Wild reels slots turn an entire reel into wild symbols, so every position on that column substitutes for any paying symbol. One wild reel helps; two or three in the middle of a ways-to-win slot can make almost every symbol on the screen pay at once. Wild reels arrive through expanding wilds, full stacks, random features or free spins, and their timing is set by the RNG.
Any reel made entirely of wilds counts, however it got there.
On ways-to-win slots each wild reel multiplies the number of ways for every symbol.
Middle reels usually matter most; many games only allow reels 2 to 4 to go wild.
Several wild reels at once are rare and carry much of a game's top-end value.
UK slots have no autoplay or turbo, take at least 2.5 seconds a spin and cap stakes at £5 (£2 for 18–24s).
Feature type
Wild modifier
What it is
An entire reel of wild symbols
Common routes
Expanding wilds, full stacks, random features, free spins
Most valuable on
Ways-to-win slots
Effect on volatility
Moderate alone; high when several combine
Related features
Expanding, stacked and sticky wilds
What wild reels are in slots
A wild symbol stands in for paying symbols to complete wins. A wild reel is the extreme version: every position on one reel is wild for that spin. On a 3-row reel that's three wilds in a column; on a Megaways reel it can be up to seven.
'Wild reels' describes the result, not one mechanic. The column can fill because a wild expanded, because a full stack landed, or because a feature painted the reel wild. Our slot features hub lists each route as its own feature; this page looks at what a fully wild reel does to the maths, whichever way it arrived.
A tall block of wilds on the reel strip lands covering the whole reel
That spin
Many 243-ways games
Random wild reels feature
A feature picks one or more reels and turns them wild
That spin
Thunderstruck II's Wildstorm
Wild reels in free spins
Reels become wild through expansion or a locked setting during a bonus
One spin or the rest of the round
Wanted Dead or a Wild's VS symbols
Wild reels maths on a 243-ways slot
On a 5×3 243-ways slot a win's number of ways is the count of the symbol on each reel multiplied together. Each fully wild reel counts as three of every symbol. Take a symbol that appears once on reel 1 and nowhere else.
Ways for one symbol on reel 1 as reels turn wild
Wild reels
Calculation
Result
None (symbol also once on reels 2 and 3)
1 × 1 × 1
1 way of three
Reel 2
1 × 3 × 1
3 ways of three
Reels 2 and 3
1 × 3 × 3
9 ways of three
Reels 2, 3 and 4
1 × 3 × 3 × 3
27 ways of four
Reels 2, 3 and 4, plus the symbol once on reel 5
1 × 3 × 3 × 3 × 1
27 ways of five
The jump is multiplicative, and it applies to every symbol on reel 1 at the same time. With reels 2 and 3 wild, all three symbols on reel 1 win at least nine ways each. That's why a slot such as Thunderstruck II, which uses 243 ways, can produce a large result from a feature that 'only' changes a few reels.
Wild reels on a payline slot: a worked example
On a payline slot the effect is different but just as strong. Take a 5×3 game with 10 lines and a £1 stake (10p a line). If reels 2, 3 and 4 are all wild, every line runs from a symbol on reel 1 through three wilds, so every line pays at least four of a kind of its reel-1 symbol.
Using an illustrative paytable where the lowest symbol pays 5× the line bet for four of a kind, the screen is worth at least 10 lines × 5 × 10p = £5, five times the stake, before counting any line where reel 5 also matches. If reel 1 shows high-paying symbols, the figure climbs quickly. Real paytables differ; the paytable for each game sets the values.
Why the position of a wild reel matters
Most slots pay left to right from reel 1, so a wild reel 1 helps only if reels 2 and 3 have matching symbols, while a wild reel 3 sits in the middle of every possible three, four and five-of-a-kind. Middle reels add the most value. Many games therefore only allow wilds on reels 2, 3 and 4; Starburst is the best-known example. Win both ways games change the picture by paying from reel 5 as well.
Wild reels slots you may know
Figures come from our slot facts records. Some operators run lower RTP versions; the help screen shows which one you're playing.
Starburst shows that wild reels don't have to mean high risk: its expanding wilds come often, pay modestly and keep the game in the low-volatility bracket. The volatility rises when wild reels come with multipliers, as in Wanted Dead or a Wild, or when several reels can turn wild at once, as in Thunderstruck II's Wildstorm. In every case the feature is already part of the game's RTP; it changes how wins are spread, not the long-run return.
Wild reels slots: max win at UK stake limits
Online slot stakes in Great Britain are capped at £5 per spin for players aged 25 and over and £2 for those aged 18–24. The published maximums convert as follows; these are ceilings, not targets.
Published max win in pounds
Slot (max win)
10p
£1
£2
£5
Starburst (500×)
£50
£500
£1,000
£2,500
Thunderstruck II (8,000×)
£800
£8,000
£16,000
£40,000
Fist of Destruction (10,000×)
£1,000
£10,000
£20,000
£50,000
Wanted Dead or a Wild (12,500×)
£1,250
£12,500
£25,000
£62,500
Trillionaire Megaways (35,841×)
£3,584.10
£35,841
£71,682
£179,205
For a sense of everyday cost: at Starburst's 96.09% RTP, 100 spins at 10p is £10 staked with an average long-run cost of about 39p, and 100 spins at £1 is £100 staked and about £3.91.
Wild reel myths
'Two wild reels on the last spin means more are coming.' Wild reels are random each spin; there's no build-up.
'Playing more lines gives more wild reels.' Wild reels land at the same rate; on most modern games lines are fixed anyway. See should you play max lines?
'A wild reel next to a near miss was meant to win.' The screen was settled before the reels stopped.
Wild reels on fruit machines and land-based slots
Video-reel games on Category B machines in casinos, bookmakers and bingo halls often use the same wild reel ideas as online slots. Classic pub fruit machines lean instead on holds, nudges and feature boards. Every land-based machine is bound by its category: a pub's Category C machine takes at most £1 a play for a £100 top prize and is for adults only. The UK slot machine categories page lists each limit.
Checking wild reel rules and UK game design limits
Open the paytable and find the wild symbol section.
Note which reels wilds can land on and whether they expand or stack.
Look for random wild reel features and when they can trigger.
Check whether wild reels carry multipliers or stay for respins.
Confirm the max win and the RTP of the version you're playing.
Online slots in Great Britain have, since 31 October 2021, had no autoplay, no turbo or slam-stop, a minimum of 2.5 seconds per spin and no celebrating returns that don't exceed the stake, as the Gambling Commission's 2021 game design announcement (opens in a new tab) explains. UK versions don't offer a bonus buy.
Where to play wild reels slots in the UK
None of our partner offers is linked to a wild reels game, and lobbies are updated often, so search for titles such as Starburst by name. The three welcome offers below need you to be a new customer aged 18 or over, and terms apply.
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Coral and Ladbrokes are both operated by LC International Limited (Entain), so check whether you can hold new accounts at both. If gambling stops feeling like entertainment, the NHS National Problem Gambling Clinic (opens in a new tab) and the National Gambling Helpline (0808 8020 133) offer free support.
Coral and Ladbrokes are both run by LC International Limited (Entain). If you already hold an account with one Entain brand, you may not be able to open a new account with another; check the terms before signing up.
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18+. Gambling should be entertainment that costs money, not a way to make it. Decide a budget before you play: plan a slot budget. Free, confidential help: National Gambling Helpline 0808 8020 133.
Frequently asked questions
What is a wild reel in slots?
A wild reel is a reel on which every position is wild for that spin, so the whole column substitutes for any paying symbol. It can happen because a wild expands, a full stack of wilds lands, a random feature turns the reel wild, or a free spins rule makes it wild. On ways-to-win slots, a wild reel multiplies the ways for every symbol. Our wild symbols page explains how wilds work in general.
Is a wild reel the same as an expanding wild?
Not quite. An expanding wild is one way to get a wild reel: a single wild grows to fill its column. The term describes the result, which can also come from a full stack of wilds or a feature that turns a reel wild. Starburst's expanding wilds create wild reels and hold them for respins. See our expanding wilds page for that specific mechanic.
How do wild reels work on 243-ways slots?
On a 243-ways slot, a win's number of ways equals the count of a symbol on each reel multiplied together, and a wild reel counts as three of every symbol. So one wild reel triples the ways for every symbol, two wild reels multiply them by nine, and three by 27. That's why multiple wild reels can make almost every symbol on reel 1 pay at once. Our 243-ways slots page explains the counting.
Which slots have wild reels?
Well-known examples include Starburst, whose expanding wilds on reels 2 to 4 fill their reels and hold for respins; Thunderstruck II, whose Wildstorm feature can turn several reels fully wild; Wanted Dead or a Wild, where VS symbols expand into wild reels with multipliers; and newer games such as Fist of Destruction and Trillionaire Megaways with expanding wilds. Availability varies by casino. See our Starburst page.
Why can wilds only appear on reels 2, 3 and 4 in some slots?
Restricting wilds to the middle reels is a design choice that controls the game's maths. On left-to-right slots, middle reels sit inside every three, four and five-of-a-kind, so wilds there are the most useful. Keeping them off reels 1 and 5 stops them forming wins on their own and keeps the payout within the planned RTP. Starburst is the best-known example. Our paylines guide explains left-to-right wins.
Do wild reels make a slot high volatility?
Not necessarily. Starburst's wild reels are frequent and modest, and it's rated low volatility. Volatility rises when wild reels come with multipliers or when several reels can turn wild at the same time, because those combinations are rare and pay much more. The feature is always part of the published RTP. Our guide to low-volatility slot machines covers games at the calmer end.
What is the biggest win possible on a wild reels slot in the UK?
The ceiling is the slot's published max win times your stake, and UK online stakes are capped at £5 a spin for players aged 25 and over and £2 for those aged 18 to 24. For example, Wanted Dead or a Wild's 12,500× maximum is £62,500 at £5 and £25,000 at £2, while Starburst's 500× maximum is £2,500 at £5. Very few spins reach these figures. See what slot has the biggest max win?
Can a random wild reels feature be predicted?
No. Random features such as wild reels are decided by the RNG for each spin, independently of earlier spins, your losses or how long you've played. There is no pattern to track and no 'warm-up' period. Claims online that a feature is due after a certain number of spins don't hold up. Our page on do slot machines have patterns? explains why.
Do pub fruit machines have wild reels?
Classic pub fruit machines mostly use holds, nudges and a feature board rather than wild reels, though video content on Category B machines in bookmakers, bingo halls and casinos often borrows online-style wild features. A pub machine is normally Category C, with a £1 maximum stake and £100 top prize, and only adults aged 18 or over can play. Our pub fruit machine guide explains how those machines work.
Are wild reels slots good for a small budget?
Some are. Games like Starburst, where wild reels are frequent and modest, give steadier results and suit a small stake. Slots whose wild reels carry big multipliers swing much more and can use up a small budget quickly. Whatever you play, set a limit first and treat the money as the cost of entertainment. Our guide to the best slots for small budgets explains what to look for.
Gambling can be addictive. Free, confidential help is available 24 hours a day from the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133. Visit GamCare.org.uk and GamCare, or block yourself from all UK-licensed gambling sites with GAMSTOP.
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