Sticky symbols are one of the gameplay features that set modern offline and online slot games apart from traditional, mechanical slot machines. Aside from being a reward in themselves, sticky symbols in slots also offer unique opportunities to chain together slot symbols and score a winning payline.
With many modern slots including sticky symbols, it’s important to understand this game mechanic and how it works compared to other slot features.
What are Sticky Symbols in Slots?
A sticky symbol does just what the name suggests — it sticks. Normally, when players spin the reels in slots, all the symbols are swept away and replaced with new ones. But sticky symbols stay in place across several spins, occupying the same spot on the same reel once they become sticky.
Different slot mechanics can cause a symbol to become sticky. For example, many games feature sticky symbols in a bonus round with extra spins, or while cascading reels are dropping down. Slots with bonus buy mechanics may also allow the player to activate bonus features with a larger bet that may feature sticky symbols.
The most common type of sticky symbol that players will come across when spinning the reels of slots online is sticky wilds. A wild symbol can take the place of one symbol to complete a payline. It’s not hard to imagine the potential of sticky wilds, where consecutive spins can benefit from a well-placed wild that’s strategically stuck in place.
Why Are Sticky Symbols Useful?
Having as many sticky symbols on-screen as possible is incredibly useful for completing paylines. This is particularly true of sticky wilds that not only plug holes in a player’s paylines but will make it easier for players to land multiple wins (if luck is on their side) across multiple spins. While players have no control over whether or not these symbols appear, the impact of sticky symbols, just like online slot strategies, is clear to see.
Sticky Symbols in Slots
Having a symbol stick between rounds is only possible in digital slots — either on a video slot machine in a brick-and-mortar casino, or virtually in an online casino. The symbol combinations on a mechanical slot machine are limited to the symbols that were printed on the reels during manufacturing. These symbols can’t change their order, let alone stick in place.
Digital slots have the advantage of randomly sorted symbols on every spin. The symbols can shuffle around, or stick, or, in some titles, even grow or shrink to spread across the reels. Moving from mechanical slots to video slots has opened up new doors for exciting game mechanics like sticky symbols to spice up slot gameplay.
Choosing Slots With Sticky Symbols in Mind
Since sticky symbols can have such a significant impact on gameplay, it’ll be useful for players to keep them in mind next time when considering which online slot machine to play. And as always, players should keep in mind slot budget tips to get the most out of their gaming session.
Examples of Online Slots with Sticky Symbols
Here are a few examples of online slots that have sticky symbols:
- Dead or Alive
- Narcos
- Spinberry Wilds
