Wild Symbol: Expanding, Stacked, Sticky, Shifting, Multiplier + Slots List

Expanding Wild symbol

If you hit one wild symbol, it expands on the whole reel and takes up the whole space of the reel. Since wild symbol substitutes most of other symbols, it substantially increases the probability of hitting some paying combination.

There could be some rules, which vary from one slot to another:

• the only appearance on particular reel triggers Wild symbol’s expansion

• sometimes the position of wild symbol on the reel also matters (for example, only appearing in the middle of the reel makes it happen)

• it could expand not only within one reel but in adjacent reels also

Stacked Wild Symbol

It is similar to Expanding Wild symbol with the only one difference. The stacked Wild symbol doesn’t expand on the whole reel. Instead, it spreads itself only either to the top or to the bottom cell or number of cells (certain rules depends on the particular online slot).

In terms of the other characteristics, it works exactly the same as Expanding Wild symbol does.

Sticky Wild symbol

Sticky Wild symbol stays on the reel for the next round of the game (or, in some cases, for a few next rounds of the game).

In the process it could expand on the whole reel (Expanding Wild symbol), expand only in one direction (Stacked Wild Symbol) or remains the same size as it was before.

Therefore, Wild symbol can be both Sticky and Expanding (or Sticky and Stacked) at the same time.

Shifting (Moving) Wild symbol

The same concept as with Sticky Wild symbol is applied here. The only difference that Shifting Wild symbols changes its position on the reel during the following spins (rounds of the game).

It can follow a large number of patterns which is limited only by the imagination of the designer of this slot.

Multiplier Wild Symbol

And last but not least comes Multiplier Wild Symbol. As the name suggests it multiplies your winning if the Multiplier Wild symbol was involved in it.

Multiplier can be 2x or bigger size, as you have heard many times in this article it depends on a particular online slot.

How to find out about Wild symbol in a particular slot

As you can see there are many types of Wild symbols. Moreover, in one particular online slot, a few of them can be implemented simultaneously.

The best way not to get lost in such intricacies is to come straight to the info section of the online slot. Here, all the information can be found easily.

Spending just 1 minute of your time won’t left any questions unanswered regarding wild symbol appearance, on which reels they can be displayed, in which direction they expand and much more.

Wild symbol slots list

The Wild symbol is a symbol similar to the joker in a card game. By replacing any symbol on the playing field other than the bonus symbol, it allows you to create winning combinations where one symbol is missing. It is one of the oldest symbols and is still relevant. Even the most conservative estimate is included in the algorithms of every second video slot. It is likely that this statistic is somewhat of an understatement. So, you already know by now that this symbol is the most used in video slots and often the highest paid. The best games with the Wild symbol remain:

• Book of Dead from Play n Go - RTP up to 96.21% and betting multiplier x5,000

• Gates of Olympus from Pragmatic Play - a slot machine with an RTP range of up to 96.50% and a multiplier of x5,000

• Hell Hot 40 from Endorphina - the classic 5 reel theme is capable of increasing the bet by x1,000. There's also a slightly above-average RTP of 96.04%

• Extra Juicy Megaways, a slot machine powered by innovative mechanics, returns up to 96.42% of the player's investment and is capable of winning 5,000 times the bet

• Gold Rush With Johnny Cash is one of BGaming's newest models with an RTP of 96.08% and a multiplier of x5,820

• Dragons Clusterbuster is an unusual model from Red Tiger. The 9*9 playing field and Cluster Pays mechanics can return up to 96% of all bets and pay out a multiplier of x5,250

• Megahops Megaways - Booming Games has prepared players with the chance to increase their stake by 8,971 times and to recover up to 96.7% of their total investment

• Before Time Runs Out is a slot with a high risk of losing your money, but the luckiest have something to catch maximum winnings for. The multiplier in the game reaches x1,000,195 and the player yield is 96.67%

-Wild Cauldron - 2020 model from Quickspin with Avalanche mechanics, up to 262,144 ways to win, RTP 96.09% and multiplier x211,995 bets

• Starburst - as soon as it appeared, the slot machine made a lot of noise thanks to its innovative mechanics at the time. By and large, it still holds its own, and many operators credit bonuses to this title. Machine features: x600 multiplier, Low volatility, RTP 96.09%.

How to play Wild symbol slots

In most slot machines, the Wild symbol is the highest-paying symbol. It can have an entirely different appearance. Some games use only the name of the symbol to indicate it, while others have an image in the theme of the video slot. Wild has several varieties - regular, expanding, fixed and - (movable). To find out which symbol is used in the slot you choose, check out the paytable. It will indicate its type, value, how the mechanics work, the payoff and more. All of this is necessary so that you will have a rough idea of what you can count on in the process.

Another important action is to bet correctly and choose the number of active lines. Don't immediately select the maximum amount if yours is severely limited or if you're not sure what the machine 'gives'. In terms of cost per spin, slots vary greatly. And, if all providers mostly agree on the minimum (0.01-0.1 coins), with the maximum there is a strong variation up to 8,000 coins.

Another important thing about gambling is the ability to stop when the process goes into deficit. You can do this by setting loss limits in the slot machine's settings. This feature is not present in every video slot, but in recent years providers have tended to include it in all their titles. More often than not, it comes with another popular feature - Autoplay. This mode, in turn, allows the player to take their eyes off the screen and come back after a while to see the outcome of the automatic gaming session.

Anyone can learn to play video slots, even beginners. This does not require any special skills, but professional players have already developed some special strategies. These, in their opinion, increase the chances of getting the maximum winnings by several times.

How to win playing Wild symbol slots?

I want to answer this question straight away - in order to do that, you have to collect Wild symbols on all the reels. The task, in fact, is not a simple one, and it is entrusted to the notorious RTP algorithm. It randomly gives the result in a fraction of a second after the activation of rotation. No one can influence this, but provided that the slot machine is original. You should understand that it is impossible to win at scam slots. The program operator fraud at first can attract large payouts, and then a couple of spins, not only "take away" the winnings, but also take away the balance of the user in deficit.

Now let's talk about how to win in the original video slot. As I said above - the RNG is responsible for the outcome. That said, there are several ways to increase your chances of winning. I have to say, all of them do not guarantee a win. First, some players suggest doubling your bet after each loss. Others, on the contrary, say that the most effective way is to lower the bet immediately after winning. Secondly, players are encouraged to play the free version first at least 10-20 times to understand the principle of the slot, the amount and the frequency of payouts. Remember, only luck and responsible play can lead you to a real winner with the maximum payout!

In conclusion

The last thing I would like to say that the diversity of Wild symbol types doesn’t boil down to these 5 kinds. As I have mentioned in a section devoted to Sticky Wild symbol, Wild symbol could be Sticky and Expanding at the same time.

The same is true for some other types of Wild symbol. As an example, Expanding, Stacked, Sticky or Shifting Wild symbol can be the Multiplier as well.