How do multipliers work in pokies?
Tutorial of the multiplier bonus game
The multiplier on a pokie machine is a unique feature that gives you a chance to win multiple of your winnings. With the help of multipliers, you can double, triple, or even win up to 10x or as much as 100x your bet. Although multipliers are standard in online pokies, you indeed won’t find them in all pokies. So it’s something to keep in mind when picking a pokie.
Obviously, these multipliers generally work, but there are exceptions. For example, there are multipliers that you only encounter in the base game and those that only become active during free spins or bonus features.
Some multipliers only apply to the total win of a bonus game. Others can potentially multiply a win every turn or grow them on consecutive wins. Because multipliers offer payouts in different ways, it is crucial to know how all types of multipliers work.
Multipliers during the base game
Multipliers are rare during the base game, but they are there! Keep in mind that they only apply to a regular win. Take the example that you have 5 cherries in a row, and a 2X symbol is displayed. This means that you receive the regular win 2x.
Some video pokies have a multiplier running during the base game on consecutive wins. This may be the case with Cascading Wins. As soon as a combination is formed, the symbols explode to make room for other symbols and additional new wins. Do you achieve another victory? Then the multiplier goes up by +1.
Multiplying winnings during free spins
Multipliers are much more common in free spins games than in the base game of a pokie. This is because many game makers want the bonus to feel truly unique, and one way they do this is by adding multipliers to the game.
Before starting a free spins game, some pokies give you a screen to choose from multipliers and the number of free spins yourself. For example, do you choose 5 free spins? Then you have a 20x multiplier. Do you prefer 30 free spins? Then the multiplier has dropped to 3x. So if you choose slightly fewer free spins, then the multiplier is already made higher. The exact numbers can vary from game to game.
The wild symbol is the multiplier
Apart from the scatters, many pokies games have wild symbols that substitute for other characters. These wild symbols can possess multipliers. If you form a combination with a wild, the total win is multiplied by the number that the wild depicts. Often these are not too high multipliers because they recur regularly throughout the game.
Scatter symbols with multipliers
Like wild symbols, there are also scatter symbols where your winnings can be doubled. The scatter symbols can appear in random places on the reels. This way, you don’t have to consider which win lines are active at that moment.