Software studio Play’n GO invites spinners to a day at the greyhound derby with Wildhound Derby, a race-themed slot that uses 30 paylines across five reels and four rows. This 2020 release puts players in the center of the racing action thanks to a two-level bonus feature.
Players can speed toward prizes of up to 100x the stake in the base game by aligning three or more identical icons on the fixed win lines. The slot stays true to its dog-racing theme by incorporating related symbols such as betting slips, winner rosettes, wads of cash, and guides to greyhound racing fixtures.
Five wild symbols help spinners form wins, and a lucrative Dog Race bonus allows players to choose a greyhound to back. Wildhound Derby also boasts a Winner’s Wheel that gives players the chance to further increase their gains with multipliers that reach 15x.
| Wildhound Derby Slot Summary | |
|---|---|
| Software Provider | Play’n GO |
| Paylines | 30 fixed paylines |
| RTP | 96.93% |
| Min Bet | $0.10 |
| Max Bet | $100 |
| Wild Symbol | Wild Greyhounds, Champion Trophy Wild |
| Scatter Symbol | N/A |
| Bonus Features | Dog Race Free Spins with Golden Hare Feature, Winner’s Wheel with Multipliers |
| Jackpot | 15,000x the Bet |
Symbols and Winning Combinations of Wildhound Derby Slot
Wildhound Derby gets you into the winning spirit with a sleek design that transports you straight to the dog-racing track. We mean this almost literally, as the five reels are set against a starlit racetrack backdrop filled with excited spectators cheering on the greyhounds as they race toward the trophy.
Attention to detail is important if a software company wants to design a slot game with staying power. It appears Play’n GO is well aware of this, as its designers have given quirky names to the four stars of Wildhound Derby: Braveheart, Oh My Dog, Daring Rex, and Beadle’s Teabag.
All four dogs are wild, substituting for all other icons. They also return regular payouts of 4x and 12x the bet for three or four matches, respectively. The most rewarding regular symbols include the wads of cash (100x the bet), the red winner rosette (20x), the betting slip (10x), and the fixtures guide (5x).
The listed payouts correspond to combinations of five identical symbols with a $1 wager. If you play at the maximum of $100 per spin, you can win as much as 10,000x for five wads of cash. The low payers in Wildhound Derby have a very straightforward design and are represented by the familiar royals A, K, Q, and J.
These award significantly smaller amounts, ranging from 0.10x to 2x the bet for three, four, or five identical symbols. Payouts are awarded for combinations from left to right, and only the highest win per line is paid.
Bonus Features of Wildhound Derby Slot
Wildhound Derby features five wilds that help players build more winning combinations. Oh My Dog, Daring Rex, Braveheart, and Beadle’s Teabag are all wild, but they appear only on the fifth reel. The Winner’s Cup substitutes for other symbols and shows up on all five reels.
This symbol also assists you during the Dog Race Free Games, which trigger when all four hounds land on the fifth reel simultaneously. The player is then prompted to back one of the four dogs before the bonus feature begins. The animals will then take their starting positions on the rightmost, fifth reel.
A hound moves one position to the left whenever the Golden Hare symbol appears on the same row. A new sixth reel appears for the hare icons during the feature. The bonus spins continue until one of the hounds wins the competition.
A hound needs to move past the first reel to claim victory. If your chosen animal wins the trophy, it unlocks the next level of the feature, the Winner’s Wheel. You spin it to multiply your free-spins winnings by 2x, 3x, 4x, 5x, 10x, or 15x.
We found the race aspect of the game extremely engaging and kept rooting for our chosen dog, Beadle’s Teabag. Unfortunately, he finished last, but we still scored a decent win during the free-spins feature.
That said, players should know that Wildhound Derby is a game with very high volatility. You can go through 20 or more spins without earning anything. The free-spins feature is also hard to unlock, but once triggered, it can lead to a very satisfying windfall, especially with the help of the multipliers.
Verdict
Wildhound Derby is a highly enticing and interactive game even if you are not a die-hard fan of dog racing. We particularly liked the Dog Race feature and the option to choose which hound to back. The game offers an appetizing maximum win of 15,000x the stake, a prize that definitely deserves attention despite the slot’s high volatility.