Slot machine players crave seeing scatter symbols land on the reels. That’s because they are the gateways to bonus games that can, in turn, lead to big wins. The game mechanics on different machines will determine exactly what scatter symbols are required, but at least three of them need to land.
Slot machines across the globe feature scatter symbols, and online casinos follow suit. For example, top operators available to Filipino players, rated by expert platforms like Casinosonline, include games such as Play’n GO’s Book of Dead. Here, the Book symbol doubles as a scatter and a wild. Get three or more of these symbols, and free spins are triggered. NetEnt’s Gonzo’s Quest has a Free Fall symbol that works in much the same way to trigger bonus rounds.
One of the frustrating aspects of chasing scatters on slots however, is when only two of them appear. This can feel like a personal slight against the player, like the machine has deliberately held something back. It can feel very much like a cruel tease, but is that the case? Do slot machines tease and annoy players by frequently only producing two scatter symbols?
What Are Scatter Symbols?
Scatter symbols are a big feature of modern slots. They get their name from the fact that it doesn’t matter where they appear on the reels after a spin, as long as enough of them do, they will trigger a bonus.
This is starkly different to a standard payline for example, where everything has to be connected. At least three scatter symbols are required and it’s an extremely valuable element. It’s behind scatter symbols where the big payouts lie.
What Controls a Scatter Symbol Distribution?
Contrary to what frustrated players who seem to get a fair share of just two scatter symbols may think, everything is random. The proof is in the name – Random Number Generator (RNG) which is the specialist algorithm that is behind slot machine outcomes.
RNGs are in place specifically to create unpredictable, random outcomes, which importantly means that patterns of play from results can’t be discerned. Because of that, the games can’t be manipulated, and it also means that slot players rely on luck and not skill.
There is also symbol weighting in slot games, where certain symbols are programmed to appear more often than others. A standard, low-valuable symbol like an “A” or a “10” is naturally going to be showing up in greater numbers and frequently than a valuable scatter symbol.
There are other technical facilitators also in the mix. What appears and when is also partially down to a game’s Return to Player percentage and volatility as well, so overall, it’s a very complex system set up to ensure fairness for all players.
What this Means for Players
The RNG is just an innocent bystander in all of this, though. It’s not a little gremlin hidden in the works, taunting players by only having two scatter symbols frequently show up. Players however, will feel that sense of a near-miss when they only get two, as it’s right on the doorstep of greater potential.
But this is where a cognitive bias enters the picture because a player is far more likely to notice when two scatters appear than just one. That’s only because of how close it is in proximity to getting that precious third one.
It’s a bit like needing to roll a 6 on a die, but a 5 frequently shows up. The chance of every dice roll is the same, but it just feels like the Fates are tormenting you, but they aren’t, it’s just an illusion.
It’s in the Odds
Imagine a prize wheel which has 40 slots and 3 of those are winning ones. By spinning the wheel you have a 7.5% chance of hitting a win (3 / 40). If you had three prize wheels and needed a win on each of them to score a prize, then the overall probability of winning decreases to less than a 1% chance (0.042%).
If landing just one scatter symbol was enough to trigger a bonus game, then the slot machine would be weighed much more in favor of the player than the house. You are always playing tough odds on slot machines, which is why set-ups like needing at least three scatters exist.
It’s all down to mathematical probability and not the machine itself, so blame the math for any frustrations.
Keeping It “Reel”
Again, a machine’s programming will play a part in determining the frequency of enough scatter symbols landing on the reels to get the bonus game going. Falling just short is usually a highly charged emotional moment, particularly if it’s with the last spin of gaming sessions.
It’s those near misses that often stick in the mind the most, and while it may not seem like it, this is all part and parcel of the fair gaming systems that regulated machines operate by.
