Last updated: 13-06-2026
Saddle up for a shootout. Wanted Dead or a Wild is Hacksaw Gaming's gritty Wild West epic — scorched deserts, masked outlaws, and duels at dawn, all wrapped in a famously savage high-volatility math model. It's one of the studio's signature titles, built around expanding VS multiplier wilds and three explosive bonus rounds. Here's the honest rundown on how it plays at Class 777.
It's a high volatility pokie with a 96.38% RTP and a huge 12,500x max win — among the biggest ceilings in Hacksaw's lineup. The base game builds tension; the features let it explode. Below I'll cover the VS wilds, the bonus rounds (including the brutal Dead Man's Hand), how it compares, and how to play it sensibly.
Author's tip from Callum Fraser, Casino Editor & Player Experience Researcher: "This is a brutally high-vol game — it's designed for long void stretches punctuated by sudden payoff storms, and an RTP that operators can dial right down (some versions sit near 88%). Always check the version before you play. The 12,500x lives almost entirely in the bonuses, so keep your stake small enough to weather the dry runs, and never chase a feature with bigger bets when the desert's quiet."What is Wanted Dead or a Wild and how do the VS wilds work?
Wanted Dead or a Wild is a Hacksaw Gaming pokie on a 5-reel, 5-row grid with 15 fixed paylines. Its signature mechanic is the VS symbol: when one lands and helps form a win, it expands to cover the whole reel and turns wild. First, though, two gunslingers duel — awarding that wild a random multiplier from 2x to 100x. Land more than one VS in a win and the multipliers add together.
- Studio: Hacksaw Gaming — released September 2021.
- Grid: 5 reels, 5 rows, 15 fixed paylines.
- RTP: 96.38% default — lower versions exist (down to ~88%), so check the info screen at Class 777.
- Volatility: High (4/5).
- Max win: 12,500x your stake.
- VS wilds: expand a reel and carry 2x to 100x multipliers that add together.
- Bonuses: Great Train Robbery, Duel at Dawn, and Dead Man's Hand.
- Bet range: roughly $0.20 to $100 a spin.
Here's the VS duel mechanic — expand, duel, and add the multipliers:
Stacking VS multipliers is the quickest route to a big base-game hit — and the bonuses are built to land them in bunches. It's a similar idea to the expanding wilds in Zeus vs Hades, with a Wild West duel on top. The studio's Le Bandit offers a gentler change of pace.
What is Dead Man's Hand — and how does it compare?
Wanted has three bonus rounds — The Great Train Robbery (10 spins with sticky wilds), Duel at Dawn (10 spins with far more VS symbols), and the infamous Dead Man's Hand. Named after Wild Bill Hickok, it's a two-phase showdown and the highest-volatility feature of all. Here's how it flows:
The slow collect builds real anticipation before the showdown lets rip — it's where the biggest wins (and the toughest swings) live. Here's how Wanted Dead or a Wild sits next to a couple of other high-octane slots at Class 777:
| Metric | Wanted Dead or a Wild | Chaos Crew | Razor Shark | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | Hacksaw Gaming | Hacksaw Gaming | Push Gaming | All high-risk titles |
| RTP (standard) | 96.38% | 96.30% | 96.70% | All operator-configurable |
| Volatility | High | Very high | Very high | All swing hard |
| Max win | 12,500x | 10,000x | up to 50,000x | Razor Shark tops these |
| Signature | VS wilds + 3 bonuses | Multiplier collection | Mystery stacks + nudge | Three distinct thrills |
New to terms like volatility, RTP or expanding wilds? The glossary lays them out in plain English.
Author's tip from Callum Fraser, Casino Editor & Player Experience Researcher: "Wanted lets you buy any of the three bonuses, which is tempting because they're so hard to trigger naturally — but on a game this volatile, buys can burn through a balance in a hurry, and they don't beat the RTP. If you buy at all, do it occasionally with money set aside, and pick the bonus that suits your nerve: Train Robbery is the milder one, Dead Man's Hand the wildest. Decide your limit first."How do you start playing Wanted Dead or a Wild at Class 777?
A couple of minutes and the showdown's set:
- Open the Class 777 registration page and create your account with ID-matching details.
- Make a deposit — AUD methods like card, PayID and e-wallets usually clear in seconds.
- Grab a welcome bonus if it suits, and read the wagering terms first.
- Open Wanted Dead or a Wild, confirm which RTP version is running on the info screen, and set a small bet.
- Spin for VS symbols and the bonus triggers — the features carry this game.
- Set a deposit limit and a session timer in account settings first. 18+ only.
Every result runs on a certified random number generator — no strategy changes the odds, and no bonus is ever "due". Sign up at Class 777 and you're ready to roll.
Who is Wanted Dead or a Wild best for — and how do you play it responsibly?
This is one for experienced, thick-skinned players who love Westerns and chase huge multipliers, and who can stomach very long dry runs on a small stake. Prefer a gentler ride? The studio's Le Bandit is far calmer; for another West-flavoured game, Wolf Gold is steadier. For comparable extremes, Chaos Crew and Razor Shark deliver.
More to explore at Class 777: for big multipliers and tumbles there's Gates of Olympus, Sweet Bonanza, Zeus vs Hades and Sugar Rush; other favourites include Book of Dead, The Dog House, Big Bass Bonanza, Starburst and the jackpot giant Mega Moolah.
Whatever you choose, keep it in check. Pokies are entertainment, not income — the house edge never goes away, and a very-high-vol game can run cold for a very long stretch before the bonus lands. Set a budget you're genuinely fine to lose, use the deposit limits and reality checks at Class 777, and never chase a loss. If the fun stops, free confidential support is available through Gambling Help Online (1800 858 858), and BetStop, the national self-exclusion register, can block you from all licensed Australian operators at once. 18+ only.
Played with a small stake and a firm limit, Wanted Dead or a Wild is a bleak, brilliant, big-hitting Western — just enjoy the duel for the thrill, not the rent. Check the latest bonus at Class 777 and face the outlaws on your own terms.
Author's tip from Callum Fraser, Casino Editor & Player Experience Researcher: "Set your loss limit before the first spin — on a game this savage, it's the single most important thing you'll do. I put a deposit cap into the account settings at Class 777 the day I sign up — thirty seconds, and it makes the hard call for you when a long cold run tempts you to top up chasing the duel. The outlaws don't owe you a win; protect your bankroll."
