Key takeaways
- Reels are strips of symbols.
- Modern reels are virtual.
- Wilds substitute; scatters trigger.
- Fruit and BAR date from the 1900s.
In shortA reel is a strip of symbols. On a modern machine the strip is virtual, with far more stops than the symbols you see, which is how rare symbols are made rare.
Symbols
| Symbol | What it does |
|---|---|
| Low-paying | Card ranks or simple icons; frequent, small wins |
| High-paying | Themed pictures; rarer, larger wins |
| Wild | Substitutes for others to complete a win |
| Scatter | Pays or triggers a feature wherever it lands |
| Bonus or money symbol | Carries a cash value or starts a feature |
The classic set
Bells come from the Liberty Bell machine of the 1890s. Fruit symbols and the BAR appeared in the early 1900s on machines that paid out in chewing gum, the BAR being a stylised gum company logo. The lucky seven followed.
Each symbol
Virtual reels
A physical reel might have 20 stops. A virtual reel can have hundreds, with the jackpot symbol on only one. What you see is a picture of a result already chosen.
Layouts
| Slot | Layout | Ways to win |
|---|---|---|
| Big Bass Bonanza | 5 reels, 3 rows | 10 paylines |
| Starburst | 5 reels, 3 rows | 10 paylines, paying both ways |
| Sweet Bonanza | 6 reels, 5 rows | Pays anywhere (8 or more matching symbols) |
| Gates of Olympus | 6 reels, 5 rows | Pays anywhere (8 or more matching symbols) |
| Book of Dead | 5 reels, 3 rows | 10 paylines |
| Fishin' Frenzy | 5 reels, 3 rows | 10 paylines |
| Fluffy Favourites | 5 reels, 3 rows | 25 paylines |
Keep reading: Video slot machines, From mechanical to online, Ladbrokes Casino slot machines and UK slot machine rules.
Stacked and oversized symbols
Modern machines often place symbols in stacks, so a whole reel can show the same one, or use giant symbols covering several positions. Both raise volatility: wins come less often and cover more lines when they do.
Go further: Scatter symbols, Starburst vs Gates of Olympus and Fruit slots online.
In other words
Slot machine symbols are also called icons or reel symbols. Reel strips, reel stops and virtual reel mapping describe how they are arranged.
Keep reading: Fishin' Frenzy slot machine, Cascading reels, Free slot machines and Casino slot machines.
Slot figures are developers' published defaults, each confirmed against two sources; the version at your casino can differ. UK land-based stake and prize limits and online rule dates were checked against Gambling Commission and licensing authority sources on 6 October 2026. History follows commonly cited accounts. Offer terms dated 5 October 2026. How we check. 18+. Free help: 0808 8020 133 or safer gambling.
Frequently asked questions
What is a reel?
A strip of symbols that spins.
What is a wild symbol?
One that substitutes for others.
What is a scatter?
A symbol that pays or triggers anywhere.
Why fruit symbols?
From early machines that paid in gum.