by Matthew Gover | Date of Publishing: 18 May 2023
Multipliers are unique elements in slot games and do precisely what their name suggests; they multiply your winnings! Multipliers can be found in the many slot games we provide at JeffBet.
Those who enjoy playing online slots must know the importance of multiplier symbols in slot games to get the most out of their slot game experience. This article covers multiplier symbols in slots, how they work, their types, the different strategies for using them, and more.
Slots have been around for over a century, so one can imagine how far they have come regarding the technology used by slot developers, their mechanisms, bonus rounds, and more. Today’s online slots have much to offer, including wild symbols, scatter symbols, and of course, multiplier symbols.
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True to their name, multiplier symbols in online slot machines multiply your winnings by a set amount. These symbols are instantly recognisable, with a specific number and a large “X” next to it to denote the size of the multiplier. Such bonus symbols may range from X2 multipliers up to X1000 ones or more, depending on the slot you are playing.
Some slot multipliers have specific rules on how you land them, while others are more straightforward. Additionally, some are triggered in free games or bonus rounds, while other multipliers are activated during the base game. Some multiplier symbols apply to players’ payouts, while others apply to their line and total stakes.
While these are common in slot games, they certainly do not feature in all of them. The argument behind this is that wild symbols combined with multiple paylines function as multiplier slots, leading to various winning paylines at once.
A good example of multiplier symbols being used in a slot machine is NetEnt’s popular game Gonzo’s Quest. The multipliers are easily found on the top right of the slot game and are highlighted when activated. These multipliers are triggered based on the number of avalanches a player hits. The game also features a free fall multiplier that triples the multiplier. Other great examples of slot games with multipliers include Play’n GO’s Reactoonz 2, Red Tiger Gaming’s Legend of Athena, NetEnt’s Irish Pot Luck, etc.
Multiplier symbols in slot machines begin by doubling or tripling players’ winnings. They often go as high as X100, sometimes even up to X10,000. The slot game rules that determine how slot multipliers appear and apply also range from relatively simple to very complex. Some multiplier symbols appear during the base game, while others tend to appear once bonus features such as free spins rounds are activated.
Multipliers can either directly multiply a player’s wins or apply to their line or total bets. Understanding how multipliers work in each slot game is crucial, so checking your chosen slot game’s information and paytable is always recommended if you want to get a good idea of how the different machine symbols work.
In their basic form, e.g., during the base game round, multiplier symbols are bonus symbols typically attached to regular wins. For instance, you may trigger a free spins bonus with every spin having an X3 multiplier. What this means is whatever you make in the feature while playing is multiplied by three.
Moreover, a slot machine may double or triple any winning payline (with matching symbols) formed with a wild or increase the number of the multiplier symbol if you land two to three wild symbols on a payline.
In a slightly more detailed example, if you land three identical cherry symbols on a 4-reel slot game with an X2 multiplier, the payout will be twice as much on a standard slot machine or six times the bet amount.
Provided you play any specific slot game with multipliers strategically, you may be able to increase your potential payouts. While they do not increase your chances of hitting a winning payline, they reward hitting certain bonus icons or combinations.
With multiplier symbols being such a prominent feature in slot games, it should not be surprising that there are now many different mechanics. Below is a closer look at such mechanics:
Multipliers today are sometimes found in a slot’s base game, even though, more often than not, they now appear in their own bonus rounds. However, certain slot games still feature multiple symbols on their base game reels, helping players boost their potential winnings.
When they appear in the base game, multiplier reels typically multiply the payline wins. If you land five matching symbols with an X5 multiplier, you may win five times the amount five slot symbols would usually net.
Such slot machine symbols are more common in free spins and bonus game rounds. Since these symbols are reserved for bonus rounds, they offer more entertainment and feel different from the base game.
Some slot machines may have a selection of different multiplier symbols that can appear on the reels during free spins rounds. Simultaneously, others let players determine the level of the multiplier symbol, adding an extra layer to the game.
An online slot game may offer the option to choose the number of free spins and the maximum multiplier number to appear on the reels. This mechanism features a sliding scale, so the more spins you choose, the lower the multiplier amount. You may choose from 5 to 20 free spins, where five spins come with a maximum X20 multiplier, and 20 spins come with a maximum X5 multiplier.
Developers often combine wild symbols with multipliers, making them all the more exciting. A wild symbol substitutes any other symbol to create a winning line. In this case, if you have four identical symbols and a wild, the wild symbol will become the fifth matching symbol. Plus, if that wild is attached to a multiplier, the win will be multiplied according to the multiplier symbol’s number.
Slots with cascading reels feature a mechanic where identical matched symbols are cleared, giving way for new symbols to replace them. So, for each consecutive win from matching new symbols, most avalanche reel-based slots have a progressive multiplier that increases for every match.
Multiplier symbols in avalanche slots are usually available in the base game. When players unlock the free spins mode on such games, the multiplier grows by three increments or more.
Volatile slot machines often include multiple features that have the potential to increase the payout, such as multiplier symbols, stacked symbols, and whatnot.
It is always best to check your chosen slot’s paytable and rules before playing. Normally, you will find an icon on the screen that opens to another screen. That screen features a table displaying all the winning symbols. You will also see the permutations per bet, along with multiplier symbols, what they pay, and what you need to do to trigger them.
You will definitely know once you have activated a multiplier because slot developers make the appearance of multipliers and other features known via special sounds, flashing symbols and other means.
Multipliers are an excellent feature that players can find and take advantage of while playing slots with this mechanic. Multipliers are unique because there is no downside to them; they only add to the experience.
All in all, next time you play at JeffBet, give slots with multiplier symbols a try! We will keep our fingers crossed for you.
Author: Matthew Gover.
After graduating, Matthew began working as an English teacher abroad, initially in Spain and then Vietnam before finally coming back to the UK to settle. Matthew has always had a love for writing and an even bigger love for the igaming industry... Read More
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