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Multipliers in Slot Games
Multipliers, as the name suggests, are unique features found within slot machines that carry with them the capacity to multiply your winnings by a predetermined figure. While they are extremely common, not all slots have them.
The main aim of these is to double, triple, or even increase your wins 100X or 1000X. More so, some of them might have straightforward rules on how they work while others might be a little bit more complex. There are some types of multipliers that you will only encounter in normal play, while there are others that only come to life during Free Spins or Bonus rounds.
Some of these symbols will only multiply your wins while others might count towards your line bets and total bets. Each game offers its own details regarding the use of these symbols, therefore, it is important to understand the type based on the game you are playing (this is usually available via the paytable of your selected slot).
Base Play
Multipliers are not that common during base play, at least not the specific ones with special symbols. However, this does not mean that there are no slots with multipliers in base play; many slots actually do have them. However, many base play versions will only multiply the value of the winning payline. For instance, if you get 5 Cars and a 2X multiplier on a line, then the total payout for landing 5 Cars on one active payline will be 2X.
Free Spins
Free spins multipliers are much more common than those found in base games. Many slot developers want the free spins to have a different feel from base play and many have done this by including multipliers. Some developers opt to use different symbols from those used in base play.
The beauty of them in free spin rounds is that some slots might ask you to choose your multiplier from hidden icons. This gives you a chance to get really big bonuses and gives the player a sense of interaction with the slot and the outcome of their play. Free Spins Multipliers will typically increase all winnings incurred during free spins by a set number (e.g. 2X, 10X, etc.)
A standard example of multipliers available during a free spins round
The Wild Side of Multipliers
It is not unusual to find a wild icon that doubles as a multiplier. Going by the example above, let’s assume that Cars are wild in a particular slot game and you have 2 of 3 Jets that you need to form a winning payline. The Car, being wild, would therefore substitute any other symbol on the line to form a winning combination. More so, if it is a Wild Multiplier (which in our case it will have a 3X attached to it), it will also times the line wins 3X, so you end up winning 3X the value of 3 Jets on an active payline.
Scattered Multipliers
Some slot machines have scatter symbols that double up as multipliers too. In such slots the scatter does not have to be on a line as it is enough to have it appearing anywhere on the screen. In our example above you only need to have 3 Jets and a scatter symbol on any other line to trigger the feature. Furthermore, you might come across a slot that has both wilds and scatters as multipliers. However, some will only have these in Bonus or Free Games.
Wins Vs. Bet Multipliers
It is important to understand if your given multiplier is going to carryover to your winnings or just the wager placed on the spin. Sometimes your winnings are lower than your bet, so you can see how either way could be rewarding, depending on your bet and the payout in question.
Whatever the case, it is clear that slot multipliers will only win you more money—they are never detrimental to your bankroll!
