Exploring bonus rounds- A closer look at special features in online slots

One of the most exciting parts of playing online slots is when you trigger those coveted bonus rounds and special features.  But how do bonus events work? Let’s take a closer look at some common special features in online slots.

Free spins

The most popular bonus event, free spins gives you a set number of spins at no cost. They’re triggered by landing scatter symbols or other conditions. Free spins usually have modifiers like expanded wilds, multipliers, extra wilds, and re-trigger chances for even more free games.

Programming determines free spin frequency based on the slot’s hit rate and RTP. Higher hit rates and RTPs warrant lower free spin frequency to compensate for increased regular payouts. Free spins substantially boost winning potential. Slots with cascading reels or tumbling reels remove winning symbols after pay, causing the symbols above to drop down. This creates a “cascading” effect and potential for multiple consecutive wins from a single spin. Each cascade is essentially a re-spin extra chance at forming wins. Cascading reels prolong gameplay and excitement by chaining wins together in a single round.

Expanding wilds

Expanding wild symbols trigger animations that enlarge the wild icon to cover entire reels. It maximizes their substituting power to create more and higher paying symbol combinations since the wild represents every possible symbol when expanded.

By programming specific conditions to trigger expanding wilds like during free spins, the slot can increase hit frequency and payouts through the lucrative expanding effect. Sticky wilds land like traditional wilds but also “stick” to their position for following spins. So if a sticky wild lands, it remains locked in place for re-spins, acting as an extra wild helping form more wins. Sticky wilds add extra re-spin allure since those wilds provide increased hit potential on every turn. They prolong play while boosting payout odds through their stuck substituting power.

Symbol transformations

1. Some เกมสล็อต allow regular symbols to transform into premium symbols that unlock bigger payouts. For example, low-win gems may turn into high-value 7s, bars, or other richer icons during base games or features.
2. Symbol transformation programming selects which lower win symbols will change at weighted rates to control payout effects. Transforming regular icons into high pays adds a lucrative surprise factor.
3. Some slots allow you to instantly trigger bonuses by purchasing access for 50x-100x your bet. Instead of waiting to randomly hit bonuses during play, you unlock them immediately for an upfront cost. Bonus buy puts control of special features in the player’s hands.
4. However the high cost offsets increased bonus access to maintain game RTP balance. Bonus buys are satisfied when you’re itching for those features!
5. Bonus rounds and special slot features add stacks of fun and major winning potential. While randomness ultimately determines their occurrence, providers cleverly program when and how these events activate along with their frequency distribution to provide exciting and rewarding gameplay.