Wanted Dead or a Wild — Hacksaw's Gritty 12,500× Gunfight

Hacksaw Gaming · Released September 2021 · Last updated: May 2026 Update
May 2026 Update: RTP confirmed at 96.38% on major operators. All three bonus rounds tested. DuelReels mechanic verified. Bonus Buy pricing unchanged at 80×/200×/400×.

Wanted Dead or a Wild is a 5×5 grid slot with 15 fixed paylines and a max win capped at 12,500× your bet. The game runs on Hacksaw Gaming's DuelReels mechanic — VS symbols expand to cover entire reels and apply multipliers from 2× up to 100×. If multiple VS symbols land, their multipliers are added together before being applied to payline wins. The base game is dry. Hit rate sits at 19.36% — roughly one win every five spins — but most of those are sub-1× returns. The real payouts hide inside three distinct bonus rounds, each with a different volatility profile and separate RTP. You can trigger them through scatter symbols or buy them outright. RTP defaults to 96.38%, but operators can adjust it down to 94.55%, 92.33%, or 88.42%. Check the game info panel before committing real money — the difference between the top and bottom settings is 7.96 percentage points, which is enormous over any reasonable session length.

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Three Bonus Rounds — Pick Your Risk

The Great Train Robbery

80× · Medium

10 free spins with sticky wilds that lock in place for the entire round. Every wild that lands stays put, gradually filling the grid. The safest of the three bonus rounds — you won't walk away empty-handed as often, but the ceiling is lower.

Duel at Dawn

200× · Very High

10 free spins loaded with additional VS symbols. When they land, entire reels turn wild with multipliers from 2× to 100×. Multiple VS symbols on the same spin means their multipliers stack. This is your best shot at the 12,500× max win — and your best shot at walking away with nothing.

Dead Man's Hand

400× · High

A two-phase bonus. First: a collect phase with 3 respins where you gather wilds (up to 20) and multipliers (up to ×31). Every collect resets your respins to 3. Then comes the showdown — 3 spins where all collected wilds are placed on the grid and every win is multiplied. The most complex feature and often the most rewarding.

VS Symbol / DuelReels

The base game wildcard. When a VS symbol lands as part of a winning combo, it expands across the entire reel. Two outlaws appear with different multipliers and duel — the winner's multiplier applies to the whole reel. Values range from 2× to 100×. If VS symbols cover all 5 reels, the entire grid becomes wild.

How to Play Wanted Dead or a Wild

Set your bet

Use the up/down arrows next to the bet display. Range is €0.20 to €100 per spin. All 15 paylines are always active — you can't deselect them.

Check the RTP version

Open the game info panel (menu icon → Game Info). Look for the RTP value. If it shows 94.55% or lower instead of 96.38%, you're on a reduced version. Switch casinos.

Spin or buy a bonus

Hit the spin button for base game play, or tap Buy Bonus to skip straight to one of three bonus rounds: Train Robbery (80×), Duel at Dawn (200×), or Dead Man's Hand (400×).

Watch for VS symbols

VS symbols expand into full-reel wilds with multipliers up to 100×. They trigger in the base game and during Duel at Dawn free spins.

Collect your winnings

The max win is 12,500× your bet. If this cap is hit during any feature, the round ends immediately and the full amount is awarded.

Facts About Wanted Dead or a Wild

Wanted Dead or a Wild was the first Hacksaw Gaming slot to use the DuelReels mechanic. It launched on September 29, 2021, and became one of the studio's most-played releases within months.
If VS symbols land on all 5 reels simultaneously, the entire 5×5 grid — all 25 positions — becomes wild. This is the single rarest event in the game and the most direct path to a max win.
The Dead Man's Hand collect phase can stack up to 20 wilds and a ×31 total multiplier. During the 3-spin showdown, all 20 wilds are placed on the grid each spin, creating a near-guaranteed wall of winning combinations.
At the minimum bet of €0.20, the 12,500× max win pays €2,500. At the maximum bet of €100, it pays €1,250,000 — though Hacksaw Gaming has noted the max win is capped and the round ends immediately when it's reached.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I play Wanted Dead or a Wild for free?
Yes. Most online casinos offer a demo mode with virtual credits. The demo uses the same RTP and mechanics as the real-money version — the only difference is you can't withdraw winnings.
Why does my casino show a different RTP than 96.38%?
Operators choose from four RTP settings: 96.38%, 94.55%, 92.33%, or 88.42%. Check the game info panel inside the slot. If the number is below 96.38%, your casino is running a reduced version.
Which bonus round has the best chance of hitting the max win?
Duel at Dawn. It loads extra VS symbols onto the reels, and each one can apply multipliers up to 100×. If VS symbols land on all 5 reels, the grid becomes entirely wild — that's the max win scenario. The tradeoff: most Duel at Dawn rounds pay very little.
Is the Bonus Buy feature available in all countries?
No. UK players cannot access Bonus Buy due to regulatory restrictions. Players in other jurisdictions should check their casino's terms. The game itself works everywhere — only the buy-in option is restricted.
What happens when the 12,500× max win is reached?
The current bonus round or base game round ends immediately. The full 12,500× amount is credited to your balance. You're returned to the base game. No additional spins from the interrupted feature are played.
How often does the bonus trigger naturally?
There are three separate scatter types, each triggering its own bonus. Natural trigger rates aren't published by Hacksaw, but the base game hit rate of 19.36% covers all wins including small symbol matches. Bonus triggers are significantly rarer — expect several hundred spins between organic bonus entries.
Does buying the bonus change the RTP?
Slightly. Each bonus round has its own Buy RTP: Train Robbery 96.27%, Duel at Dawn 96.33%, Dead Man's Hand 96.43%. These are all close to the base game RTP of 96.38%. The differences are negligible for individual sessions.

Wanted Dead or a Wild — Hacksaw's Gritty 12,500× Gunfight

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