Key takeaways
- From gum-paying machines of the early 1900s.
- Often pays for one or two.
- Usually the lowest-paying fruit.
- A sign of a classic-style slot.
In shortThe cherry dates from early 1900s machines that paid in fruit gum. On traditional machines a single cherry on the first reel pays a small prize.
Origin
Machines that dispensed gum showed its flavours on the reels. Cherry survived as the emblem of the whole category.
How it pays
| On the line | Pays |
|---|---|
| One cherry on reel one | A small prize, often the stake back or double |
| Two cherries | More |
| Three cherries | The top fruit prize, though below BARs and sevens |
Typical pattern; paytables vary.
Today
Cherries mark a slot as retro. Online they are ordinary low-paying symbols unless the paytable says otherwise.
Elsewhere on the site: Slot machine odds, Bonus features, Slot machine near misses and The first video slot machines.
In the paytable
Look for three separate cherry lines: one, two and three. If only "three cherries" is listed, the machine has dropped the old single-cherry prize.
As an emblem
A pair of cherries is the universal shorthand for a slot machine, used on signs and icons everywhere. It is the first symbol on this site's hero cabinet.
Keep reading: How much do slot machines pay out?, Jackpots, How to play a slot machine and Hold and win.
Next: how slot machines work, or seven slots taken apart.
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
Why do slot machines have cherries?
From fruit-gum machines.
Does one cherry pay?
On many classic machines.
Is it a high symbol?
Usually the lowest fruit.
Is it on modern slots?
On classic-style ones.