Wild Symbols: The Complete Guide

Last updated on July 13th, 2024

Wild Symbols – Everything You Need Know

Wilds are undeniably one of the most, if not the most exciting symbols in online slots. Sure, there are also the scatter symbols, however, if we compare the value of a single scatter versus the value of a wild, pound-for-pound, the wild always takes the cake. This is due to one simple reason. The wild can single-handedly create a winning combination. When it comes to scatters, they usually work in groups to do the same. Well, with this in mind, we decided to create a casino guide to break down the intricate mechanics of the industry’s most popular symbol, the wild.

How Do Wilds Work

The easiest way to describe a wild symbol is if we compare it to a joker from a standard deck of cards. The main purpose of the joker during a card game is to substitute any card from the deck per the choice of the player. Well, wilds operate in the same manner, being that they can “mimic” any symbol necessary for you to have a winning combination.

The best part about the wilds, however, is that in some video slots, several wild symbols can drop at once. Once this happens, they replace/match the other symbols of the game, and consequently, create a winning combination.

Due to this ability of the wilds to create winning combos, in most slots, they land anywhere on the reels/grid. However, it is good to be aware that there are certain online slots where the wilds drop on a specific reel, something that we are not that fond of, to be honest.

The Different Types of Wilds

Considering the value and the popularity of wild symbols among players, it is no surprise that a great deal of slots come with wilds. As a result, software developers are constantly coming up with creative ways to integrate wild symbols into their games. This led to the creation of several different types of wilds, each coming with its unique mechanics and different rewarding prowess.

Expanding Wilds

We kick off the list of the types of wilds by starting with one of the most exciting wild symbols, the expanding wild. Just as the name suggests, expanding wilds are free to expand in literally any direction on the reels. There are even instances where expanding wilds can occupy the entire screen to form a winning combination, i.e. expand in all directions and trigger the jackpot of the slot.

Some expanding wilds will only appear during the bonus round, while some can also appear in the base game.

Multiplier Wilds

Probably the only other type of wilds that is more exciting than the expanding wilds are the multiplier wilds. This is because multiplier wilds come with a designated multiplier attached, which consequently leads to even greater payouts. More specifically, if a multiplier wild drops to create a winning combination, it can multiply the win up to several times your current bet.

The multiplier wilds usually drop during the bonus game of the slot, but there are some instances where they can drop during the base game as well.

Grouped Wilds

Similar to the expanding wilds, the grouped wilds can also land in multiple positions on the screen. The only difference from the expanding wilds is that they don’t expand for the duration of the gameplay. Instead, grouped wilds usually land on the reels, and become sticky. Usually, they form a block of wilds, and these blocks can be grouped either as 2×2 or 3×3 symbols.

Stacked Wilds

Stacked wilds work in such a way that they land on top of each other on the reels, or as the word suggests, they stack. Depending on the situation, they can either stack completely on top of each other and occupy the entire reel, or in some instances, there can be only a couple of wilds on top of each other.

There are certain online slots where the stacked wilds can land on all reels across the grid. Opposite of this and depending on the slot machine, they can also be restricted to a single or a specific number of reels.  

Sticky Wilds

Also known as locked wilds, sticky wilds usually occupy a single position on the reels. The goal of the sticky wilds is to “stick” to one place on the reels, and this usually happens during a bonus game, where the wild will remain in that place until the free spins of the round are over.

As we already mentioned above, sticky wilds usually appear during a free spins bonus round, being that they are most likely to drop on free spins. Being that the sticky wilds lock in place and remain for the duration of the bonus round, they are responsible for creating winning combinations in the bonus game, something that exponationally increases both your chances for a win and the max win potential of the bonus round.

Colliding Wilds

The colliding wilds are known for landing together on the reels, side-by-side in order to trigger a winning combination. There are some online slots where the colliding wilds can be two different wild symbols with the same purpose of colliding to activate the bonus round of the game. In other slots, the colliding wilds are the only wild symbol of the game, but with the same purpose.

Replicating Wilds

The point of the replicating wilds is to turn any of the regular symbols of the game into a wild symbol. Just as the name suggests, the replicating wilds are used to replicate a regular symbol into a wild, and thus, help create a winning combination or trigger the bonus round of the game.

Random Wilds

Usually appearing in the bonus round of the game, random wilds are all about increasing your chances to win bigger prizes during the bonus game. For example, if you activate the bonus round by landing scatters and you win free spins, the wilds will appear during this bonus game to increase the value of your winnings. Although not the most exciting type of wilds, these symbols can still help you win a substantially larger amount during your free spins round.

The Exception

While the main purpose of the wild is to substitute any of the regular symbols of the slot, this is not exclusive to all symbols of the game. One of these examples is the scatter symbol, which is one of the symbols that the wild cannot replace to create a winning combination. In fact, the wild cannot substitute any symbol that can activate the bonus round.

While on paper it may seem like this is not advantageous, in reality, is actually a good thing. This is because symbols such as the scatters can lead to even more rewarding features such as select games, free spins, wheel of fortune, etc.

How To Distinguish The Wild Symbols

Distinguishing the wilds is very easy and the same time, very important prior to playing a certain online slot. In some games, the wild symbols are just an icon that has the word wild on it. In other games, the wild symbols are usually the logo or the mascot of the game. For example, in the game Santa’s Gift by Endorphina, the wild symbol is Santa himself, the logo of the game.

In the case where you play an online slot with two wild symbols, the main wild will usually appear during the base game, while the second wild will appear during the bonus round.

Either way, you can easily inform yourself which symbol is the wild simply by opening the payable of the slot. Here, you can see the value of each symbol individually, as well as which symbol is the wild or the scatter, depending on the instance.

You can also read slot reviews by iGaming affiliate websites such as Gamblers Connect, where you get an in-depth analysis of everything regarding the game you wish to play.

Final Thoughts

Playing online slots with wilds makes the entire experience more exciting and most importantly, more rewarding. Even if you are not sure whether the game has wilds, or how a specific online slot works, you can always play demo games before you play with real money.

Just remember that wilds don’t replace scatters and that different wilds have different attributes. Aside from this, the only thing you need to mind is to play responsibly and have fun!

Online Slots With Wilds