Wild symbols in slot machines: types and functionality

Wild slot symbols are often the biggest and most important symbols in slot machines. They substitute for regular symbols, contribute to payouts, and typically reward higher payouts than other standard symbols. They’re also incredibly varied, and in this guide, we’ll discuss the different types of wild symbols in slots and discuss how they work.

What are wild symbols in slot games?

It’s a key symbol and a high payer, but what is a wild symbol in slot games?

The best way to understand wild symbols is to think of them in the context of jokers in card games. The Joker substitutes for any other card in the deck, whether it’s forming a higher hand rank in poker variants or completing a set in rummy. In online slot games, wilds do the same thing—substituting for other symbols to form winning combinations.

They must land on active paylines to form that payout, and while they often replace all regular symbols, they can’t substitute for special symbols. For example, in Lucky 1spin4win Hold and Win, wilds replace all symbols except coins, which players need to unlock the titular Hold and Win bonus.

The same is true for Classic Chilli 100, although this time the coins produce instant payouts.

Examples of how slots with wild symbols work

Wilds help players form a winning combination by substituting for the symbols they need.

We can use Gems of Love Hold and Win as an example. It’s a classic slot with a retro design and Parisian vibes, and it includes a wild symbol in the shape of a windmill. There are 3 reels and 27 paylines, and players need matching slot machine symbols across all reels to form a win.

If they land a green diamond across the first two reels of a payline and a red heart on the third reel, the payline loses. If that final symbol is a green diamond, they receive a 16x payout. If it’s a wild, they’ll also get 16x.

If there’s just one green diamond and two wilds, the game also pays 16x. For a payline full of wilds, slots often trigger unique payouts as per the paytable. However, some games omit wilds from the first reel, so such an outcome is not possible.

The wild doesn’t change. It doesn’t transform into a green diamond. Instead, it simply acts as if it were that symbol and pays accordingly.

In instances where a wild can form multiple winning lines, the wild will often assume the value of the highest-paying symbol.

The evolution of wild symbols in slots

Early 3-reel slots used mechanical reels. Paying symbols matched across a center reel and triggered a payout. They were simple systems, and they remained this way for many decades. 

By the 1980s, video slots had become the norm. Digital logic boards gave developers more freedom, allowing for wilds, multipliers, and second-screen bonus rounds.

A couple of decades later, online slot games changed the industry, taking wilds from simple substitution symbols to complex gameplay mechanics. Modern players can now find various wild symbols and wild features on their favorite slots:

Classic wild symbols

A classic wild is a basic substitution wild, as outlined in this guide. It must land on an active payline, and it substitutes for other paying symbols to form a winning line. It does not substitute for special symbols, and there are no other modifiers attached.

Sticky/locked wilds

A sticky wild, also known as a locked wild, sticks to the reels and remains for multiple spins. These wilds can form multiple payouts by contributing to various winning lines. 

They are often used in cascading reel slots, which destroy winning symbols and replace them with new ones. In such games, wilds can stick around to form more line/cluster wins and create bigger payout chains.

Sticky wilds are also common in free spin features, where they help to differentiate the main feature from the base game.

Stacked wilds

A stacked wild is when multiple wilds stack on top of one another. If it covers the entire reel, it’s known as a wild reel. These wild features introduce more wilds to each spin and can create multiple winning lines as a result.

Expanding wilds

If the wild begins as a classic wild but grows into a stacked wild or wild reel, it’s known as an expanding wild. These wild symbols may also expand horizontally, taking up more symbol spaces for a greater impact and more payout potential.

Walking wilds

A walking or roaming wild moves around the game grid after each spin. For example, it could begin in the middle position of reel 5, before moving to the first position of reel 3 and then onto the first reel. They are more commonly seen in free spin features, and they either remain for the duration of the feature or until they disappear off the side of the grid. 

Random wilds

Slot machine games may throw wilds onto the reels at random. These random wilds can land anywhere and contribute to payouts. There’s often a limit to how many can appear, but with games that use this feature, it’s common to see a minimum of 2 or 3 wilds per trigger.

Multiplier wilds

Multiplier wilds arguably have the biggest effect of all wild features. In addition to substituting for other paying symbols, they also add multipliers to those wins.

So, if a certain symbol awards a 50x payout for 5 matches, and players land an x2 multiplier wild, that payout becomes 100x if it contains the wild. Multiplier wilds may also stack, with the multiplier growing exponentially.

Wild scatters

Wild scatters, as the name suggests, are scatters that also double as wilds. They take players closer to the bonus feature with each drop, and also complete winning combinations.

How do wild symbols compare to scatter symbols?

Wild symbols are there to substitute and complete winning paylines. 

One key stipulation is that they substitute for all game symbols, with one major exception: players can’t use wilds to replace bonus symbols, including scatters.

A scatter is a symbol that triggers either an instant payout or a bonus round. It doesn’t need to land in a payline, though. As long as the required number of scatters appear anywhere on the reels, the feature/payout will trigger.

Typically, players need at least three of these symbols, but more will improve the conditions. For example, in Book of Corsairs, 3 scatters award 10 free spins, while 4 and 5 trigger 15 and 25 spins, respectively. In Book of Money, players receive 7 free spins for 3 scatters, but get 15 spins for 5 scatters.

Here’s how scatters and wild symbols compare in the average slot game:

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How developers incorporate wild symbols in slots

Wild symbols are usually dynamic, animated symbols. They tend to deviate from the other standard symbols in their design to draw the eye. But they’re not just visually appealing—they’re also an essential gameplay component.

Wild symbols in slots improve player retention by increasing payout possibilities and forming winning combinations. They give players something to chase on every spin, adding excitement to the base game and ensuring players are not just waiting for the bonus. This is especially true for wild features such as wild reels and sticky wilds.

Along with bonus rounds, wilds are one of the main feature considerations during the slot development process. It’s rarely the main feature, but it supports other mechanics, and most players welcome it. For this reason, many 1spin4win slots have wilds and wild features, including Sound of Steel Hold and Win, Mystical Luck Hold and Win, and Beersburg Fest Hold and Win.

The impact of wilds on RTP and volatility

Wilds can have a major impact on the RTP (return to player) and volatility. The addition of a wild can increase the RTP, although developers will often factor it into the equation and adjust the slot mechanics accordingly.

It’s a similar story with volatility, which determines the frequency and size of payouts. Stacked wilds and expanding wilds both increase payout potential significantly, while regularly appearing wild reels and sticky wilds improve the hit rate.

All of these factors are key to building an enjoyable, engaging slot machine. Developers balance wild mechanics, payline structures, and features to provide an enjoyable and engaging experience—one that offers big payout potential while still maintaining a reliable edge for the casino.

Conclusion: Wild symbols and their role in 1spin4win slot games

So, what are wild symbols in slots? To summarize, they are substitution symbols that step in for regular symbols to form payouts, much like jokers in card games.

We use wilds extensively at 1spin4win, including in retro games like Retro Wins 100 and Hot Coins Fortune 10. They’re rarely enough to carry the slot on their own, which is why we combine them with features such as Hold and Win and fixed jackpots.

To learn more about our games and discover how you can host them on your casino, contact us here.

FAQs

What is a wild symbol in a slot?

It’s a symbol that takes the place of other regular symbols, helping to form winning combinations.

Are there wilds in all slots?

No. They are common, but they’re not available in all slot games.

Is there only one type of wild?

No, there are many types, including sticky wilds, wild reels, and multiplier wilds.

Can players win with a line of just wilds?

Yes, but not always. Some slot games only reveal wilds on select reels and may omit the first or middle reel. In such cases, there aren’t enough wilds to form wins on their own.

Is it possible for multiple wilds to land on a single payline?

Yes. While it’s common for slots to exclude wilds from certain reels, they can still appear multiple times on the same payline.