You've opened Deadwood and you're looking at a 5 reel grid that's taller in the middle than at the edges. Here's what to do, in order.
Step 1: Check the grid before you spin
Look at the reels. The first and last are 3 symbols tall, the 3 in the middle are 4 symbols tall. That uneven shape is what creates 576 ways to win instead of a fixed number of paylines. A way just means a path across the reels, left to right, that a matching symbol combination can follow. You don't need to pick anything here, all 576 are always active regardless of your bet size.
Step 2: Find the interface elements you'll actually use
Along the bottom of the screen you'll see your balance, your current bet, and the Spin button in the centre. Your bet amount is adjusted with the plus and minus controls next to the bet display, and it applies across all 576 ways at once, there's no separate cost per way to worry about.
Step 3: Set your bet and press Spin
Once you're happy with the amount showing at the bottom of the screen, press Spin. The reels drop down together and settle into place, and any winning combinations are highlighted automatically once they stop.
Step 4: Watch for the Hunter xNudge Wild in the base game
This Wild symbol can land on any reel. If it lands only partly on screen, it nudges into full view on its own, and every nudge adds 1x to a small multiplier attached to that Wild. If more than one lands on the same winning combination, their multipliers combine. This can happen on any spin, not just during free spins, so it's worth watching for from your very first spin onward.
Step 5: Land 3 Scatters to trigger the free spins choice
When 3 Scatter symbols appear anywhere on the grid, you unlock 8 free spins, and the game stops to ask you a question: Hunter Spins or Gunslinger Spins. This is the one decision you make in the whole game, so it's worth understanding both before you click either option.
Step 6: Choose Hunter Spins if you want steadier spins
Pick this and you're guaranteed at least 1 Hunter Wild every single spin. The trade off is that the multiplier resets back to zero at the start of each new spin, so wins stay more even across the round rather than building toward one large result.
Step 7: Choose Gunslinger Spins if you want a shot at a bigger round
Pick this and there's no guarantee a Wild lands on any given spin, but when one does, its multiplier keeps building across the whole round instead of resetting. A few empty spins followed by a run of Wilds is how the biggest results happen here, though a round can also finish with very little if the Wilds don't show up.
Step 8: Watch for the Shoot Out feature inside either mode
If 2 Sheriff Badge symbols land during your free spins round, whichever mode you picked, the low paying symbols on the 3 middle reels turn into Wilds for that spin. You don't do anything to trigger this, it happens on its own once the badges land, and it works the same way regardless of which mode you chose earlier.
Step 9: Let the round finish and check your total
Free spins end automatically after all 8 have played out. Your total win from the round is added to your balance and the game returns to the base grid, ready for your next ordinary spin.
Step 10: If you don't land Scatters right away
That's normal. Deadwood is rated Very High volatility, which means the bonus round doesn't show up as often as it would on a gentler slot, and a run of base game spins without a trigger isn't a sign anything is wrong.
Quick glossary
Ways to win: a left to right path across the reels that a matching combination can follow, 576 of them here, always active.
Scatter: the symbol that triggers free spins when 3 land anywhere on the grid.
xNudge: a Wild that shifts into full view when it lands partly off screen, building a multiplier as it does.
Volatility: how spread out a game's wins are, Very High means longer gaps between them balanced by bigger individual results.
Deadwood at a glance
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Provider | Nolimit City |
| RTP | 96.03% |
| Volatility | Very High |
| Max Win | 13,950x your stake |
| Grid | 5 reels, 3-4-4-4-3, 576 ways |
Deadwood's Very High volatility rating means real stretches without a win are normal, especially during Gunslinger Spins before its first Wild lands. Malta players can set a deposit limit before starting a session, and the Responsible Gaming Foundation is available if play stops feeling like something you're in control of.