Slots are the dominant games at online and land-based casinos and they’re immensely popular with both casual punters and veterans.

They come in different varieties and players can choose modern games like 3D graphics or stick to classic slot machine symbols.

Diversity, simplicity and the sheer fun of these games has ensured their enduring popularity. In this guide, we shall help you find the best games and distinguish between fruit machine symbols while highlighting the best online casino software.

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Brief history of fruit machine symbols

Amazed by the incredible variety of video slots available today, including everything from 3D slots and classic games with three reels, it is hard to imagine their humble beginnings. Modern games have many winning combinations and some of the new slots are progressive slots with huge potential winnings. When the first slot was released back in 1891, the game looked very different from the modern Netent slots or Microgaming slots. That’s when the classic fruit machine symbols were used for the first time.

Back in the day, they were called one-armed bandits and were defined by simplicity. The cost of games was extremely low, which made them appealing to prospective players. The early fruit slot machine symbols included cherries, stars, the Liberty Bell, bubble gums and lucky seven images. Just as the name suggests, fruits were the most common slot machine icon in both low and high stakes slots. Over the years, developers got more creative and came up with new concepts, but the name persisted.

It’s a bit surprising to see Englishmen referring to Novomatic slots and Playtech slots as fruit machines, in spite of them having obviously different themes. By comparison, the same games offered by UK casino companies are known as slots in the US and poker machines in Australia. In the realm down-under both free online slots and real money slots also go by the name of pokies. The name differs, but you can have just as much fun playing fruit machines UK, 20 line slots in the US or 243 payline slots in Australia.

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How many symbols are there in a fruit machine?

Fruit machine symbols actually go well beyond the fruits themselves and cover all the popular themes. The best online slots present today at mobile friendly casinos have original backgrounds and gameplay. Not only the themes of the most popular slots games differ, but also the number of fruit machine game symbols. There is an obvious link between the number of winning combinations and the symbols, with a higher number of winning ways producing a higher number of icons.

The best payout slots are not necessarily the ones that have the most winning combinations. They are, however, the ones that trigger the most frequent winnings, which make them the most popular casino slot machines, recreational punters. How many symbols are there in a fruit machine depends on the number of reels and rows. The classic games can feel rather restrictive, with 3 vault symbols slot machine producing winning combinations on a single line. The latest games have a wide-ranging number of symbols, including 12, 15, 18 or more icons.

Which are the common types of fruit machine symbols?

When looking at the slot machine symbols, we noticed a high variety of icons that appear across the reels. They differ visually, based on the theme, but also the role they play, so it’s important to understand the slot machine symbols meaning. Even though the name of the game differs in the US, the UK and Australia, once you have the fruit machine symbols explained, you know exactly what to expect.

1. Standard symbols

The symbols of the slot machine are at the cornerstone of their gameplay and are used to create winning combinations. They can include everything from the classic BAR icon and lucky sevens to themed symbols inspired by ancient Egypt, Hollywood blockbusters and everything in between. The more you line in a winning sequence, the bigger the winnings.

2. Scatter symbols

The best bonus slots have scatter symbols that are responsible for producing free runs. This is one of the fruit machine best symbols because it allows players to spin the reels for free. Some free spins can be retriggered, while others expire after being used once. Scatter symbols can appear anywhere across the reels and are a great sight because of the free spins.

3. Multiplier symbols

The name speaks for itself and these icons multiply profits. They only serve this purpose, but have the merit of turning regular winnings into major profits. Because of their lucrative nature, players try to figure out how to tell if a slot machine is ready to pay out.

4. Bonus symbols

When you spin the reels of bonus buy slots, the special icons are a coveted sight. They do precisely what the name suggests and trigger slot machine bonus rounds with vastly increased profits. These are usually the rounds during which progressive jackpots are won.

5. Wild symbols

These are the most appreciated symbols on a fruit machine and a common sight in most games. They substitute all the icons except for the slot machine scatter symbols to trigger more winning combinations. They have the merit of keeping volatility low and produce winnings. The most common types of wild symbols are:

  • Expanding wilds – are a variety of the aforesaid slot machine fruit symbols and they can cover an entire real. This makes it easier to produce winning ways, so they are responsible for increasing the frequency of winnings. There are popular in both modern and fruit-themed slots.
  • Sticky wilds – can also substitute all the other slot machine symbols, but they have another quality. They remain in place while all the other symbols continue to spin, so they can produce further winning ways in the next round.
  • Stacked wilds – one of the most popular items on the slot machine symbols list, stacked wilds cover an entire real. It is possible to get stacked wilds across every single real and these are the most exciting prospects of all slot machine symbols. When this happens, players win big.

FAQ: Your questions on fruit machine symbols answered

The most common fruit machine symbols are the ones inspired by the classic games. Fruits, lucky sevens, the Liberty Bell and the slot machine bar symbol are still frequently found across the reels of slots.
Slot machine fruit symbols were not surprisingly the first to rear their head across the reels of early slots. The first game had horseshoes, spades, hearts, and diamonds as the court slot machine symbols.
The enduring popularity of fruits can be explained by the fact that they were among the first found across the reels. People still fondly remember the classics and software developers use them in modern games.
Three cherries, just like any other symbols will produce winnings when lined up correctly. Back in the day, three cherries symbols gave away cherry flavored gum, and these were the prizes won at slots.
The BAR symbol evokes memories of chewing gum packs, as mentioned in a guide to fruit machine symbols. Initially, lucky players were presented with chewing gum packs to reward their success.

One last look at fruit machine symbols

Slots came a long way since the first game was created nearly 150 years ago. They evolved greatly while retaining the core elements that make them so popular in the first place. Whether you choose to spin the reels of slots with fruit machine symbols or opt in for modern varieties, you enjoy a simple and fun game. Software developers have created some true gems, including progressive jackpot slots where you can win a fortune. Pay attention to the return to player, focus on games that have an abundance of special features and bonuses and you’ll be lavishly rewarded when you line up machine symbols in a winning sequence.

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