Best Slots to Play

TOP 5 Slots of All Time

Here are the slots which made it to our top five. Some were made almost 10 years ago, others more recently. Regardless of their release date, they remain some of the most popular slot games in the history of online casinos. Should we find anything better than this, we will update this ranking accordingly. Until then, you should play these slots at least once in your lifetime.

#1 — Book of Dead (Play’n GO)

My dream of 5 travellers on Free Spins is still alive.

Saimi, slots enthusiast from Finland

Book of Dead is, in our opinion, the best slot ever made for the average player. It’s a better online version of the famous Book of Ra both visually and technically, and is also widely available, so you’ll find it at most online casinos. Even though it doesn’t have a high winning potential by today’s standards, the clichéd ancient Egyptian theme and the simple but catchy free spins bonus with a special expanding symbol never grow old despite repeated attempts to reinvent the classic. Don’t get us wrong, there are many great lookalikes out there, even from the same studio, but the “original” Book of Dead by Play’n GO remains a quintessential favourite among slot aficionados and casual punters alike.

• RTP: 96.21% (also 94.25%, 91.25%, 87.25%, 84.18%)
• Volatility: Very high
• Max Win: 5,000x
• Release Date: 14 January 2016

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#2 — Starburst (NetEnt)

Not as volatile as today's other favourites, but Starburst just works.

Saimi, slots enthusiast from Finland

Produced by NetEnt, Starburst is yet another legendary slot game that we think fits our top list like no other. Released back in 2012, this space-themed online slot has for a long time been a holy grail for most slot goers and slot sites out there. Just 10 lines that pay both ways and special expanding Wilds with free re-spins, is all that was needed to win the attention and let the math do the rest of the work. NetEnt’s craftsmanship, which makes this game particularly pleasing and easy to play, and the abundance of Starburst slot sites with related promotions, certainly helped Starburst gain pretty much a cult following. Despite its flaws and weaknesses, it’s a game that you cannot ignore when casually browsing for the best slots to play. (Update: You can now also play Starburst XXXtreme which is more volatile but has a tonne of win potential).

• RTP: 96.09% (also 90.05%, 92.05%, 93.05%, 94.05%, 95.05%, 98.05%, 99.06%)
• Volatility: Low
• Max Win: 5,000x
• Release Date: 22 January 2012

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#3 — Gonzo’s Quest (NetEnt)

Gonzo had multipliers way before these new Megaways slots. He has a warm place in my heart.

Saimi, slots enthusiast from Finland

Before symbols started reacting in thousands of ways and win multipliers growing exponentially, there was Gonzo’s Quest with simple avalanches and the more modest multipliers that were capped not at infinity but x15. Yet at that time it was a novel mechanic that the creators at NetEnt had made especially recognisable and fun with brilliant artistic execution and a charismatic character as seen in TV ads and casino banners worldwide. Seeing how the industry has evolved over the last decade, it’s hard to find a worthy competitor that would stand against this game’s heritage and the overall execution which has stood to the time incredibly well.

• RTP: 95.97% (96% on mobile)
• Volatility: Medium/High
• Max Win: 3,750x
• Release Date: 14 June 2011

Highroller bonus

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18+. New players only. One offer per player. Max bonus bet £5. Offer: 100% bonus match on 1st deposit + bonus spins. Value of bonus & number of spins depend on deposit amount: £20-£100: max £100 bonus + 150 spins on selected games; £101-£200: max £200 bonus + 100 spins on selected games; or £200+: max £300 bonus + 150 spins on the following game(s): Starburst, Gonzo, Aloha, Twin Spins and eligible NetEnt games. Winnings from spins credited as bonus and capped at £100. Bonus funds are separate to Cash funds, and are subject to 35x wagering the total bonus & cash. Only bonus funds contribute to wagering requirement. Bonus funds expire within 30 days; bonus spins within 72hrs. Affordability checks apply. Terms apply. BeGambleAware.org.

#4 — Bonanza (Big Time Gaming)

Bonanza started the Megaways graze and never looked back. Cool banjo man!

Saimi, slots enthusiast from Finland

Bonanza by Big Time Gaming is a game that started a new era of online slots – MegaWays slots. With 117,649 ways to win, it beat all other slot games on the market that pushed the boundaries of pay-lines and variance. The ease and thrill with which the game calculates the mind-boggling number of ways in which the gold-mine themed symbols can land, explode and multiply without limit, never gets boring even to this day. Even though the mechanic has seriously evolved over the years and is being heavily used by other studios, the classic remains a classic. So, if you ever feel like switching from 10 lines to something more extreme, then you cannot go wrong with this no-frills variation of MegaWays, at least by its own standards.

• RTP: 96%
• Volatility: Very high
• Max Win: 50,000x
• Release Date: 7 December 2016

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#5 — Reactoonz (Play’n GO)

Gargantoon is my all-time favourite slot character. When he pops up, you know you're in for a good time.

Saimi, slots enthusiast from Finland

All of our best slots to play picks are innovative and trendsetting, and Reactoonz is not an exception. While it may not be the first grid slot that Play’n GO released, it is one that most often comes to mind when we think of cluster slots, even to this day. The developers have nailed not only the math but also the theme which melds the characters with the features to create a wholesome experience that’s both easily understood and related by humans, and intriguing every time you pick up your phone and start playing. Even though the progressive bonuses have been tweaked in the second release, Reactoonz 2, it doesn’t feel quite the same as this “good old” Reactoonz and jolly characters like the Gargantoon.

• RTP: 96.51% (also 94.51% 91.49% 87.50% 84.51%)
• Volatility: Very high
• Max Win: 4,570.3x
• Release Date: 24 October 2017

Welcome bonus

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How We Pick our Top Slots

Even though there are hundreds of great slots out there, which we also write about in our reviews, the best of them wasn’t actually that hard to pick. It was the best of 5 where the biggest compromises had to be made. In the end, we were confident that the games we had picked would resonate well with most players. And if you don’t find your favourite game in our list then watch out because we will be publishing more of this, but with a more specific type of player in mind.

It’s important to highlight that all of our opinions are 100% independent, and we tried to stay as unbiased in our judgement. We have personally played these and tested thousands of other slots over the years as we don’t think you can judge a game by a fact sheet alone. For picking the best games for this leaderboard, we considered many things, including but not limited to the following criterion:

• Accessibility (popularity) – if you cannot find the game, you cannot play it, so the slots which are available at major slot sites globally were preferred over niche releases. For this particular list, especially, it also helps if a game has been popular well beyond the launch period.
• Math – math is the brain of a slot game, and it makes or breaks the entire experience. Ideally, we’d want a nice return to player (RTP), perfect distribution of payouts and variance throughout gameplay. Usually, if the slot math is solid, the rest just fall together. That’s all good, but as you can see from the list, there are exceptions, and even sub-par variations can be actually pretty good games. Take it as proof that the best slots were picked by humans and not robots (just yet).
• Winning potential – we want to win more and fast! The reality is that only the fortunate players get to see the highest wins if any. So maybe a better slot is the one that actually shows big wins more often? Well, there is a fine line for sure, but yes, a slot cannot sway us with a big win promise alone, so the odds have to be interactive enough.
• Design – graphics, sound effects, music, atmosphere, mood. There is a place for all of that as you can see from our best slot, but even the more primitive-looking designs (Bonanza) just work if they are built with high intention.
• Learning curve – there is a time and place for both easy and challenging slots. In this case, we were looking for something more foundational and which would stick with most type of players.

Summary

Hope this list of the best slots to play in 2023 and beyond will help you decide where to start or which games to play next. Chances are, you have played at least one of them, but if you still haven’t, we recommend that you try them out on your first opportunity. They are not only easy to find and licensed by jurisdictions worldwide (so you can play with peace of mind), but many slot sites also offer bonuses and free spins on these particular games so that you can get more bang for the buck. Although you could easily go by with only these titles, feel free to read our reviews to explore other video slots and find your favourites, including the best slots of 2020 guide.

Have fun!

FAQ

What is the difference between the best and average slots?

The difference between the very best slot games and the ones that don’t pass the test of time lies in many factors, including but not limited to the math (RTP, volatility and hit frequency), design and how all of this is tied together to create something that sticks.

How do you rank the best slots?

Our ranking includes many key factors. For a list as general as this, we take into account the average player and pick the best slots based on popularity, math, design and of course our own personal experience and expertise.

How do I find the best slots?

You can find the best slots to play in our independent guide above. Because these games are also quite popular, you will find them at most licensed online casinos, like the ones we recommend.

Can I play the best slots for free?

Most licensed slot sites will have our chosen best slots available for practice play. If one casino doesn’t have demo games, see other sites which are available in your region.

Why should I trust you?

Mvideoslots.com is run independently from any casino or game developer. We are a small team with years of experience in the industry both as players, reporters and simply real slot enthusiasts. We do this because we enjoy and care about what we write.