Written by: Jasmin Williams | The review was last updated: 03 July 2024 | Fact-check by: Kim Birch
Wild symbols in pokies: From classic games to online hits
There's something thrilling about hitting the spin button on a pokie, whether it's online or at the local.
Pokies are the main drawcard at any gambling spot. You can score massive payouts on these games with just a tap. Their straightforward gameplay is why punters can't get enough of them. You'd be hard-pressed to find a casino or pub without these money-makers.
When pokies first hit the scene, they were pretty basic and only paid out on a few specific combos. These days, they're packed with Bonus Features. These extras make for a much more exciting and potentially lucrative spin.
One of the most popular gameplay additions is the Wild symbol. We'll break down how these Wilds work and the different types you might come across during your pokie sessions. Just remember, Wilds are different from scatters, which we've covered in another write-up.
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The Lucky 7 is the Wild symbol in Joker Rush free pokie
Wilds are special symbols you'll spot on the reels of heaps of free pokies.
Most pokies use a standard payline system for wins, where you score a payout by lining up matching symbols. For instance, if a pokie needs a 3-symbol combo for a win, and you only get 2 matching symbols, you're out of luck. But chuck a Wild in there, and it'll stand in for that third symbol to complete your winning combo.
Wilds can lead to some massive wins. In some pokies, these Wilds even pay out on their own. So they're not just pinch-hitting for other symbols, but also dishing out their own rewards when you line them up. Usually, Wild symbols offer the biggest payouts of the lot. In some games, scoring enough random Wilds can trigger special bonus rounds. You might even score extra rewards for landing a certain number of Wilds.
With all these special perks, Wild symbols are pretty crucial. Keep your eyes peeled for them. Your pokie session can really take off if you manage to land enough Wilds in the right spots on the reels.
Since Wilds are key players in the game, they often have a standout look. Wilds might be themed characters, important objects, or just the word WILD in eye-catching text.
Dingo's fortune: prime example of wilds and scatters
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The Regular Wild symbols are the most common you'll spot on the reels, and they're in pretty much every pokie these days. These symbols stand in for all the regular game symbols and boost your chances of a win. Often, they're also the highest-paying symbols.
Some pokies have Wild symbols that only show up on certain reels, not all of them. This means you might land winning combos using just Wild symbols. For instance, in some games, Wilds only pop up on reels 1, 3, and 5 or just on 3, 4, and 5. You'll often see Reel Specific Wilds in newer pokies.
Wilds can also appear as long strips on the reels, filling an entire reel of 3 or 4 rows with Wild symbols. When Wilds stack up like this, you might get 1 or more reels full of just Wilds, really upping your chances of a payout.
Some games mix stacked Wilds with stacked symbols. You might even fill the whole screen with nothing but Wild symbols. When that happens, you're in for some seriously good payouts.
Some Wild symbols can grow to cover all the spots on a particular reel. This might happen on specific reels or all of them. Sometimes, expanding Wilds can even spread sideways, adding an interesting twist to the game.
You're more likely to see this expanding feature during a bonus round like free spins rather than in the main game.
Some Wild symbols stay put for a while when they land on the grid - we call these "sticky wilds". Sometimes, when the Free Spins round kicks off, the Wilds stick around, and by the last few spins, heaps of spots are filled with Wild symbols, sending your chances of a big win through the roof.
This bonus comes in different flavours. Sometimes Sticky Wilds hang around for just one spin, other times they stick around for ages.
Sticky Wild showcase from BETO's free pokies
These special Wild symbols transform adjacent symbols into Wilds. Some explode or set off fires to convert others, even diagonally.
As pokies evolve, new modifiers like Moving Wilds are popping up. These Wilds shift across the grid with each spin, continuing to move until they reach the final row or reel and disappear. You might also hear this called the Walking Wilds feature.
In some pokies, a random symbol becomes an extra Wild when the bonus round kicks off. Others have a set Wild symbol, while some mix it up each round.
Pokie designers are always cooking up new ways to spice up gameplay with Wilds. Sometimes they're simply added to the reels, other times there's a bit of razzle-dazzle with animations chucking Wilds onto the grid. Picture a massive mummy turning symbols Wild, or an athlete lobbing Wilds onto the screen.
These Wild symbols are top-notch modifiers that boost your payout with a multiplier when they're part of a winning combo. They can amp up your winnings in the main game, bonus round, or both.
For a ripper example of these Multiplier Wilds in action, check out the Book of Rampage pokie.
Swing by BETO to stay in the loop about new and clever features like these Wilds.
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Free game
Book Of Rampage Pokie - Put Your Wild Symbol Smarts to the Test
On pokies with multiple win-lines, Wilds pack a serious punch.
1. Picture a pokie with 10 paylines. A Wild on the first reel can be part of up to 4 paylines, depending on where it lands.
2. Now, take a 5x3 pokie with 30 paylines. A Wild on the first reel can feature in 12 different paylines. Bump that up to a 50-payline pokie, and you're looking at even more potential.
When you're dealing with stacked Wilds, Sticky Wilds, or just a bunch of Wilds scattered about, crank up those active paylines.
More active paylines mean better odds of scoring winning combos, as those Wild symbols will have the biggest impact.
Playing all-ways titles? A single Wild on the grid will double your possible winning combos. Imagine landing a win across all 5 reels, with matching symbols anywhere.
For instance, a Wild on reel 4 gives you 2 paths to win - one through the regular symbol, one through the Wild. Chuck another Wild in there, and suddenly you've got 4 different winning paths.
So next time you're on an all-ways pokie and spot Wilds on the grid, get ready. You might be in for some serious winnings.
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These days, top-notch iGaming studios are churning out all sorts of pokies, giving punters a massive selection to choose from. Pop into any decent online casino and you'll find heaps of games with different themes, bonus features, reel setups, and ways to win.
With massive progressive jackpots up for grabs, you could score some seriously juicy payouts. Plus, innovative winning systems like cluster pays offer fresh ways to land a win.
The Wild symbol is a key feature you'll spot in just about every pokie, so it's worth getting your head around how it works and the different twists it comes in.
We reckon this article's boosted your knowledge about Wilds. You can suss out loads of other cool bonus features right here on BETO.com.
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Wild symbols are game-changers in pokies, boosting your chances of a win. These special icons step in for regular symbols, making it a breeze to score winning combos. They're like the joker in a deck - versatile and always welcome on your reels.
Wild symbols pop up on the reels just like any other symbol - there's no trick to making them show up. That said, in some pokies, you might see more Wilds during bonus Free Spin rounds. It's all part of the game's design to keep things interesting for punters.
Pokie developers are always cooking up new Wild bonuses to keep things fresh. You'll come across heaps of varieties like Stacked Wilds, Moving Wilds, Reel-specific Wilds, Expanding Wilds, Contagious Wilds, and Sticky Wilds, just to name a few.
Wild symbols are a staple in most pokies these days. You'll find them in pretty much every machine out there. Just make sure you're playing at a trustworthy online casino and you're set.
Absolutely! At BETO, you can test drive heaps of pokies without spending a cent. It's a top way to get your head around all the unique and clever Wild features out there.
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