Expanding Wild Symbols

Slot games have definitely come a long way from their fruit-machine origins. When these slot games were introduced online, developers were no longer tied down to three reels and fruit themes. Now, we see slots featuring all kinds of special features and themes with graphics and soundtracks that just keep getting better. New aspects and mechanics coming into play gave rise to Wild symbols as one of slots games’ many highlights. Wild symbols were popular right from the start, and many developers were quick to include this feature in their games. Today, these fascinating symbols can be found in most casino games as they have become quite a common feature.

There are many different variations of a Wild symbol in online casino games. With this article, we will seek to provide insight into one of our favourites, the Expanding Wild symbol.

What Are Expanding Wild Symbols?

Expanding Wilds are essentially an additional symbol featured in a slot game that pays out higher wins when it lands and contributes to creating more paylines. Different Wild symbols work in different ways, and not all games offer a payout for landing Wilds. The Expanding Wild substitutes for any other symbol on the reels, similarly to how a joker card substitutes for any other card in the deck. There are a couple of symbols that are the exception, but we’ll tackle this later.

To put it simply, an Expanding Wild symbol expands when it lands to cover the entire reel or multiple positions on the reel. By doing so, this symbol creates more opportunities for forming winning paylines. The payouts a player earns depend on the other symbols that land and their respective value. The more Expanding Wilds you land, the greater your chances of forming a winning payline.

There are a couple of different ways to land this Expanding Wild symbol, as it may either be an additional feature in the game or forms part of the slot’s bonus round. Let’s take a closer look.

How Do Expanding Wilds Work?

An Expanding Wild can extend either upwards or downwards across the whole reel, boosting your winnings along with it, if a winning combination is formed. Handsome payouts can be earned with this symbol, but it cannot substitute for every symbol in the game. Other special symbols, like the Scatter, cannot be substituted for.

Let’s break this down a little more. As we’ve said, once an Expanding Wild symbol lands, it will fill the reel to cover multiple positions either vertically or horizontally, depending on the slot. This would boost your chances of forming winning combinations. For example, suppose you form two winning paylines that stretch to the fourth reel. This already pays out a win but, if you’re lucky enough to land an Expanding Wild on the fifth reel, your paylines will stretch to become a five-symbol win. You may be fortunate enough to form additional paylines as well.

Bear in mind that this special feature does not usually have its own payout value. So, if you land this icon and no winning combinations form, you would not earn a payout just for landing it. Expanding Wilds are highly volatile, which implies that they can be a rare occurrence on the reels. With that said, these symbols appear randomly and maybe restricted to certain positions on the reels. For example, some games limit the Expanding Wild to specific reels. Some games feature this icon as part of the bonus round, while others include it as a special feature in the base game.

Best Expanding Wild Slots

Expanding Wild slots have entered the iGaming scene, and we’ll likely see more of them. This comes as no surprise though, as we all enjoy additional bonuses and thematic symbols. At EnergyCasino, you’ll find the best-of-the-best online slot games with Expanding Wilds, including the following:

• Wild Blood — Play’n GO’s Wild Blood is a fantastic, gothic slot that features all kinds of vampiric elements. Our love is eternal for this slot, as it takes us through an interesting story unfolding among the undead. Unleash your inner vampire and unlock the Expanding Wild!

• Ariana — Dip your toes into the crystal-clear waters and swim alongside gorgeous sirens with Ariana. This aquatic-themed slot allows you to unlock an ocean’s worth of winning combinations if you’re lucky enough to land the beautifully designed Expanding Wild icon. Who knows what’s in store in this oceanic abyss, strap on your goggles to find out!

• Starburst™ — This slot game has gotten so much recognition, it is impossible to miss. And for a good reason, as the creativity practically bursts from this slot — we had to include it in this list. Starburst™ is one of NetEnt’s greatest releases, offering celestial gameplay, a luminous theme and awe-inspiring bonus features all wrapped up in one amazing package. Try your luck for the twinkling Star Wild while enjoying highly engaging gameplay!

• Crazy Cows — Take in the beautiful countryside with Play’n GO in Crazy Cows. This farm-themed slot features an Expanding Sticky Wild that can trigger a winning combination that is absolutely bonkers. Crazy Cows is one of Play’n GO’s best slots, as it offers awesome gameplay and epic rewards.

Other Wilds

If you think the fun stops at a Wild that simply expands, then you thought wrong. The possibilities are endless with these popular features, as top online casino games regularly include Wild symbols either as a bonus feature in the base game or as part of a Free Spins bonus round. Here are a few other variations of a Wild symbol:

• Sticky Wilds — These stick to the reels and will remain in place for a number of spins.

• Shifting Wilds — These too stick to the reels for multiple rounds, but they move between the reels after every spin.

• Stacked Wilds — Stacked Wilds act similar to Expanding Wilds as they cover the whole reel when they land. By contrast, though, Stacked Wilds do not expand like an Expanding Wild; instead, they land as one large symbol.

• Multiplier Wilds — If this Wild symbol forms a part of a winning combination, it will multiply your final win.

• Spreading Wilds — Acts similarly to a Stacked Wild by spreading to cover one or more positions on the entire reel. A Respin usually follows for a chance to land more Wilds.

• Colossal Wilds — The Colossal Wild is a giant 3x3 symbol that, when it lands, covers three reels and three rows. Colossal Wilds can appear as a bonus feature in the bonus round, in the base game or as an unlockable progression feature.

Expanding Wilds at EnergyCasino

If you’re on the lookout for some champion online slots with Expanding Wilds, then look no further than EnergyCasino. Not only do we have some of the most popular slots around, but we also guarantee a casino experience of a lifetime. While you enjoy gripping gameplay, fantastic Wilds and the all-time favourite Free Spins bonus, you can also claim a few casino bonus that take things to a whole new level. On top of that, we also offer daily tournaments that are packed with fun slots and even better rewards. If that isn’t enough, we also have a vast loyalty program where you can earn even more rewards to use on all your favourite Expanding Wilds slots.

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