While playing Pokies online you come across some terms or words or symbols associated with Pokies games. Let us know about the 5 Pokie Terms You Need to Know while playing pokies online.
5 Pokie Terms You Need to Know
1. The Scatter Symbol
You find symbols in pokies game and you should know that how each symbol helps you to win. One of the most important symbols found on modern day pokies is the scatter symbol. The scatter symbol provides opportunities for additional wins and serves to unlock bonus features and games in many pokies machines.
The symbols are called scatters as these symbols can be scattered around the reels in no particular order.
Usually, three or more Scatters need simply appear anywhere on the reels to trigger bonus games. In some Pokies, they might trigger different types of bonus features. In others they might act as multipliers or substitute for other symbols to help form winning combinations.
Another popular function of these symbols is when they act as both the Wild and Scatter symbols – when they appear as a Wild, the Scatters can substitute for any other symbol in the game to help you form winning combinations. When they appear as a Scatter, they trigger additional game features.
Scatter symbols are also one of the highest paying symbols and are usually represented by a specific image according to the theme of the game.
The exact way how Scatters work in a game varies from one type of game to another. Generally you will find that to activate a bonus round, there’s a minimum number of Scatter symbols that must appear on the same spin.
Also remember that not all pokies games have scatter symbols. One such most popular pokies is Starburst.
Scatter symbols were introduced in pokies to add excitement in games. You need to have a minimum of three scatter symbols to show up for the free spins bonus and the more Scatter Symbols that do show up from just one spin, the more Free Spins you normally have. Scatter Symbols will also award some kind of guaranteed coin prize when two or more appear anywhere on screen.
2. The Wild Symbol
The ‘Wild’ symbol has the ability to substitute all other symbols on the reels to help generate winning combinations. The only symbols that the Wild Symbol usually will not substitute are the Bonus Symbols and the Scatter Symbols. ‘Bonus’ symbols are usually the symbols that trigger some kind of fun side game.
These ones may have to appear in a certain order across the reels before a bonus round will trigger.
The scatter icon, as the name suggests, can be scattered anywhere on the reels and does not have to fall on an active payline to produce a win for the player. Bonus icons trigger bonus features, and are not commonly found on classic slots, but are often used in video slots.
The main function of a Wild symbol is to substitute for other game symbols and help make winning combinations. As we mentioned in scatter symbols many pokies allow them to perform this task for all except Scatters and other special symbols that can start bonus games. Wilds usually land randomly, but in some games they only appear on certain reels. Also you need to see the way the Wild symbol works, check the paytable.
There are many types of wild symbols. The popular ones to find in pokies games are:
- Sticky Wilds: Sticky Wild symbols stay on the reels for more than one spin and thus multiply your chances to win big.
- Multiplier wilds: Sometimes Wild icons bring additional multipliers. Such multiplying Wilds will increase each win they create, usually doubling or tripling it. Some games have more than one Wild symbol and offer higher multipliers when both participate in a winning combination.
- Duplicating wilds: Duplicating Wilds possess the ability to turn regular symbols into Wild icons. It can be random symbols or icons in adjacent positions.
- Shifting Wilds: Shifting Wilds could be perceived as a variation of sticky Wilds as they do not leave the reels during many spins, though changing their position. As a rule, they move horizontally and contribute to winning combinations until they disappear from the reels.
- Stacked Wilds: Stacked Wilds look like ordinary Wild symbols piled on top of each other, as a rule taking an entire reel and further increasing your chance to score. Stardust by Microgaming is one of the games that feature stacked Wilds.
- Expanding Wilds: Expanding Wilds initially occupy one position on the reel and then spread to take the whole reel. Although essentially the same as stacked Wilds, expanding icons look more impressive
3. The Payline
A payline is a lineup of specific symbols on which a payout will be awarded. Latest pokies feature many symbols and paylines. Paylines can line up in horizontal, vertical, diagonal or even zigzag patterns for a win. Also, you can bet on as many paylines as you want.
Thus the ‘Payline’ is a line which stretches across the reels in a particular way and three or more matching symbols usually have to land in consecutive order across one of these paylines for you to be awarded some kind of line win.
Some pokies have anywhere from 1 to 100 winning paylines and you can view how they stretch across the reels by heading towards the back of the paytable.
Usually, paylines will pay out if you land the required number of the same symbol (usually three) on a payline running from left to right, so from reel one, two, three, and so on. But some games pay both ways.
4. The Paytable
By Pay Table you will come to know of everything you need to know about the pokies you are playing. You can view the paytable to find out which symbol is Wild, which ones are the Scatter Symbols and also which ones are the Bonus Symbols. You can also find out how much each symbol is worth in the paytable and the bonus rounds alongwith the special features.
As Paytables, another pokie terms you need to know come in various designs but they are easy to read as they usually come with illustrations for a quick grasp of the basic information at a glance. Pay tables, in some video pokies, can have multiple pages and even be interactive some do not hesitate to click buttons you see on the screen to read further.
You need to check out the symbols and look for the wilds and scatter symbols that increase your odds. Look out for the number of paylines, as well, and identify the patterns. The paylines are important since they are your winning combinations. You will easily find from the paytable if a particular pokies machine is best suited to your wagering and how much you can risk.
5. The Progressive Jackpot
Micro gaming was the first online gaming software provider to introduce progressive jackpot. The Mega Moolah progressive jackpots are very popular. The ‘Progressive Jackpot’ is an accumulating jackpot which can keep on adding to no fixed amount until one lucky player wins the entire pool.
Once a progressive jackpot has been won the jackpot size will go down to the starting point and the whole process will begin again. Many players only play progressive jackpot machines once the jackpot has reached a lucrative size, believing that once a certain size is reached, the game is more likely to pay out quickly.
Most progressive jackpot games require maximum wagers to be eligible for the jackpot amount. So if you hit whatever the required combination or hand is to win the progressive but haven’t wagered the correct amount you won’t win the progressive.
