow you to take good advantage of them, so, read on and enjoy!
Wilds – How Do They Work?
Wilds in slots are symbols that carry no face value. And while that may make them seem useless, you haven’t heard the better part of it.
Since they don’t have a value of their own, it makes them able to take the form of any other symbol in the game (except scatters and bonus symbols). This comes in handy by helping you complete a winning line in your game.
So if you are playing a four-reel slot, and three identical symbols land and the fourth one is a wild, you’re in luck! What happens is that the wild takes the form of the three other symbols, rewarding you with a win. That’s the power of wilds!
Scatters
Scatters are more dynamic than wilds. Most experienced slot players will tell you that this is the most valuable card in most slot games they feature in.
For the working mechanism of scatters, it often varies from game to game. But for the most part, it is usually extra features like:
- Bonus rounds
- Mini-games
- Multipliers
And interestingly, they can also function as wilds—completing winning lines. Also, while scatters can function as wilds, keep in mind that wilds cannot function as scatters.
For some slots, you need to land a complete reel of scatters to get the full bonuses, but in most games, you only need to land a scatter on a reel to get a scatter feature. In short, the working mechanism is flexible and heavily dependent on the game developers.
Free Spins
A spin refers to when you hit the button to have the reels rolling till you stop them. So, spins are what you do when you play the game. And usually, slots mandate you to pay per spin. For every spin of the reel you do, they deduct a certain amount.
However, with free spins, you can have a go at the reels without any charges. And since you have a chance at landing bonuses with free spins, it makes this feature an exciting one for players.
While free spins may come as a result of landing bonuses in the game, most casinos give them as promotional bonuses, so be on the lookout for them.
The simple answer is no. There are no ways to land more wilds, scatters, or free spins. So, don’t let anyone charge you in the name of teaching you a strategy or secret way of hitting these features in any slot games.
We say so because slots work with Random Number Generators (RNG), so the result of every outcome is random. Even if the developers were to play it, they would get the same random outcomes.
Final Words
Now, we believe you have a better understanding of the most common features in slot games—wilds, scatters, and free spins. There is no way you’ll play slots without coming across these features, so, in your best interest, have a good grasp of what they mean.