Wild Symbol Slots - What They Are
There are many ways to define the wild symbol, but the simplest is to describe it as an icon that acts as any regular symbol in the game. Of course, exceptions exist in which the wild can replace other unique icons or specific standard signs. More about this can be found on this page below. Also, in some cases, they are the top-paying symbols or at least high-paying ones. Still, their primary objective is always the same – helping players form winning combos when a regular icon is missing.
You can tell by the name of these slots that they represent a category of slots featuring wild symbols of any kind. As we said, their popularity has made modern players expect to find such an icon in new releases. Generally speaking, these slots have exciting gameplay (after all, there's at least one special symbol), excellent payouts, and great audio-visual display.
Remember
There's no way to control or predict this symbol's appearance on the reels. They appear at random.
How Do I Recognize the Wild Symbol?
With hundreds of software providers and thousands of active wild symbols slots, it might be challenging to talk about the appearance of all wild symbols. Yet, it seems that there are a few things that they have in common.
First of all, they use different graphics than the other symbols. For instance, they will appear in many games as animated/rotating signs. Also, there are many cases where they stand out in terms of colors or appearance. The word Wild featured on many of these icons, is probably the most shared visual element. In fact, some of them appear like simple Wild signs that are hard to miss.
Note
You can always check the paytable if you are unsure which one is used as a symbol for wild. Many slots have special sections describing the appearance and functions of the wild.
Don't forget that the wilds are not always paying symbols, so you should not expect them among the regular symbols.
How and Where does the Wild Symbol Appear?
Typically, the Wild symbol appears randomly. So, you can expect it whenever the reels stop spinning. However, some games with unique features add one or more wilds on the reels once the reels in the base game stop spinning. Also, some titles might provide a guaranteed number of wilds, sticky wilds, wild reels, or another type of wild symbol during free spins.
In most cases, the wilds can appear in any position on the grid. However, there are some releases in which they can appear on specific reels like the central three or four reels or only on the first and last reel. You can find the details in the payout table of every game.
How Do Slot Machine Wild Symbols Work?
In general, slot machine wild symbol options work by substituting for other symbols on the reels helping players form winning combinations. However, there are additional benefits in some online slots related to these icons. For instance, they can activate bonus rounds when they appear in specific positions or provide extra payouts.
In rare cases, Wilds can replace icons with special properties. However, you will have to hit combos without wilds to access the bonuses triggered by special icons like scatters.
Popular Types of Online Slots Wild Features
Wild icons were introduced in the first online slots, and over the years, they have evolved, leading to the emergence of more than one type of online slot wild features. Of course, they always substitute for missing symbols, but they also have unique properties.
Sticky Wilds
You can tell by their name that sticky wilds are specific wilds that remain in their positions during a series of spins. They are pretty popular among players because they provide multiple chances of hitting winning patterns the easier way. In many cases, they appear during a round of free spins and stay in place until the feature is finished (10, 15, 20, or more free spins).
The Best Slot With Sticky Wilds
Leprechaun Goes Wild is an excellent example for those looking for slots with sticky wilds. This Irish-themed release with 5 reels and 20 fixed paylines features sticky wilds during free spins. Every wild that appears in this mode stays in its place, and if you get at least one on each reel, you will get extra free spins.
Expanding Wilds
It looks like software developers have kept things simple when naming the different types of wilds. In the case of expanding wilds, we have symbols that expand to cover entire reels (the reels where they appear). You should not expect an instant payout due to their appearance, but the chances of forming winning combinations increase exponentially. On top of that, they often display thrilling animations.
The Best Slot With Expanding Wilds
If you are looking for the best online slots with expanding wilds, you can't go wrong with Surfin Joker by GameArt. It's a fruit/beach-themed online slot, a simple matrix – 3 reels and 5 paylines. However, it includes bonuses like a respin feature, free spins, a gamble feature, and expanding wilds. The latter appears only during free spins and only on the third reel, where it stays for the following spin.
Wilds With Multipliers
Some wild icons slots include symbols for wilds with multipliers that multiply the wins where they participate. Typically, they will double the winnings, but they can also triple, quadruple, or multiply them by five or more times. These are very popular symbols because they can significantly increase the winnings in a single round.
The Best Slot With Multiplier Wild
As for the best slot with multiplier wilds, we suggest 9 Blazing Cashpots. This release by Kalamba Games is played on an exciting matrix with 6 reels and has 40 paylines. More importantly, it includes multiple potentially lucrative features like HyperBet, free spins, bonus cashpots, and multiplier wilds. The latter appears randomly in the base game and during free spins and carries a value of x1, x2, x2, or x10 (the value depends on the size of your bet).
Other Types of Slots Wild Features
The features we mentioned above are the most popular ones. Still, there are also a few other types of slot wild features that some players might find fun and profitable. Some of these include walking wilds (moving on different positions with each new spin), transferring wilds (typically in slots with multiple reel sets), stacked wilds (covering adjacent positions), and more. They are often one of the most popular slot machine features in the titles in which they appear.
Stacked Wilds and Wild Reels
It's not challenging to find free slot games with stacked wilds. We can compare them to expanding wilds, but instead of increasing in height to cover the entire reel, they spread to the adjacent positions. So, in theory, a stacked wild can act as an expanding wild, too (when the reel height is three positions and the stacked wild appears in the center). Typically, they appear in high-volatility releases. NSYNC Pop by Play'n GO, Ocean Hunter by iSoftBet, and Lady Fortuna by OneTouch are good examples of free online slot games with stacked wilds.
As for the wild reels, like expanding wilds, they cover entire reels. The difference is that they are usually added after an animated sequence is displayed on the main screen. So, a regular reel with regular symbols is turned into a wild at random. In many cases, not one but two or more reels are turned into wild reels. If you want to try some games with wild reels (basically slots with lots of wilds), we recommend The Royal Family by Yggdrasil Gaming, Armadillo Goes West by Armadillo Studios, and O'Bryans Funland by Red Rake Gaming.
Overlay Wilds
Like wild reels, the overlay wilds usually appear once the reels stop spinning. They take a specific form – a cross, a circle, a square, etc. – and cover regular symbols. Other than that, these wilds act like regular wilds, which means they substitute missing standard icons when possible. Go Bananas by NetEnt, Incinerator by Yggdrasil Gaming, and Guns N' Roses by NetEnt are some titles that include overlay wilds.
Walking Wild Symbols
Simply put, walking wild symbols move one position after every spin. Many slots feature walking wilds that usually end up on the last reel or at least on the central reel and move to the left with each new spin until they finally leave the matrix. Sometimes, they change reel positions for a specific number of spins. If you are looking for examples, you can try Jack and the Beanstalk by NetEnt, Alice Mega riches by Wizard Games, or Moooving Wilds by TrueLab.
Nudging Wilds
We can say that nudging wilds are almost the same as expanding wilds. They, too, cover entire reels but appear differently. Namely, nudging wilds will appear at the bottom or on top of the reel and nudge to cover the rest of the reel with wilds once the reels stop spinning. Wild Wheel by Push Gaming, Tiki Mania by Microgaming, and Tiki Tumble by Push Gaming are some examples of nudging wild slot machine games.
What Are the Benefits of Slots With Wild Symbols?
There's more than one benefit of playing slots with wild symbol/s.
First and foremost, you can complete a winning combo even when it's impossible to do that with the basic slot machine symbols. Next, it gives you an advantage over the slot machine because you get additional chances to boost your winnings. We should also note that sometimes wilds can serve as multipliers that double, triple, or quadruple the winnings in which they participate.
When looking for slots with symbols, stick to the online variant because it lets you play on the go or without leaving your home (unlike slots in land-based facilities). Also, you can expect more flexibility in terms of time – you can play instantly at any time or take a break and continue whenever you want.
How to Choose the Best Wild Symbols Slots?
If you are interested in using the best wild symbols slots, it would be wise to consider a few things to ensure that you have picked the best ones.
For starters, selecting a title with a high theoretical payout percentage (RTP – Return to Player percentage) is a good practice. It indicates the average amount of money you can get back from the slot game over a long period of time.
After that, you should remember that it's not just the wilds that make online slots fun and rewarding. So, in addition to wilds, the best online slot machines have other bonuses like free spins, re-spins, mini-games, etc.
It's wise to opt for slots that match your gaming style regarding wagering. In other words, you should check the limits that suit you. In theory, choosing a release with high bet limits is better because playing with high stakes gives you a chance to win big prizes. Of course, this depends on your bank.
