Although popularized in the United States, Five-Card Draw was invented in France. It was carried over to pre-Civil War America As a consequence of the Louisiana Purchase, which saw the United States purchase millions of acres of land from France in the early 1800s. It was popular with soldiers during the Civil War, and after it ended, those same soldiers spread the game throughout the country as they returned home. Today, the game has been completely surpassed by Texas Hold’Em, being relegated to the poker game that they played before the shootout in Western movies.

Although the game is down, it’s far from out. Wild Wild Bet slot from Mascot might just be the 21st-century boost it needs to regain its popularity.

What’s the deal with Wild Wild Bet slot?

Although visually striking, Wild Wild Bet slot’s gameplay is pretty straightforward for anyone familiar with poker hands. The slot has five paylines, and wins are paid out for any five-card hand that lands on one of the paylines that is a three-of-a-kind or better. This means that straight, flush, full house, four of a kind, straight flush, royal flush, and a natural royal flush will all pay. There is also a ninth hand that will pay out that isn’t a part of a traditional game of five-card draw.

There is a slight quirk in the gameplay, thanks to the presence of a Joker card. The Joker acts as a wild substitute for all other cards to complete winning combinations. This allows for a hand that doesn’t exist in a game of five-card draw, five of a kind. With each spin, a maximum of five joker cards can appear on the reels at once.

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Although the slot is short on bonus features, it does offer a round of free spins. The slot’s free spins feature is triggered when three, four, or five joker cards appear on the reels with 10, 15, and 15 free spins or “free deals” being awarded, respectively. Any winnings accrued during free spins will receive a standard 3x multiplier.

If you manage to score a winning amount, you will be given the choice to gamble the amount. Once you select the gamble feature, you will be presented with five cards. The first card will be turned over to reveal the value to beat. You will then be required to guess which one, if any, of the remaining four cards has a higher face value. If you manage it, your winnings will be doubled. The maximum win possible during the gamble feature is 1,000x your original bet amount.

Is Wild Wild Bet slot worth a few hands?

Wild Wild Bet slot has high volatility, which means the gameplay will lean towards rare big wins and away from small, consistent wins. This is unfortunate since the big wins you’ll be chasing aren’t particularly big. The slot offers a 3,500x max multiplier, and if you bet at the $25 a spin maximum, you’ll only be playing for up to $87,500 in winnings. The slot has an RTP of 95.16%.

I’ve been reviewing slots for ten years. As a result, few, if any, that I review now surprise me. Wild Wild Bet slot surprised me. The gameplay integrates five-card draw with a slot game so seamlessly that it’s hard to figure out where one ends and the other begins. I was tempted to call it a twist of video poker, but I think that description sells it short. It’s a unique experience. Yes, it’s not overflowing with bonus features, but there’s enough there to add just the right amount of excitement to the already really exciting gameplay. I give this one a ten out of ten, the first I have ever given.

If you’re looking for a few other exciting Mascot games, I recommend trying out Riot 2: Burn and Blow and Minotaurs Wilds.