How to Win at Online Slots with Slot Machine Symbols

Key Takeaways:

• The first-ever slot machine was manufactured in 1887 by Charles Fey.
• Classic slot machine symbols like fruits, bars, and 7s are still seen today in modern slots alongside other more thematic elements.
• Wild symbols can substitute for most other symbols, creating more winning combinations.
• Scatter symbols usually trigger bonus games or rounds like free spins.

The moment you sit down at a slot machine or fire up an online slot on your phone, a few things should grab your attention immediately. Spinning the game's reels are a given, but what about the slot symbols? More than just fun pictures, these slot icons make every game unique and exciting, ranging from retro fruit symbols and playing cards to pop culture references and even aliens.

Beyond their vibrant visuals and flash graphics, slot symbols also determine how you win. Classic symbols hold their ground, but newer video slots introduce wilds, scatters, multipliers, and bonus triggers that add more layers to your slot experience. If you've ever wondered what slot symbols mean, their origins, and how they impact your gameplay, you're in the right place.

Keep reading to find out more about slot machine symbols and how they shape the games we love today.

The History of Slot Machine Symbols

The creation of the first slot machines dates back to the late 1880s, when German immigrant Charles Fey created the Liberty Bell game in San Francisco. It featured three reels, where players could insert a nickel and try their luck. It featured certain icons that you'll still see in slot machines today, like fruit symbols, card suits, and bells, and landing certain combinations rewarded players with free cigars or drinks.

As the gambling industry grew, laws restricted real money payouts, leading to a clever workaround: slot machines that paid out in chewing gum, with flavors corresponding to the fruit symbols on-screen, such as cherries or lemons. Doing this allowed these slot machines to operate as "trade stimulators," rather than legitimate gambling devices with cash prizes.

Over time, these slot machine symbols stuck, even when slots returned to paying out real money, and now use fair technology and random number generators (RNGs) to make sure every spin is unpredictable.

💡 The popularity of slot machines spread to all corners of the world, with regions adapting their own versions.

• The prominence of playing cards as slot machine symbols in Australia and New Zealand resulted in their nicknames as "pokies."
• In contrast, the UK's affinity for fruits led to the terms "fruit slot machines" or "fruities."
• Everywhere else, they're just called what they are: slot machines.

Classic Slot Symbols & Their Meanings

More than just eye candy, each slot machine icon has its own specific meaning or implications. Here are some of the most common symbols you'll find on both classic slot machines and modern slots.

• 🍒 Fruits: Fruit symbols, like cherries, are one of the most recognizable slot machine symbols, typically with lower payouts.
• 🎰 Lucky 7s: Universally considered a lucky number in gambling, sevens in slot machines typically offer big wins due to their cultural and historical significance.
• 🔔 Bells: A throwback to the Liberty Bell machine, bell symbols often represent a jackpot win.
• 💰 Bars: Originally representing gum packs, bar symbols are synonymous with slot machines, with single, double, or triple bars indicating scaling payout levels.
• 💎 Diamonds: Symbols of wealth, like gems and diamonds, are common symbols in slot machines.
• 🃏 Playing Cards (10, A, K,Q, J): Inspired by classic table games like Blackjack and Poker, playing card numbers are common in many slot machines today, often as low-paying symbols.

Symbols in Modern Video Slots

Beyond the traditional icons, slot machines have evolved massively over the years. Gone are static images, replaced by fluid animations and smooth graphics. Most online slots nowadays also include special symbols that enhance gameplay and unlock higher payouts, bonus rounds, and the max wins.

While classic symbols like fruits, bars, and playing card symbols still make an appearance, modern online slots now employ a wide range of slot symbols, each with their own features and mechanics:

Standard Symbols:

These are the basic symbols you'll see in slot machines, matching the game's theme. For example, in Sugar Rush 1000, there are sweet treats and fruits as the standard symbols, while the Fortune Tiger game features slot symbols synonymous with Chinese culture.

In most machines, you'll often find the "classic" slot icons as the low-paying symbols and the thematic symbols as the high-paying symbols.

Wild Symbols:

Wild symbols can substitute for nearly any other symbols on the reels to help create winning combinations. Some slots, like Starburst, offer expanding wilds, stacked wilds, or even sticky wilds, for huge potential payouts.

• Expanding Wilds: These symbols expand to cover an entire reel, increasing the chances of winning combinations.
• Sticky Wilds: Once these wild symbols land on the reels, they will "stick" in place for a specific number of spins, increasing the chances of a win.

Scatter Symbols:

Scatter symbols are unique in that they don't need to be formed on specific paylines, hence the name "scatter." They can appear anywhere on the reels, and if you get enough of them in one spin, you might unlock unique features like free spins.

Multiplier Symbols:

As their name suggests, multiplier symbols will (obviously) multiply your winnings. For example, if you form winning combinations with a 2x multiplier, your initial bet will be doubled.

Bonus Symbols:

These symbols activate bonus rounds or special features when they appear in certain combinations. These bonuses can range from straightforward free spins to intricate mini-games built into the slot experience.

Progressive Symbols:

This is the rarest type of slot symbol, usually found in progressive jackpot slots. These symbols, when matched or collected, contribute to a pooled jackpot that grows over time across multiple machines and players, often leading to huge payouts.

Modern & Themed Slot Machine Symbols

While classic slots do exist and are still popular, online casinos have hit the ground running with slot developers catering to a wide range of themes and genres, featuring specific symbols that match various motifs.

The limits of modern slots is endless, and with a quick scan through the casino games on Rivalry, you'll find slots focused on the following:

• Mythological Symbols: Greek gods, Norse legends, and Egyptian deities often appear in slot games like Gates of Olympus and Zeus Vs. Hades.
• Pop Culture Symbols: Many slot games are themed after popular franchises like Marvel and Game of Thrones and even celebrities, with symbols reflecting iconic characters and imagery. A popular example is The Crypt by NoLimit City, featuring undead legends like Elvis Presley and Amy Winehouse.
• Cowboy Symbols: A popular genre is cowboy-themed slots taking place in the Wild West, with gunslingers galore, with slots like Wild Bounty Showdown, Wanted Dead or a Wild, Tombstone RIP, and Wild West Duels, all popular with thousands of players worldwide.
• Animal Symbols: Some of the most popular slots incorporate furry friends and wild animals into their symbols, like Great Rhino Megaways, Fortune Rabbit, and Lucky Neko, to name a few examples.
• Food Symbols: Who doesn't love food? Many slot machines are themed around food and desserts, with slots like Sweet Bonanza being fan-favorites.
• Gold Mining Symbols: Many slots take the theme of fortune hunting seriously, with slots like Gonzo's Quest and Bonanza taking players on gold mining adventures.

How to Win Slots with Slot Symbols

Understanding slot machine symbols isn't just about their aesthetics—they can actually boost your chances of winning. These strategies will help you maximize your gameplay and make smarter decisions.

Know Your Wilds & Scatters

Wild symbols are like the chameleon of fruit slot machines, since they can substitute for many other symbols to form winning combinations. Meanwhile, scatter symbols are your ticket to unlocking free spins and bonus rounds. Learning how these symbols work in specific games can give you the edge, without leaving you scratching your head in confusion.

Check the Paytable Before Playing

Every slot game comes with a specific paytable, which breaks down payouts, special symbols, and the game's special features. Before slapping your wallet down, review this information to see:

✅ Which symbols are high-paying vs. low-paying?

✅ What bonus features are available?

✅ Does the game have special mechanics like Megaways or cascading reels?

Also, you should consider the built-in house edge, which is the percentage of money that goes back into the casino from every bet placed on a particular machine.

Understand Slot Volatility

Not all slots play the same. Volatility (also called variance) determines how often and how much a slot pays out. Let's break it down:

• Low Volatility: Frequent wins, but smaller payouts.
• High Volatility: Less frequent wins, but huge payouts when they hit.
• Medium Volatility: A balance of both.

💡 Pro Tip: If you're ballin' on a budget, stick to low or medium volatility slots to prolong your session.

Look for Higher RTP Slots

You may have encountered the term "RTP" in other casino games. The Return to Player (RTP) is a crucial factor in slot strategy, too, indicating the theoretical returns you can expect over a long period of play.

• Below 94% RTP: Risky, lower returns.
• 95-97% RTP: Balanced. Most online slots will fall in this range.
• 98%+ RTP: Highest possible returns available, with fewer losses (theoretically) in the long run.

If your goal is getting the max possible wins, you should aim for slots that are over 95% RTP.

Take Advantage of Free Spins & Bonuses

Many online casinos (like Rivalry) offer welcome bonuses, deposit matches, free spins, and even cashback when you create an account! Using these promotions wisely can give you extra chances to win without having to spend additional money. It's a win-win!

💡 Pro Tip: Always check the wagering requirements before claiming a bonus, and consider things like qualifying games, minimum spends, and other details.

Manage Your Bankroll Wisely

A key strategy when playing slot machines is effective bankroll management. Before playing, you should decide on a budget, ideally made up of disposable income that you don't need for essentials like rent and bills, and stick to it.

Many players use progressive betting strategies like the Martingale, where they increase their bet after a loss and decrease it after a win, balancing risks and rewards.

Play Demo Versions First

If possible, try playing the demo versions of a slot game first. This allows you to get a feel for the slot machine and get familiar with the symbols, paylines, and bonus features without risking real money.

Slot Machine Symbols FAQs

How do slot machine work?

Modern slot machines and online slots use random number generators (RNGs) to decide the outcome of every spin. When you press the spin button, the RNG selects a random combination of symbols, guaranteeing fair and unpredictable results every spin. The goal is to land matching symbols on paylines to win prizes.

What are slot symbols?

Slot symbols are the images or icons that appear on the reels of a slot machine. These symbols determine winning combinations and can include classic icons like cherries and bars, as well as special symbols like wilds, scatters, and multipliers that unlock bonus features.

How many symbols are on a slot machine?

Every slot machine will have varying amounts of symbols, depending on how many reels the game is played on. Classic 3-reel slots will have 60 symbols in total (or 20 per reel).

What is the rarest slot machine symbol?

The rarest symbols are typically the progressive jackpot symbols. These often require a max bet or a specific payline to trigger.

How do slot machine paylines work?

Slot machine paylines are the literal lines across the reels where matching symbols must land to form a winning combination. Most slots nowadays can have multiple paylines—sometimes hundreds or even thousands (e.g., Megaways slots), usually paying from the leftmost-to-right reel.

• Fixed Paylines: You must bet on all paylines every spin.
• Adjustable Paylines: You can choose how many paylines to activate per spin.
• Megaways: Instead of fixed paylines, symbol positions change on each spin, creating thousands of potential ways to win.

💡 Pro Tip: More paylines = more chances to win, although sometimes it means a higher total bet per spin. Always check the game's setting before playing!

Final Thoughts

Slot machines have come a long way from the early days of Charles Fey. Players can even play slot games on the go at online casinos like Rivalry, without any additional downloads. These games may have changed and evolved like Pokemon, but the basic elements and simple fun are still all the same.

No matter whether you prefer playing classic fruit machines or the excitement of themed video slots, understanding how these symbols work can level up your gaming experience. The next time you spin the reels, keep an eye out for those wilds, scatters, and bonus symbols—they just might be your golden ticket to a big win!

Always Play Responsibly

It's easy to get lost in the bright lights and thrill of playing slot machines. But it's important to remember that gambling should be always be fun and never feel like a necessity. To keep it that way, set limits on both your time and spending before playing. Never chase losses—slots are built on randomness, and trying to "win back" what you've lost can lead to risky decisions.

If gambling ever stops feeling fun, there are plenty of responsible gambling resources available. Contact our customer support team for guidance on setting limits and, if needed, they can also point you towards free resources.

Play smart, stay within your means, and most importantly—enjoy the game responsibly! GLHF, and may the odds be ever in your favor (18+ only).