Looking for the best high variance slots with bonus features, thrilling gameplay, jackpots and free spins? Playing high volatility slots is quite an exciting experience, primarily if you activate bonuses and form winning combinations. Slot volatility refers to how often an online slot machine triggers a win and the size of the win.
This page will find the top 11 high variance slot games that will lead you to winning big at the best UK casino sites. Each short review shows the game’s special symbols, minimum bet, maximum bet size, wild symbols, and how to win big in the slot game!
Big Bass Splash
The Big Bass Splash is among the most popular high variance slots ever. The slot was so well-received by casino players that Pragmatic Play had to create more slots in the sequel. Most brands in the top 10 online casino sites list, offer players free spins to use Big Bass Splash as part of the new player deposit bonus.
Most importantly, landing the fisherman wild with 10 free spins gives you multipliers to boost your win. The best spin comes with up to 5000x your stake, meaning players can use the max £250 to win £1,250,000!
| Bet limits | £0.10 to £250 |
| Layout | 5 reels and 3 rows |
| Highest paying symbol | Monster truck pays up to £50,000. |
| Bonuses | Free spins, multipliers, hook feature, respins, bazooka feature, wilds, bonus buy. |
| Max win | 5000x your stake |
| Variance | High volatility |
| Theme | Fishing |
| Game provider | Pragmatic Play |
Gold Blitz
If you prefer playing high variance slots with a money theme, try out the Gold Blitz at a top UK casino site. The first game was a huge success, so Fortune Factory Studios had to create more high-variance slots under this theme.
Even the scenery and backgrounds of the game change as you transition from the base game to the bonuses. However, being a high volatility slot, you can expect to face more action as more bonus features get activated. A jackpot is one of the best additions in high-variance slot machines, and the Gold Blitz slot has four.
| Bet limits | £0.20 to £50 |
| Layout | 5 reels and 4 rows |
| Paylines | 4, 096 ways to win |
| Highest paying symbol | Dollar sign pays £250 |
| Bonuses | Four jackpots, Bonus Choice Screen, Scatter symbols, Multiplier wilds, Collect Symbols, Bonus Buy |
| Max win | 5000x your stake |
| Variance | High volatility |
| Theme | Classic gold and money theme |
| Game provider | Fortune Factory Studios |
Book of Dead
Take a virtual trip to Egypt on Rich Wilde and the Book of Dead, undoubtedly one of the most famous online slots and best games at UK casinos. This is one of the many high-variance games by Play n Go, and UK casino players seem to love it!
In addition to having compelling graphics, this high volatility slot game is built with unique features that could increase the chances of hitting the max win.
| Bet limits | £0.10 to £100 |
| Layout | 5 reels and 3 rows |
| Paylines | 10 |
| Highest paying symbol | Rich Wilde, also known as the explorer (500x your stake). |
| Bonuses | Unlimited free spins, multipliers and special symbols. |
| Max win | 5000x your stake. |
| Variance | High |
| Theme | Ancient Egypt. |
| Game provider | Play n Go. |
Big Bass Amazon Extreme
The fisherman returns on Big Bass Amazon Extreme, by Pragmatic Play and Reel Kingdom. While new casino players might be sceptical about another Big Bass slot, slot gaming enthusiasts know these popular slots improve with each new release.
Furthermore, players get 96.07% back on each bet, making this an excellent option for anyone interested in playing high RTP slots at an online casino.
| Bet limits | £0.20 to £250 |
| Layout | 5 reels and 3 rows |
| Highest paying symbol | Green bubbling £50,000 |
| Bonuses | The ante bet, cash fish money symbols, free spins, pick feature, multipliers, bonus buy. |
| Max win | 10,000x your stake |
| Variance | Extremely high volatility |
| Theme | Fishing |
| Game providers | Reel Kingdom and Pragmatic Play |
Legacy of Dead
Of all high-volatility slot machines with an Egyptian theme, the Legacy of Dead has the most loyal fan base among online casinos. Not only does the slot variance increase in the bonus features, but you also get 9 special symbols to boost your win.
Follow treasure into the pharaoh’s ancient burial chambers, where you can win more after opening the Book of Dead. The biggest prize in the game is £500,000!
| Bet limits | £0.10 to £100 |
| Layout | 5 reels and 3 rows |
| Paylines | 10 |
| Highest paying symbol | The Pharaoh or Altar pay up to 500x your stake |
| Bonuses | 9 expanding symbols, wilds and scatters, unlimited free spins, and respins. |
| Max win | 5000x your stake |
| Variance | Wildly high |
| Theme | Ancient Egyptian. |
| Game provider | Play n Go. |
Buffalo King Megaways
The best high variance slots give players more ways to win. Buffalo King Megaways is a globally acclaimed high variance slot game by Big Time Gaming, with 200 704 ways to win!
Play with wolves, jaguars, eagles and a moose. The Buffalo is the centre of all action, hence the name.
| Bet limits | £0.20 to £120 |
| Layout | 6 reels, 2-7 rows |
| Highest paying symbol | Bonus symbol pays 100x your stake |
| Bonuses | Free spins, tumbling reels, multipliers, ante bet. |
| Max win | 5,000x your stake. |
| Variance | Very high (10/10) |
| Theme | Savanna/Animal |
| Game provider | Big Time Gaming |
Autumn Gold
Autumn Gold is a 3 reel and 3-row slot machine by Eyecon, based on the lives of two squirrels. While it visually looks like a classic slot, it has some things you would not expect in a typical traditional game.
Furthermore, while there is no soundtrack, the grid is cleverly placed on the left side of an orange foliage tree, and you will see symbols familiar to the squirrel habitat. From honey to pumpkins and autumn leaves.
| Bet limits | £0.01 – £45 |
| Layout | 3 reels and 3 rows |
| Highest paying symbol | Scatter pays 1000 coins |
| Paylines | 9 |
| Bonuses | Free spins, prize pick and gamble bonus. |
| Max win | 1000x your stake |
| Variance | Moderately high |
| Theme | Classic slot |
| Game provider | Eyecon |
Gates of Olympus
We cannot list the top high variance online slot machines without mentioning Gates of Olympus by Pragmatic Play. Slot fans in the UK and beyond love this slot so much that it comes in two more versions: Jackpot Play and Drop & Wins.
Zeus shows up on the grid, flinging his orb onto the reels to give you the power to activate bonuses in the slot. In this guide to high variance online slots, Gates of Olympus seems to be the most animated.
| Bet limits | £0.20 to £125 |
| Layout | 6 reels and 5 rows |
| Highest paying symbol | Zeus scatter pays up to 100x your bet. |
| Bonuses | Tumbling reels, multipliers, free spins, unlimited respins, expanding multipliers, buy free spins, ante bet. |
| Max win | 5,000x your stake. |
| Variance | Exceedingly high (10/10) |
| Theme | Ancient Greek |
| Game provider | Pragmatic Play |
Pirots 2
Pirots 2 slot machine takes us back to Jurassic Park when dinosaurs roamed and reigned over the earth. The reels appear to be suspended in the air, and you can see dinosaur remains in the background.
Like other high volatility ELK Studios slots, the grid and symbols are pretty animated. So, although you start the base game with a 6×6 grid, it can expand to 8×8.
| Bet limits | £0.2 to £1000 |
| Layout | 6 reels, 6-8 rows |
| Paylines | 1 |
| Highest paying symbol | Amber alert button |
| Bonuses | Collection meter, free spins, symbols upgrade, wilds, 3 scatter symbols, X-iter feature buy, super bonus, bonus hunt. |
| Max win | 10,000x your stake. |
| Variance | Medium variance (7/10). |
| Theme | Jurrasic Park, pre-historic era |
| Game provider | ELK Studios |
Sugar Rush 1000
The Sugar Rush 1000 is a follow-up of the first Sugar Rush slot. We see the high variance being carried forward to this new version. The visuals have been upgraded with sharper graphics, a more upbeat soundtrack and colourful animations. This is also a high RTP slot, seeing that each spin gives back up to 97.50%.
This online slot delivers big wins to players, sometimes up to 2,500,000£. No wonder, it is one of the best high volatility slots at UK casino sites.
| Bet limits | £0.20 to £100 |
| Layout | 7 reels and 7 rows |
| Highest paying symbol | |
| Paylines | Scatter pays |
| Bonuses | Cluster pays, avalanche reels, multiplier slots, free spins, buy free spins. |
| Max win | 25,000x your stake |
| Variance | High (8/10) |
| Theme | Sugar-themed arcade |
| Game provider | Pragmatic Play |
Tomb of Gold
Take an online tour of the pharaoh’s gold-covered crypt and play Tomb of Gold, another high-variance game by Play n Go. The best thing about high variance slots is that wins are formed quite frequently, as compared to low volatility slots. One advantage of this slot is that the bonus features are triggered often and you can get more spins for free when you land scatters in a bonus round.
| Bet limits | £0.10 to £100 |
| Layout | 6 reels and 4 rows |
| Paylines | 4, 096 ways to win |
| Highest paying symbol | Ankh |
| Bonuses | Lock’n Gold features 6 coins, shifting coin symbols, tumbling reels, sticky wilds, stacked wilds, multipliers, free spins, and wheel of fortune. |
| Max win | 7000x your stake. |
| Variance | High (6/10). |
| Theme | Ancient Egypt |
| Game provider | Play n Go |
High Variance vs High Volatility – Is It The Same Thing?
Variance refers to the size of a win, while volatility describes the frequency of wins in a game. High variance slots and casino games with high volatility usually have a higher risk factor, but the rewards are significantly bigger than medium-low variance slots. All the top software companies have higher variance slots in their selection. From Yggdrasil to Red Tiger Gaming, Games Global, Microgaming, Hacksaw, NetEnt and Blueprints.
What Does High Volatility Mean in Slots?
High volatility slots have a moderately low payout frequency. Therefore, it will take several spins to form a win if the slot volatility is high. On the brighter side, when you play high variance slots, you win more significant amounts, even if the wins are spaced out.
How Do High Variance Slots Work?
If we had a slot machine volatility chart, it would indicate that the time between wins increases as the volatility rises. So you will be winning high rewards, after making several spins. Conversely, a slot with low or medium variance will decrease the time between wins as the volatility lowers, but the slot’s size pays lesser wins.
High Variance vs Low Variance Slots
Casino players often debate whether to choose high variance slot machines or low variance games. The answer depends on your taste in games and the bankroll size. All major software developers have high variance slots
High rollers can comfortably play a high variance slot machine even if the volatility is on the extreme end. However, low bankrollers are advised to play low variance slots, which deliver smaller wins but more often.
References
- Gambling Commission – How to calculate return to player (RTP)
- Qouora – Can you explain the concept of volatility in online slots in casinos?
- Researchgate – Estimating the ability of gamblers to detect differences in the payback percentages of reel slot machines: A closer look at the slot player experience
- Researchgate – The relationship between game volatility, house edge and prize structure of gambling games and what it tells us about gambling game design
- Greo – The relationship between volatility of bet outcomes and gambling behaviour for online slots
- Digital Scholarship – Estimating the ability of gamblers to detect differences in the payback percentages of reel slot machines: A closer look at the slot player experience
- Researchgate – House-edge information and a volatility warning reduce gambling initiation and persistence: superior alternatives to return-to-player percentages
- NH.gov – PAR Sheets, probabilities, and slot machine play: Implications for problem and non-problem gambling
- Academia – Time on Device and Pay-table SD of Slot Game
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mathematical facts of games of chance as an ethical obligation - Gambleaware
