Most players that go for video slots may soon realize that the best way to hit a good jackpot is by entering the bonus round. During the bonus round the player has to participate in a random mini-game or apply their skill in some challenge to get coins. Most of the times, after the bonus round is completed, the player ends up with a substantial jackpot that becomes profit or at least recovered losses.
Today while playing a video slot game called Moonlight Mystery I had a revelation. I noticed that I don’t do great always on bonus rounds. I’ve been getting my winnings from another feature of the video slot. I get it with the expanding wild icons, especially during free spins.
What is an expanding wild? Video slots sometimes provide a scatter icon that can be substituted for any other icon. When appearing it is easier to complete winning combinations. This icon besides providing this advantage also multiply winnings if appears more than once in a winning spin. But we still haven’t seen what the ‘expanding’ part is all about. Most video slots will provide a set of free spins. Normally the minimum set is of 10 spins while the maximum can go all the way up to 100. During the free spins the expanding wilds do just that, expand. They expand to fill out the whole reel turning it into the most fitting combination of icons that will supply the highest jackpot possible. So, imagining getting two or three expanding wilds in a row, every single betting line gets a win. Then, add to this that all Free Spin wins are multiplied by 2,3 or 5 times. You’ve got truly a big jackpot.
This was the case today when I was playing Moonlight Mystery (for fun) at $50 a spin. During a free spin I receive 3 expanding wilds in the first 3 reels and landed nothing less than a $12,000 jackpot just like that.
Are bonus rounds overrated? Perhaps not but they should not be considered the only possible way to win at online video slots.
