Slot terms glossary

What is a scatter?

A scatter is a special symbol that does not need to sit on a payline; landing anywhere on screen is enough. Its most common job is to trigger the free spins round; in some games it also pays. Example: in Gates of Olympus 1000, 4 or more Zeus scatters award 15 free spins. The Starlight Princess 1000 official page states that its scatter pays in any position.

What is a wild?

A wild is a joker symbol that can stand in for other symbols needed to form a win. In some games it carries a multiplier or expands. The pays-anywhere Gates of Olympus and Sweet Bonanza series have no classic wild; wins are formed by symbol count.

What is a tumble?

A tumble (cascade, falling symbols) removes winning symbols from the screen and drops new ones into the gaps from above. The chain continues on the same stake as long as new drops keep producing wins. The Starlight Princess 1000 official page states specifically that there is no limit to consecutive tumbles.

What are free spins?

Free spins are spins made without deducting a stake from the balance, usually triggered by scatters. Extra rules can apply in the bonus round: in Gates of Olympus 1000 multipliers accumulate for the round; in Sugar Rush 1000 multiplier spots do not reset until the round ends. "Free spins" in an operator's promotion are given by the operator, not the game, and are subject to wagering; see the bonus terms.

What is bonus buy?

Bonus buy (feature buy) starts the free spins round directly for a price instead of waiting for it to trigger. The Gates of Olympus 1000 official page states the price as 100x the bet. The option is disabled in some countries and at some operators. Buying the bonus does not raise the expected return; it only concentrates the variance.

What is an ante bet?

An ante bet raises the stake by a set share in exchange for a higher chance of triggering the bonus. The official promotional pages of the games we reviewed state no ante bet; if it exists it appears in the in-game menu.

What is a multiplier symbol?

A symbol that lands with a value on it (2x, 100x, 1,000x). In Gates of Olympus 1000 and Starlight Princess 1000 the multipliers on screen are added (not multiplied) at the end of a tumble sequence and applied to the total win. In Sweet Bonanza 1000 multipliers come only from candy bombs in the bonus round.

What is a multiplier spot?

A mechanic specific to the Sugar Rush series: the square where a symbol wins is marked, and another win on the same square adds a doubling multiplier there (x2, x4, x8 ... x1,024). Details in the Sugar Rush 1000 guide.

What is pays anywhere?

A system without paylines that pays by the total number of matching symbols on screen. In Gates of Olympus 1000 and Sweet Bonanza 1000 at least 8 matching symbols suffice.

What is cluster pays?

Payment for groups of matching symbols adjacent horizontally or vertically. Sugar Rush 1000 needs at least 5 adjacent symbols.

What is the maximum win?

The cap on what a single spin (including its tumble chain) can pay, usually given as a multiple of the stake. The Sweet Bonanza 1000 official page states 25,000x; the other three games' pages give no maximum win. A maximum win is a ceiling, not a probability.

RTP and volatility

Separate guides cover these: what RTP is and what volatility is.