Online slots are one of the most incredible invention known to man. These glitzy pieces of Eden usually sport the lushest eye-candy your eyes will ever get treated to, creative icons that sometimes come in a 3D format, potentially massive wins and more themes than there are stars in the heavens!
Online slots have been around for some decades and are easily one of the most popular and profitable means of gambling on the globe, both for bettors and the slot operators. And this state of affairs does not look about to change anytime soon.
Now, slots might vary in the features offered and the theme, but usually come with some standard icons like wilds and scatter. The scatter usually triggers the bonus features. The wild, on the other hand, has a more expansive role as it can replace every other icon bar the scatter, multiply the win values and even trigger bonuses too.
Role of Wilds in Online Slots
Wilds come in different formats, with one of these being descriptively known as the Expanding Wilds. Expanding wilds just as the name says expands across entire reels, thereby totally enhancing the probability of forming wins.
This expanding action is very much popular among players of online slots, with slot developers even proudly touting the expanding features of the wilds found in their slots, as a means of persuading bettors to spin them up rather than those of the competition.
Expanding Icons- A Detailed Overview
On most online slots with reels, players lay bets, spin the provided reels and hope to land a winning combo. Wins are normally formed in video slots when a certain number of identical icons appear on the activated paylines in a predetermined direction.
Slots with expanding icons, however, come with an added feature. That is, the icons from the freshly formed winning combos speedily grow and expand across one, multiple or all the provided reels, thereby boosting the possibility that wins will be formed.
In some slots, expanding icons can be triggered at any time during gameplay. Others, however, restrict them to special occasions like bonus rounds and the like.
Usually, expanding icons are wilds. They can, however, be formed from any icon featured in an online slot.
Wilds are of course special icons that take the place of other icons when forming wins. In some online slots, the expanding icons -made up of wilds or other icons- also come with multiplier wins that boost the captured prizes.
When triggered, the expanding icon in some online slots might lead players into a featured bonus round. Alternatively, it might be exclusively reserved for playing with during the bonus feature.
Due to their varied features, expanding icons are beloved by players of all stripes and colours. Therefore, to keep on the good sides of players and make a name for themselves, most operators try to offer multiple slots that have the feature. And this is set to continue as long as expanding icons keep on expanding and thrilling players with wins!