Arguably the most popular game in the Big Time Gaming (BTG) collection, and one of the slots that started players' love of the Megaways engine, Bonanza is a behemoth in the online casino world. This goldmining-themed slot has a fun premise and impressive graphics, but it's the gameplay that drives its popularity.
With a Cascading Reels feature, up to 117,649 ways to win on every spin, and the potential of unlimited multipliers and free spins in the bonus game, BTG's Bonanza title is well-deserving of its place at the top table of online slots.
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How to Play Bonanza Slot
The Bonanza slot has six reels and seven rows, which immediately makes this a visually interesting slot. The Megaways engine offers up to 117,649 ways to win on every play, with the number varying from spin to spin. The symbols on the reels combine the traditional 9-A playing card symbols (1.75x stake for six K or A symbols) and gemstones. The purple gemstone standing out as the highest value symbol, paying out 50x stake for five on a payline.
The slot is set in a mountainside where gold mining is taking place, with a cascading reels feature that sees winning combinations disappear to be replaced by other symbols for the chance at consecutive wins on one spin.
Basic Info
Layout
Settings
The Bonanza slot is playable from $0.20 to $20 a spin on all compatible devices. This is a relatively low maximum amount, but with so many ways to win, high rollers can still find a lot of interesting features in this game.
Once the bet amount is set, the reels can be spun either manually or using the autoplay feature, and three or more matching symbols on a payline will lead to wins. The dynamite symbol is the wild and will substitute for all but the scatter symbol to play a part in potential winning combinations.
There are also gold letters on the reels; if four of these spell out the word GOLD anywhere on the reels during a spin, the impressive free spins round is triggered.
How to Win on Bonanza Slot Machine
The Megaways game mechanic is the most exciting part of the Bonanza slot for most players. Megaways has created a revolution in slot play in recent years, and for good reason.
The number of ways to win changes from spin to spin, with a maximum of up to 117,649 available if the reels are full of symbols. Ways to win differ slightly from paylines by incorporating a greater number of winning combinations and potentially increasing the chance to win on every spin, especially when the ways to win number gets up into the really high numbers.
A jackpot win of up to 10,000x the stake is available on the Bonanza slot, although thanks to the potentially endless multiplier build in the free spins feature, the wins available here are limitless, on paper at least.
An additional horizontal reel above the middle four game reels are worthy of mention too, adding an extra symbol on each reel to provide the potential for an extra win.
When wins do land on the reels, the symbols making up that win will disappear and be replaced. This is known as the Reactions mechanic, but players will know it best as cascading reels, popularized by the likes of NetEnt's fabled Gonzo's Quest slot.
In the base game, five purple gemstone symbols provide wins of 50x stake, which is a decent return, but when the multipliers come into play in the free spins feature, this can go to a whole different level.
Bonanza Game Pay Table & Ways to Win
| Basic Info | 2 Symbols | 3 Symbols | 4 Symbols | 5 Symbols | 6 Symbols |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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Purple gems
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2 | 5 | 10 | 25 | 50 |
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Red gems
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- | 1 | 2 | 2.5 | 7.5 |
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Blue gems
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- | 0.25 | 1 | 1.5 | 2 |
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Green gems
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- | 0.25 | 0.5 | 0.75 | 2 |
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Ace
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- | 0.2 | 0.4 | 0.6 | 1.75 |
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King
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- | 0.2 | 0.4 | 0.6 | 1.75 |
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Queen
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- | 0.2 | 0.25 | 0.6 | 1 |
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Jack
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- | 0.15 | 0.25 | 0.5 | 1 |
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10
|
- | 0.15 | 0.25 | 0.5 | 0.9 |
|
9
|
- | 0.1 | 0.2 | 0.4 | 0.8 |
Get four GOLD Scatters to win 12 Free Spins
Every extra Scatter adds an extra five Free Spins
Free Spin Scatters appear only in carts
3 Scatters = 5 extra Free Spins.
4 Scatters = 10 extra Free Spins.
Wilds substitute every symbol except Scatter
RTP & Volatility in Bonanza Slot
The 'RTP' of a slot denotes the return-to-player percentage, which signifies how much money a slot game returns to the player over a series of thousands of spins. This in an average taken from hypothetical spins and is not to be considered a guarantee by players. However, it is a good sign of how generous a slot can be on a lucky day.
The average RTP of slot games lands somewhere between 90% and 95%, with BTG's Bonanza slot going slightly above that with an RTP of 96%. This means that, on average, this slot will pay out $96 per $100 staked, but again, this should not be relied on as a guarantee.
When discussing the behavior of a slot RTP is one of the tools used, and the other is volatility. Often referred to as variance, the volatility of a slot refers to both the average amount of a payout, and the frequency of that payout. A high volatility slot, for example, is likely to pay out beefy amounts infrequently, while a low volatility slot may pay out little and often. This is a very general term and, like RTP, should not be considered an insurance policy for the behavior of a slot and the protection of player funds.
As a medium volatility slot, Bonanza lands in the middle, with payouts and their amounts being tough to predict. This adds a level of excitement to the gameplay but can be frustrating if players have a run of quick payouts and then a long wait until the next one.
How Does Bonanza's Winnings Compare to Other Slot Games?
At 10,000x stake (totaling $200,000 if the maximum of $20 a spin is bet) the max jackpot of Bonanza is certainly an impressive amount. Granted, it does not match up to progressive jackpot slots that pay out in the millions, and there are other Vegas slots with a higher jackpot amount. But as is often the case with Bonanza slot, it's not that simple.
The fact that the multiplier in the free spins feature can keep building, means the win on one spin can grow a huge amount, and when considering consecutive wins in the cascading reels feature, there is no real limit to how much can be won on a single spin, especially in the free spins round.
Bonuses on Bonanza Slot Machine
With the Bonanza slot, there are two features at play, but one is substantially bigger than the other.
Cascading Reels
The less impressive of the two features, cascading reels stands out due to its frequency. A well-known feature in many slot games, this mechanic sees winning combinations disappear to be replaced by other symbols. If another winning combination is formed, another win is collected, and the feature repeats. As a result, wins can really build up in this feature. Add to this the Dual Reaction feature, where extra symbols roll in from the carts after a winning combination, and big wins are possible to land.
Free Spins Feature
Features don't come much better than this one. G, O, L, and D symbols appear on the reels and trigger 12 free spins. Scatter symbols in the top cart can retrigger several spins (five or more) and there is no limit to how many times this can retrigger.
Talking of no limits, every time a winning combination is gained in the free spins round, the multiplier added to each win increases by one. Again, this is unlimited, so the multiplier can just keep building and with cascading reels wins also building the multiplier, this can jump up a few spots on a single spin for the chance at some huge wins.
Bonanza Slot Tips
1. Have Patience – But Don't Chase Losses
As a medium volatility slot, wins can be few and far between, and the free spins feature can take a while to trigger.
2. Set a Betting Limit
Continuing the above, given the Bonanza slot can be sparing in its payouts and feature triggers, it's worth betting low to ensure a long game is possible.
3. Know when to Collect
The issue with a slot with huge wins is the temptation to try and double up on them. At the end of a profitable run on the free spins feature, it's sensible to collect the majority of winnings. Perhaps leave a little leftover to see if the feature can be triggered again, but don't bet more than that.
4. Gambler's Fallacy
The Gambler's Fallacy is a philosophy that a random act is affected by the random act that came before it. A common example of this is: 'this slot hasn't paid out in a long time it has to pay out soon'. Remember that every spin is random and unrelated to that which proceeded it.
Bonanza Slot Free Play
Bonanza is an intriguing, exciting, and fun slot, but it is also complex. Between the cart reels, the cascading reels, the free spins, the multipliers, and the Megaways function, a little practice doesn't go amiss before moving onto real money play.
Free slot games allow players to enjoy real gameplay on slots like Bonanza without risking any money. Of course, payouts do not come in here either, but there'll be time for that once the Bonanza real money slot play begins.
Play Bonanza Slot Machine on Mobile
Bonanza Megaways is available for compatible Android and iPhone devices, but it performs best on a high-quality phone or tablet. The Bonanza mobile slot makes a mobile device work hard, so to ensure seamless gameplay, it's important that the device is up to the task.
A big screen is also advised here, as with so many symbols on the reels and rows, it can make it difficult to see exactly what is going on with smaller screens.
The immense rise in mobile gaming popularity means most online casinos are now setup for use by mobile players. The best online casinos have apps downloadable from the Google Play and App stores, as well as the ability to play the Bonanza mobile slot directly from a device's web browser.
Other Bonanza Games to Play Online
With a goldmine concept and a Megaways mechanic, the two main themes of the Bonanza slot were already enjoying a decent level of popularity before this slot was released.
However, the Bonanza Megaways slot definitely had an impact, especially on the popularity of the Megaways game engine. Since Bonanza's success there's been a notable increase in software developers launching Megaways slot games.
It's easy to see why the Megaways mechanic became so popular so quickly, but it's fair to say the process would probably have been slower had it not been for BTG's release of the Bonanza slot.
Of course, this is far from the only available Megaways slot. There are many more to experience, and many are worth a try, including:
Barcrest, 95.9%
Blueprint, 96.45%
Relax Gaming, 96.59%
WMS, 96.22%
NetEnt, 96%
Bonanza Slot Online Review
Big Time Gaming may have made the Bonanza slot, but it's fair to say that the Bonanza slot also made Big Time Gaming. A real breakthrough for the developer in terms of reach and popularity, Bonanza was an instant hit.
The Megaways mechanic is obviously a big selling point here, but the free spins feature with its rising multiplier, the cascading reels, and the dual reaction mechanic mean that there is more than just one string to the bow of this slot in terms of gameplay.
The Bonanza slot also looks great; the theme may not be particularly original, but the high-quality graphics and animations more than make up for that.
As popular as many Megaways slots are, no list of the best is complete without Bonanza, truly one of the greatest.
For Bonanza slot, we give this game a rating of 9/10. To learn more about our assessment and grading of casinos and games, check out our How We Rate page. We work closely with the independent regulatory bodies below to ensure every player on our site has a secure and reliable experience.
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Bonanza Slot Reviews by Players
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FAQs
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How do you play and win Bonanza?
Playing and winning the Bonanza slot is as simple as spinning the reels and seeing if you're lucky. Once you've selected a bet amount (between $0.20 and $20) and started playing, you're looking for winning combinations of three or more symbols on a payline.
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How do you score in Bonanza slot?
Wins are gained in the Bonanza slot by matching symbols on a payline. If a winning combination lands, the symbols making it up disappear to be replaced by more for the chance of additional wins. Four GOLD symbols trigger the free spins feature, where a multiplier builds up after each win for the chance at huge payouts.
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What is Bonanza slot's RTP?
The Bonanza online slot from Big Time Gaming has an RTP of 96%, which is a little higher than the average for a regular slot game. This means the slot is expected to pay out $96 per $100 on average, but this average is not a guarantee and should not be considered as such.
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Is there a Bonanza free play version?
Bonanza free slots are a sensible way to get used to how this game works before moving on to real money play. Freeplay versions of the Bonanza slot can be found at several top online casino sites, as well as from review sites like this one.
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What is the Bonanza slot's max payout?
On paper, the max payout of the Bonanza slot is 10,000x stake. If you've bet the highest amount of $20 per spin, this results in a max jackpot of $200,000. However, due to the potential of an unlimited multiplier during the free spins feature, the actual max jackpot of the Bonanza slot is unknown.