Online slots feature a variety of symbols on their reels, from typical fruit and bell icons to colorful characters and objects tied into the game’s theme. While most symbols simply pay out when landing on active paylines, scatter symbols have special functions that set them apart. As their name suggests, scatters don’t need to align on a payline – getting three or more scattered anywhere on the reels triggers their bonus feature.
The most coveted slots jackpots are often tied to scatter pays. By fulfilling scatter symbol requirements, you can unlock:
- Jackpot bonus rounds – scatters bring you into a special round with jackpot prizes on offer
- Instant jackpot wins – three or more scatters instantly award a jackpot cash amount
- Free spins bonuses – scatters activate a round of free spins with multiplied payouts
Let’s explore exactly how scatter symbols unlock jackpots and bonuses to bring players potentially massive slot machine payouts.
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Scatter Symbols Provide Access to Jackpot Bonuses
One key feature of scatter symbols unlock is access to jackpot bonus games and rounds. By landing the required number of scatters (often 3+ symbols), the bonus round opens up. These special games and rounds give you a shot at winning fixed or progressive jackpot cash prizes within the slots game itself.
The bonus round may present you with:
- Free spins on a special jackpot reel set
- A prize picker round to click and reveal hidden jackpot values
- A dynamic bonus game with tasks like spinning a prize wheel
For example, playing Yggdrasil’s Holmes and the Stolen Stones slot available at JokerStar Casino, landing 5 scatter symbols depicting jewels activates the bonus game. You pick stones to reveal cash prizes worth up to 5,000x your bet as the slot’s jackpot!
Jackpot bonus games add excitement and present opportunities beyond just the slot’s base game payouts. You get to play entertaining mini-games with lucrative jackpots specifically attached to them.
Scatter Pays Trigger Instant Slot Jackpot Wins
While bonus rounds offer one route to jackpots through scatters, some slots award huge instant scatter jackpot payouts.
Match the right number of scatter symbols and a massive jackpot value instantly pays out.
The requirements vary across slots:
| Slot Game | Scatter Symbol | # of Scatters For Jackpot | Jackpot Amount |
| Mega Moolah (Microgaming) | Monkey | 5 | Progress starts at $1 Million |
| Holmes and the Stolen Stones (Yggdrasil) | Jewel | 5 | 5000x bet |
| Book of Dead (Play’n GO) | Book | 5 | 5000x bet |
With a slot like the legendary Mega Moolah, just landing 5 monkey scatter symbols awards the game’s million-dollar-plus progressive jackpot! No bonus round or extra gameplay is required.
These types of scatter jackpots add tremendous upside, allowing you to win life-changing sums instantly on top of any line wins.
Scatter Symbols Unlock Free Spins With Multipliers
Aside from jackpots specifically, scatter symbols also commonly trigger free spin bonuses with:
- A set number of spins
- Multiplier effects to increase payouts
By getting 3+ designated scatters, you move right into the free spins round. Gameplay then continues with no bet or money needed from you and wins come with a 2x, 3x or even up to 10x multiplier applied!
Taking the popular Starburst slot as an example:
- Scatter Symbol – Colorful gem
- 3+ scatters to win 10 free spins
- All payouts are multiplied by 3x during the round
This sort of bonus directly increases your ability to win big from the slot reels.
Scatter symbols unlocking free spins can certainly lead to sizable jackpot-level wins, thanks to those lucrative multipliers in effect.
Scatter Symbols Are Key to Jackpots
While players’ eyes first go to standard symbols that can align on win lines, experienced slot fans know scatter symbols offer tremendous value. Match the required number of scatters and you can unlock:
- Bonus games and rounds with fixed jackpot prizes or progressives in the millions
- Instant scatter pay jackpots across 5, 10 or even 25 symbols
- Free spins bonuses with each win multiplied 2x, 5x or even 500x!
Keep scatter symbols like jewels, books and monkeys on your radar. These special signs hold the key to triggering jackpot wins and wheel spins at online slots.