Slot Game Features 101: Your Ultimate Guide
The days of spinning slot machines for a few matching symbols are looong gone. Nowadays, your game is a symphony of features, boosting your wins with cluster pays, walking Wilds, multiways, and more.
In this guide, we’re delving into the world of slot mechanics, showing you what each one does, how it works, and which slots to find them in.
Let’s pull the lever and see what magic is hiding behind the reels.
1. Jackpots & Prize Pools
Whether it’s a fixed payout tied to your bet or a progressive prize that keeps climbing with every spin across the network, jackpots and prize pools are the showstoppers of online slots.
Progressive & Fixed Jackpots
If your heart does a little leap at the mere word progressive, you’re in good company. Progressive and fixed jackpots are the pulse of every slot.
Progressive jackpots grow from wagers across a network, and fixed jackpots are (huge!) multipliers of your bet, usually baked into a bonus round.
If neither of those quite hit the spot, you could also try Hot Drop Jackpots. The jackpots are on a timer, and they grow like progressives until someone hits them before the timer reaches zero.
Top Jackpot Games:
- 777 Deluxe: Classic slot with Deluxe jackpot
- Gold Rush Gus: Mining-themed with progressive jackpot
- Cyberpunk City: Futuristic slot with jackpot
Hold & Win
A hold and win is a separate mini game tucked inside your slot. You usually trigger it with six or more special symbols in the base game.
Once active, coins with instant-win values stick to the grid, resetting your spin count each time one lands. Some of those coins might have fixed jackpots. When you fill all spaces on the grid, you win the Grand Jackpot, which is a grandiose multiplier of your bet.
We have loads of hold and win games at SlotsLV Casino – they’re super popular!
Top Hold & Win Games:
- Oasis Dreams Hot Drop Jackpots: 1,000x Grand Jackpot
- Coins of Poseidon: 96% RTP
- Golden Tiger Fortune: 5,000x max win
2. Ways to Win
There’s more than one way to score in slot games, and by that, we mean paylines. Modern slots have ditched old-school, one-line paylines for setups that pay anywhere, multiply chances, or explode symbols into new ones. The possibilities are endless!
Megaways™
Megaways is a slot game mechanic that puts a mega twist on paylines. Every spin reveals a random number of symbols on each reel. This creates a hodge-podge of reel heights and symbol stacks on the grid. You can reach hundreds, sometimes thousands, of possible winning combinations, up to a mind-boggling 117,649.
Multiway
The multiway slot game mechanic is a close sibling of Megaways™. It also switches up the number of symbols on each reel, but this one can go even bigger, reaching up to 262,144 ways to win. Not to be dramatic, but… are those paylines or a WiFi password? Either way, we’re not complaining!
Top Multiway Slots:
Cluster Pays
If a payline is just a pattern where symbols need to land, then why not award wins when the symbols touch? Exactly! That’s the whole idea behind cluster pays. Instead of lining up symbols on a set payline, you win when matching adjacent symbols.
Most Cluster Pays slots start paying at four or more matching symbols, and they usually throw in some extra features to sweeten the deal, like cascading reels or progressive multipliers.
Top Cluster Pays Slots:
Infinity Reels & Pays Anywhere
If you love limitless play, you’ll adore infinity reels. Each winning combo adds another reel to the grid, and it keeps going as long as you continue landing matching symbols. But wait – it gets better. The more reels you rack up, the higher your multiplier climbs.
Pays Anywhere, on the other hand, doesn’t care about paylines or patterns at all. If enough matching symbols (like eight or more) land anywhere on the screen, you win, done and done.
Top Pay Anywhere Slots:
- Candyland Bonanza – pay anywhere
- Grill and Chill – pay anywhere
- Muertos Bonanza – pay anywhere
3. Free Spins & Scatters
This wouldn’t be a slot game mechanics guide if we didn’t mention – no, gush over – the glory of free spins and scatters. A slot simply wouldn’t be a slot without them.
Scatters are like your golden tickets. These special symbols don’t rely on paylines like the rest; they pay from anywhere on the reels as well as from their own paytable. Usually, three or more scatters trigger the free spins round.
Free spins are the fan-favorite bonus that can pay like crazy. Instead of paying for each spin like you would in the base game, each round kicks off for free, but you win the prizes just the same. You might win five free spins, 20, or even 100, and they often retrigger when more scatters appear.
Best Slots for Free Spins
- Golden Buffalo Hot Drop Jackpots: 100 Free Spins + Wild Multipliers
- Leprechaun’s Golden Trail: Unlimited Free Spins
- Mystic Elements: 150 Free Spins
4. Wilds & Symbols
Regular symbols and wild symbols are the building blocks of every slot, and they extend far beyond your standard fare that award base-game wins.
Expanding & Stacked Wilds
A standard wild steps in to replace a regular symbol, and hopefully helps you land another win (big thanks!). If that symbol is an expanding wild, however, the symbol grows to the height of the entire reel, giving you ample more chances to complete winning combinations (super big thanks!).
Stacked Wilds work a little differently. Instead of expanding mid-spin, they appear in tall stacks from the start, covering every spot on a reel. Sometimes, they drop in partially, teasing you with close calls or delivering full-blown payout parties when they connect multiple wins.
Top Expanding Wild Slots:
- Retro Wild Ride – stacked wild
- Incan Rich – stacked wild
- Monster Manor – expanding wild
- Her Genie Ways – expanding wild
Sticky & Walking Wilds
A standard wild vanishes once it’s done its job, but not sticky wilds! These special symbols stay in place to continue helping your wins along until their feature, like a free spins round, wraps up.
Now, give that sticky wild some legs, and watch it strut its stuff across the reels as your walking wild. These movers either start stacked or expand when they land, shifting one spot left or right with each spin. They keep helping you complete wins until they reach the reel’s edge and finally stroll off the screen.
Top Sticky Wild Slots:
- Candy Carnival – walking wild
- Awesome 7s – walking wild
- Gallina Race – sticky wild
Mystery Symbols
Usually, in a slot game, a symbol lands, and you already know how the reels will react. But where’s the fun in that? Mystery symbols can appear as a question mark, an orb of light, or any other enigmatic symbol. When they land, they transform into something special.
Depending on the game, they might turn into a regular symbol to complete a win, morph into a scatter to launch a bonus round, or even transform into another special symbol that unlocks something bigger. It’s also very common for these mystery symbols to appear stacked, adding to the suspense.
Top Mystery Symbols Slots:
5. Bonus & Extras
Let’s see… what haven’t we covered yet? Oh, right, basically everything else! Slot games are overflowing with creative twists and extra goodies, even when they don’t fit neatly into a single box.
Cascading Reels
One win per bet feels great, but what if you could snag three, four, or even five from the same spin? That’s the magic of cascading reels.
You pay for one spin, but when you hit a win, those symbols disappear, and new ones tumble down from above. If those fresh symbols connect again, boom, another win. The reels keep cascading, one victory rolling into the next, turning a single spin into a chain reaction of wins.
Top Cascading Reels Slots:
Multipliers
*Swoon* What can we say? Multipliers are as fundamental to a slot as sprinkles on a cupcake, and almost every game has them.
A multiplier can either be a multiple of your bet or of your win. If it’s a multiplier of your bet, you land a specific symbol or combo, and your bet is multiplied by that number. For instance, if you bet $5 and you won a 5x multiplier, you would now have $25. Awesome, right? Oh, totally!
With a win multiplier, your latest win is then multiplied by the given number. So if you just won $50 and received a 2x multiplier, you now have $100.
They can also be attached to wilds (wild multipliers) or other special symbols. Now you see why multipliers are such an essential slot game feature.
Best Slots with Multipliers:
- Golden Buffalo – wild multipliers
- Aztec Gold Bonanza – random multipliers
- Reels and Wheels XL – multiplier wheel
Re-spins
Although it has “spins” in the name, don’t confuse respins with free spins. Re-spins occur when all reels stay still, except for one that spins again, giving you another chance to win with the symbols that are already present.
Hold and win games have tons of re-spins, but you can find them as a feature in plenty of base games, too. Oftentimes, winning as a result of a re-spin triggers another, bigger win, and maybe even a jackpot (oh, hello there,10 Times Vegas).
Top Slots with Re-Spins:
Bonus Buy
The bonus buy is a special slot feature that high-volatility lovers adore. In bonus buy slots, instead of waiting for scatters to appear, you can hit the Buy Bonus button and jump straight into the bonus round on your next spin. Of course, instant gratification comes with a price. Each game sets its own rate as a multiplier of your current bet.
Many games even boost their RTP slightly when entered this way. Just remember: Bonus Buy guarantees the bonus, not the win. Knowing whether to buy the bonus or not is a hot topic, but many players find the instant entry worth it.
Best Bonus Buy Slots:
- X9999 Riches: Up to 100x your bet
- Tropical Elvis: 2 Bonus Games available
- Golden Johnn Rush: 5,000x your bet
Pick ’em
Pick me, pick me! A Pick ’Em, also called a Pick Me, is a bonus round that turns you into the star of your own mini game show. You usually unlock it by landing at least three scatters or bonus symbols in the base game, which transport you to a side game filled with tempting choices.
You take your pick of whatever item is in front of you, such as a treasure chest, a beer barrel, or a bottle of blood (hey, Halloween slots are a thing). Whatever you uncover, you either keep the prize – like a multiplier or instant win – or you have to keep picking to match symbols for rewards.
Top Pick’Em Slots:
Bonus Games
Bonus rounds define the modern slot experience. They’re the main event everyone’s chasing. These side games break away from standard spins and throw you into something completely different, like free spin rounds with multipliers, wheel-of-fortune-style spinners, or even full-on mini adventures.
Each bonus game has its own rules and prizes, but most of the time, you enter a bonus game by landing three or more scatters or bonus symbols. Then, the world is your oyster! You never know what you might find inside, but more often than not, the bonus game will lead to the slot’s biggest win.
Best Slots with Bonus Games:
How Slot Features Affect Gameplay
Features like free spins, multipliers, and bonus rounds have a sizeable impact on a game’s volatility and RTP (return to player), directly shaping how often and how much you win.
Features such as free spins or hold and win stretch your gameplay without costing extra. They help your bankroll go the distance while still chasing big prizes.
Meanwhile, cascading reels create win chains you only pay for once. If you’re in it to win it – like, really win it – features like multipliers and progressive jackpots are the only way to turn a regular bet into an unforgettable win.
Beyond the winning potential, features make slots genuinely fun. They tie into the theme and deepen the story. A slot without them would be like watching a movie with only one scene. A total snooze fest!
More Popular Questions about Slot Machine Features
Which slot features give the biggest payouts?
Progressive jackpots are the definition of “go big or go home.” Since they grow with every wager across a network, they can reach astronomical heights. Bonus rounds with big multipliers come in second.
Do all slot games have bonus features?
Mostly, yes, but not all slot games have bonus features. Some classic slots strip it down to the basics, ditching the bells and whistles for pure nostalgia. You might find paylines and wilds, but that’s where it ends. It adds to the charm, so it’s not a bug, it’s a feature.
What is the most popular slot feature today?
Free spins and multipliers are the most popular features at the moment. They’re easy to understand and cost you nothing extra to win. Plus, each of these features can be accompanied by others to inflate their wins even more.
How do slot features affect volatility?
Slot features directly influence volatility. Games packed with bonus rounds, multipliers, or jackpots tend to be high-volatility, meaning fewer but larger wins. Low-volatility slots usually have simpler features and more frequent, smaller payouts.
Are newer mechanics better than classic paylines?
Not necessarily! It depends on your playstyle. It’s less a matter of “better” and more about whether you prefer the variety of cluster pays and Megaways™ or the good old-fashioned simplicity of classic paylines.
From jackpots that soar to reels that never stop cascading, slot features are what turn a simple spin into a marvelous adventure. Whether you’re chasing multipliers, locking in wilds, or buying straight into the bonus, there’s always a new mechanic to explore. So go on – scatter those doubts, get a little wild, and spin your way to your next big win at SlotsLV Casino.
