Expanding Wilds

Part of the fun of exploring online slots comes with discovering the wide variety of gameplay available. Slots have come a long way from classic slots action with just 3 reels and simple symbols, although these still have their attraction for many players. Mechanics such as free spins to multipliers, cascading symbols and bonus bet options along with Expanding Play Areas offer superb engagement opportunities within games. Another such mechanic that is increasingly found in popular slots games is that of Expanding Wilds. Take a closer look at Expanding Wilds with Wildz to get the lowdown on what they are and how they can affect gameplay.

What are Expanding Wilds?

Expanding Wilds are Wild symbols that expand beyond their single symbol location. Often these Wild symbols will expand to cover the entire reel. Certain conditions, such as landing on highlighted reel, are sometimes required in order for an Expanding Wild to activate. Expanding Wilds differ from Stacked Symbols in that Expanding Symbols grow after the reels have stopped whereas Stacked Symbols already cover multiple rows while they spin on the reels.

How do expanding Wilds work?

Bear in mind that all online slots operate using Random Number Generators that determine how the reels and symbols land, so there’s no strategy that can but put into play: online slots are all about chance.

Expanding Wilds expand over the length of a reel from top to bottom, making every symbol on the reel Wild, which can potentially generate several wins over several paylines. These symbols appear randomly on the reels. Some games only allow expanding Wilds on certain reels. Once a symbol has expanded, the combination/s created are added to your bankroll as wins, potentially creating opportunities for sizeable wins through these combinations. When the symbol has expanded, each winning combination it creates is added to your bankroll in turn, and this can result in huge winnings if the wilds help to create multiple valuable combinations.

Think of a Wild symbol as the Joker card in a deck; they can substitute for any other symbol to create a winning combination. They can’t replace a Scatter symbol and don’t typically replace Free Spins or other bonus icons. Some Wilds may come with a value of their own, while in other games they don’t have their own value.

Examples of expanding Wilds slots

Expanding Wilds are popular as a game mechanic in an online slots as they provide a game-changing element that keeps players engaged.

You can find expanding Wild elements in Book of Dead, Wild Blood, Jack and the Beanstalk, 1491 Uncharted Seas and a host of other Wildz slots titles. Explore this handy iGaming guide for more gaming experiences.