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GAMES · 5 MIN READ
Wilds, Scatters, and Multipliers Explained
By Gigi Celeste Wilds, Scatters & Multipliers
Quick Answers
- Wilds can replace certain symbols. Scatters follow their own count rules and may start a feature.
- A multiplier increases a stated result. A 3× multiplier turns a 4 GC result into 12 GC when it applies.
- Each game sets its own symbol rules. Check where a symbol works, what it changes, and when it stops.
From Gigi’s Preflight Notes
Check the Signal
During a Solar Aegis armor check, three amber lights blinked awake across my console. A visiting crew member leaned closer, pointed to the first one, and asked, with a little too much hope, “Are we taking off?”
“Not yet,” I told him. “That one is the shield test. Movement is next, and thrust is last.” He gave me a very serious nod, and I heroically pretended not to laugh.
All three lights were amber, so the color alone could not tell us which system was active. The labels could. Special symbols are much the same: the artwork catches my eye, but the rules tell me whether a symbol can replace another one, start a feature, or change a result.
Three Symbols to Know
| Symbol | Usual job | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Wild | Replaces certain symbols. | Which symbols can it replace? |
| Scatter | Creates a result, starts a feature, or does both. | How many do you need, and where? |
| Multiplier | Increases a stated result. | Which result does it change? |
Games can use these symbols in different ways. One symbol may even have two jobs. Open a game from All Games and read its win table, the panel that lists symbols and results. Our slot screen guide explains the rest of the screen.
What Does a Wild Do?
A wild can stand in for another symbol to help form a win. Its reach depends on the game: it may work only on certain reels or replace only certain symbols. Check the win table before treating it as a universal substitute.
5 Wild Buffalo 2 from Relax Gaming adds a second layer. Its wild symbols expand with random stack multipliers during Free Spins. First identify where the wild works; then check when that extra effect begins and what it changes.
Wilds in other games may stay in place, expand, or move, but those are separate rules. A bright WILD symbol alone does not tell you how long its effect lasts or whether it can replace a feature symbol.
What Does a Scatter Do?
A scatter is a special symbol whose effect follows the game’s feature rules rather than an ordinary winline. In 3 Witch’s Lamp: Hold & Win from JILI, the green, purple, and blue vessels are scatter symbols. They can appear anywhere on the reels, and the colors involved determine which Free Game mode may begin.
That makes the vessels more than three versions of the same symbol. The game’s info screen lists a separate Green, Purple, and Blue mode, along with modes for each two-color combination and all three colors together. Here is what the individual colors do:
- Green: A green scatter appearing during this mode randomly increases the values of the coin symbols on the board.
- Blue: A blue scatter appearing during this mode ignites a random coin symbol, which increases its random bonus with each spin.
- Purple: The board expands to a 6 × 5 grid. Purple scatters that appear during the mode are replaced by jackpot symbols, which fill collection spaces for the corresponding jackpot.
When a Free Game mode starts, it begins with three free spins. During the feature, the appearance of any scatter or coin symbol resets the free-spin count to three. Green or blue can also have a chance to open a mode that has not yet triggered; the game’s rules say purple does not open additional modes this way.
The useful distinction is where the symbol can count and what it activates. In this game, scatters can appear anywhere on the reels, while their colors shape the feature. Other games may use different scatter rules, so check each game’s info screen.
What Does a Multiplier Change?
A multiplier increases the result named by its rule. Before doing the math, find out whether it applies to one symbol, a group, a collected total, or an entire feature. A number with an × tells you the size of an effect, not its scope.
Coin Tornado from Kendoo makes multiplier symbols easy to spot among its coins and classic fruit symbols. Kendoo describes a Hold & Win feature in which coins lock in place and multipliers can appear. Follow the game’s own display to see which coin result the multiplier changes; the spinning tornado is part of the presentation, not a rule that every visible symbol is multiplied.
Gold Nuggets from 3 Oaks Gaming shows a different sequence. In its Hold & Win bonus, the Collect symbol gathers visible symbol values and adds a random multiplier from 2× to 20×. Read the collect step and the multiplier step together rather than treating each gold nugget as a separate multiplier.
For a simple arithmetic example, if a game applies 3× to a 4 GC result, the result is 12 GC. If the displayed 12 GC is already final, do not apply the multiplier a second time. The game’s win table determines where the calculation starts and ends.
Gigi’s Field Note
Read the Symbol, Then the Result
I ran the check again, this time calling out each label before its light appeared: shield, movement, thrust. Our visitor followed the whole sequence and waited for the thrust signal before asking about takeoff. Progress! I was absurdly proud.
That is the order I use on the reels, too. First, I identify the symbol. Then I check its exact job: which symbols a wild can replace, what a scatter can start, or which result a multiplier changes. Otherwise, I am just cheering for a very pretty light.
Where Does a Multiplier Apply?
Both examples use a multiplier, but you need to follow the order shown in each game. The gold coin in Coin Tornado and the Collect symbol in Gold Nuggets perform different jobs.
| Game | Feature sequence | Check in the win table |
|---|---|---|
| Coin Tornado | Coins lock in place; multiplier effects can join the Hold & Win feature. | Which coin result does the multiplier affect? |
| Gold Nuggets | A Collect symbol gathers visible values, then adds a random multiplier. | Which values are collected, and when is the multiplier applied? |
Two multipliers do not automatically multiply each other. If a game shows more than one, check whether they add, multiply, apply separately, or affect different results. Do not infer the rule from the symbols alone.
Check What Changes in a Feature
The same symbol can behave differently once a feature begins. In 5 Wild Buffalo 2, wilds can expand with stack multipliers during Free Spins. Coin Tornado can lock coins in Hold & Win. In Gold Nuggets, the Collect symbol gathers visible values before its multiplier applies. Read the feature instructions as well as the base-game win table.
For the three colored scatters in 3 Witch’s Lamp, check which Free Game effect is active. A saved meter or an almost-complete pattern does not promise the next result. Our free spins guide explains added spins.
Find Out What a Special Symbol Does
-
Find Its Job
Does it replace a symbol, count toward or start a feature, or multiply a result?
-
Check Its Limits
Read what it affects, where it works, how long it lasts, and any exceptions.
-
Follow the Order
Check how effects combine, then compare the completed result with the rules.
A symbol has more than one job only when the game’s rules say so.
Follow the Result in Order
-
- Find the line or group that counts as a win.
- Check which wilds and scatters count.
- Apply the right multiplier to the right result.
- Compare your reading with the game’s final result.
If something still looks wrong, note the game, time, coin mode, and what you saw. Save a screenshot and ask Mission Control, our support team, to check. Wait for the final result before checking the math.
Know What Each Symbol Does
By the end of the armor check, our visitor could name every system before its light appeared, and yes, I let him announce the thrust test with appropriate drama.
I give special symbols the same treatment: identify the wild, scatter, or multiplier, read its rule, and follow its effect through the completed result. Bright symbols are welcome to make an entrance. They just do not get to invent their own instructions.
Try Win Bonanza’s Most Popular Games
Ready to see these symbols in action? Explore the Hot category and play most popular games on Win Bonanza, including those featured in this guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What does a wild symbol do?
-
A wild can replace certain symbols to help form a result. Each game sets which symbols it can replace and where it works.
- What is the difference between a wild and a scatter?
-
A wild can stand in for certain symbols. A scatter has its own rules and may create a result or start a feature. Do not assume one can replace the other.
- How does a multiplier work?
-
A multiplier increases the result it applies to. For example, a 3× multiplier turns a 4 GC result into 12 GC. Check whether it applies to one symbol, one result or a whole feature.
- Do two multipliers always multiply each other?
-
No. A game may add multipliers, multiply them or apply them separately. Use that game’s instructions to work out the result.
Sources
Sources checked September 28, 2026. Feature details can change. The provider pages summarize each game; the in-game win table has the full rules.
- 5 Wild Buffalo 2 — Relax Gaming game page
Wild behavior and Free Spins features. - 3 Witch’s Lamp — JILI game page
Three magical Free Game effects and official game imagery. - Coin Tornado — Kendoo game page
Collect, multiplier and Hold & Win features. - Gold Nuggets — 3 Oaks Gaming game page
Collect symbol and its random 2× to 20× multiplier. - Win Bonanza Sweepstakes Rules
Eligibility and SC rules.
FROM THE EDITORIAL DESK
Trust and Transparency
Written by Ella Hartly in the voice of Gigi Celeste, a Win Bonanza Crew character.
Ella Hartly built the Win Bonanza Crew around one idea: facts help more when people enjoy reading them. Her characters use stories and humor to make hard topics easier to follow. The facts about Win Bonanza come from the sources linked above.
Win Bonanza publishes these guides about our own service. The crew’s adventures are part of our story world and are entirely fictional. Ella Hartly is the real expert behind these characters, offering her insights and expert opinion.
Win Bonanza’s editorial process calls for checking sources, claims and links before publication and when rules change. Ella Hartly’s personal opinions and game preferences do not reflect the opinions of the brand Win Bonanza.