Split symbols

A split symbol is a single symbol that counts as two or more of the same symbol in one reel position. A "double cherry" in one cell counts as two cherries, so it can double the ways a win is paid or push a combination to a higher tier.

What split symbols are

Classic slots have long used double and triple bar symbols that pay differently from a single bar. Modern split symbols take that idea further: a symbol that visibly divides into two, three or four copies, each counting towards the win. In a ways-to-win game, a double symbol on a reel doubles the number of paths through that reel for that symbol. In a cluster-pays game, it can add two to the cluster size.

How it works, step by step

1. You place a stake and the reels stop.
2. Some positions show split symbols, marked as two or more copies in one cell.
3. When the game evaluates wins, each copy counts separately.
4. In a ways game, if reel one has one queen, reel two has a double queen and reel three has one queen, that is 1 × 2 × 1 = 2 ways instead of one.
5. Several split symbols across the reels multiply together. Two double symbols on different reels give four times the ways for that symbol.

Common variations

• Fixed doubles and triples: printed on the reel strip, always counting as a set number.
• Splitting during a feature: in some games, symbols split during free spins or after a trigger, increasing the count of symbols on the grid. Related ideas include xWays, which reveals several copies in one place.
• Split wilds: a wild that counts as two or more wilds.
• Splitting on the grid: some games physically divide one cell into two smaller cells, adding a row to that reel, which crosses over into grid expansion.

What it does to the maths and the feel

Split symbols act as a kind of hidden multiplier on specific wins. Because the multiplication compounds across reels, a few splits in the right places can turn a modest win into a much larger one, while splits that do not connect do nothing. That concentrates value in rare combinations and tends to raise volatility.

The designer allows for split symbols when setting the paytable and symbol frequencies, so they do not add anything to the game's RTP. A game with a lot of splits is not more generous than one without; the return is just distributed differently.

Rules in Great Britain

Split-symbol games are available on GB-licensed sites. The usual stake limits and game design rules apply, including the ban on celebrating a win equal to or less than the stake, which can apply to a split-symbol win that looks large on screen but is small against the stake.