It doesn’t matter if you consider yourself to be a Slots expert or a part-time player, we’re sure you’ve heard a thing or two about the wild symbol. Whether you get your online Slots fix over at https://games.paddypower.com/, or any other casino gaming site, you’re sure to be wishing for a wild to land on the reels.
Arguably, this is the most important symbol that you’ll find in any slot game, as it has the power to transform and bring you even more winning combinations along the way.
Read on as take you through the ins and out of that sought-after wild symbol.
How does the wild benefit players?
Almost all of the wild symbols that you’ll find in online Slots act as special icons, that have the power to fill in for other symbols on the reels. Imagine this – you’ve rolled in two of one symbol but the third icon in the line is something different, therefore ruining your chances of bagging a prize. But, if that third symbol turns out to be the wild, then it can go on to transform into that matching symbol that you’re missing. And, with that, you’ll have a perfect three-symbol winning combination!
There’s only one limit to the wild – it cannot substitute for the scatter, free spin or bonus symbol, unless your game of choice has stated otherwise.
What does the wild look like?
The visual appearance of the wild symbol depends on the game that you’re playing, as it will more often than not correlate with the slot’s theme. If not the theme, the wild will most likely come in the form of the game’s logo. For example, if the theme is Egyptian mythology then you’d expect to find the wild in the form of an Ankh or perhaps even a Scarab beetle. Likewise, a retro inspired slot could wind up with the wild rolling in as the classic BAR symbol.
How many different types of wild symbols are there?
Whilst we cannot give you a definite number of wilds – as the games are constantly evolving – allow us to take you through some of the stand-out and most common variations that you’re likely to find when playing online Slots:
- Randomised
- Stacked
- Expanding
- Sticky
- Cascading
What are the benefits of these variations?
Now, let’s take a closer look and see what all of these types of wild are really about.
Randomised
Pretty self-explanatory, randomised wilds are the most basic and common form of the iconic symbol. They appear on the reels at random, just like the rest of the symbols in the game.
Stacked
Stacked wilds have the ability to take over multiple position on the reels, consisting of two standard wilds set on top of each other. You’ll usually find these icons filling up entire reels – almost guaranteeing you a decent win along the way.
Expanding
This variation of the wild symbol will occupy two or more positions on the reels, functioning exactly how you’d imagine. The expanding wild will appear as a single icon at first, before spreading across several positions on the reels and paylines. After this, all wilds in that area will transform into the most lucrative symbol possible, taking into consideration what is already on the reels.
Sticky
Again, as the name suggests, these wilds will stick to its position during multiple spins, rather than disappearing in the next round. Because of this, you’ll have even more chances to create winning combinations during your gameplay.
Cascading
Cascading wild features are somewhat similar to the old-fashioned Tetris game, with any winning combinations that involve the wild exploding and disappearing. As they disappear, there’s more room for randomised symbols to fall into place and give you the potential for more prize-earning combos.