Question Have max wins on slots got out of hand?

[Reelsoffun]

I remember a time when winning 5000x on a slot was such a rare event that it was often only if you had hit a progressive win.

Well not any more, now we have hundreds if not thousands of games that have not only 5000x, but 10,000x, 25,000x, even 100,000x and more! So what does that really do to the math of a slot? Well I will tell you, it basically makes every one of those slots similar to playing a progressive slot.

A true progressive slot takes a small portion of each bet and places it into a jackpot pool, that is then won from either a random trigger or gaining the correct reel symbols to trigger the win. Easy right?

Here's the thing, a game with such a high top win is effectively the same but different in that a part of each bet isn't placed into a progressive pot to be won but it is still accounted for mathematically and can be anything from a small percentage to several percent or more of the games RTP.

This is, IMO what makes modern slots far more hard to win and catches many players out, as unless you win the top prize you are effectively playing with a reduced RTP by the amount of the large or max win RTP distribution is, constantly.

Depending on the game this can have a massive affect on the players bankroll, RTP and playability over many sessions.

Would you prefer more slots with the 1-3000x hits that actually deliver? Beacuse of course its still possible to have games with these relatively low max wins but still be crazy odds to hit ( looking at you Moon Princess ), personally I would, but would love to hear your opinions!

What do you think?, have they gone too far? are we all just left playing slots with lottery odds, and progressive equavalent games?

 

[2Slots]

I don't play them and stick to old slots because I like slots that if I play them long enough I should get somewhere near the stated RTP rather than being around 50% and that's ok because I didn't hit a max win.

I'm not sure how important the max win is compared to how well the RTP is distributed around it.

NLC are the main ones I've tried on demo and the game mechanics seem to be solely for the features or boosters. In the base game the mechanics always seem to be used to distract from the fact that it was a dead spin!

I tried Duck Hunters 2 (i think) on demo and it was pretty unplayable then I noticed it had a 1000x spin ante so .20 spins were 200 quid! Put that on and it was a great game, the max win must have hit 3 or 4 times but that 30,000x was really 30x. Reckon that's the real goal of those types of slots and the normal players are not the target market.

DoA2 is well known for it's 100,000x max win but it feels more like a normal slot to me that has the very slight chance of that happening rather than it being the whole point of the game.

The base game has most of the RTP at around 70% and a reasonable bonus frequency so if you choose High Noon every time you know that it's almost guaranteed to be a crap bonus. At least it has the original feature and Train Heist as well!

The new ones just seem to be lotteries disguised as slots like you mentioned but probably allow for more people to hit the max win than DoA2 due to the RTP being more heavily skewed to the bonus. You just have to hope you're one of the lucky few and not the thousands who are going to pay for it!

 

[SYPlayer95]

Defo. I once won 16 bags off 80p spin. That'll never happen again.

 

[sufferinsilence]

Yes, for sure. Especially because a lot of the max wins are reached by expensive ante-bets or bonus buys, just as an example NLC and their "max win" spins.

And now we have all those slots hitting the market that are based on the popular Vegas 6 balls/orbs/whatever to hit a bonus and needing a full screen in the bonus to get the Grand. Or wheel bonuses like on Huff 'n Puff. Feels impossible to ever hit the big one.

That being said, I only have a max win on 1 slot which is 1000x... Not even on the more moderate (for todays standards) 3000 or 5000x.

 

[YouTubeSlots]

I agree with 2slots, just mainly play the old relaible games. All those new games with stupid massive max wins on, are for me mainly boring as fuck and dead,

To make up for the 1 spawny guy who hits the max win, millions have to suffer with boredom and a near enough 0 return for there deposit and no entertainment for there coin.

like zeus vs hades for example, a truly awful game in my opinion just purely made for bonus buys.

 

[2Slots]

like zeus vs hades for example, a truly awful game in my opinion just purely made for bonus buys.

I got so happy when I randomly played it and landed a bonus on hades mode.

Wasn't so happy when it returned 0.7x

 

[Playford7]

I agree with 2slots, just mainly play the old relaible games. All those new games with stupid massive max wins on, are for me mainly boring as fuck and dead,

To make up for the 1 spawny guy who hits the max win, millions have to suffer with boredom and a near enough 0 return for there deposit and no entertainment for there coin.

like zeus vs hades for example, a truly awful game in my opinion just purely made for bonus buys.

I’ve had 1000x in the base on that a few times, it does utterly kill the balance 9/10 however.

 

[YouTubeSlots]

Amyone thats not played dead or alive 3 with the extrabet on is missing out. Can hold a balance for hours. And bonuses every other few spins, loads of action. And a huge max win!!! on the table also.

Ive had that do 5000x already, technically 10000x if the extra bet was turned off.

Basically it has your huge monster win multipliers like zeus vs hades or similar games.

But unlike them has a way more interesting base game and bonus for me. If you have the extra bet on! The extrabet is key!

 

[2Slots]

Amyone thats not played dead or alive 3 with the extrabet on is missing out. Can hold a balance for hours. And bonuses every other few spins, loads of action. And a huge max win!!! on the table also.

Ive had that do 5000x already, technically 10000x if the extra bet was turned off.

I completely forgot it exists!

 

[YouTubeSlots]

I completely forgot it exists!

Quickly become one of my favourite games. Im not joking either. Like i say if you have played it in the uk its not the same game. Its a different beast entirely on the crypto sites.

 

[Playford7]

Amyone thats not played dead or alive 3 with the extrabet on is missing out. Can hold a balance for hours. And bonuses every other few spins, loads of action. And a huge max win!!! on the table also.

Ive had that do 5000x already, technically 10000x if the extra bet was turned off.

Basically it has your huge monster win multipliers like zeus vs hades or similar games.

But unlike them has a way more interesting base game and bonus for me. If you have the extra bet on! The extrabet is key!

Can you play the extra bet on normal on crypto uk casinos ?

 

[2Slots]

Quickly become one of my favourite games. Im not joking either. Like i say if you have played it in the uk its not the same game. Its a different beast entirety on the crypto sites.

Thats the problem for UK. All the new slots are like that. Even the new bonanza could turn out to be pointless without the ante.

Everything is ante-bet or some over complicated pots, wheel, orbs etc. like @sufferinsilence mentioned.

 

[sufferinsilence]

Amyone thats not played dead or alive 3 with the extrabet on is missing out. Can hold a balance for hours. And bonuses every other few spins, loads of action. And a huge max win!!! on the table also.

Ive had that do 5000x already, technically 10000x if the extra bet was turned off.

Basically it has your huge monster win multipliers like zeus vs hades or similar games.

But unlike them has a way more interesting base game and bonus for me. If you have the extra bet on! The extrabet is key!

Yeah, it does bonus fairly regular but the bulk of the bonuses are just like DoA 1 or 2. I haven't really found the base to be all that friendly but perhaps I haven't done enough spins.

 

[Ant1975]

Can you play the extra bet on normal on crypto uk casinos ?

No, it's just the basic spin on uk casino (unibet.i guess the others are the same)
94.02% rtp.

 

[YouTubeSlots]

Yeah, it does bonus fairly regular but the bulk of the bonuses are just like DoA 1 or 2. I haven't really found the base to be all that friendly but perhaps I haven't done enough spins.

I've had multiple huge base game hits on it some over 1000x and loads of nice bonuses and huge wins. But i do play it every time i play so maybe that's why.

Yeah it does bonus often so they can't all be big wins. But i will take more bonuses any day over waiting ages for it too land. Just knowing you have that little chance of it paying big!

It has a built in bonus buy in it also if you ask me. Like big bass it will usually pay around min 20x. So you know you have at least won something when it lands like the big bass game. Dont get me wrong both can turn out a 2x bonus, But its rare as s**t. Only had it a hand full of times on doa 3 for the over 1000 bonuses ive had on it

And unlike its predecessor it doesn't need 5 wilds to all line up perfectly to pay huge. Just the right symbols to land with a high multi can often do the job!

I hated it when it first launched but i actually get it now and really like the game.

 

[YouTubeSlots]

Can you play the extra bet on normal on crypto uk casinos ?

I wish mate.

 

[Reelsoffun]

But unlike them has a way more interesting base game and bonus for me. If you have the extra bet on! The extrabet is key!

Is the extra bet not allowed in the UK on this game then? Or is it just not on some sites? What is all that about on some games! Not actually played it if im honest, but sounds like it is worth it!

 

[MatiazGo1337]

I remember a time when winning 5000x on a slot was such a rare event that it was often only if you had hit a progressive win.

Well not any more, now we have hundreds if not thousands of games that have not only 5000x, but 10,000x, 25,000x, even 100,000x and more! So what does that really do to the math of a slot? Well I will tell you, it basically makes every one of those slots similar to playing a progressive slot.

A true progressive slot takes a small portion of each bet and places it into a jackpot pool, that is then won from either a random trigger or gaining the correct reel symbols to trigger the win. Easy right?

Here's the thing, a game with such a high top win is effectively the same but different in that a part of each bet isn't placed into a progressive pot to be won but it is still accounted for mathematically and can be anything from a small percentage to several percent or more of the games RTP.

This is, IMO what makes modern slots far more hard to win and catches many players out, as unless you win the top prize you are effectively playing with a reduced RTP by the amount of the large or max win RTP distribution is, constantly.

Depending on the game this can have a massive affect on the players bankroll, RTP and playability over many sessions.

Would you prefer more slots with the 1-3000x hits that actually deliver? Beacuse of course its still possible to have games with these relatively low max wins but still be crazy odds to hit ( looking at you Moon Princess ), personally I would, but would love to hear your opinions!

What do you think?, have they gone too far? are we all just left playing slots with lottery odds, and progressive equavalent games?

I hear you on the math, but I actually see it differently. Personally, I’m a big fan of the high-multiplier meta, and I wouldn’t want to go back to the 1,000x–3,000x days.

Here’s why: for most people, the whole draw of crypto gambling these days is that lottery-ticket feeling. If I’m playing a really volatile slot, I want to know that some insane 20,000x or 50,000x hit is at least possible, even if the odds are basically nothing. That’s what keeps a session exciting.

And yeah, the max win does eat into the RTP distribution, but modern slots make up for it with much better base games and more frequent bonus buys. With old-school games like Moon Princess, you could grind for hours, finally get a “max win” of 5,000x, and still feel like you hit a wall. With modern high-cap games, you can catch a really nice 500x–2,000x in a normal bonus round without even needing the absolute ceiling of the game.

At the end of the day, it comes down to what you want from your bankroll. If you want steady, low-risk playtime, there are still plenty of low-volatility slots out there. But if you’re chasing the real adrenaline rush? Give me those crazy 100,000x caps any day.

 

[interlog]

Is the extra bet not allowed in the UK on this game then? Or is it just not on some sites? What is all that about on some games! Not actually played it if im honest, but sounds like it is worth it!

You would have thought the extra bet on DOA3 would be accessible in the UK providing it doesn't exceed the £5 total spin value as it isn't a bonus buy.

But I guess that to activate this extra bet feature it also gives you the option of being able to buy a bonus, it is disabled by the provider? Lazy programming in my opinion because they could have put the bonus buy on one button (disabled in the UK) and the extra bet option on another button (enabled in the UK)

 

[Reelsoffun]

You would have thought the extra bet on DOA3 would be accessible in the UK providing it doesn't exceed the £5 total spin value as it isn't a bonus buy.

But I guess that to activate this extra bet feature it also gives you the option of being able to buy a bonus, it is disabled by the provider? Lazy programming in my opinion because they could have put the bonus buy on one button (disabled in the UK) and the extra bet option on another button (enabled in the UK)

Ah that explains it and totally agree with you here. Lazy programming, that stops it being used in potentially more juristictions.

Maybe UK casinos didn't want the option as it would restrict the game to a much lower main max bet.

For whatever reason it does seem they have missed an opportunity for it to be played more in the UK, which is a shame, and stange that they wouldn't want to utilize every possible opportunity to make money like providers normally do!

 

[Reelsoffun]

I hear you on the math, but I actually see it differently. Personally, I’m a big fan of the high-multiplier meta, and I wouldn’t want to go back to the 1,000x–3,000x days.

I have no problem with that, but why do we have to have 99% of all new games, I would be very surprised if you represent even 30% of all players wanting such high multiplier games and dreadful gameplay.

Here’s why: for most people, the whole draw of crypto gambling these days is that lottery-ticket feeling. If I’m playing a really volatile slot, I want to know that some insane 20,000x or 50,000x hit is at least possible, even if the odds are basically nothing. That’s what keeps a session exciting.

Again, I sort of agree with you that crypto players seem more likely to like these all or nothing games, but this is my point there is a vast amount of people that dont play crypto and then these games are often very unplayable.

And yeah, the max win does eat into the RTP distribution, but modern slots make up for it with much better base games and more frequent bonus buys.

This one i dont agree on? what are these games that have massive max wins and still have good base games? the ones I have encounted are absolutely brutal in the base.

With old-school games like Moon Princess, you could grind for hours, finally get a “max win” of 5,000x, and still feel like you hit a wall. With modern high-cap games, you can catch a really nice 500x–2,000x in a normal bonus round without even needing the absolute ceiling of the game.

Moon princess is a bad example as im quite sure the 5000x win is so crazy rare i not confirmed, but im sure it was reported in the range of 1 in 150 million+ games which lets face it is beyond an individual human's reach and for a prize of only 5000x!

At the end of the day, it comes down to what you want from your bankroll. If you want steady, low-risk playtime, there are still plenty of low-volatility slots out there. But if you’re chasing the real adrenaline rush? Give me those crazy 100,000x caps any day.

And im back to agreeing with you, yes it depends on the players risk appitite, but my point was it really is very one sided for players with most new slots being way too volatile, and the older much lower volatility titles are disappearing at a fast rate, and coupled to the ever decreasing RTPs its getting grimm for low to mid rollers.

Excellent discussion tho!

 

[YouTubeSlots]

Is the extra bet not allowed in the UK on this game then? Or is it just not on some sites? What is all that about on some games! Not actually played it if im honest, but sounds like it is worth it!

They probably realised the game can actually pay out with the extra bet on. Therefore the U.K customer got screwed again. No extrabet no bonus buys. Just dead spins and lots of them. Just how the U.K market like there games these days!

 

[YouTubeSlots]

This is what your looking for. Naturally landed with the extra bet on (5400X)

It took me years to hit over 5000x on book of dead with a full screen of explorers. But dead or alive 3 did a win near enough the same in the first year of playing it!

 

[johnnymcc1966]

Never had one and unlikely to ever have one,so probably not in my case.

 

[MatiazGo1337]

I have no problem with that, but why do we have to have 99% of all new games, I would be very surprised if you represent even 30% of all players wanting such high multiplier games and dreadful gameplay.


Again, I sort of agree with you that crypto players seem more likely to like these all or nothing games, but this is my point there is a vast amount of people that dont play crypto and then these games are often very unplayable.

This one i dont agree on? what are these games that have massive max wins and still have good base games? the ones I have encounted are absolutely brutal in the base.

Moon princess is a bad example as im quite sure the 5000x win is so crazy rare i not confirmed, but im sure it was reported in the range of 1 in 150 million+ games which lets face it is beyond an individual human's reach and for a prize of only 5000x!



And im back to agreeing with you, yes it depends on the players risk appitite, but my point was it really is very one sided for players with most new slots being way too volatile, and the older much lower volatility titles are disappearing at a fast rate, and coupled to the ever decreasing RTPs its getting grimm for low to mid rollers.

Excellent discussion tho!

You raise some incredibly fair points, and honestly, you hit the nail on the head regarding the 'brutal base game' issue. It’s a great discussion!
Here is my take on where the market is going and why I still lean towards the high-multiplier side:

1. About the 99% market shift: You're totally right that providers are over-saturating the market with insane volatility right now. It definitely leaves casual or low-to-mid rollers out in the cold. But unfortunately, casinos and providers follow the money. Streamers and big crypto 'whales' chasing 100k clips drive 90% of the marketing. It sucks for the average player who just wants a chill session, but the industry seems heavily skewed toward the hype-train right now.
2. On the brutal base games: Fair play, a lot of them are absolute dead-spin simulators. But when I mentioned good base games, I was thinking of providers like Hacksaw Gaming (e.g., Wanted Dead or a Wild or Chaos Crew). Yes, the base game can drain your balance, but the VS mechanics or random multipliers can suddenly drop a 100x–500x out of nowhere without even triggering the main bonus. To me, that keeps it alive compared to old-school slots where a non-bonus win is almost always just 0.5x your bet.
3. The Moon Princess example: Touché! 1 in 150 million is a ridiculous stat for just 5,000x, and you're right to call me out on that. It actually proves my point in a way, though—if the odds for a lower max-win are that bad in older games due to bad math structures, I’d rather take my lottery odds on a game like San Quentin or Tombstone RIP where the ceiling is exponentially higher if lightning actually strikes.

I completely agree with your final point about decreasing RTPs making it grim for casual players. The combination of high volatility + lowered casino RTP configurations (like 94% or 92% versions) is a dangerous mix.
I guess my crypto bias is showing here because we love high-risk, high-reward plays, but for fiat players and traditional gamblers, the current landscape is definitely becoming a minefield.

 

[2Slots]

...
I guess my crypto bias is showing here because we love high-risk, high-reward plays, but for fiat players and traditional gamblers, the current landscape is definitely becoming a minefield.

Out of interest how many max wins have you hit? If none what's the biggest wins you've landed?

I tend to look at a slot and think if maybe 25% of the stated max win is reasonably achievable then I would be happy with that as long as the slot is playable in the base game.

Because I don't play much in comparison to others I just don't see myself being able to do the volume of spins required to have a good shot at those monster max wins unless I get extremely lucky so just avoid any type of bonus or bust slots.

Not many people actually land the monster max wins and there are a lot of people who have never even got near 5000x and have been playing a lot longer than I have.

The max win part is understandable but when I found out there are quite a lot of people who haven't even landed 2000x wins and have played for years it was really surprising to me.

 

[Avernite]

So long as they are achievable without bonus buys I don't mind. I tend to steer away from ante bets and bonus buys because you're essentially just playing a more volatile version of the game. There's a reason some providers list separate RTPs for them, because they run on different math models.

 

[MatiazGo1337]

Out of interest how many max wins have you hit? If none what's the biggest wins you've landed?

I tend to look at a slot and think if maybe 25% of the stated max win is reasonably achievable then I would be happy with that as long as the slot is playable in the base game.

Because I don't play much in comparison to others I just don't see myself being able to do the volume of spins required to have a good shot at those monster max wins unless I get extremely lucky so just avoid any type of bonus or bust slots.

Not many people actually land the monster max wins and there are a lot of people who have never even got near 5000x and have been playing a lot longer than I have.

The max win part is understandable but when I found out there are quite a lot of people who haven't even landed 2000x wins and have played for years it was really surprising to me.

Honestly, that 25% rule is a really smart way to look at slots. If a game caps out at 20,000x, then hitting 5,000x is already a huge, genuinely life-changing multiplier for most people’s bankrolls.

To answer your question: I’ve hit a true absolute max win exactly once, and it took the kind of extreme luck you mentioned. Like I said earlier, it was on Tombstone RIP, where I cleared a 30,000x+ hit. But that was a total anomaly. Outside of that one lightning strike, my realistic “big wins” usually land somewhere in the 800x–1,500x range — and even those can feel like a proper grind.

And you’re 100% right about spin volume. People watch clips on Twitter or YouTube and assume 5,000x hits happen every day. In reality, unless you’re doing millions of spins or torching your bankroll on high-risk bonus buys, that’s just not happening for the average player.

It sounds crazy, but it’s true: plenty of people play for years and never see a 2,000x. That really shows how brutal the math is behind modern slots. Sticking to playable base games and avoiding the “bonus or bust” trap is probably the best way to actually enjoy gambling without wrecking your balance.

 

[Playford7]

Honestly, that 25% rule is a really smart way to look at slots. If a game caps out at 20,000x, then hitting 5,000x is already a huge, genuinely life-changing multiplier for most people’s bankrolls.

To answer your question: I’ve hit a true absolute max win exactly once, and it took the kind of extreme luck you mentioned. Like I said earlier, it was on Tombstone RIP, where I cleared a 30,000x+ hit. But that was a total anomaly. Outside of that one lightning strike, my realistic “big wins” usually land somewhere in the 800x–1,500x range — and even those can feel like a proper grind.

And you’re 100% right about spin volume. People watch clips on Twitter or YouTube and assume 5,000x hits happen every day. In reality, unless you’re doing millions of spins or torching your bankroll on high-risk bonus buys, that’s just not happening for the average player.

It sounds crazy, but it’s true: plenty of people play for years and never see a 2,000x. That really shows how brutal the math is behind modern slots. Sticking to playable base games and avoiding the “bonus or bust” trap is probably the best way to actually enjoy gambling without wrecking your balance.

I’ve been here over 10 years.. years back I played as much as those hideous nefarious bottom feeding low life parasite streamers.

And I’ve only I think ever hit over 2500x once, that puts in perspective how difficult these hits are.

And this was natural play, don’t do bonus buys.