As mentioned above, classic slot machines originally did not have special bonuses and feature games. However, with the advent of computer technology, things have changed. Nowadays, it is harder to find a slot machine in an online casino that does not have at least one bonus or feature game. Let’s take a look at the most popular types of bonuses below:
Wild symbols and their types
This is the symbol that every gambler looks forward to, as it usually substitutes for any other symbol on the reels and helps to create special winning combinations. For example, if you need four Book symbols on a payline, but there are 3 and the fourth is a Wild symbol, then the win is still yours! The Wild will count as a book in this case. Interestingly, you can find many different types of Wilds in slot machines nowadays (which is, in a way, a testament to the vast imagination of the game designers):
Sticky Wild
Sticky Wild symbols seem to stick to a particular spot and stay there for two, three or more spins. This greatly increases your chances of winning.
Expanding Wild
These Wild symbols expand across one or more reels at once, substituting for other symbols. This is a great way to land a big win!
Stacked Wild
These are WIld symbols that stack on top of each other on the same reel, just like the good old game of Tetris. Sometimes Stacked Wild symbols can even fill a whole reel. This allows the player to win multiple paylines at once.
Free Spins
If you are lucky enough to land three or more of a particular icon (often referred to as a Scatter), you are eligible for a certain number of free spins. This type of bonus game is very popular and can be found on many slot machines.
Multiplier (Multiplayer)
This feature allows you to increase your winnings during a special bonus spin. For example, if you win €1 during this spin and the multiplier is 3, the total win will be €3.
Double your winnings or risk game
In certain games, including the popular Book of Ra and Lord of the Ocean, players can double their winnings by correctly guessing the colour or another symbol (the odds of guessing are 50/50). Gamblers often call this multiplication, because each step multiplies the win by 2.
Feature or bonus game
This is quite common in modern slot machines. The feature game often opens a new screen where another exciting game is played. Sometimes the wins can be even bigger than the wins on the reels. Sometimes a machine can even have two or more feature games.
Spinning the reels
This feature dates back to the days of classic slot machines and can still be found in some games. If you see that you are very close to the desired payline, but are missing a symbol, some slots will allow you to lock the reels you need and re-spin one or more of them.