Expanding symbol: what it means in slots
An expanding symbol grows to cover its entire reel, turning a single symbol into a full stack.
By Ryan Jessop. Updated .
Key takeaways
- Grows to fill the whole reel.
- Can be a wild or a regular symbol.
- Book of Dead: one special symbol expands in free spins.
- Makes big wins possible from few symbols.
Example: Book of Dead
Before Book of Dead’s 10 free spins start, one symbol is chosen at random as the special expanding symbol. When enough land, they expand over their reels and pay on all lines, even if not adjacent. The explorer symbol expanding across all five reels is behind its 5,000x maximum win.
Expanding wilds
Starburst’s wilds expand across reels 2, 3 and 4 and trigger respins.
Effect on volatility
Expanding symbols concentrate value into rare outcomes, which is why games like Book of Dead are high volatility.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the expanding symbol in Book of Dead?
A symbol chosen at random before free spins start.
Do expanding symbols need to be adjacent?
In Book of Dead’s free spins, no; they pay on all lines.
Is an expanding wild the same?
It is a wild version of the same idea.