Slots are a simple and popular way to spend time at the casino, online or on site. If you've played slots online, you're probably familiar with a variety of symbols that represent different payouts. One of the most recognizable symbols is the scatter symbol.

If you're unfamiliar with scatter symbols, they may look like any other symbol on your screen. They always go along with the theme of the slot machine. Sometimes the manufacturer of the slot machine will throw in an animation, but otherwise, they're really not much different visually.

What differentiates scatter symbols from the other symbols is that they don't necessarily have to be on an active payline for a player to win. Be careful not to confuse these with wild symbols though; they can't replace a symbol on a payline. You also can't win a scatter payout with a wild replacing one of your scatter symbols.

The best online casinos frequently have slot machines with scatter symbols. Most slot machines give a payout with three scatter symbols, even though there's a few you can find that you will win when you have only two on your reels. Because of this, make sure that you look at the payout tables in order to see how much you'll be winning from any set of symbols, not only the scatter symbols.

When a scatter symbol win is triggered, your initial bet is always multiplied by a certain amount. Many times the amount is predetermined. In online casinos, there are sometimes bonus games that you play in order to determine how much your bet is multiplied by.

All of these things add a dimension to slot machines that can't be found in other casino games. In short, scatter symbols add excitement and anticipation to the gambling experience, which keeps it enjoyable (even when you're losing).