Online Slot Reviews

Online casinos, which can also be visited by players in Asia, offer a tremendous range of slots, ranging from the popular 5-reel games or video slots, 3-reel classics, slots with hundreds of paylines to jackpot slots. Here are just some of the slot games that you can play online with real money or crypto in a large number of casinos. Click on the game image for further information.

Quick Links:

Best Online Slot Casinos in Asia

Free Spins in Popular Online Slots and Other Promotions

Every online casino offers a welcome bonus to new players, which you can choose to take up before making your first deposit (some casinos credit the bonus automatically). Usually the amount of your first deposit is doubled. That bonus money is then credited to your bonus balance and cannot be cashed out until you have completed the wagering requirements of the offer (the bonus money is activated once your deposited money has been used up).

Real Money and Crypto Bonuses at BitStarz

BitStarz is a worthy candidate for both a real money and crypto casino. In addition to popular cryptocurrencies like BTC, ETH, and DOGE, supported FIAT currencies include AUD, CNY, EUR, JPY, NZD, and USD. Deposits can of course be made in your local currency. Accordingly, you can choose between a real money and a crypto bonus (see details below). Best of all, BitStarz accepts players from all over Asia and Oceania and supports English, Chinese and Japanese.

Details to Consider When Claiming Free Spins

Depending on the welcome offer, you are at times required to log into your casino account daily in order to get your free spins. For example, if an offer states that with your first deposit you can get 200 free spins in various popular slot games, it is more than likely that these spins are credited over several consecutive days. And in order to play these free spins, you need to log in, as they are usually only valid for a day.

However, the welcome bonus is not the only time you will get spoilt for extras. As an existing customer, you can also take advantage of cashback and reload bonuses, further free spins, as well as promotional campaigns such as prize draws.

Play Online Slots with or without Real Money

Whether you play the online slots with or without real money is of course up to you. Most online casinos provide a demo play mode next to their real money mode so that you can test out the games with no strings attached. In most cases, the demo mode requires no account registration. In addition, as soon as you launch or reload a casino game, your demo credits are usually reloaded as well. If you want to play the slots and casino games with real money though, then it’s time for you to open an account.

Play in Your Native Currency

One of the most important aspects is the currency in which you deposit and play. Likewise, sufficient local payment methods must be offered. Previously, it was common to play in USD. The deposit was still made in the native currency. Today, however, this is usually not necessary, but still possible.

Many of the online casinos recommended here support Asian currencies such as CNY, IND, INR, JPY, KRW, MYR, PHP, THB, VND as well as the Aussie and New Zealand dollar for gamblers in Oceania. To see if your currency is supported by the betting site of your choice, please check our casino list.

Account registration can be completed within a few minutes and requires basic information like your name, home address, and date of birth. After signing up, you will receive a confirmation e-mail from the casino, where you may have to finally verify your account registration. Right after that, you are free to progress with your first deposit, by simply navigating to the casino’s cashier area and choosing your preferred payment method and entering the amount you would like to credit your account with.

Slot Tournaments – This Is Where It’s At!

If you are new to online gaming sites or slot machines for that matter, then take a brief look at our slot tournaments FAQ below to get a first glimpse of what to expect. In our opinion, slot tourneys are what rounds off a good game offering at any reputable online casino. In a somewhat similar fashion to online poker tourneys, slot tournaments convey the same thrill, in addition to having the opportunity to win part or the top reward of the events’ respective prize pool.

Desktop and Mobile Slots without a Download

These days, online casinos are designed so that on the one hand, they can integrate the games of several software providers and, on the other hand, they can offer the games as instant play versions directly available on their website without a download.

The same is true of mobile slots, which you can play in the mobile casino of each provider. Some casinos also offer their own casino app, though this is usually completely optional.

All account settings as well as payments can be made simultaneously on your mobile phone. With an iPhone or Android phone for instance, you will have no issues playing at the casino while on-the-go or at home on your couch. Just like in the desktop version, all games are also available in demo mode on your smartphone – an ideal way to test out how mobile slots work on your phone. In any case, the best mobile slots are offered by software providers like NetEnt, Play’n GO, or Microgaming.

The Different Casino Software Providers

Behind the countless number of slot machines online, you’ll find a corresponding number of different software developers. Naming them all would go beyond our limits. But we do want to present the most popular providers here below, which are also relevant for players in Asia and/or can be found in the selection of online casinos which can be accessed here on AsiaOnlineCasinos.com.

We also provide information about whether the slot games by the respective software provider are available in Asian languages and whether they are also featured on mobile – the answer to these two questions is usually ‘yes’.

Ainsworth Slots

Ainsworth was founded in 1995. While this might make them one of the oldest online casino software providers in the business, they did not start churning out online slots until much later. Ainsworth and Aristocrat have several things in common. Both are Australian businesses and were founded by Len Ainsworth. The company named after the Australian billionaire is the younger of the two. From its early origins, Ainsworth has been a software provider which has long supplied casino game cabinets to land-based casinos and betting halls. That continues to be its primary focus today.

Most of Ainsworth’s online slots are direct ports from the brick-and-mortar casinos that they usually cater to. For this reason, they typically have more rigid wagering ranges and limited special features in comparison to games from some of their counterparts.

Many Ainsworth slots have attracted a reputation for being pricy to play, with many having minimum bets of $1.00. Moreover, they tend to sit towards the lower end of the scale regarding RTP rates, with many of their older titles having RTPs ranging between 94% and 95%.

There are a few redeeming features, though. If you are looking for an online slot closely resembling and even mirroring what you can have in land-based casinos, Ainsworth could be for you. They are not thought of as overly mobile-friendly, even though thanks to HTML5 tech, they can be played on the go. Many feature a basic 5-reel, 20-line format, basic free spin bonuses and contain rudimentary graphics. These kinds of retro (dare we say, realistic) games have their audiences, which is one reason why Ainsworth continues to stand out from its competitors.

Ainsworth Slots Casino in Asia (Accepts All Countries Excl. AUS):

• Our recommendation:     Play   Review

NetEnt Slots

Since as early on as 1996, NetEnt has been one of the big players in the world of online gaming. So it comes as no surprise that the games are featured at practically every online casino. Similar to Microgaming, the software provider NetEnt is known for their entertaining and groundbreaking innovative slot games. This has led to an unquestionably large and ever-growing fanbase.

Early classics that now enjoy cult status include Gonzo’s Quest, Jack Hammer, and Blood Suckers – the last game featuring a payout ratio (RTP – Return to Player) of 98.00%. Other flagship slots include Starburst, Twin Spin, Jack and the Beanstalk, and many other titles (see games above).

The latest technical standards ensure a seamless playing experience, also on mobile devices (the mobile games are known under the name NetEnt Touch). And of course NetEnt slots are also available in Asia, although they are not translated. There are, however, a few Asian and Anime-themed slots like Koi Princess.

NetEnt Slots Casino in Asia (Accepts All Countries):

• Our recommendation:     Play   Review

Play’n GO Slots

Play’n GO, founded in 2004, is among our favourites, with their constantly expanding selection and high-quality, entertaining slot machines. Book of Dead and Moon Princess in Japan are two of the flagship games of this Swedish company, which also offers a variety of table and video poker games.

Play’n GO slots are available in English and Japanese and also playable on your iOS or Android device. It is also notable that some slots are now leaning towards Asian and Japanese themes like Matsuri, or Prosperity Palace.

Play’n GO Slots Casino in Asia (Accepts All Countries):

• Our recommendation:     Play   Review

Microgaming Slots

Microgaming are among the pioneers of the genre and according to them, have provided the first-ever online casino with their games back in 1994. Known for its download software that is still used exclusively by some casinos, the software provider has long since opened up and now features its extensive portfolio in most popular online casinos, with no download required (using the Quickfire software engine).

With so many years of experience under its belt, it’s not surprising that Microgaming strongly influences the genre and has ensured quite a bit of innovation in the area of online slots. It goes without saying that the provider has one of the largest gaming portfolios around (more than 700 titles), including countless classics like Thunderstruck II, Immortal Romance, the Mega Moolah jackpot series and many more. In addition, Microgaming also owns fellow casino software provider Rabcat (also in Chinese), which rounds up their portfolio with a diverse selection of other games.

Next to NetEnt, Microgaming was one of the first software developers to bring the world of casino games to the mobile phone. The games were impressive even back then, and they remain so. Adding to the large selection of video- and 3-reel classic slots, the software provider also boasts an arsenal of table games and Las Vegas style video poker games, clearly beating the competition by numbers.

All the better that the games are also available in a variety of Asian languages. This applies, however, only to the user interface, and not the paytables, but that is forgivable.

Microgaming Slots Casino in Asia (Accepts All Countries):

• Our recommendation:     Play   Review

Playtech Slots

Playtech is one of the big three casino software providers, alongside Microgaming and Net Entertainment (NetEnt). They may have been founded in 1999, but it wouldn’t be until 2002 they achieved popularity, with the launch of a string of European casinos. Since then, Playtech has broken into new markets, including Asia, where they power Betmaster, BitStarz and Stake Casino, just to name a few online gaming sites in Asia that offer Playtech games.

Famed across the globe for their downloadable, instant play and mobile gaming options, Playtech is also one of the leading developers of progressive jackpot slots and even table games. Both their Age of the Gods and DC Universe jackpot networks frequently dole out progressive prizes worth hundreds of thousands of dollars.

The Age of the Gods Slots Series

The now-defunct Marvel slots have been replaced by those from the Age of the Gods series. Top games in that series include the self-titled Age of the Gods slot, Furious Four, King of Olympus, and Prince of Olympus. These games share exactly the same play-mechanics as its Marvel slots predecessors, but of course the visuals have been altered. Now, for instance in Prince of Olympus, it is not The Incredible Hulk but Hercules tearing the reels apart. Furthermore, the popular jackpot bonus round featuring four different progressives has been retained.

Playtech’s slots often tend to feature brands. The software provider has also produced games themed on Top Gun, The Mummy, King Kong, Robocop, Terminator Genisys, as well as Monty Python, The Pink Panther, The Matrix, and the distinctive classic Gladiator, the latter also being a progressive game dishing out winnings worth millions.

Features, Features, Features…

Playtech’s games tend to offer similar features, including free spins, multiplier and click and win bonuses. However, the in-game mechanics, the number of lines available, and the themes vary wildly. Games from this provider also tend to be quite flexible in terms of wagers. Suitable for players with big wads or shoestring budgets alike, this provider’s games still allow individual paylines to be selected. They are one of the few major casino software providers to still regularly offer this feature.

Alongside top slot games, Playtech is also renowned for developing live dealer casino games. The company even hosts studios in Asia from which the live dealer action is being broadcasted directly to your desktop or mobile device. As such, the Playtech live table games portfolio also includes Asian favourites such as Baccarat, Dragon Tiger and Sic Bo (further details on live dealer casinos).

Playtech Slots Casino in Asia (Accepts All Countries):

• Our recommendation:     Play   Review

Thunderkick Slots

Thunderkick first appeared in 2012, when a couple of Swedes (apparently ex-NetEnt) who decided that they wanted to go in a different direction to most major casino software providers set up the studio. Their strategy involved developing creative and innovative games with bizarre, barmy, and outlandish themes not touched by their rivals. A decade later, this is arguably what Thunderkick is best known for.

Rather than churn out an endless conveyor belt of new releases, Thunderkick takes its time developing bespoke and original slots. They may not release countless new games each year, but nearly every slot unveiled stands out from the crowd and has been developed with extra special attention to detail, whether that comes in the form of mystery symbols, innovative wilds and reels, or a wealth of free spins.

Top Slots with a High RTP Rate

Part of what makes this slots-only provider shine is the founders’ original philosophy that they wanted to develop the types of slots they would like to play. That has paid dividends for players who want a hefty dose of fairness in their slots, with several Thunderkick games notable for being very affordable and consistently delivering high RTP rates rising to 97%; dare we say 98%, in some cases: 1429 Uncharted Seas with a return to player of 98.50%, anyone?

Since its humble beginnings, Thunderkick has expanded its reach, now being found in many of today’s leading and most prominent Asian online casinos. If unique games that offer you alternative themes, features and designs compared to the mainstream releases tickle your fancy, Thunderkick’s collection is very much worth a look.

Thunderkick Slots Casino in Asia (Accepts All Countries):

• Our recommendation:     Play   Review

Quickspin Slots

The Swedish company Quickspin (yep, once again Swedish), part of the Playtech group, is earning more and more fans and is part of the younger generation of casino software developers. Its portfolio consists mainly of slots, all of which can also be played on your iPhone or Android mobile.

Games like Sakura Fortune, The Wild Chase and Sticky Bandits are well worth mentioning as they are not only fun to play, but offer good returns too. If bonus buy slots are your thing, check out Big Bad Wolf Megaways and Book of Duat. An added advantage is that Quickspin slots are available in a variety of Asian languages.

Quickspin Slots Casino in Asia (Accepts All Countries):

• Our recommendation:     Play   Review

Pragmatic Play Slots

The casino games by developer Pragmatic Play, founded in 2007, are available in English and various Asian languages, including Chinese, Japanese, Thai and Korean. Of course, they also have mobile versions. Their slots are second-to-none in design and entertainment value. It’s also notable that a number of their games are inspired by an Asian theme, e.g. Panda’s Fortune, 8 Dragons, 3 Kingdoms, and Lucky Dragons. Furthermore, many of their games come with the feature buy side bet, which allows you to purchase the free spins outright. A popular example of such a game is Sweet Bonanza.

Pragmatic Play slots are our insider tip (not just for the Drops & Wins feature – see details further below) and you’ll find them in most online casinos. ‘Take a look and try it out’ is the motto here.

The Pragmatic Play Drops & Wins Jackpot Feature

Pragmatic Play’s Drops and Wins games are some of the most exciting titles to grace casinos over the last few years. While they cannot quite scale the heights of major progressive jackpot games, they also work differently. This originality helps them stand out from conventional, networked progressive games.

Each year, $2,500,000 ($250,000 monthly) is made available in cash prizes via these games. Weekly prize pools of $31,000 are up for grabs, with daily prizes of $4,500 available. The weekly tournaments pay out prizes based on the amount players win from a single spin, adjusted to bet values.

There are now over twenty Drops and Wins games in Pragmatic Play’s arsenal and new ones debut all the time. Some of the most popular games include Wolf Gold, Mustang Gold, the John Hunter series (including Tomb of the Scarab Queen, Book of Tut, and Mayan Gods), Great Rhino Megaways, Chilli Heat, and Curse of the Werewolf Megaways, amongst others (more details on the Megaways engine).

Pragmatic Play Slots Casino in Asia (Accepts All Countries):

• Our recommendation:     Play   Review

Yggdrasil Gaming Slots

The software developer Yggdrasil, named after the world tree of Nordic mythology, knows its stuff and has been equipping the best online casinos with their games since 2013. The selection is still relatively small but can be played in the casinos listed below. Their slots are available in English and Japanese language and can be launched on your mobile device too.

Yggdrasil Slots Casino in Asia (Accepts All Countries):

• Our recommendation:     Play   Review

iSoftBet Slots

The high-quality slot machines by iSoftBet are also among our favourites, as they offer not only typical video slots but also classic fruit slot machines such as Super Fast Hot Hot and Million Cents. The developer also offers a distinctive selection of table and video poker games.

The slot machines are definitely worth a try, but are not available in every online casino in Asia, or only in a narrow selection. Look for the titles below, which are the crème de la crème of iSoftBet. A slight downer is, however, that the games are not yet offered in Asian languages.

iSoftBet Slots Casino in Asia (Accepts All Countries):

• Our recommendation:     Play   Review

Red Tiger Gaming Slots

Until only a few years, Red Tiger Gaming was a relatively small provider of online casino games. Having made its debut in 2014, the software provider has rapidly expanded its library and in so doing, its popularity. Known for dishing out casino games and slots to players across Europe and Asia, this Isle of Man, Maltese and UK Gambling Commission licensed provider has a lot to offer, not least great graphics and cheap bets.

Their HTML5 developed slots include all manner of themes, and a good number of those are Asian slots which will no doubt appeal to players in the Far East. Red Tiger games are known for their flashy graphics, but simple special features (many of which are randomly triggered), and low variance gameplay are often staples of their releases, too.

Meanwhile, the casino software provider has leased BTG’s Megaways gaming engine, and it is now starting to appear in their slots. Mystery Reels Megaways is one such title. Blood Suckers Megaways is another that boasts an RTP of up to 97.68% when you use the bonus buy feature.

Red Tiger Slots Casino in Asia (Accepts All Countries):

• Our recommendation:     Play   Review

Gamomat Slots

If you fancy a taste of real German gaming arcade action, then the Gamomat slots are worth a look (so yes, there really is more to Germany than beers and sausages). Slots like Crystal Ball, Books & Bulls (both play like Novomatic’s Book of Ra), Back to the Fruits, Fancy Fruits, Fruit Mania, Magic Stone, and Royal Seven XXL (see below) are German all-time favourites.

Not to worry, you don’t have to comb through game menus in German since the Gamomat slots are also available in English and Asian languages. Jokes aside, as you can probably already guess, there are also various fruit slots around (in addition to gemstone-themed games), so Gamomat should also have plenty of options in store for the enthusiasts of more classic slot machines.

Non-Progressive Jackpot Games

The Berlin-based slot machine manufacturer also features its line of non-progressive jackpot games which are hugely popular. These games carry the name suffix Red Hot Firepot (RHFP) and Golden Nights Bonus (GDN). However, there are various other special editions available, too, such as the Crazy Chicken Shooter and Respins of Amun Re games.

As for the RHFP and GDN editions, once you enter the bonus round (gets triggered by chance), you can win a maximum of up to $10K and $50K respectively. By the way, the higher the stake, the better your chances of hitting the bonus round, which consequently guarantees a money price.

Indeed, the Gamomat slots are available for real money play in a wide range of online casinos in Asia. Hence, not only across Europe is the German slot classics’ fan base expanding as players in Asia are increasingly getting stuck in as well.

Gamomat Slots Casino in Asia (Accepts All Countries):

• Our recommendation:     Play   Review

Megaways Slots by Big Time Gaming and Other Developers

Megaways slots are one of the newest additions to the online casino world. Played over six reels, they usually feature between up to 15,625 and 117,649 randomly triggered “ways to win” per spin. Albeit rare, various Megaways slots even exceed the number of possible ways to win, for example, Flower Fortunes by Fantasma Games with up to 531,441 Megaways. Furthermore, these games are often associated with in-game features such as collapsing reels, uncapped multipliers and a horizontal reel which can bestow wilds (casino and slot terms explained).

Originally developed by Big Time Gaming, with Bonanza, Extra Chilli and Monopoly being some of the flagship games, this feature can now be found in a variety of titles from software developers (Pragmatic Play, Red Tiger, NetEnt, amongst others). Megaways slots have other features as well. They tend to be highly volatile. While this means that wins in these slots may not occur frequently, wins tend to be considerably extensive in value when they drop.

Many Providers Joined This Trend

Many software providers have added their own touch to the games, and with an extensive range now available, there are plenty of titles to choose from. Some of the most popular slots of all time, titles such as Gonzo’s Quest and Twin Spin by NetEnt now feature the engine, subtly working in those games’ original features alongside the epic mechanics leased from BTG (on the welcome screen of each Megaways slot, you should see the mention “Under Licence From BTG”).

Megaways slots are very similar to All Ways slots in that the symbols in a winning combination only need to appear on adjacent reels instead of fixed paylines. However, All Ways slots have a fixed number of ways to win in contrast to the randomly changing Megaways.

Some Megaways Slots

• Bonanza – 117,649 (ways to win) / RTP (return to player): 96.00%
• Buffalo Rising – 117,649 / RTP: 96.50% / incl. bonus feature buy-in
• Extra Chilli – 117,649 / RTP: 96.15% – 96.82% / incl. bonus feature buy-in
• Eye of Horus – 15,625 / RTP: 95.49%
• Fishin’ Frenzy – 15,625 / RTP: 96.10% / incl. bonus feature buy-in
• Genie Jackpots – 15,625 / RTP: 96.52 – 97.13% / incl. bonus feature buy-in
• Gods of Olympus – 15,625 / RTP: 96.03% – 96.91% / incl. bonus feature buy-in
• Gonzo’s Quest – 117,649 / RTP: 94.66%
• Legacy of Ra – 15,625 / RTP: 96.01 – 97.01% / incl. bonus feature buy-in
• Lightning Strike – 15,625 / RTP: 96.50%
• Mystery Spin Deluxe – 117,649 / RTP: 95.00%
• Primal – 46,656 / RTP: 96.76%
• Return of Kong – 117,649 / RTP: 96.03 – 97.00% / incl. bonus feature buy-in
• Safari Gold – 117,649 / RTP: 96.50% / incl. bonus feature buy-in
• Slot O’ Gold – 15,625 / RTP: 96.45%
• Temple of Treasure – 117,649 / RTP: 96.46 – 96.85% / incl. bonus feature buy-in
• Tiki Treasures – 117,649 / RTP: 96.49%
• Twin Spin – 117,649 / RTP: 96.04%
• Valletta – 15,625 / RTP: 96.45%
• Vikings Unleashed – 117,649 / RTP: 96.50% / incl. bonus feature buy-in
• Wish Upon a Leprechaun – 117,649 / RTP: 95.50%
• Wolf Legend – 117,649 / RTP: 96.21% / incl. bonus feature buy-in

BTG Slots Casino in Asia (Accepts All Countries):

• Our recommendation:     Play   Review

NetGame Slots

NetGame Entertainment initially set up shop as a land-based and retail games supplier back in 2009, although NetGame didn’t attract heat until 2012. They didn’t make a move into the online gambling sector until 2015. Originating out of Ukraine, their games tend to appear at international, so-called offshore casinos that also cater to players in Asia and Oceania. Despite this, they remain one of the smaller, relatively unknown casino software providers in the business. Nevertheless, their titles are worth a look.

The games are not only localised in a variety of languages (besides English, Chinese, Japanese, Thai, Indonesian, Vietnamese, Malay and Korean). They also support all currencies. Furthermore, if an online casino supports cryptocurrencies as a banking option, the NetGame titles can also be played with Bitcoin, Ethereum, Tether etc.

Hold ‘n’ Link Feature

NetGame chiefly develops video slots over other types of gambling titles. Many of these feature the Hold ‘n’ Link mechanic, albeit in different guises. These range from non-progressive jackpot rounds to collection-based free spin rounds. The Curacao-licensed software provider develops these games in HTML5, so they are naturally mobile-optimised. In late 2021, the company aligned itself with QTech Games. This sees the Asia-focused supplier now offer NetGame’s titles at casinos featuring its software.

NetGame Slots Casino in Asia (Accepts All Countries):

• Our recommendation:     Play   Review

NYX Gaming/NextGen Slots

NextGen is part of the American NYX Gaming group, a company which has been operating in the online gambling industry since 1999. Consequently, a variety of other providers like OpenBet belong to this casino software giant, which brings to the table a powerful portfolio of slot machines which you can also play in online casinos in Asia.

In addition to that, recently published games (James Dean, Renegade, etc.), as well as classics like Jackpot Jester 50,000, are available in English, Chinese and Japanese and ready to play in high-resolution on your mobile device. With older titles though like 300 Shields or Crocodopolis, they’re available in English and Chinese. NextGen slots can be found in many well-known casinos, a list of which you can find below.

Understanding Slot Machine Payout Tables

In order to find out how many winning combinations there are and how much they pay as well as to understand the features of a slot game, you can take a look at the paytable at any time. Depending on the software provider, the winning values are shown as either the actual cash amount or as a multiplier (see example below).

Winning values that are shown as actual cash amounts are self-explanatory. As soon as you change your bet, the winning values in the paytable will have adjusted accordingly. Therefore, you always have an indicator as to how much you can win on any spin. In order to decipher winning odds which are shown simply as multipliers (e.g. 500 or 1000), the relevant value has to be multiplied by the line bet.

Another detail that you can find in many (but not all) slot machines’ paytables is the RTP (the theoretical long-term Return to Player value – see explanation below) of the game. Most online slots have a RTP of between 94.00% and 96.00%.

The RTP Explained

If you have played slots for any length of time, you will have come across RTP (Return to Player). Perhaps you have never given RTP a second thought before, but you really should. After all, the RTP rate in a slot effectively gives you an idea of what is up for grabs, as well as what is not.

Return to Player rates are expressed as a percentage, and they tell you how much of each bet the game puts back into the pot to be won. In effect, they are the other side of a coin that features the house edge.

RTP Calculation Example

For instance, if a player wagers $10 on a slot with an RTP of 96%, they can expect $9.60 to go back into a pot for all players to win. This does not mean that you will see a sniff of that, but somebody (or multiple players) trying their hand at the same game are guaranteed to at some point in time. The RTP also tells you the house edge. For instance, if the RTP is 96%, you can count on the house edge being 4%.

To ensure that you play the fairest games at Asian online casinos, you should always consider a game’s RTP (see some examples further below). One detail to keep in mind, however, is that when it comes to claiming a sign-up bonus, in many cases some games with a high RTP (and/or games with a low house edge) are excluded from the bonuses wagering requirements.

Slot Games with a High Return to Player

It goes without saying that slots with a higher RTP may give you a better chance of winning. Therefore, it makes sense to know about the RTP of your favourite titles. The lower a game’s RTP, the less likely you are to win. At the same time, your bankroll is likely to decline faster.

An RTP of around 96% is the average for online slots. Of course, there are also developers whose game’s RTP averages between 94% and 95%. On the other hand, you can also find some titles that go through the roof, for example, Blood Suckers (NetEnt) with 98.00% and 1429 Uncharted Seas (Thunderkick) with 98.50%. Below we list various slots from different software providers that have a high RTP.

• 98% (and above) RTP slots: Book of 99 by Relax (99.00%), 1429 Uncharted Seas by Thunderkick (98.50%), Marching Legions by Relax (98.12%), Joker Strike by Quickspin (96.46% to 98.11%), Blood Suckers by NetEnt (98.00%)
• Ainsworth: Viking Reign (96.62%), Amazon Gold (96.54%), Kanga Cash Extra (96.13%)
• BGaming: Savage Buffalo Spirit (97.10%), Maneki 88 Gold (96.79% to 97.06%), Lady Wolf Moon Megaways (97.04%)
• Big Time Gaming: White Rabbit (97.24% to 97.77%), Extra Chilli (96.15% to 96.82%), Opal Fruits (96.67%)
• Golden Hero (JTG): Hawaiian Dream (97.00%), Engeki Rising X50 (96.63%), Dreams of Gold (96.41%), Oiran Dream (96.34%), Battle Dwarf (96.00%)
• Microgaming: Retro Reels – Extreme Heat (97.50%), Immortal Romance (96.86%), Bust the Bank (96.75%), Kings of Cash (96.68%), Thunderstruck II (96.65%), Terminator 2 (96.62%)
• NetEnt: Blood Suckers (98.00%), Steam Tower (97.04%), Hotline (96.13% to 97.04%), Guns N’ Roses (96.98%), Jack Hammer (96.96%), Neon Staxx (96.90%), Dead or Alive (96.82%), Joker Pro (96.80%), Fruit Shop (96.71%)
• Play’n GO: Iron Girl (96.70%), Golden Ticket (96.69%), Gold King (96.53%), Reactoonz (96.51%), Fu Er Dai (96.50%), Moon Princess (96.50%)
• Playtech: Golden Tour (97.71%), White King 2 (97.30%), Desert Treasure (97.10%), Halloween Fortune (97.06%), Funky Monkey (96.94%)
• Pragmatic Play: Gold Train (97.16%), Caishen’s Gold (97.08%), 888 Dragons (96.84%), Eye of the Storm (96.71%)
• Quickspin: Joker Strike (96.46% to 98.11%), Big Bad Wolf (97.34%), Sinbad (97.07%), Treasure Island (97.07%), Mighty Arthur (96.94%), Genies Touch (96.90%), (96.84%), Goldilocks (96.84%), Polar Paws (96.84%)
• Red Tiger: Blood Suckers Megaways (97.66%)
• Relax Gaming: Book of 99 (99.00%), Marching Legions (98.12%)
• Thunderkick: 1429 Uncharted Seas (98.50%), Bork the Berzerker (97.30%), Toki Time (97.10%), Barber Shop Uncut (97.00%), Fruit Warp (97.00%)

How about Giving the Following Slots a Run for Their RTP?

1429 Uncharted Seas by Thunderkick (98.50%)

The games by Thunderkick weren’t on our popular list initially, but since this RTP powerhouse of a slot came around, that has changed radically (another favourite of ours is the Bork the Berzerker slot (details further below), which offers similar gameplay).

Similar to the NetEnt jackpot slot Hall of Gods, the expanding wilds are the feature to look out for. In addition, the up to 50 free spins can lead to impressive wins. With the (rather unusual) low to medium volatility, we can also recommend this game to casual gamers. See the full 1429 Uncharted Seas slot review for details.

Blood Suckers by NetEnt (98.00%)

We can aptly remark: This video slot doesn’t suck the life out of you straight away. On the one hand, the volatility is kept in check and, on the other hand, the RTP rate of 98% is one of the best in the iGaming industry.

In our opinion, many of the earlier online slots are less stingy in dishing out wins than some of the modern feature-heavy titles. The latter often give the impression of great odds of winning that are ultimately drowned out in elaborate animations. Blood Suckers doesn’t beat around the bush and sports a remarkable paytable, a pick-a-bonus round and a 3x multiplier during free spins. If you don’t take a bite out of this one, you are missing out. See the full Blood Suckers slot review for details.

Big Bad Wolf by Quickspin (97.34%)

It stays snappy! This time it’s not Dracula, but the wolf from the fairytale “The Three Little Pigs” in Quickspin’s Big Bad Wolf slot who is looking for a lucrative meal. Caution is advisable, though, because this game’s volatility may easily bite off more of your bankroll than you can stomach. Players with an appetite for risk, however, have come to the right place.

Big Bad Wolf employs the collapsing reels mechanic, as known from many other titles such as Gonzo’s Quest and Elements by NetEnt, Bonanza by BTG or Moon Princess by Play’n GO (this is only a handful of examples).

Instead of an increasing multiplier like in Gonzo’s Quest, Big Bad Wolf lets you unlock up to three additional wilds in a row, provided you hit six consecutive winning combinations, which is quite a challenge. The same applies to the free spins, only that a x2 multiplier can also come into play. See the full Big Bad Wolf slot review for details.

Bork the Berzerker by Thunderkick (97.30%)

This humorous comic-style Thunderkick slot plays similarly to 1429 Uncharted Seas, in that the main focus is on the expanding wilds. In addition, up to 20 free spins are up for grabs, in which Bork (after the Nordic warrior) can appear on all reels, chopping up monsters and ensuring tasty wins in the process. The game cannot count itself among the ranks of the 98%-RTP slots, but 97.30% is certainly not bad either. See the full Bork the Berzerker slot review for details.

Caishen’s Gold by Pragmatic Play (97.08%)

Caishen is the ancient Chinese God of Prosperity. If you want to get your hands on Caishen’s precious pot of gold worth 1,378x your bet, you should first come to terms with the high volatility which, in our opinion, does not squeeze your odds of winning too much here.

In terms of gameplay, this 243 All Ways slot comes across as rather straightforward. Free spins are up for grabs too. These are no ordinary spins though since all low-paying symbols are removed from the reels, giving you an excellent chance to pocketing top prizes with just the best-paying icons.

Last but not least, Caishen’s Gold also features four non-progressive jackpots that can be won via a randomly triggered bonus round. Non-progressive means that the jackpot sums are adjusted in relation to your bet rather than a jackpot where each players’ stakes contribute toward the prize pot. See the full Caishen’s Gold slot review for details.

Bonus Buy Slots – a Toy for High Rollers

Can you buy the bonus round in a slot game? Yes! You can effectively skip the waiting time until the free spins are triggered by using a side bet feature called “bonus buy” or “feature buy”. The provider Big Time Gaming is again the pioneer of this game mechanic and coined it with its own name: “Feature Drop”. It was first implemented in the Megaways title White Rabbit. The feature has already been licensed by many other casino games providers, so they too can release their own bonus buy slots. See the best bonus buy slots here.

Feature Costs between 50 to 100x Your Bet

Buying free spins doesn’t come cheap. On average, you will have to dish out between 50 to 100x your bet. Unless you’re a high roller gambler looking for the next thrill, recreational players probably won’t bother too much with it. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t play a bonus slot, as this feature is completely optional. Well-known titles include the aforementioned White Rabbit and Extra Chilli (the latter also by BTG), as well as Sweet Bonanza by Pragmatic Play (see below).

Besides the option to buy the bonus directly, some games also offer the so-called “ante bet” or “buy chance”. Simply put, this increases the chance of a successful spin. Moreover, many games promise a higher RTP rate if you use the buy-in feature – certainly one of the hallmarks of bonus buy slots. Find out more about this topic in full here.

The Truth About “Hot and Cold” Slots

If you have played online roulette before, you will be aware that some casino software providers like to kit out their games with “handy stats”. Most stats are rather useless, and one of these is the bit relating to hot and cold numbers.

As you will know, every spin on the roulette wheel is random. You have got no guarantee that hot (the most recent winning numbers) or cold (ones which have not appeared frequently) numbers will come up – none. If you can understand this when expressed from the perspective of roulette, then you will realise that it does not make sense when casinos advertise hot and cold games, either.

It is becoming more prevalent for casinos to do this. However, just like you should not assume cold numbers are “due to appear” in roulette, you should not assume cold games are due to payout. Similarly, games described as “hot” does not mean that you are going to win a share of the spoils.

Hot and Cold Is Just a Gimmicky Term

With the greatest respect – do not waste your time with games, numbers, or anything else that a casino wants to divide into hot and cold labels. These terms mean nothing and may be utilised by a casino to get you to play the games they want to push. By understanding the simple logic that fair casino games pay out at random (they use RNGs, after all), you can avoid this pitfall.

Volatility/Variance of Slot Games

The volatility or variance of a slot game (two terms, same meaning), whether online or in a real casino, signifies how risky a game is, or the relation between the amount of the payout and the frequency of the payout.

In theory, a game with a low volatility may pay out more regularly and keep your budget steady. However, the winnings will not be as high in the long term.

On the other hand, a slot with a medium to high volatility is much more unpredictable. The game might go a long time without big payouts, but once the time comes, the payout will potentially be that much more lucrative. That is, if you haven’t played through your entire bankroll already.

Below You Find Some Examples of Popular Online Slots and Their Official Volatility:

• Low volatility slots: Blood Suckers (NetEnt), Esqueleto Explosivo (Thunderkick), Starburst (NetEnt), Twin Spin (NetEnt)
• Medium volatility slots: Jack and the Beanstalk (NetEnt), Hitman (Microgaming), Prosperity Palace (Play’n GO), Thunderstruck II (Microgaming)
• High volatility slots: Book of Dead (Play’n GO), Gemix (Play’n GO), Jackpot Jester 50,000 (NextGen), Matsuri (Play’n GO), Medusa II (NextGen), Panda’s Fortune (Pragmatic Play), pretty much any Megaways slot such as the ones by BTG

How to Understand Slot Volatility

The volatility of a game is graphically represented by a point value from 1 to 5, with 1 as the lowest and 5 as the highest risk factor. Unfortunately, details on the variance of a slot game are not usually disclosed in the paytable (some of the slots by Pragmatic Play being an exception).

If you are a well-seasoned player though, then you might intuitively already have a feeling for how risky a game is. In the end, all the above details are only approximate values anyway, as the winning odds of a game cannot be precisely determined through the RTP and volatility alone.