Scatters are special symbols that trigger bonus rounds from anywhere on the reels when you’re playing online slots. They often deliver payouts too, so they’re normally the most valuable symbols in the game.
We’ll explain how scatter symbols in slots work, and we’ll break down the different types of scatters. You’ll also discover online slots with interesting scatters, including Book of Dead and Gates of Olympus.
What Is a Scatter Symbol?
A scatter symbol is a special icon that can award wins and trigger the bonus round from any position on the reels. You’ll normally trigger the bonus round and win a prize if three or more scatters appear anywhere on the grid.
That sets scatters apart from other symbols. Most symbols only deliver payouts if you land three or more of them on a specific payline – a predefined route across the reels. Slot paylines can run straight across rows, zigzag between them, or cut diagonally through the grid.
Scatters are unique, as they don’t need to appear on a payline. It doesn’t matter where they land on the grid. As long as enough of them appear, you’ll win a prize and unlock the bonus round.
How Scatters Trigger Bonus Rounds
You normally need at least three scatters to trigger the bonus round of a slot. In many cases, your reward will be greater if more scatters appear. Here’s an example:
- Three scatters: Enter the bonus round and receive 10 free spins.
- Four scatters: Access the bonus round and get 15 free spins.
- Five scatters: Enter the bonus round and receive 20 free spins.
You’ll often win extra free spins if scatters appear during the bonus round too. For example, let’s say you get 10 free spins. If scatters land during that bonus round, you might receive an extra 15 free spins, taking your total to 25.
That’s why scatters are the most coveted symbols, as they’re the gateway to the bonus round, and they can also prolong bonus rounds.
Just bear in mind that wilds normally substitute for all symbols apart from scatters. For example, let’s say you need at least three scatters to trigger the bonus game. If you land two scatters and a wild, you won’t unlock the bonus, as scatters are usually exempt from wild substitution.
Scatter Pays: When Scatters Are the Entire Game
In some online slots, every single symbol on the grid acts as a scatter. They’re known as scatter pays slots, and popular examples include Sweet Bonanza and Gates of Olympus by Pragmatic Play.
When playing these games, you’ll win a prize if matching symbols appear anywhere on the grid, rather than on a single payline. You normally need eight or more matching symbols to receive a payout, but the precise number can vary on a game-by-game basis.
These symbols don’t need to touch, line up, or follow any pattern, so scatter pays slots are different from traditional slots and cluster pays slots. Scatter pays slots normally feature tumbling reels too. The winning symbols disappear from the grid, and new symbols drop down in their place, giving you the chance to earn multiple wins from a single spin.
Scatter Wins and Payouts
Scatter symbols are extremely valuable, as they serve a dual purpose: they trigger the bonus round, but they also deliver instant cash payouts.
For example, you’ll win 2x your bet if you land three scatters when playing Rich Wilde and the Book of Dead by Play’n GO. Four scatters will earn you 20x your bet, and five scatters will pay 200x your bet. You’ll also get free spins in a bonus round if you land three or more scatters.
Scatters also multiply your total stake, not just your line stake. For example, let’s say you’re playing a 20-payline slot for $2 per spin. That means you’re wagering $0.10 on each of the 20 paylines.
If you land a five-of-a-kind combination worth 100x on a single payline, you’ll win a $10 prize (100 x $0.10 = $10). However, if you land five scatters worth 100x, you’ll win a $200 prize, as your entire $2 stake is multiplied by 100.
Slots with Interesting Scatters
- Rich Wilde and the Book of Dead: The book symbol is both the wild and the scatter in this Play’n GO classic — an unusual double role, since wilds normally can’t substitute for scatters. Three or more books trigger free spins, and a randomly selected expanding symbol spreads across whole reels during the feature.
- Dead or Alive 2: Land three or more scatters in this popular NetEnt slot and you’ll choose between three different free spins modes, each with its own level of volatility. Five scatters also pay 2,500x your stake outright, making them by far the most valuable symbols on the reels.
- Dark Spiral: Scatters unlock interesting bonus rounds in this horror-themed slot from Hacksaw Gaming. Three scatters will trigger the Shattered Bonus, which offers an increased chance of landing special symbols. Four will unlock the Twisted Bonus, in which special symbols stick to the reels for multiple spins, boosting your chance of winning. Five scatters unlock the Tortured Hidden Epic Bonus, which keeps Twisted’s sticky symbols but guarantees two Summoning symbols on the very first spin. It’s the only round you can’t buy your way into.
FAQs
A scatter symbol helps you trigger the bonus round when playing online slots. You normally need at least three scatters to access the bonus game. Scatter symbols in slots also deliver instant cash prizes, so they’re normally the best symbols to land.
You normally need at least three scatters to trigger free spins on a slot. The more scatters you land, the more free spins you’ll get. However, the precise number of scatters may vary depending on the slot you choose, so check the paytable in the menu before playing to confirm.
No, scatters don’t need to be on a single payline to award wins or trigger bonus features. They can appear anywhere on the grid, rather than in a specific pattern on the reels.
Ilija is a CCN writer with 7 years of experience covering all things crypto. Ever since a fateful run-in with Litecoin in 2013, he's been an avid investor and writer in the space. When he's not maniacally hacking away at his keyboard, Ilija spends his time either hiking in nature or holed up in his apartment gaming.
Easy 
