xWays and xNudge explained

What xWays and xNudge actually do

Nolimit City builds most of its slots around a family of branded modifiers whose names start with an x. Two of them do most of the heavy lifting in the studio's best-known games. xWays is a reveal symbol: it lands in one cell and then opens up into a small stack of identical paying symbols, so the reel it sits on suddenly holds more positions than it did a moment ago. xNudge is a wild: when it lands only partly in view, it slides up or down until it fills the reel, and each step it takes pushes its multiplier up by one.

Both mechanics sit inside an ordinary ways to win structure, where any matching symbol on adjacent reels from the left counts, rather than on fixed lines. That is why they matter so much: the number of ways on a spin is the number of positions on each reel multiplied together, so anything that adds positions to one reel multiplies the total. You can see the studio's wider catalogue on our Nolimit City studio page, and every other mechanic we cover is listed in the slot features hub.

Nolimit City is part of Evolution, which announced the deal in June 2022. Evolution also owns NetEnt, Red Tiger and Big Time Gaming.

How xWays works, step by step

The cleanest public description comes from coverage of Apocalypse Riders X, a bet365 slot built on Nolimit City mechanics: there, xWays reveals between two and four standard paytable symbols (opens in a new tab) in its place, so the ways to win rise for that spin. In Mental II the rule is slightly different. The Mental II studio showcase (opens in a new tab) says xWays reveals three symbols of the same kind and makes the reel taller, and if several xWays land together they all reveal the same symbol.

That last point matters. Because every xWays on the screen turns into the same symbol, two or three of them on different reels can line up into a long, many-way win in one go. One xWays on its own often shows a low symbol that pays little or nothing. The swing between those two outcomes is a big part of why these games are rated so volatile.

1. The reels stop and an xWays symbol occupies one cell on a reel.
2. The game picks a single paying symbol for all xWays on screen.
3. Each xWays opens into the stated number of copies of that symbol (two to four in Apocalypse Riders X, three in Mental II).
4. The reel's height grows to fit the extra symbols, so the ways count for that spin rises.
5. Wins are counted across the enlarged grid, then the reels return to normal for the next spin.

xWays maths: how many ways a reveal adds

The arithmetic is simple multiplication. San Quentin xWays starts on 5 reels of 3 rows, which is 3 × 3 × 3 × 3 × 3 = 243 ways. Mental starts on an uneven 3-2-3-2-3 layout, which gives 3 × 2 × 3 × 2 × 3 = 108 ways. When an xWays cell becomes several cells, you replace that reel's height in the sum. The table below works through examples on both layouts. It shows how the counting works rather than any particular game's exact rule, since reveal sizes vary.

More ways does not mean more money on its own. A win only pays if the same symbol runs across consecutive reels, and the size of the payout depends on the symbol and how many reels it covers. What xWays does is let one symbol appear several times on a reel, so each copy multiplies the number of winning combinations for that symbol. Three copies of a symbol on reel two and one on reels one and three gives 1 × 3 × 1 = 3 ways for that three-of-a-kind, instead of one.

How the xNudge wild builds its multiplier

An xNudge wild behaves like a normal wild symbol that substitutes for paying symbols, with one twist. If it lands with only part of its stack visible, it nudges until it covers the whole reel. The Apocalypse Riders X description says each cell it moves adds one to its multiplier. A wild that has to travel two cells to fill a three-row reel has therefore picked up two extra steps of multiplier by the time wins are counted.

Mental II adds two rules worth knowing. First, when more than one xNudge wild is part of a win, their multipliers combine into a single total. Second, if an xSplit symbol (covered on our split symbols page) hits an xNudge wild, that wild's multiplier goes up by one more. So in a single spin the multiplier can grow from the nudge, from a split, and from being added to a second wild's value.

The starting multiplier and how combined values apply are set by each game. The table assumes x1 and a simple total so you can follow the arithmetic; it is not a quote from any single game's paytable.

Slots that use xWays and xNudge

The table lists Nolimit City slots we review where our checked data names xWays, xNudge or a close relative. Figures are the default versions; several of these games are also supplied at lower RTPs, so check the figure in the game you open.

El Paso Gunfight is the clearest example of xNudge in a bonus round: its Drunken Gunfight spins combine jumping wilds with xNudge wilds that stay put, which our sticky wilds guide explains in more detail. For more studios that lean on reel-filling wilds, see expanding wilds.

xWays and xNudge RTP: what a £20 budget really buys

The mechanics are part of the maths, not extra value on top. The RTP a game publishes already counts every reveal, nudge and multiplier, so the long-run house edge is simply 100% minus the RTP. For San Quentin xWays at 96.03%, that edge is 3.97%. On average, every £1 staked returns about 96p, and the 3.97p gap is the price of play.

The average cost of staking £20 once is the same at every stake, about 79p. What changes is the spread. San Quentin xWays is rated extreme, and our slot volatility guide explains what that means: most of the return is concentrated in rare, large hits. At £1 a spin you get 20 tries at those hits; at 10p you get 200. On an extreme game, a £20 session most often ends well below £20, occasionally ends far above it, and rarely ends near the 79p average loss.

Lower-RTP versions cost more. San Quentin 2 at its 92.11% setting has a 7.89% edge, so £20 staked costs about £1.58 on average, roughly double the default. That is why we always say to read the RTP in the game's info panel before you play, and our page on why RTPs differ between casinos explains how that happens.

Max wins on xWays slots in context

Headline figures such as 150,000x for San Quentin xWays or 500,000x for Tombstone Slaughter are caps, not targets. A cap is the most a single game round can pay, and on these titles it usually needs several mechanics to line up at once: many xWays on one spin all revealing a top symbol, plus high multipliers in a bonus. Our explainer on what a slot's max win means covers why caps tell you about the shape of the game rather than your chances.

Nolimit City does not publish how often those top outcomes occur, and we don't quote third-party estimates. Treat the cap as a sign of how lopsided the payout spread is, then size your stake to your budget, not the cap.

Common xWays and xNudge myths

• Myth: more ways means a higher RTP. The return is fixed by the game's design. Extra ways on one spin are balanced by spins that pay little.
• Myth: an xNudge that just paid is due to appear again. Each spin is independent. The random number generator has no memory of the last result.
• Myth: higher stakes trigger more xWays. Stake size scales wins, not the frequency of symbols, unless the game openly offers a paid option that says otherwise.
• Myth: you can time the reveal. The outcome is set when the spin is resolved; the reveal animation only shows it.

Our wider slot myths page tackles patterns, hot machines and timing in more depth.

UK rules that apply to xWays and xNudge slots

Nolimit City games on British sites follow the same rules as every other online slot. The online slots stake limit guidance (opens in a new tab) caps stakes at £5 a spin for players aged 25 and over (from 9 April 2025) and £2 for those aged 18 to 24 (from 21 May 2025); see our slot stake limits page.

Under the Commission's responsible product design standard (RTS 14) (opens in a new tab), each slot spin must take at least 2.5 seconds, turbo and slam-stop are not allowed, and a return equal to or below your stake must not be celebrated. Autoplay has been banned on slots since 31 October 2021, as our autoplay ban guide explains.

Nolimit City versions sold elsewhere may show bonus-buy buttons. Since a Gambling Commission warning in January 2020, feature buy-ins are not offered to British players; our feature buy rules page has the background. Some newer titles, such as xWays Hoarder 2, describe an xBet option that raises the chance of triggering features. Check the British version's help screen to see whether it is offered and what it adds to your stake.

How to check xWays and xNudge rules in any game

1. Open the game's info or paytable screen before your first spin.
2. Find the RTP figure and compare it with the default listed above.
3. Read how many symbols xWays reveals and whether multiple xWays share one symbol.
4. Check the xNudge starting multiplier and whether multipliers add together in a win.
5. Note the maximum win cap and the volatility rating.
6. Set a deposit limit, then pick a stake that gives you enough spins for the session you want.

If you want help setting limits, our guide to deposit limits walks through the options every UK-licensed casino must offer.

Where to play xWays and xNudge slots in the UK

Our partner offers are slot offers, but they are tied to particular games, not to Nolimit City titles. For xWays and xNudge games, check each casino's game lobby for the slots you want. 18+ and terms apply to every offer below.

• PlayOJO: 80 free spins on Big Bass Bonanza when a new UK customer (excluding Northern Ireland) makes a first deposit of at least £10. Spins are worth 10p each, with no wagering, so winnings are paid in cash. It can't be combined with other offers. See our PlayOJO review.
• Coral: bet £10 on slots, get 100 free spins on selected games, worth 10p each. Accept within 48 hours and use within 7 days, with no wagering on winnings. Neteller, PayPal, Paysafe, Skrill, prepaid cards and certain debit cards don't qualify. The offer runs from 1 October 2026 to 1 February 2027. See our Coral review.
• Ladbrokes: play £10 on slots, get 50 free spins a day for 10 days (up to 500) on selected games, worth 10p each. Claim before 23:59 each day, use within 7 days, with no wagering. Prepaid cards, PayPal, Paysafe, Neteller, Skrill and Moneybookers deposits don't qualify. See our Ladbrokes review.

Coral and Ladbrokes are both run by LC International Limited, so you may not be able to open new accounts at both. Whatever you play, the house edge means losing is the likely outcome over time; treat it as paid entertainment.

18+. Every casino game has a built-in house edge, so over time you should expect to lose what you stake. Set a budget before you play and stop when it’s gone: safer gambling tools and support. Free, confidential help: National Gambling Helpline 0808 8020 133.