Let’s Talk About Wild Symbols — How Are They Used in Online Slots?

Almost all slots nowadays have a wild symbol, which is often referred to as a substitute symbol. It’s become a vital part of this type of game, and many slot lovers usually first want to learn about the wild when selecting an online slot to play. So, how does this symbol actually work, and what are its primary features?

Wilds can usually substitute any other symbol on the reels. If slots were cards, wilds would be jokers. For example, let’s say that you play an Egypt-themed slot and that the scarab beetle is the wild symbol.

Now, imagine that you get the following symbols in your payline — pharaoh, pharaoh, scarab, pharaoh. If any other symbol were in the place of the scarab (except the pharaoh), you wouldn’t have a winning payline.

However, scarab acts as a pharaoh in this case, which means you get a 4-symbol combo. Depending on the actual worth of the pharaoh symbol, you’ll receive an adequate prize.

There are several types of wilds that many online slots have, and we usually describe them when we review slots. Namely, wilds can have additional features that can further improve your slot-spinning experience.

Types of Wilds

Some of the most popular wilds are:

  • Multiplier Wilds – Come with a multiplier as well
  • Sticky Wilds – Stick for several spins (usually during free spins)
  • Expanding Wilds – Expand to cover an entire reel
  • Spreading Wilds – Spread to other reels
  • Duplicating Wilds – Duplicate in certain positions
  • Colossal Wilds – Big wilds covering 2×2 or bigger spaces (usually present in slots that have a lot of reels and rows)
  • Random Wilds – Appearing randomly everywhere

The good news is that online slot developers are always eager to experiment, and the result is new types of wilds that can help lucky players create big wins.

No matter how lucrative these symbols may be, you should still take into account the overall RTP of the online slot you’re playing, as that’s the only real display of how much you can actually expect to earn by playing this type of games.

Nevertheless, wild symbols are always a welcome sight among slot lovers as they can definitely not harm — they can only help you.

If you want to learn more about other symbols and slots, or you want to read reviews of the newest online video slots, make sure to check out our slots news section. We also cover welcome bonuses and other promotions for some of the best online casinos in the world.