Sticky wild meaning
A sticky wild is a wild symbol that stays locked in its position for more than one spin, usually for a set number of spins or until a free spins round ends. Each new spin starts with that wild already in place, so its value builds over time rather than being used up in a single result.
By the Best Slots UK team. Last checked .
Key takeaways
- Sticky wilds stay put for several spins, a respin sequence or a whole feature.
- Value builds as more wilds stick, so timing matters: early sticks are worth more.
- They are most common in free spins rounds and are a hallmark of high-volatility games.
- Sticky wilds have nothing to do with a sticky bonus, which is a type of casino offer.
- Behaviour
- Stays in place across spins
- Usually lasts
- Until the feature or respins end
- Most common in
- Free spins rounds
- Often carries
- A multiplier
- Well-known example
- Dead or Alive (NetEnt)
What a sticky wild is
Every wild symbol substitutes for regular symbols. What makes a wild sticky is time. Instead of disappearing when the reels spin again, it is held in place, and the rest of the grid spins around it. Any line passing through that position benefits on every remaining spin.
Sticky wilds appear most often inside a free spins feature, where the developer can control exactly how many spins they last. Some slots also use them in the base game, typically holding a wild for one or two respins after it lands.
How long a sticky wild lasts
Not all sticky wilds stay for the same length of time. The rules screen will describe one of these patterns.
| Duration type | How it works | Where you see it |
|---|---|---|
| Respin sticky | Held for one or more respins, then released | Base game features |
| Counted spins | Stays for a set number of spins, often shown as a counter | Base game and features |
| Feature-long | Stays until the free spins round ends | Free spins rounds |
| Win-linked | Stays until it forms part of a win, then clears | Some modern video slots |
Feature-long sticky wilds are the most powerful, because a wild that lands on the first free spin keeps working for the whole round.
A sticky wild round, spin by spin
The example below is illustrative rather than taken from one game. It shows a 10-spin free spins round on a 5×3, 10-line slot at a 20p stake, with wilds sticking for the rest of the round.
| Free spin | New sticky wild | Wilds held | What it means |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | – | 0 | Plain spin |
| 2 | Reel 3, middle row | 1 | Several lines now start with a wild in the centre |
| 3–5 | – | 1 | Three spins with a head start |
| 6 | Reel 2, top row | 2 | More lines carry a wild |
| 7–10 | – | 2 | Four spins with two wilds held |
The wild that stuck on spin 2 worked across nine spins; the one on spin 6 across five. Had both landed on spin 9, they would have affected only two spins. That is why sticky wild rounds produce such different results from one trigger to the next, and why they push a game’s volatility upwards.
Sticky wild slots you may recognise
NetEnt’s Dead or Alive is the classic example: wilds that land during its free spins stick for the rest of the round. Its sequel Dead or Alive 2 offers a choice of free spins modes built around sticky wilds with different multiplier rules. Pragmatic Play’s Wild West Gold pairs sticky wilds with multipliers in its free spins, and Push Gaming’s Jammin’ Jars uses a jar wild that stays on the grid and moves during a cascade sequence.
| Slot | Developer | RTP | Volatility | Max win |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dead or Alive | NetEnt | 96.82% (highest version) | High | Not listed |
| Dead or Alive 2 | NetEnt | 96.82% | High | 111,111x |
| Wild West Gold | Pragmatic Play | 96.51% | High | Not listed |
| Jammin’ Jars | Push Gaming | 96.83% | High | 20,000x |
Every game in the table is rated high volatility, which fits the pattern above: most sticky wild rounds are modest, and a few, where several wilds stick early, produce most of the large returns. More are listed on our sticky wild slots page.
Sticky wild vs sticky bonus: two different things
The word “sticky” turns up in two unrelated places. One is a reel feature. A sticky bonus is a type of casino bonus where the bonus funds can be played with but never withdrawn, only the winnings made from them. If you see “sticky” in a promotion’s terms, it refers to the bonus money, not to anything on the reels.
Sticky wild features and UK slot rules
In Great Britain, feature buys are not available, so you cannot pay to jump straight into a sticky wild free spins round; see bonus buy for the background. You reach the feature only by landing the trigger symbols. Each spin in the round still runs at the regulated minimum pace, and stakes stay within the £5 per spin cap for players aged 25 and over, or £2 for those aged 18 to 24.
Related moving wilds, where the wild shifts position instead of staying put, are covered under the walking wild entry.
18+. Gambling should be entertainment that costs money, not a way to make it. Set a deposit limit before you play: how to set limits. Free, confidential help: National Gambling Helpline 0808 8020 133.
Frequently asked questions
What is a sticky wild on a slot?
A sticky wild is a wild symbol that stays locked in place for more than one spin. While it is held, the other reels keep spinning around it, and it substitutes for regular symbols on every spin that follows. Sticky wilds usually last until a free spins round ends or until a set number of respins is used up. They build value across a feature, so a wild that sticks early is worth more than one that lands near the end. A different reel-filling feature is described in our expanding wild entry.
How long do sticky wilds stay on the reels?
It depends on the game. Some sticky wilds last for one or two respins in the base game, some for a counted number of spins, and many for the whole of a free spins round. A few clear as soon as they form part of a win. The paytable or rules screen states the duration, and games with counted spins often show a small number on the wild itself. Feature-long sticky wilds have the greatest effect, because they keep working for every remaining spin once they land. Our retrigger entry explains how extra spins can extend that.
Are sticky wild slots high volatility?
Most are, because their value depends heavily on timing. If several wilds stick early in a free spins round, the remaining spins can produce large results; if they arrive late or not at all, the round may pay very little. That spread of outcomes is what volatility measures. Games such as Dead or Alive and Wild West Gold are rated high volatility for this reason. Expect long quiet spells and accept that losses are likely over time. Our guide to playing high volatility slots covers budgeting for that pattern.
Do sticky wilds have multipliers?
Some do. Many slots attach a multiplier to sticky wilds, so any win they help form is multiplied as well as completed. In some games the multiplier is fixed, such as 2x; in others it varies from wild to wild or grows the longer the wild stays. Where two multiplier wilds sit on the same line, the game will either add or multiply their values, and the rules screen says which. Because each sticky wild affects many spins, a multiplier on one can be valuable. See our multiplier entry for the different types.
What is the difference between Dead or Alive and Dead or Alive 2 sticky wilds?
Both use sticky wilds in free spins, but the sequel adds choice and more multiplier mechanics. The original Dead or Alive holds every wild that lands during its free spins round for the rest of the feature. Dead or Alive 2 offers several free spins modes, each with sticky wilds working under different multiplier rules, and it carries a much higher published max win of 111,111x. Both are rated high volatility. Our side-by-side Dead or Alive 2 vs Wanted Dead or a Wild comparison looks at the sequel against a similar western-themed game.
Should I change my stake for sticky wild free spins?
No. Free spins rounds are played at the stake that triggered them, and changing your stake does not make a sticky wild feature more or less likely to arrive. The trigger is decided by the random number generator on each spin, so there is no point at which a feature is due. The sensible approach is to choose a stake that fits your session budget before you start and keep it there. UK limits cap stakes at £5 per spin for over-25s and £2 for 18 to 24s. Our slots budget guide shows how to set one.