The Count By Hacksaw Gaming Slot Review

The Count from Hacksaw Gaming summons you to a Gothic castle where Blood symbols expand into Bloody Wilds with multipliers up to 500x, while Wild Bat symbols spread their values across the grid. This high-volatility vampire thriller doesn’t play around—three escalating bonus rounds culminate in Count on Blood, where guaranteed Wild Bats on every spin chase the 12,500x max win across 19 paylines.

Quick Spins

  • Gothic vampire slot from Hacksaw Gaming with expanding Bloody Wilds and multiplier mechanics up to 500x.
  • Wild Bat symbols carry additive multipliers that spread to all Bloody Wilds and other bats on the grid.
  • Three-tiered bonus system: Bat to the Bone, Rest in Pieces, and Count on Blood with progressive features.
  • High volatility slot with 96.36% RTP on 19 paylines across a 5×5 grid with a max win of 12,500x,
  • Count on Blood Hidden Epic Bonus guarantees at least 5 Wild Bat symbols on every spin for maximum win potential.

How to Play The Count

Playing The Count requires understanding the expanding wild mechanics and Wild Bat multiplier spreading system. Here’s your step-by-step guide:

  1. Launch the game from your casino lobby and let the vampire’s castle load.
  2. Set your bet using the coin value controls (minimum £0.10, maximum £75 per spin).
  3. Understand the paylines: You win by landing 3+ matching symbols on adjacent positions across 19 fixed paylines on the 5×5 grid.
  4. Hit spin or enable autoplay to start hunting for Blood symbols.
  5. Watch for Blood symbols: When they land, they expand into Bloody Wilds if the expansion creates or improves a winning combination.
  6. Bloody Wild multipliers: Expanded Bloody Wilds may reveal multipliers from x2 to x500 that apply to wins they’re part of.
  7. Wild Bat mechanics: Wild Bat symbols carry multipliers (x2-x500) and spread their values to all Bloody Wilds and other bats on screen.
  8. Epic Wild Bats: These special bats spread multipliers to ALL wilds and bats across the entire grid simultaneously.
  9. Trigger bonuses: Land 3, 4, or 5 FS scatters to trigger Bat to the Bone, Rest in Pieces, or Count on Blood with 10 free spins each.

💡 Pro Tip: Multiple Bloody Wild multipliers on a single win are combined additively—if you land three Bloody Wilds with x10, x50, and x100, you get x160 total, not x10 × x50 × x100.

Symbols and Paytable

The Count uses a 5×5 grid with 19 paylines. Here’s what each symbol pays for five-of-a-kind combinations:

Symbol3 of a Kind4 of a Kind5 of a Kind
The Count (Premium)5x20x100x
Blood Chalice (Premium)4x15x75x
Castle (Premium)3x12x60x
Coffin (Premium)2.5x10x50x
Bat (Mid)2x8x40x
Candle (Mid)1.5x6x30x
Ace (Royal)1x4x20x
King (Royal)0.8x3x15x
Queen (Royal)0.6x2.5x12x
Jack (Royal)0.5x2x10x

Payout Examples

  • If you’re betting £1 and land five Count symbols, you win £100 (100x multiplier).
  • Four Blood Chalices on a £5 bet nets you £75 (15x × £5).
  • Three Castles at £0.50 per spin pays £1.50 (3x × £0.50).

Blood Symbols & Bloody Wilds

Blood symbols are special triggering symbols that expand into Bloody Wilds when landing. The expansion only occurs if the resulting wild creates or improves a winning combination. When a Blood symbol expands into a Bloody Wild, it may reveal a multiplier from x2 to x500. If multiple Bloody Wilds with multipliers appear in the same win, their values are added together before applying to the payout.

Wild Bat Symbols

Wild Bat symbols substitute for all regular symbols and carry additive multipliers from x2 to x500. When a Wild Bat lands, its multiplier spreads to all Bloody Wilds and other Wild Bats currently on the reels. This can create chain reactions where multiple wilds share the same multiplier value.

Epic Wild Bat Symbols

Epic Wild Bats are upgraded versions that also carry multipliers from x2 to x500. The key difference: Epic Wild Bats spread their multiplier value to ALL expanded Bloody Wilds and ALL other Wild Bats across the entire grid simultaneously, not just those in the same win. This can turn a modest win into a massive payout when multiple wilds receive the same high multiplier.

Scatter Symbols

Free Spins scatter symbols (marked FS) trigger the bonus rounds. Landing 3 scatters activates Bat to the Bone, 4 scatters unlock Rest in Pieces, and 5 scatters deliver Count on Blood—each awarding 10 free spins with escalating features.

Slot Features

Expanding Bloody Wilds

When a Blood symbol lands, it evaluates whether expanding into a full wild would create or improve a win. If yes, it expands to fill the entire position as a Bloody Wild. If no, it remains as a regular Blood symbol with no wild properties. This conditional expansion means Blood symbols don’t always become wilds—they only transform when it’s profitable.

Multiplier Stacking

Bloody Wilds can reveal multipliers from x2 to x500 upon expanding. When multiple Bloody Wilds with multipliers participate in the same winning combination, their multipliers are added together. For example, three Bloody Wilds with x10, x25, and x50 create a combined x85 multiplier on that win. This additive stacking prevents multiplier values from becoming absurdly large while still allowing substantial boosts.

Wild Bat Multiplier Spreading

Wild Bat symbols carry their own multipliers (x2-x500) and spread these values to all other Wild Bats and Bloody Wilds on the screen. If a Wild Bat with a x100 multiplier lands alongside three Bloody Wilds, all three Bloody Wilds inherit the x100 value. Epic Wild Bats take this further by spreading to the entire grid, potentially giving every wild the same multiplier simultaneously.

Slot Bonus Features

Bat to the Bone (3 Scatters)

Bat to the Bone is the entry-level bonus round, triggered by landing 3 FS scatter symbols. You receive 10 free spins with enhanced Wild Bat frequency compared to the base game.

Key Features

  • 10 free spins with increased Wild Bat appearance rate
  • Wild Bats appear more frequently than base game
  • All base game mechanics active: Blood symbol expansion, Bloody Wild multipliers, Wild Bat multiplier spreading
  • No special Symbol Counter or guaranteed wilds—this is essentially boosted base game

Win Potential

Bat to the Bone is the lowest-tier bonus, designed for frequent triggers with modest payouts. The increased Wild Bat frequency helps, but without guaranteed wilds or special mechanics, you’re relying on natural luck for Blood symbols to expand and Wild Bats to land with decent multipliers. Expect 20x-100x wins from this bonus on average, with occasional 200x+ hits if multiple high-multiplier wilds align.

This bonus feels like a consolation prize—it’s better than nothing, but knowing that Rest in Pieces and Count on Blood exist makes Bat to the Bone feel underwhelming.

Rest in Pieces (4 Scatters)

Rest in Pieces is the mid-tier bonus, activated by landing 4 FS scatter symbols. You get 10 free spins with a game-changing Symbol Counter mechanic.

Symbol Counter Mechanic

A Symbol Counter appears on the side of the reels, tracking low-paying symbols (royals: Jack, Queen, King, Ace). Every time a low-paying symbol lands during free spins, it’s added to the Counter. When the Counter fills completely, all low-paying symbols are removed from the reels and replaced with Wild Bat symbols for the remainder of the feature.

How It Works

  1. Free spins start with all symbol types active
  2. Low-paying symbols gradually fill the Counter as they land
  3. Once the Counter reaches 100%, low-paying symbols are permanently removed
  4. From that point forward, Wild Bats replace low-paying symbols in the symbol pool
  5. This dramatically increases Wild Bat frequency and win potential

Strategic Implications

The early spins in Rest in Pieces can feel slow as the Counter fills, but once low-paying symbols are removed, the feature explodes. With only premium symbols and Wild Bats landing, almost every spin creates multiple winning combinations. If Wild Bats carry high multipliers (x50-x500) and spread to Bloody Wilds, single spins can deliver 500x-1,000x wins.

This bonus strikes a balance between Bat to the Bone’s simplicity and Count on Blood’s extreme power. Expect 100x-500x wins on average, with 1,000x+ possible when everything aligns after the Counter triggers.

Count on Blood (5 Scatters) - Hidden Epic Bonus

Count on Blood is the ultimate bonus round, triggered by landing 5 FS scatter symbols. This is classified as a Hidden Epic Bonus by Hacksaw Gaming, meaning it’s their top-tier feature with maximum win potential. You receive 10 free spins with guaranteed Wild Bat mechanics.

Guaranteed Wild Bats

Unlike other bonuses where Wild Bats appear randomly, Count on Blood guarantees at least 5 Wild Bat symbols land on every single spin. This transforms the feature from hoping for wilds to knowing they’re coming.

Increased Epic Wild Bat Frequency

Count on Blood also dramatically increases the appearance rate of Epic Wild Bats—the upgraded bats that spread multipliers to ALL wilds and bats across the entire grid simultaneously. Landing an Epic Wild Bat with a x100-x500 multiplier while 5+ regular Wild Bats and multiple Bloody Wilds are on screen can create combined multipliers exceeding x1,000.

Key Features

  • 10 free spins with guaranteed Wild Bat mechanics
  • Minimum 5 Wild Bat symbols on every spin
  • Dramatically increased Epic Wild Bat appearance rate
  • All base game mechanics: Blood expansion, Bloody Wild multipliers, multiplier spreading
  • Maximum win potential of 12,500x your bet

Win Potential

Count on Blood is where The Count’s 12,500x max win becomes achievable. With guaranteed Wild Bats on every spin and frequent Epic Wild Bats spreading high multipliers across the grid, wins of 200x-500x per spin are common. Landing multiple Epic Wild Bats with x100-x500 multipliers while Bloody Wilds fill the grid can deliver 2,000x-5,000x on single spins.

Expect 500x-3,000x total wins from Count on Blood on average, with 5,000x-12,500x possible when you hit perfect multiplier spreading and premium symbol combinations. This is the bonus you’re chasing—everything else is a warmup.

RTP & Volatility

RTP (Return to Player)

The Count has a maximum RTP of 96.36%, which is above the industry average of 96%. However, Hacksaw Gaming offers this slot in multiple RTP configurations, so you might encounter versions set at 94.28%, 92.34%, or 86.19% depending on the casino. The 86.19% version is absolutely brutal—a 10-point difference from the max RTP means you’re giving the house 13.81% of every bet over time.

Always check the game’s information screen to confirm the RTP before playing. Only play the 96.36% version if possible—anything lower handicaps you significantly.

Volatility

This is a high-volatility slot, rated 4 out of 5 by Hacksaw Gaming (some sources describe it as medium-high). In practice, it feels firmly high-volatility. The base game can be punishing—Blood symbols land but don’t always expand, and Wild Bats are rare enough that you’ll go 30-50 spins without seeing meaningful multiplier action.

Bonus triggers are infrequent. Landing 3 scatters for Bat to the Bone happens roughly every 100-150 spins, while 4-5 scatters for the better bonuses are significantly rarer. Triggering Count on Blood naturally (5 scatters) can take 500+ spins, making it a true grind unless you hit it early.

The tiered bonus system creates frustration—triggering Bat to the Bone when you know Rest in Pieces and Count on Blood exist feels disappointing. Bat to the Bone delivers modest 20x-100x wins, Rest in Pieces awards 100x-500x, but Count on Blood is where 1,000x-12,500x wins happen. The gap between tiers is massive.

High volatility makes The Count best suited for players with deep pockets and patience. You need the bankroll to survive 100+ spins without a bonus, and the stomach to accept that most bonuses will be the lower-tier Bat to the Bone. But if you hit Count on Blood, the guaranteed Wild Bats and Epic multiplier spreading can deliver session-saving wins.

💡 Pro Tip: Set a session budget before playing—it’s easy to burn through 200x your bet chasing bonuses that never come, or getting stuck with Bat to the Bone when you needed Count on Blood.

Pros and Cons

✅ Pros

  • Expanding Bloody Wilds with multipliers up to 500x create massive single-spin potential when multiple land with high values
  • Epic Wild Bats spread multipliers to ALL wilds and bats across the entire grid simultaneously, creating explosive chain reactions
  • Count on Blood Hidden Epic Bonus guarantees at least 5 Wild Bats on every spin for sustained high-value wins
  • Three-tiered bonus system with progressive features from basic (Bat to the Bone) to ultimate (Count on Blood)
  • 12,500x max win is solid for high-volatility slots and achievable in Count on Blood with perfect multiplier stacking
  • Above-average 96.36% RTP when playing the highest configuration
  • Additive multiplier stacking prevents absurd exponential values while still allowing substantial win boosts

❌ Cons

  • Multiple RTP versions from 96.36% down to 86.19% means you could unknowingly play a version with 10-point lower returns
  • Triggering Count on Blood naturally requires 5 scatters, which can take 500+ spins, making the best bonus extremely rare
  • Bat to the Bone (3 scatters) feels underwhelming with modest 20x-100x wins compared to the higher-tier bonuses
  • Blood symbols don’t always expand into wilds—they only transform when profitable, creating frustration when they land but don’t activate
  • Base game Wild Bats are rare, and going 30-50 spins without seeing multiplier action makes sessions feel slow
  • High volatility creates brutal dry spells where bonuses trigger infrequently and when they do, it’s often the low-tier Bat to the Bone

Conclusion

The Count is classic Hacksaw: crisp art direction, dark humor, and multipliers that layer like a math puzzle you actually want to solve. It doesn’t reinvent the studio’s formula, but it refines it with a satisfying spread mechanic and a punchy Hidden Epic mode.

If you enjoy high-risk/high-reward slots with escalating wild interactions, this is a smart pick. Casual players who prefer low volatility or dislike RTP variance might want gentler fare. For everyone else: sharpen the stake, mind the bankroll, and count carefully.

FAQs

How do you play The Count?

Set your bet between £0.10 and £75, then spin the 5×5 grid with 19 paylines. Land 3+ matching symbols on adjacent positions for payline wins. Blood symbols expand into Bloody Wilds with multipliers (x2-x500) when expansion creates/improves wins. Wild Bat symbols carry multipliers that spread to all Bloody Wilds and other bats on screen. Epic Wild Bats spread to ALL wilds across the grid. Land 3, 4, or 5 FS scatters to trigger Bat to the Bone, Rest in Pieces, or Count on Blood with 10 free spins each.

Is The Count worth playing?

Yes, if you enjoy high-volatility slots with multiplier mechanics and can handle rare bonus triggers. Count on Blood Hidden Epic Bonus with guaranteed 5 Wild Bats per spin delivers exceptional win potential (2,000x-12,500x). The 96.36% RTP is above average, and Epic Wild Bats spreading x100-x500 multipliers across entire grids create explosive wins. However, triggering Count on Blood naturally requires 5 scatters (500+ spins average), most bonuses are the underwhelming Bat to the Bone, and base game variance is punishing. Verify you’re playing 96.36% RTP—the 86.19% version is a ripoff.

How does The Count compare to other Hacksaw Gaming slots?

The Count follows Hacksaw’s Hidden Epic Bonus formula seen in Wanted Dead or a Wild and Le Cowboy, where 5-scatter bonuses unlock maximum features. It’s less volatile than Wanted but more volatile than Le Cowboy. The 12,500x max win is lower than Wanted’s potential but higher than many Hacksaw titles. Multiplier mechanics are similar to Stack ‘Em and Hand of Anubis with additive stacking. The Count’s vampire theme is more polished than most Hacksaw slots, with better atmosphere. If you enjoy Hacksaw’s high-variance style, The Count fits perfectly in their portfolio.

What’s the difference between Wild Bats and Epic Wild Bats?

Regular Wild Bats carry multipliers (x2-x500) and spread their values to all other Wild Bats and Bloody Wilds currently in the same winning combination. Epic Wild Bats also carry multipliers (x2-x500) but spread their values to ALL Wild Bats and Bloody Wilds across the entire grid simultaneously, not just those in the current win. This means an Epic Wild Bat with x500 can give 10+ wilds the same x500 multiplier at once, creating combined multipliers exceeding x1,000. Epic Wild Bats appear rarely in base game but frequently during Count on Blood bonus.

How often does Count on Blood trigger?

Count on Blood requires landing 5 FS scatter symbols simultaneously, which is extremely rare—expect roughly 1 in 500-1,000 spins on average for natural triggers. This makes it one of the rarest bonuses to hit organically. Most players will trigger Bat to the Bone (3 scatters, ~100-150 spins) or Rest in Pieces (4 scatters, ~250-400 spins) far more frequently. Budget at least 500x your bet if you’re grinding for a natural Count on Blood trigger. Most players either hit it through extreme luck early or never see it in normal sessions.

Can you really win 12,500x your bet?

Yes, the maximum win is capped at 12,500x your total bet. This is achieved during Count on Blood when guaranteed Wild Bats (minimum 5 per spin) combine with Epic Wild Bats spreading x100-x500 multipliers to all wilds and Bloody Wilds across the grid. With multiple wilds sharing high multipliers (additive stacking) and premium symbol combinations, single spins can deliver 2,000x-5,000x. Reaching 12,500x requires perfect conditions across multiple spins, but it’s most achievable in Count on Blood. Lower-tier bonuses rarely exceed 500x total wins.

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