Of course! The “Wizard of Oz” slot machine, particularly the popular “Wizard of Oz” game by WMS (now Light & Wonder), is famous for its engaging and multi-layered bonus wheel feature. It’s not just one wheel; it’s a central part of the game’s “Emerald City Bonus.”
Here’s a detailed breakdown of how the **Bonus Wheel** works in the classic Wizard of Oz slots:
### The Basics: Triggering the Bonus
* **How to Trigger:** You need to land **3 or more Bonus Scatter symbols** (the Wizard’s hat on the yellow brick road) on the reels.
* **Number of Spins:** The number of scatters determines your initial spins on the main bonus wheel:
* 3 Scatters = 5 spins
* 4 Scatters = 7 spins
* 5 Scatters = 10 spins
### The Main Bonus Wheel (The Road to Emerald City)
This is the primary wheel you’ll spin. It’s divided into several segments, each representing a different bonus feature or award. The main categories are:
1. **Cash Prizes:** Direct coin wins (e.g., 50, 100, 200 coins).
2. **Money Bag:** Awards a multiplier of your total bet.
3. **Character Bonuses (The Core Features):** These are the most exciting parts and transport you to a second-screen game.
* **Courage (The Lion):** Pick helmets to reveal cash prizes and multipliers. Find the “Courage” token to advance.
* **Heart (The Tin Man):** Pick hearts to reveal cash prizes. Find the “Love” token to advance.
* **Brain (The Scarecrow):** Pick books to reveal cash prizes. Find the “Wisdom” token to advance.
4. **The Wicked Witch:** A negative segment. If you land on it, she appears and removes one of your remaining spins.
5. **Wild (Wizard):** Can appear and turn entire reels wild in the base game, but in the bonus, it often acts as a “joker,” awarding a prize from another segment.
6. **The Emerald City (Jackpot):** The top award segment. Landing here triggers the **progressive jackpot bonus** (more on this below).
### Advancing to Emerald City & The Jackpot Wheel
The ultimate goal during the Character Bonuses (Lion, Tin Man, Scarecrow) is to find the special token (Courage, Love, Wisdom). **Each token you collect fills one of the three slots at the top of the screen.**
* **Fill All Three Slots:** Once you collect all three character tokens, you immediately **advance to the Emerald City and unlock the Jackpot Wheel Bonus**.
* **The Jackpot Wheel:** This is a separate, larger wheel with four progressive jackpots:
* **Mini**
* **Minor**
* **Major**
* **Grand (the top progressive prize)**
You are guaranteed to win one of these jackpots when you spin this wheel.
### Key Strategies & Tips for the Bonus Wheel
* **It’s All About the Tokens:** The real value is in triggering the Character Bonuses and collecting tokens to reach the Emerald City Jackpot Wheel. The direct cash prizes on the main wheel are usually smaller.
* **The Wicked Witch is a Setback:** She doesn’t end the bonus, but losing spins reduces your chances of hitting better segments.
* **Bet Size Matters:** The cash prizes and multipliers on the wheel are often based on your total bet. A higher bet leads to higher potential wins in the bonus.
* **Randomness Rules:** Like all slots, the outcome is determined by a Random Number Generator (RNG). There’s no way to “time” or influence the wheel’s spin.
### Variations in Newer Versions
The original game has inspired many follow-ups, like **”Wizard of Oz Ruby Slippers,” “Wizard of Oz Wilds,”** and online versions. While the theme and core mechanics are similar, the bonus wheels may have tweaks:
* **Ruby Slippers:** Features a “Slipper Spin” bonus with different mechanics.
* **Online/Social Casino Apps:** May simplify the bonus or present it in a slightly different visual format, but the concept of collecting character features to reach a jackpot wheel remains a constant.
**In summary, the Wizard of Oz slot’s bonus wheel is a multi-stage adventure.** You spin the main wheel to win cash or enter character pick’em games, with the overarching goal of collecting tokens to unlock the ultimate **progressive jackpot wheel** in the Emerald City. It’s this engaging, goal-oriented bonus structure that made the game so iconic.
