Wanted Dead or a Wild slot guide

Wanted Dead or a Wild slot overview

Wanted Dead or a Wild is the best-known game from Hacksaw Gaming, a studio that launched in September 2018 and is based in Malta. It is a western shoot-out built on a square 5×5 grid, with 15 fixed paylines rather than ways or clusters.

Its structure is unusual. Rather than one free spins round, it has three bonus rounds that behave very differently, and the base game has its own multiplier wild. That makes it worth understanding before you put money in.

How the features work

VS wilds in the base game

When a VS symbol lands as part of a winning line, it expands to cover its whole reel and becomes a wild with a random multiplier between 2x and 100x. If two or more VS wilds are involved, their multipliers are added together: a 10x and a 20x make 30x.

Three scatters, three bonuses

Each bonus round has its own scatter symbol, and three or more of that scatter on one spin starts the matching round. The table sets out how they differ.

How Dead Man's Hand plays out

1. Three or more Dead Man's Hand scatters land on a paid spin.
2. A run of respins collects wilds and multipliers.
3. When the collecting stage ends, the gathered wilds and multipliers are carried forward.
4. Three showdown spins are played with them in place.
5. The showdown wins are added to your balance.

Duel at Dawn leans on the VS mechanic, Great Train Robbery on sticky wilds, and Dead Man's Hand on building up before a short finale. The game's help screen in your app lists the exact symbol rules for each.

Wanted Dead or a Wild RTP in pounds

The published RTP of 96.38% means the game is designed to return £96.38 for every £100 staked across a very large number of spins. The remaining £3.62 is the house edge.

With high volatility, that return is concentrated in the bonus rounds and in VS wilds with large multipliers. Most paid spins return less than they cost. Here is what a fixed £20 looks like at three stakes.

The average cost is identical because it is 3.62% of £20 in each case. What changes is how many chances you have at one of three scatters before the money runs out. Re-staking winnings adds to the total put through the game, so real sessions often cost more than this simple figure.

Wanted Dead or a Wild on iPhone and Android

A 5×5 grid is square, which suits a phone held upright better than a wide six-reel layout, though the version your casino offers decides whether portrait is available. The game opens from a casino app's lobby as a browser-based game, with nothing extra to download.

Multiplier values on the VS wilds are small text on a busy screen, so it helps to know the rules before you start. The Dead Man's Hand stage also needs a stable connection, since it runs over several respins and showdown spins. Our guides to portrait and landscape mode and to what happens if your app crashes mid-game are useful background.

UK rules for the Wanted Dead or a Wild slot

The Gambling Commission's rules apply to this game on every UK-licensed app:

Since a Gambling Commission warning in January 2020, feature buy-ins are not offered to British players, which is why UK apps carry the version without bonus buys. The Commission's games warning to online operators (opens in a new tab) gives the background, and our page on game design rules explains the rest. The stake caps are in the Commission's online slots stake limit guidance (opens in a new tab).

Hacksaw Gaming and the VS idea

Hacksaw Gaming launched in September 2018 and is headquartered in Malta. Its parent, Hacksaw AB, has been listed on Nasdaq Stockholm since 25 June 2025, and it holds a Gambling Commission licence. The catalogue runs to more than 250 games, including slots, scratchcards and instant-win games.

The VS duel has become a recurring Hacksaw idea. Later games use a branded DuelReels feature, where a VS symbol in a win expands over the reel and two characters duel for its multiplier; World Casino Directory's report on Eternal Duel (opens in a new tab) describes one example from March 2026.

Slots like Wanted Dead or a Wild

Chaos Crew shares the 5×5 grid and 15 lines but multiplies wild multipliers together rather than adding them. Le Bandit is a calmer Hacksaw game, and Dead or Alive 2 is the classic western alternative. More games are in our slots hub.

Wanted Dead or a Wild review verdict

It suits players who like variety in their features and accept that most spins return little. Players wanting steadier play should look at a medium-volatility game such as Le Bandit.

Welcome offers if you play Wanted Dead or a Wild

We can't confirm which partner apps stock this Hacksaw game, and none of their offers is tied to it, so search the lobby first. These offers are for new customers aged 18+ and terms apply.

• PlayOJO: with a first deposit of at least £10, new UK customers outside Northern Ireland get 80 free spins at 10p on Big Bass Bonanza. Winnings are paid in cash with no wagering, and it can't be combined with other offers.
• Coral Casino: running 1 October 2026 to 1 February 2027, deposit and bet £10+ on slots to get 100 free spins at 10p each on selected games. Accept within 48 hours, play within 7 days, no wagering on winnings. Neteller, PayPal, Paysafe, Skrill, prepaid cards and certain debit cards don't qualify.
• Ladbrokes Casino: spend £10+ on slots after depositing for 50 free spins a day over 10 days, up to 500 at 10p on selected games. Claim by 23:59 each day and use within 7 days; no wagering. Prepaid cards, PayPal, Paysafe, Neteller, Skrill and Moneybookers deposits are excluded.

Coral and Ladbrokes are both operated by LC International Limited, so one person may not be able to open new accounts with each. Compare apps on our best casino apps for free spins page.

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.