Hacksaw Gaming has quietly built one of the best catalogues in modern slots, and Wanted Dead or a Wild is the title that put them on the map for serious high-volatility players. The Wild West setting is delivered with genuine character rather than generic stock imagery, and the mechanics — particularly the Duel bonus — give the game a layer of interactivity that most slots in this volatility bracket lack.
The Bonus Buy is central to how most UK players approach this game at offshore casinos. With buy options ranging from 80x to 400x your stake, there’s flexibility here that not every slot provides. Here’s the full breakdown.
Wanted Dead or a Wild Bonus Buy Overview
| Stat | Detail |
|---|---|
| Provider | Hacksaw Gaming |
| RTP | 96.38% |
| Volatility | High |
| Max Win | 12,500x stake |
| Bonus Buy Cost | 80x–400x stake |
| Min Bet | £0.20 |
| Max Bet | £100 |
Wanted Dead or a Wild runs on a 5×4 grid with 1,024 ways to win. The visual design is one of Hacksaw’s strongest — hand-drawn outlaw characters, a muted colour palette that gives the game atmosphere without being garish, and a soundtrack that sits in the background without becoming annoying after 30 minutes.
The 12,500x max win sits in the mid-range for high-volatility titles. It’s not the astronomical ceiling of Money Train or San Quentin, but it’s achievable with the right combination of wild multipliers during the free spins round, which makes it feel more attainable rather than theoretical.
Hacksaw’s Approach to Bonus Buys
Hacksaw Gaming is notably honest in their bonus buy implementation: the RTP of 96.38% applies to both standard play and all Bonus Buy tiers. There’s no penalty for using the feature, which is exactly how it should work but isn’t always the case across the industry.
How the Bonus Buy Works
The Two-Tier Buy System
80x stake — The base buy. You’re entering the free spins round with a standard spin count and no guarantees on wild multiplier positioning. The RNG determines your starting setup from this point. On a £1 spin this costs £80, making it one of the more accessible Bonus Buy price points in the high-volatility category.
400x stake — The premium buy. At five times the cost of the base option, this tier provides a more advantageous free spins start. Typically this means either a guaranteed minimum multiplier wild setup, a higher spin count, or specific wild symbol placements that increase your floor outcome. This is the buy used by players specifically targeting the game’s upper win range.
Free Spins Mechanics
The free spins round awards 15 spins at entry. During these spins, the game’s Wild symbols carry multiplier values — they substitute for all symbols and apply their multiplier to any win they contribute to. Multiple wilds on the same payline multiply their values together, which is the primary mechanism for reaching the game’s 12,500x ceiling.
The Duel Bonus Feature
This is what makes Wanted Dead or a Wild genuinely different. During free spins, the Wild Shootout symbol can appear and trigger a Duel sequence — an animated confrontation between your outlaw character and a bandit opponent. Win the Duel and your active wild multiplier is upgraded, applying directly to the current spin or the subsequent spins. It adds a moment of actual engagement to the bonus round, and the multiplier upgrades it produces can meaningfully shift the session outcome.
Retriggers are also in play during free spins: landing enough scatter symbols adds additional spins to your count and can re-activate a fresh Duel opportunity.
Bonus Buy vs Standard Play — Is It Worth It?
Session Efficiency
Wanted Dead or a Wild has a reasonably engaging base game by high-volatility standards, but the free spins feature is where almost all the value sits. The base game can run 50+ spins without triggering, and on those sessions, your bankroll gets eroded with very little return. The 80x buy eliminates this entirely and puts you straight into the value-dense portion of the game.
For players on a fixed session budget who want to play the bonus specifically, the Bonus Buy is the rational approach. You know exactly what you’re spending to get into the feature, and the 96.38% RTP applies from the moment you confirm the buy.
The 80x vs 400x Decision
Most players doing casual buy sessions use the 80x option. It’s accessible, allows multiple attempts within a reasonable bankroll, and the base free spins round is strong enough without a premium entry setup. The 400x buy makes sense when you’re specifically targeting the upper end — players with dedicated high-stakes bankrolls who want the best possible starting position.
Maximum Win Achievability
The 12,500x maximum requires multiple overlapping wild multipliers in a single win. This happens but isn’t a daily occurrence. The more realistic expectation for a strong bonus session is 100x–1,000x, with larger outliers possible but uncommon.
Where to Play Wanted Dead or a Wild with Bonus Buy Not on GamStop
UKGC-licensed casinos cannot offer the Bonus Buy feature under the Commission’s 2019 LCCP update, which banned what the UKGC categorised as “bonus buy” or “feature buy” mechanics across all licensed operators. This is an operator-level restriction, not a Hacksaw Gaming choice — the full feature exists in the game code, it’s simply disabled on any casino holding a UK licence.
Offshore non-GamStop casinos running under Curaçao, Malta, or Gibraltar licences are not subject to this ban and offer the feature in full.
BassWin carries the Hacksaw Gaming portfolio in full, including Wanted Dead or a Wild with both buy tiers active. Account setup is straightforward and UK players can register without GamStop affiliation.
Rolletto is Curaçao-licensed and has developed a strong reputation for game variety. Hacksaw Gaming titles are well-represented and the Bonus Buy is accessible from the standard game interface.
Donbet rounds out the recommended options — it accepts UK players, carries Hacksaw’s catalogue, and has transparent withdrawal terms that matter when you’re playing at stakes where the buy cost is significant.
Browse our vetted selection at vividslots.com — only non-GamStop casinos with confirmed Hacksaw Gaming libraries and active Bonus Buy access are listed.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the Bonus Buy options in Wanted Dead or a Wild?
The game offers buy options starting at 80x stake for the standard free spins entry, up to 400x stake for the premium enhanced entry. The higher-cost option provides more favourable starting conditions and is aimed at players targeting the game’s larger win potential.
What is the Duel Bonus feature?
The Duel Bonus triggers during free spins when the Wild Shootout symbol appears. It initiates an animated standoff between your character and an in-game bandit. Winning the Duel upgrades the active wild multiplier, increasing its value for the current or subsequent spins.
What is the RTP of Wanted Dead or a Wild?
The RTP is 96.38%, consistent across both standard play and all Bonus Buy tiers. Hacksaw Gaming applies no penalty for using the feature.
Which non-GamStop casinos offer Wanted Dead or a Wild with Bonus Buy?
BassWin, Rolletto, and Donbet all carry the full Hacksaw Gaming library including this title with the Bonus Buy active. All three accept UK players outside the GamStop network.
Responsible Gambling: The Duel feature and Bonus Buy create an intense play experience. Know your limits before your session starts. Support is available at BeGambleAware or by calling GamCare on 0808 8020 133.