The 5 most popular slot features in online casinos: what makes slots so exciting?

Slots are without a doubt the star of every online casino. But what features really make these games fun? In this blog we will discuss the five most popular slot features: the buy feature, wild & scatter symbols, free spins, cascade, and the gamble feature. Read on to discover how these features take your gaming experience to the next level.

Wild & Scatter symbols: the basis of every slot

Wild and Scatter symbols are standard features found in almost every dice slot. These symbols not only increase your chances of winning, but also make the game more versatile.

Wild symbols

Wild symbols can replace almost any other symbol on the reels to form winning combinations. Suppose you are one symbol short of a winning line; a Wild can fall in and still provide a prize. Sometimes Wilds have additional features, such as expanding across the reels or sticking for multiple spins (Sticky Wilds).

Below is an example of the wild symbol in 20 Golden Dice and Coins of Ra.

Scatter symbols

Scatters often trigger the bonus game or free spins. They don't even have to be on a winning line to count! As long as you have a certain number of them, you usually activate a bonus. So these symbols can provide a lot of extra action.

Below are some examples of scatter symbols from Hot Cubes and Sugar Rush Dice..

Why Wild & Scatter symbols are fun:

Before you play the game, it is important that you first read the game rules carefully. That way you know exactly which symbol means what. You can also play the game in demo first to learn the game without betting real money.

Free Spins: free chances to win big

Free spins are a favorite among slot players. As the name suggests, these spins are completely free! Free spins are usually triggered by Scatter symbols, but some slots also hand them out randomly.

During free spin rounds, you might find extras like multipliers or special symbols that only appear during these spins, giving you even more winning potential—all without an extra bet.

Why Free Spins are fun:

Buy Feature: jump straight into the bonus game

The buy feature, also called the ‘Bonus Buy’, is a fairly new addition in online slots. Normally, you activate a bonus game or free spins by a certain symbol combination. With the Buy Feature, however, you can start the bonus game immediately, without waiting.

This is ideal for players who want to speed up the action or dive straight into the big prizes. For this feature, you always pay a certain amount depending on your initial bet. So it's a nice option for those who like a bit more excitement and prefer to get immediate access to bonus features such as free spins.

Why the Buy Feature is fun:

Cascade Feature: a chain reaction of wins

The Cascade Feature, also known as Avalanche or Rolling Reels, replaces winning symbols with new ones that drop in from above. This creates a chain reaction, where you can score multiple wins in a row without spinning again.

Each new winning combination causes symbols to keep falling and the reels to change again. This adds to the excitement each time. In some slots, a multiplier even increases with each cascade, allowing you to grab hefty winnings with a single spin.

Some popular games with cascading reels are: Gates of Olympus Dice, PepperMill Candy Dice and Sweet Bonanza Dice.

Why the Cascade feature is fun:

Double up: do you dare to double your winnings?

For the truly daring, there is the Double Up, also called the “gamble feature”. With this you can try to double your winnings after a winning spin. After a win, you are given the choice of collecting your prize or gambling, usually through a simple game such as a deck of cards or heads or tails. You then have to guess whether the next card is red or black, for example, or whether the coin will fall on heads or tails. If you guess correctly, your winnings double and you can usually even try again. If you guess wrong, you lose your prize.

The gamble feature is not without risk, but it offers extra excitement after each win, and can provide hefty payouts if you dare to gamble several times.

Why the gamble feature is fun:

PepperMill's favorites slot features

The five most popular slot features at PepperMill Casino- Buy Feature, Wild & Scatter symbols, Free Spins, Cascade, and Double Up/Gamble - give each game its own twist. Whether you like to get straight into the bonus with the Buy Feature or seek the excitement of the gamble feature, there is a favorite feature for every player. Try out some different slots and slot strategies yourself and find out which features offer the most fun and opportunities for you.

Ready to test your favorite feature? Besides these great features you can also find others like Mystery Games and jackpots.