Slot Multipliers Symbols Guide – Multiplier Slots Explained
What’s better in slots than landing a winning combination? How about multiplying that win by two, three, or more! Some top prizes run into the hundreds of thousands of coins and to get to that level often requires the cunning use of slot multipliers.
A multiplier’s very name gives you a good idea of what its function is. But, they come in a wide variety of different forms which we will look at here. They can play such a crucial role in making a game profitable that it pays to have as good an understanding of them as possible.
These generous members of the gaming world have one goal in mind. There is but one task that they are programmed to do. They are there to help players make more money. Just how much will depend on the limits of the game, but we can all agree that any help is welcome when it comes to winning cash!
While the basic concept of slot multipliers is straightforward, they vary in both their bonus level and the rules that govern their behaviour. Some can be complex, some have more than one function, some are found in the main game, while others pop up during the bonus features only. We will take a look at them here and by the end of this guide, you will be an expert on these highly desirable symbols.
In saying that however, we have to concede that developers are a tricky bunch and are always coming up with new and exciting ideas. This includes whether a slot will have a multiplier and how it will operate. Always read the paytable of every new game to completely understand it. In this way, you will have full comprehension of the game and how (if any) multipliers operate within it.
With that in mind, let’s explore the exciting and lucrative world of slot multipliers!
Multiplier Slots – Best Online Slots with Multipliers
History of the humble multiplier
The first slot machines were basic reel spinners which paid out when three of a kind landed in a straight line. No one had really thought about using a multiplier at that early stage. Well, apart from punters who may have dreamed about bolstering their returns. Even if the will had been there from the start, the technology wasn’t quite able to keep up with imagination.
Decades later, as video slots took off, extra features such as scatters, wilds, and multipliers hit the scene. These were game changers which made slots a lot more interesting and exciting. Anything could happen on a spin now. Paylines have mushroomed from one to over one hundred thousand. Multipliers can land seemingly out of nowhere, all of which keeps players on their toes.
When multipliers first appeared is shrouded in some mystery and no one game has stepped up to claim the honour. No matter, a bit of mystery keeps life interesting. All we need to know is that multipliers are certainly here, and their popularity ensures that they will be around for a long time to come.
What game has the most valuable multipliers?
This is a tricky one to answer because slots make use of their multipliers in different ways. One game may have lower multiples than another but combines them with free spins that can actually make them worth more. This makes it virtually impossible to say that X slot is the best slot to play for multipliers. Some slots have gained stronger reputations for their use of multipliers to cause solid payouts though, and we will look at some great examples shortly.
How slot multipliers work
The most common way they work is when the designated multiplier symbol lands in conjunction with a winning combination. Let’s say you are lucky enough to land 5 Aces worth 500 coins, and along with it came a sweet little 5x multiplier. My friend, you have just scored yourself 2500 coins. It’s as simple as that.
Depending on the game you might find x2, x5, or up to x10 and more. They are one of the most thrilling elements in a game and brighten up any session when they appear. Here are some of the more common kinds you can be lucky enough to bump into.
Free Spin Multipliers
Who doesn’t love free spins? It’s during these moments when the game has bestowed 5, or 10, or more free spins on the lucky player that their fortunes can really skyrocket. Higher paying symbols seem more likely to land, wilds are more frequent, what could be better? Only one thing. Throw a bunch of multipliers into the mix and you have the recipe for some pulse-racing action.
Developers sometimes hold back on multipliers during the main game and employ them during the bonus sections to make them extra special. These kinds of multipliers are either restricted to only showing up during free spins, or appear more often during this section of the game.
These multipliers can make a massive impact on the overall winnings of a free spin round. Some games will have a set multiplier during these rounds, or they may increase as each one lands, boosting winnings further. These are hugely dramatic moments when the adrenaline starts flowing like nothing else.
Base Game Multipliers
Multipliers can play a less prominent role during the main game but that’s not to say that they are absent. If they are present they usually affect one payout before clearing for the next spin. In this case, five 10s might give you 100x the stake, plus a multiplier of 2x to give a grand total payout of 200x the stake. Not bad.
Other games mix it up. One example is with games that offer a cascading wins system. Here, if a winning combination lands, the symbols disappear and more fall in to fill the gaps. Then if another winning combination occurs it adds onto the winning total. This can repeat several times until there are no more combinations and the next spin can take place. These wins are fun enough in themselves but some games have upped the ante by attaching a multiplier to each cascading win. Some have even been designed as a progressive multiplier that increases with each subsequent cascading win. As you can imagine, there is a ton of potential here for highly dramatic moments.
Take a walk on the wild side
A wild usually takes the place of any other base symbol. So 3 Hearts and a wild will instantly become 4 hearts and payout accordingly. This already makes them a valuable contributor to the team and a standard wild is always a beautiful thing. How about a wild that also plays the part of the multiplier? Well, that’s just spoiling us. It is not super common to see wilds playing this extra role, but developers are turning to it more regularly than they have done in the past. This can only be a good thing for gamers. As if substituting for another symbol and making a winning combination pop up wasn’t enough, when you factor in a multiple as well, you have the recipe for one popular symbol!
Imagine landing 4 Bars that would normally pay out 50x the stake. Can’t complain about that. Now imagine you are lucky enough to have a multiplying wild in that line up that changes it to 5 Bars that are worth 100x the stake plus a 5x multiplier. You’ve now got 10x what 4 Bars would normally be worth! Now we are talking. These multipliers not only increase the number of winning combinations that are possible but they also drastically increase their value.
Multipliers and scatters
Scatters don’t turn up in every game, unfortunately, but when they do a certain number of them will trigger some kind of bonus feature. For example, three scatters might be required to launch a set number of free spins. They usually don’t need to land in a pay line, but their simple presence anywhere on the grid is enough to unleash their awesome powers. They usually don’t include the ability to multiply anything, but occasionally they have even this valuable attribute.
So many options
Some bonus features require user input before they are able to launch. One conundrum that players can be faced with is choosing how the bonus elements will be meted out. One example of this can be deciding the balance between the free spins and multipliers. These are trade-off scenarios where more of one means less of the other. This can be an agonising decision to have to make!
These days there is a nice variety of multipliers but we can all agree on one common thing. No matter what form they take, when they land there is no doubt that it’s a fantastic thing!
Example slots that use multipliers
Here are two super fun slots from the long and varied list that have incorporated multipliers into their gameplay. As always, it is hard to pick from the bunch, but these two games are tried and true classics that provide brilliant examples of the inventive use of multipliers.
Lucky 88
This Asian themed slot is based around the number 88. In Chinese belief, this number is seen as representing fortune and luck. Aristocrat has created an extremely inventive bonus feature for Lucky 88 that combines both free spins and multipliers. This extra game is triggered when three or more scatter symbols land, then the player is presented with a tough choice. The results of this choice can result in either – 25 free spins with a multiplier of 5x or 18x, 18 free spins and a multiplier of either 8x or 38x, 8 free spins and a multiplier of either 18x or 88x, or 4 free spins and a multiplier of 88x. Which one would you go for?
Cleopatra II
IGT’s sequel to the hugely popular Cleopatra slot makes great use of multipliers to get players closer to its huge top prize. The Sphinx is the scatter in this game and three or more of them will trigger the Free Spins bonus game. This extra feature starts out with up to 12 free spins and has a progressive win multiplier. This means with every free spin that generates a win it increases the multiplier by one. Due to the chance of triggering respins during this round, the multiplier can rise as high as 50x by the time it is done. This has the chance to cause some serious bonus wins to pile gloriously up.
A final word on multipliers
These generous symbols don’t show up on every single slot game but are a welcome trick to have stashed up a sleeve. Other games can use different methods to create winners, so just because a slot may not have a multiplier doesn’t necessarily mean it is tight. There is a toolbox full to the brim with exciting ways of winning money that developers can use to make a game financially rewarding. Make sure to check the site for other types of symbols that are utilised for this very purpose.
If you do find a slot that uses multipliers then buckle in for the ride because they can quickly affect how much a game will pay out in a big way. Not only that, but they can pop up out of nowhere, at any time to turn around the flow of a game. One minute play is ticking along through the spins and not much is happening. The next minute a massive multiplier has headed your way and the game has completely flipped.
Multipliers are great but don’t forget that they aren’t the be all and end all of the slots. There are a whole host of other ways a game can be exciting and profitable without having a multiplier on board. Having said that, they are so great to have in hand and have the power to brighten up any game. We are lucky now as modern slots get even more exciting with all of the new features, gameplay, and symbols constantly being added.