Diving Into The Key Features Of Online Slots Games

Online slots are widely popular as they’re easy to play yet create endless enjoyment. There’s something so wonderful about spinning the reel and waiting to see if the symbols align. What makes these games even more enjoyable is the myriad of features you’ll find. One slot game can be different from another, but you can guarantee both will have an assortment of key features that keep them entertaining.

In this blog, we’ll provide a deep dive into all of the main innovative features of modern online slot games. You’ll learn what traits are common throughout the gaming world and which ones are a tad rarer. Better yet, we explain what all of the features do so you understand how online slots work and how you can make the most out of your gaming experience!

Wild Symbols

The majority of slot game providers will incorporate wild symbols in their reels. As most of you are aware, slots have reels full of different symbols. For example, 247 Slots has cherry symbols, the number seven, bar symbols, and so on. The core aim of slots is to line up matching symbols, meaning you win money - or in the case of free slots, credits.

So, where do wild symbols fit in?

Effectively, they fill the role of any symbol in the game. When a wild symbol lines up with other matching symbols, it acts in the same way as one of those symbols. In essence, this helps you win!

For example, if there are three reels and you need to match three 7s, you could have two 7s and a wild symbol instead.

The wilds will be identified by the slot game provider. They can look like anything, so make sure you check the game rules before spinning to understand which symbols mean something and which are wild!

Scatter Symbols

Scatters are special symbols that unlock loads of cool features in online slot games. When you see a certain number of scatter symbols on your screen, it can trigger things like free spins or bonuses. Each slot game will have a specific role for the scatter symbols - and they will also explain how many are needed to perform these roles.

The main difference between scatter symbols and any other symbol is that they don’t need to be in a specific place. As mentioned above, if you wanted to win a spin, you’d need to match the same symbols across lines in the reels. Scatters can be placed in any line on any reel and they will become active.

For example, you’re playing an online slot game and it has four reels with four lines in each reel. The game states that matching three scatter symbols will unlock a bonus round of play. Here, you could have a scatter symbol at the bottom of the first reel, one in the middle of the third reel, and a final one at the top of the fourth reel. None of the scatter symbols align, but three have appeared, so the bonus round is activated!

Multipliers

As the name suggests, multipliers will multiply what you win when playing slots. They’re present on free slots as well as paid ones. A simple example of a multiplier is when you get 10x the expected payout. Instead of winning 50 credits, you get 500 - and so on.

The question is, how do multipliers present themselves in the game?

In all honesty, it depends on the slot game you’re playing. Most of the time, certain symbols are given the multiplier status. This could be obvious (the symbol is a big “10x” logo) or less obvious (a specific symbol equates to a certain multiplier). When you spin the reel, you activate the multiplier by aligning the correct symbols.

Scatter Multipliers

Additionally, there are cases when scatters can be multipliers as well. It’s not uncommon for online slots to have rules where the presence of scatters increases the multiplier feature. So, one scatter symbol provides a 2x multiplier, two will give 4x, three will offer 6x, etc. It’s a fun way of making scatter symbols more innovative as you’re rewarded if you spin more of them.

Bonus Round Multipliers

Other times, multipliers are not present on the normal slot reel. Instead, they only come out during bonus rounds. We’ll talk more about bonus rounds in a moment, but multipliers can provide a boost of winnings during these special rounds. A bonus round could get you to spin a single reel or wheel, determining what you win. There can be multipliers to claim, which supercharge the credits you won initially.

Increasing Multipliers

You’ve already seen various ways multipliers are used, but there’s still one more to think about! Increasing multipliers are fun features that reward consecutive wins. Let’s say you spin the slot and win credits. You’re currently on a streak of one. But what if you spin again and win? Your streak increases to two, and “increasing multipliers” can reward you for this. A 2-win streak may gain a 2x multiplier, then a 3-win streak has a 3x one. It’s simply another way of helping the player win more credits - particularly if they’re on a hot streak.

We’ve got a great example of how increasing multipliers help you win a lot more. You spin and win 100 credits. Then you spin and win 150 credits before spinning a third time and winning 100 credits again. In total, you’ve won 350 credits. Now, imagine the same streak with increasing multipliers. Your second win gets a 2x multiplier and becomes 300 credits, and your third win is multiplied by 3 and also becomes 300 credits. Overall, you’ve won 750 credits in this scenario, over 2x what you’d get without the multiplier!

Bonus Rounds

As mentioned before, bonus rounds are usually triggered by scatter symbols. However, some online slot providers will activate bonus rounds when specific symbol combinations are present. There may also be the opportunity to use credits to buy into bonus rounds.

It doesn’t matter how bonus rounds are triggered, what matters is what they provide.

The key to a good bonus round feature is that it offers a new experience from the normal slot game. You should be given extra ways to play before returning to the traditional online slots experience. Here are some common bonus rounds we see all the time:

Free Spins

Lots of slot providers will have free spins bonus rounds. Effectively, you’re given a set amount of spins that do not cost any credits. They’re totally free, yet you have the opportunity to win big. It’s basically a way of giving you risk-free spins, which every gamer loves.

Many times, online slots will incorporate other features into the free spins rounds - such as multipliers. Again, this is another way to help the player get more credits, maximizing their winnings.

The number of free spins allocated during bonus rounds is linked to how the bonus round was triggered. That sounds complicated, but it’s much simpler than it seems. Again, we’ll use scatter symbols as an example. The game could have a rule where 3 scatter symbols give 5 free spins or 5 scatter symbols give 10. If you’re lucky enough to see 5 scatters on the reel, you’re bagging more free spins bonus rounds!

Wheel Spins

Bonus rounds can completely transform a game and make it feel like you’re playing something else. One highly popular feature of online slots is to give you a wheel to spin. This works like Wheel of Fortune, but on the wheel you have different prizes or perks. These could be bonus multipliers, set amounts of credits, free spins, or whatever.

The player spins this wheel and receives whatever the ticker lands on. It’s a very quick and easy way of providing a nice bonus and then putting the player back in the normal game.

Mini Games

Similarly, you can find numerous mini-games as bonus rounds. We’ve mentioned wheel spins, but some slots provide interactive games like virtual board games. You may roll some digital dice and move along the board, claiming prizes, multipliers, and so on.

There’s really no limit to what an online slot provider can incorporate into bonus mini-games. It’s a chance for them to be creative and make their game stand out from the crowd.

Fixed Reels

Another thing we often see in a slots game is the presence of fixed reel bonus rounds. Here, when the bonus round is triggered, one or two of your reels are frozen in place. This means all the symbols stay the same, so you’re spinning a smaller number of reels.

Picture a game with three reels, but two get frozen. Now, you can spin one reel for a set number of times, trying to match the symbols. These spins can be free, or the game stipulates how many rounds the reels remain fixed.

Wild Reels

In the earlier stages of this blog post, we spoke about wild symbols. Sometimes they’re present on the reel already, but other times they become active when bonus rounds are turned on. You can play a slot game that transforms all symbols of a specific variety into wild symbols. When you spin during the bonus rounds, you have a greater chance of winning thanks to all the wilds.

Alternatively, some slots incorporate a wild reel feature that turns a whole reel into wilds. So, instead of having three reels spinning with different symbols, one only shows wilds, and the other two spin as normal. In theory, you’d only need two matching symbols instead of three, so it’s easier to win.

The whole purpose of bonus rounds is to bring something new to the table. Whether this means a cool new game for players to enjoy or a heightened chance of winning, it doesn’t particularly matter. All that matters is that the player gets to experience something they won’t see in the main game! It encourages them to hunt for bonus rounds, which makes the games far more enjoyable.

Gamble Features

Online slots are synonymous with gambling, though free slots like 247 Slots don’t require any money to be wagered at all. Still, all slot games will come with certain gambling features. The most basic example is the ability to choose how many credits to bet with each spin. You’re wagering your credits and taking a risk - the more you bet, the more you could win.

Of course, this could go out of your favor and you end up losing more credits. It’s what makes a slots game very tactical and intriguing. You start debating how much to wager each time, weighing up the pros and cons of your move. When you’re not using real money, there are no risks at all. You can try fun tactics by betting all of your credits and seeing if you get lucky! Or, try the smallest bets and see if this made you win more.

Other online slots will use more gambling features like the ability to gamble your winnings. You just spun and won, but the game pops up with a simple question - do you want to improve your winnings by making a simple wager? This doesn’t have to be anything crazy - it could be as simple as guessing between heads or tails. If you win, you multiply your winnings. If you lose, then you lose what you just won.

Progressive Jackpots

Online slots will have a simple way of winning credits. You hit the necessary symbols and get however many credits the game pays out. It’s this simplicity that makes the games so popular - but what if there were other ways to win?

Progressive jackpots are jackpots that grow periodically. When every player spins the reels, a small chunk of their wagered credits go to the jackpot. It keeps getting bigger until someone wins, meaning one lucky player could bag hundreds of thousands of credits.

This is a rare feature, but it’s very fun when you see it. Progressive jackpots are either won randomly via mini-games or when someone hits an ultra-rare symbol combination. The best part is, you can keep on winning normally without hitting the jackpot, so it just hides in the background like a great surprise.

Our Tips For Enjoying The Best Features Of Online Slots

We’ve covered all of the main features you’ll find in online slot games. Now, you need to know how to enjoy them. Here are some tips to ensure you’re getting the best gaming experience:

Always Play For Free

While paid online slots with real money are tempting, they’re not worth the risk. Instead, we recommend playing free slots so you never lose any money. You still get to enjoy all the cool features mentioned above, but without worrying about going into debt!

Learn The Features Before You Play

Every slots game will have instructions or rules to help you learn about all the different features. Be sure to read them before playing so you understand how certain elements work. For example, this can help you get to grips with wild symbols or figure out what’s needed to trigger bonus rounds. It can influence your play style and mean you’re having a more enjoyable time that’s less confusing.

Pick A Game With Multipliers

If you could only pick one feature from this list, it should be multipliers. They are the simplest way of transforming a game and making you win more credits. With 247 Slots, there are countless multipliers that only need to appear on the reel to increase your winnings. You can go from winning 100 credits to 400 credits in no time. The more multipliers a game has, the more enjoyable it’s likely to be.

Develop A Strategy

Finally, online slots are more enjoyable when you develop a playing strategy. This is also why it’s crucial to learn the features before you play. Have a deep understanding of every feature and what it means. Gradually spin the reel and figure out which symbols are the best or if there’s a pattern to look for. Developing a strategy helps you win more and makes the game a more exciting experience.

In conclusion, free slots and online slots have tons of features. They’re not present across every single slots game, but most are widely seen. The features we’ve talked about all add something new to the game. For a player, this means you get to enjoy things and keep playing for longer. Of course, it goes without saying that you should always game responsibly. As mentioned before, use free slots so you’re not betting real money. Even when no money is at stake, it’s important to take breaks so you’re not staring at a slot machine for hours a day!

If you’re interested in playing free slots online, check out the many games available on our website. This includes 247 Slots, as well as many themed slot games for you to explore. All are extremely easy to play and you’ll get to try a whole host of fun features.

DISCLAIMER: The games on this website are using PLAY (fake) money. No payouts will be awarded, there are no "winnings", as all games represented by 247 Games LLC are free to play. Play strictly for fun.