Slot features explained
Features are where slots differ from one another and where most high volatility games pay. This guide explains each common feature using slots from our library as examples.
By Ryan Jessop. Last checked .
Key takeaways
- Wilds substitute; scatters trigger.
- Free spins are the commonest feature and usually come with an enhancement.
- Tumbles and multipliers can chain several wins from one spin.
- Bonus buy and autoplay are not available in Britain.
Features at a glance
| Feature | What it does | Example from our library |
|---|---|---|
| Wild | Substitutes for other symbols | Starburst: expands to fill a reel |
| Scatter | Pays or triggers a feature from any position | Book of Dead: the Book is wild and scatter |
| Free spins | Spins at no cost, often enhanced | Big Bass Bonanza: fisherman collects fish |
| Expanding symbol | A chosen symbol grows to cover reels | Book of Dead |
| Tumble or cascade | Winning symbols vanish and new ones fall | Sweet Bonanza |
| Multiplier | Multiplies a win | Gates of Olympus: orbs up to 500x |
| Re-spin | A free extra spin with something held | Starburst |
| Pick bonus | Choose items to reveal prizes | Fluffy Favourites: Toybox Pick |
| Collect | A symbol gathers cash values on screen | Fishin' Frenzy |
Wilds
A wild stands in for other paying symbols to complete a win. Variations add something extra: expanding wilds fill a reel, sticky wilds stay for several spins, and some wilds multiply the win they complete, as the elephant does in Fluffy Favourites.
Scatters
Scatters ignore paylines. Land enough anywhere and they pay, trigger a feature or both. Three is the usual trigger on a five-reel slot; pays-anywhere games ask for four.
Free spins
A set number of spins at your triggering stake, at no cost. What makes them valuable is the enhancement attached: tripled wins, a collecting wild, an expanding symbol or multipliers that build. Many can retrigger.
Tumbles and cascades
After a win the winning symbols are removed and new ones drop in, which may form another win, and so on. One paid spin can produce a chain.
Multipliers
A multiplier increases a win by its value. In Gates of Olympus the values of all orbs on screen are added and applied at the end of a tumble sequence. In free spins they accumulate from spin to spin, which is where the 5,000x ceiling comes from.
Expanding symbols
The signature of 'book' slots. Before free spins, one symbol is chosen at random. Whenever enough of it land, it expands and pays across every active line, adjacent or not.
Features you will not find in Britain
- Bonus buy. Paying to start a feature directly.
- Autoplay. Spins must be started one at a time.
- Turbo and quick spin. A game cycle lasts at least 2.5 seconds.
- Slam stop. Reels cannot be stopped manually.
See the UK slot rules.
Do features change the odds?
Features are part of a slot's RTP, not extra to it. A game with a spectacular bonus round pays for it with a leaner base game. That trade is what volatility measures. For definitions of other terms, see the slot glossary.
Play safely
Slots are fast, and they are designed so the house wins over time. Decide what the session is worth to you before you open a game, set a deposit limit, and stop when the money is gone. Free, confidential help is available from the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133. Our safer gambling page lists the tools and services.
Frequently asked questions
What is a wild in slots?
A symbol that substitutes for others to complete a win.
What is a scatter?
A symbol that pays or triggers a feature wherever it lands.
How do free spins work?
They are triggered in play, cost nothing and usually include an enhancement.
Can I buy features in the UK?
No.