When you’re playing a slot bonus, bonus rounds are where most of the fun happens. They include special winning scenes and energizing music. They also tease players with the possibility of "renchan," or a big payout, which is possible in some cases.

The number of paylines in a slot machine determines the probability of hitting certain symbols. This allows the slot to calculate its weight count.

Scatter symbols

When it comes to slot games, there are a lot of different symbols that can trigger various bonus features. Scatter symbols are one of these and are widely used to give players a boost in their winning chances. Unlike regular symbols, scatters don’t have to appear on a payline to trigger a payout. However, if they do appear on a payline, they can multiply one or more payouts by a specified amount.

Scatter symbol payouts vary by game, but they usually take the total bet into account rather than just the line bet. Moreover, they are often multiplied by the number of scatters landed on a spin. The details of how this function works are outlined in each slot game’s paytable. In addition to boosting winning chances, these symbols can also trigger mini-games, jackpot rounds, and free spin rounds. The latter are especially valuable because they can add substantial monetary prizes to your balance.

Bonus rounds

In slot games, bonus rounds are a way to add excitement and extra chances to win big. These rounds are triggered in a variety of ways, usually by landing scatter symbols in specific reels or positions on the grid. They can also be triggered randomly, or when a specific prize pool reaches a certain amount.

Different types of bonus rounds include pick ‘em rounds, second-screen minigames and spinning wheels. Some of these rounds allow players to choose the prizes they receive, which can range from instant payouts to free spins and multipliers. Others can be more complex, such as a hold-and-spin round where the player chooses to keep a single symbol on the grid and add a number of spins to the current count.

While some bonus features can look intimidating, they are easy to understand if you take the time to read a game’s paytable. It will tell you how much each symbol pays and what each one does.

Payback percentages

Online slot games offer a variety of features designed to keep players engaged and generate some big wins. These include stacked wilds, scatters, and win multipliers. However, players should be aware that these features are often capped and may limit how much they can win in a given session.

In contrast, finding payback information on land-based slots is difficult and largely dependent on sifting through state gaming reports and guessing at machine denominations based on jackpot sizes. However, this is not foolproof. A big jackpot win in a specific denomination can skew the percentage for that month, and this can cost the casino serious money over time.

Fortunately, there is one way to minimize this risk: by choosing the highest-denomination game that fits within your budget. In addition, you can also increase your chances of winning by playing with bonus features. These are often triggered by a specific combination of symbols, but they can be a great way to boost your bankroll.