Wanted Dead or a Wild slot

Wanted Dead or a Wild slot: the numbers

Wanted Dead or a Wild comes from Hacksaw Gaming, whose other games on our site include Chaos Crew and 2 Wild 2 Die. The layout is a 5x5 grid with 15 fixed paylines, which is a small number of lines for 25 positions. That design puts a lot of weight on wilds to make wins happen.

Our checked data doesn’t record a release date, so we’ve left it out. The OLBG Wanted Dead or a Wild review (opens in a new tab) and slotcatalog’s listing (opens in a new tab) describe the same set of features.

How the features work in Wanted Dead or a Wild

VS symbols and expanding wilds

VS symbols are the heart of the game. When a VS symbol lands as part of a winning line, it expands to cover its whole reel and becomes a wild. That wild carries a random multiplier somewhere between 2x and 100x. If more than one VS wild is involved, their multipliers are added together.

The Great Train Robbery

Three or more of this round’s scatters give 10 free spins with sticky wilds, so wilds that land stay put for the remaining spins.

Duel at Dawn

Three or more of its own scatters give 10 free spins with more VS symbols than usual, so more chances for expanding multiplier wilds.

Dead Man’s Hand

This round works differently. Wilds and multipliers are collected over a series of respins, then applied in a final three-spin showdown. The build-up stage decides what you take into those last three spins.

Our checked data doesn’t list the respin rules, the collection limits or how often each bonus appears, and we don’t quote trigger rates from third-party listings. The game’s help screen sets out the full rules.

VS wild multipliers: adding, not multiplying

Players often assume two multipliers multiply each other. In this game they add, and the difference is large. Here’s a worked example on a 50p stake where the base line win would be worth £1 without any multiplier.

The ‘multiplied’ column is there only to show what the game does not do. Adding keeps results within a range the RTP can support, which is part of how the developer reaches a 12,500x cap rather than something far larger. When you see a screen with several VS wilds, add the numbers to estimate the effect.

The three Wanted Dead or a Wild bonus rounds compared

Each round uses its own scatter symbol, so you can’t choose between them; the scatters that land decide which round you get. Sticky wilds reward a round that builds slowly, extra VS symbols put more weight on individual big multipliers, and Dead Man’s Hand concentrates everything into three spins. All three are already priced into the 96.38% RTP.

Wanted Dead or a Wild RTP and a £20 session

A 96.38% RTP means the average cost is 3.62% of your total stakes. High volatility means short sessions will rarely sit close to that average: most will lose more than it, and a few will do much better.

With three bonuses that each need their own scatters and a base game built around VS wilds, this game can go many spins with little return. At £1 a spin, 20 spins is a very short window. At 10p, 200 spins gives far more time for features to appear, though a session without a bonus is normal. The max win column is a rare ceiling, not a guide to what a session will return. Plan using cost per hour rather than the headline prize.

Wanted Dead or a Wild in the UK: no bonus buy

Hacksaw games are often sold elsewhere with options to pay for a bonus directly. On British sites that option isn’t there. Since a Gambling Commission warning in January 2020, feature buy-ins are not offered to British players; the Commission said they risked breaching its standards on game rules and on chasing losses. You can read its games warning for online operators (opens in a new tab), and our feature buy page explains the background.

Other UK rules apply as for any online slot: a £5 stake cap for players aged 25 and over and £2 for 18 to 24 year olds, at least 2.5 seconds per spin, no autoplay or turbo, and on-screen totals for net spend and time. See our slot stake limits and game design rules pages.

How to play Wanted Dead or a Wild

1. Read the help screen for the RTP version, the VS wild rules and each bonus round’s scatter.
2. Set a deposit limit and a session time before you start.
3. Choose a stake within the UK cap for your age; a smaller stake stretches a high-volatility budget.
4. Spin; wins pay on the 15 lines, and any VS symbol in a win expands into a multiplier wild.
5. Add up the multipliers of any VS wilds in a win to see the total applied.
6. When three or more of a bonus scatter land, play out that round.
7. Stop when you reach your limit; no spin is ever ‘due’.

Wanted Dead or a Wild myths

• “A big multiplier is coming after a quiet run.” Each spin is independent; past spins don’t change the next. See can a slot be due a win.
• “Higher stakes improve the odds of a bonus.” The odds per spin are the same at any stake; only the pound value changes.
• “Multipliers stack into huge totals.” VS wild multipliers are added, and the game is capped at 12,500x.
• “High RTP means I’ll get most of my money back.” RTP is a long-run average across all players; one session can lose the whole budget.

Wanted Dead or a Wild review verdict

This game suits adults who want a feature-heavy, swingy slot and set firm limits. Lower-volatility options are listed in our slot reviews.

Slots similar to Wanted Dead or a Wild

For more frontier games see our western slots page and the Wanted series page.

Where to play Wanted Dead or a Wild

Check the casino’s lobby for this game, as we can’t confirm which partners list it. The offers below are slot welcome offers for new customers aged 18+; terms apply, and the spins are for other games.

• PlayOJO: 80 free spins on Big Bass Bonanza when you first deposit £10 or more, 10p each, with no wagering on winnings. UK customers only, excluding Northern Ireland.
• Coral: 100 free spins after you bet £10 on slots, 10p each on selected games, 48 hours to accept and 7 days to use, no wagering on winnings. Some payment methods, including e-wallets and prepaid cards, don’t qualify.
• Ladbrokes: up to 500 free spins after £10 of slot play, as 50 a day for 10 days at 10p each on selected games, claim daily by 23:59, valid for 7 days, no wagering.

Coral and Ladbrokes are run by the same company, so you may not be able to join both as a new customer. Help with gambling is free from the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133.

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.