The most iconic slot symbols need no introduction. These symbols have become fixtures of online slot machines because of the familiarity that players have with them.
While these graphics are forever connected to gambling in popular culture, the function of these online slot symbols can differ from one slot to the next. BetMGM’s guide to online slots touches on all the possibilities for how these slot machine symbols can affect gameplay.
In some cases, it’s the function instead of the form of these symbols on a slot machine that gives them iconic status. BetMGM Casino takes these classic slot symbols and puts numerous creative spins on their appearance plus impact.
The Origins of Classic Slot Symbols
Fruit slot machines in the 19th century were the progenitors of modern slots. While there were differences from one region to another and depending on who manufactured the machines, some symbols in the games became commonplace.
Because players grew accustomed to seeing these images, they became fundamental to what symbols in a slot machine are, as the games evolved. That familiarity helped players adapt to video slots through the 20th century.
In the 21st century, one of the advantages of playing slots online has become the chance to continue to enjoy games with these traditional symbols with their choice of classic gameplay or a mix of enticing features. Modern features and themes in many online slots still pay their respects to these legendary images.
Most Common Classic Slot Symbols Explained
You know them. You might even love them. For novice players, it won’t take long to get acquainted with them. Thanks to these iconic graphics, exploring BetMGM’s huge library of games is like taking a trip through the history of the fruit slot.
Cherries, Lemons, and Other Fruit Symbols
Cherry-themed slots and games utilizing other fruit symbols are the epitome of classic slot play. Lining up similar fruit images or one of each kind can trigger paylines or activate special features.
BAR Symbols: What Do They Represent?
Images do not get more endemic to gambling than the BAR symbol in slots. BAR slot symbols can have different effects depending on the slot you’re playing, they began as literal representations of candy prizes in 19th-century games.
Lucky 7s and Their Significance
Another symbol that has endured the generations to continue to be common in slots is the number seven. This number is associated with good luck in many cultures, making it a natural fit for gambling.
Liberty Bells and Horseshoes
In the 19th-century American West, horseshoes and the Liberty Bell were two images that many people would have been quite familiar with. Across the country in the 21st century, these symbols help to create underappreciated slot themes around the “Wild West” and American history.
Special Symbols That Changed the Game
While classic slot symbols like BAR, fruit, and horseshoes are all about the visuals, some online slot symbols have earned icon status through their impact rather than appearance. These simple game mechanics are extremely common among modern slots.
Focusing on the impact rather than appearance increases versatility for game developers. It’s easy to customize these effects to fit perfectly into the most popular slot themes.
Wild Symbols: What They Do
Wild symbols in slots are like holding a wild card in your hand during a poker game. These symbols can substitute for other symbols to form paylines and even have special effects, such as in sticky wild slots.
Scatter Symbols: Unlocking Free Spins and Bonuses
Most symbols have to land in specific positions on the game grid to trigger effects or paylines, but that is not the case with scatter slot symbols. These are special symbols that impact gameplay regardless of their position on the reels.
Bonus Symbols: Triggering Features and Jackpots
Slot bonus symbols can individually or in combinations help you find free spins bonuses and many other special features. Many of the best online slots with bonus rounds use symbols representing the game’s name or an endemic character in this way.
How Classic Symbols Are Still Used Today
The appeal of fruit slots continues in the 21st century with both novel and traditional representations. The evolution of these symbols produced countless interpretations of their appearance and function.
When you play the Tiki Fruits Totem Frenzy slot, for example, you’ll see clusters of individual fruits as a single symbol. Playing the Borgata 777 Respin slot shows you how 7 symbols can lead to huge jackpots.
Some games, like the best gem-themed slots at BetMGM, are built completely around these classic symbols. There are just as many different ways in which they modify your gambling experience.
How Symbol Combinations Affect Gameplay
Slot paylines are some of the most fundamental effects of symbol combinations. They are far from the only application, though.
In some games, combos of these traditional symbols help you find free spins bonuses. Other respin slots employ classic symbols to activate that feature.
Scatters and wilds are mainstays in a majority of online slots, with one symbol serving both purposes in some games. BetMGM celebrates this creativity and innovation.
Popular BetMGM Slots Featuring Iconic Symbols
When you register for BetMGM, you can try out games with the full array of iconic slot symbols. A few popular examples of these slots include:
- Colossal Diamonds — Diamond symbols act as wilds with dedicated multipliers in this classic slot
- Diamond Hearts — Win up to 10,000 times your bet in this slot that combines multiple nostalgic symbols
- Fruit Blaster — Slice through these fruits to get chances to win one of The Big One progressive jackpots
