Understanding the Different Types of Wilds in Online Slots
When it comes to online slots, the premise is very simple. Match the symbols to win the jackpot. However, we all know they are way more complex than that and it’s largely down to the bonuses and wild symbols that the vast majority of slots come with. There are many different types of wilds in online slots these days and all casinos will have plenty that features them, from the likes of Caesars to Sugar House, Harrah’s, and more.
But what are the more common wilds featured in online slots, and how do they work?
Stacked Wilds and Wild Reels
The most common wilds available in online slots are stacked wilds and wild reels. While they are different, they operate in much the same way. Stacked wilds are when wilds land on top of each other, completing an entire section on a reel or a section of a reel, while wild reels are when an entire reel turns wild and they stay wild for a number of spins.
There are usually a minimum of three wilds on a reel and can significantly boost your payouts. What the wild will offer will differ dependent on the slot you play, with them potentially providing multipliers, free spins, or a blend of the two.
Wilds With Multipliers
Another incredibly common wild is a wild with multipliers, where the number of wilds that land on the reels operate as multipliers. They can often combine to create bigger multipliers, with the chance to really stack up the winnings.
For example, two wilds worth 3x on the reels would give you a multiplier of 6x. In some cases you can find as many as 10 or more on a reel, really boosting your payouts significantly.
Sticky Wilds
These are similar to regular wilds but, the clue’s in the name, stick around on the reels for multiple spins. The volume of spins they stay around for depends on the game you play, with Dead or Alive one of the best games offering this.
These are fantastic wilds and can really offer big wins as the wilds can quickly stack up as you’re playing. You will tend to only find these during bonus rounds, however.
Expanding Wilds
Expanding wilds land on a reel during regular spins and will expand to replace other symbols with wilds too, thus boosting your payouts.
They take over other symbols to create the win and can expand the full length of the wheel to really boost winnings. Slots with expanding games, such as Guns ‘N Roses, which is one of the best bonus games around, offering this particular variant of wild.
Overlay Wilds
This is a type of wild that isn’t as common as some of the others but are wilds that stack up in a particular shape and then replace symbols to create further wins.
They are really useful for unlocking bonus features and generally vary in how they work from slot to slot.
