Bonanza Slot Review and Demo Play
About Game
Bonanza is a mining-themed video slot from Big Time Gaming that introduced the Megaways system to a wide audience. Released in 2016, it uses variable reel heights to deliver up to 117,649 possible ways to win on any spin. The game’s setting features dynamite crates, gemstones, and a hillside mine, with symbol carts adding extra symbols above the central reels. Core mechanics include cascading wins (called Reactions), wild substitutions, and a scatter-driven bonus triggered by landing the letters G, O, L, and D.
The free spins round is the standout feature, offering an unlimited win multiplier that increases by +1 with every Reaction, creating strong potential despite high variance. The base game can produce steady chains through cascades, while the bonus can escalate quickly with extra spins available via cart scatters. With an RTP around 96% and a broad bet range, Bonanza remains a benchmark for Megaways-style gameplay, balancing familiar audiovisual design with deep, math-driven payout dynamics suited to risk-tolerant players.
Overall Rating
Positives
- Up to 117,649 ways to win with cascading Reactions on every spin.
- Free spins with an unlimited progressive multiplier that rises after each Reaction.
- Solid 96% RTP and clear, transparent math profile.
- Mobile-friendly performance and straightforward interface.
- Strong maximum win potential relative to stake.
Negatives
- High volatility can mean long gaps between large wins.
- No bonus buy option in the original release.
About Game Provider
Big Time Gaming
Real Money Casinos With Bonanza
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The Bonanza Slot is one of the best Megaways games. It has a mining theme, cascading wins, and a free spins mode that can get really exciting once the multipliers start to stack. It was made popular by Big Time Gaming and has different ways to win with each spin. This review focuses on giving you clear, well-thought-out information so you can understand how it works, look at the risk profile, and choose if the speed and volatility suit your tastes. When it comes to design, the Bonanza Slot relies on reactions and the top horizontal reel working together to make long sequences.
If you like long periods of setting up followed by sudden bursts of speed in bonus play, Bonanza is the game for you. The rhythm is unique and stays true to BTG's early Megaways blueprint thanks to sound design, pace, and reel physics. In the sections that follow, we'll talk about how to play the Bonanza Slot in real life, including how to win free spins and how the multiplier for those spins works. You will also find a table of properties, strategic angles for bankroll management, and a short list of similar Megaways releases. The key to getting the most out of the game's high variance curve seems to be careful session management.
The Theme And Plot Of The Bonanza Slot Machine
The theme and plot of the Bonanza slot machine are set in a rough canyon. The reels are framed by wooden beams, lanterns, and the entrance to a mine, and at the top of the grid, carts rattle along a track. The sound has a mix of twangy instruments and clear spin and cascade effects that break up rolling sequences. The story is based on the gold rush, and the symbols range from standard card ranks to elegantly cut gemstones. The interface makes motion during reactions the main focus, so wins can still be seen even as combinations clear and new symbols fall. As for the story, The Bonanza Slot doesn't rely on it, but it does give you a sense of where you are.
It's possible to say that the presentation is purposely simple so that the focus is on the math rather than the animated story. Big Time Gaming is known for making the Megaways system and licensing it to many other companies in the industry. The Bonanza Slot and many others like it were successful because of that new technology and well-thought-out math. The studio focuses on ways that can be expanded, wins that follow each other, and forward-scaling free spin multipliers that reward momentum over small, frequent line hits. While keeping the controls familiar, the developer keeps improving volatility profiles so that each game feels different. It's not a coincidence that Bonanza led to a lot of other movies with similar themes.
If you're trying to decide if a game's risk-reward structure is right for you, BTG's work tends to focus on fairness and clarity in how rewards work.
Regarding The Bonanza Slot, Its Rtp, Payout, And Volatility
it usually says that it has an RTP of around 96%, which is about the same as many other high-quality video slots. Variance determines how that return is spread out over time, not just during a session. Return to player is a long-term result. If the model has a lot of volatility, the base play may not have very many hits, but the bonus feature has a lot of potential. When played in real life, Bonanza can give you steady small wins during reactions, but the free spins multiplier is usually what makes the big wins.
Most of the time, sessions without bonuses feel flat, but a few good bonuses can make a big difference in the overall results. In Megaways games with increasing multipliers, that pattern is common. The reference properties for the Bonanza Slot are shown below in the table so that you can compare it to other games in your rotation. Figures may be a little different depending on the deployment or jurisdiction, so always check the in-game help panel for exact numbers when they're available.
| Creator | Big Time Gaming |
| Year | 2016 |
| RTP | 96% |
| Volatility | High |
| Reels | 6 reels + extra horizontal reel |
| Ways to Win | Up to 117,649 |
| Max Win | 12,000x the bet |
To play, set your bet using the on-screen controls, and then press "spin" or "autoplay," if that's allowed in your area.
For all active ways, the Bonanza Slot looks at wins from left to right. As winning symbols explode, new ones fall from above, which could start more than one chain reaction during a single paid spin. For longer winning combinations, it's important that the top reel sends extra symbols to the middle four reels. Simple controls make up the interface, including a menu for help and pay information, audio toggles, and quick access to bet sizes. The layout is made to work with both landscape mobile play and desktop resolutions, so Bonanza can be read on any device. Keep an eye on the scatter count because the bonus round is what increases your chances of winning.
To make sure your decisions are always the same when you play the Bonanza Slot, if you like to stick to a plan, try the following baseline routine during base play. Set a budget for the whole session and divide it into equal spin blocks. Pick a stake that makes it possible for you to afford a good number of spins. Check the average reaction length to see if the grid is making chains that are longer. Setting a soft cap on losses and a separate point where you can stop after bigger wins is a good idea. Do not chase short-term changes in variance; instead, reevaluate after each block of spins.

What The Symbols And Paytable Mean
The gemstone set is the best level. There is a purple stone at the top, then red, blue, and green stones.
If you get paid little, use ranks 9 through A. During every spin of the Bonanza Slot, the number of Megaways changes because the size of the symbols on each reel changes. To win, you need to get the same symbol on two consecutive reels, starting with the leftmost reel. The final payout is based on how many ways there are to connect the symbols across the grid. Momentum depends on reactions, which get rid of winning symbols so that new ones can land on top. Four more positions are added by the horizontal cart track, which feeds into reels 2 through 5. This often completes connections that would have stopped otherwise. Over time, this pattern becomes second nature in Bonanza, especially when a base spin sets off several cascades right after each other.
There is a help panel that shows payout amounts as stake multipliers, but when you're actually scanning the reels, hierarchies are what you should use as a guide. A long string of high-value symbols pays out the most in the Bonanza Slot, while low-value symbols pay out more often but not as much. If you need a quick reference rather than exact numbers, here is a simple hierarchy table.
- The purple gemstone is the best paying symbol and a good target during free spins with multipliers.
- The red gemstone is the next best paying symbol and is useful for medium to large chains.
- The blue gemstone is the next best paying symbol and benefits from cart reel completions.
- The green gemstone is the lowest paying symbol but is still useful in long reaction sequences.
- The A, K, Q, J, 10, and 9 symbols pay the least and help extend cascades rather than drive peak wins.
The Bonanza Bonus Features Wilds, Multipliers, And Free Spins
The bonus design favors compounding boosts over flat boosts.
Scatter letters give you free spins and an unlimited win multiplier that goes up by one for every action you take during the bonus. Wilds only show up on the top reel. These parts of the Bonanza Slot work together so that long chains are the key to getting results that stand out. It's on purpose that the base game is pretty calm and the free spins mode is very exciting, giving players a two-part experience that many like. Bonanza is interesting because it rewards players for entering often and quickly, telling them to be patient until the right bonus comes along.
Wild Symbols
Wilds can stand in for other symbols to help make winning combinations or make them last longer.
In the Bonanza Slot, wilds can only appear in the four spots on the horizontal reel above the main grid. They can also stand in for other symbols on reels 2 through 5. They often fill in gaps in the middle of the grid that would cut off a reaction chain if they didn't drop in from the carts. In real life, wilds are most useful when several of them show up on the same spin or when they line up with premium clusters. Many players say that a well-timed wild on the top reel can make the difference between a short cascade and a long one that goes all the way through the grid.
Free Spins
You can get free spins when you get four letter scatters, which spell GOLD.
In the Bonanza Slot, the first scatter that appears awards 12 free spins. Any additional scatters that appear above the baseline award more spins. When these letters are put together, any way they show up is enough as long as they are all G, O, L, and D. During free spins, the carts above the reels can show special +5 and +10 overlays that are attached to scatter symbols and make the feature start again. In Bonanza's bonus game, these top reel retriggers are a key way to get longer periods of time, and longer periods of time naturally come with a multiplier that can go up as the round goes on.
Multiples
During free spins, the multiplier starts at 1x and goes up by one after each reaction.
There is no upper limit, so the value can go up a lot as more cascades happen. In the Bonanza Slot, the payout potential is linked to the progress of the multiplier. This means that even small premium wins can grow very quickly once the multiplier is set. It makes a clear target for players who like to play based on momentum from a design point of view. It also adds variety, since early responses in the bonus can be very important. Bonanza's math model is based on the idea that a string of hits that add up to ten will often change the outcome in ways that a single big hit rarely can. As soon as the standard GOLD trigger happens, you get 12 free spins. You can get more spins by retriggering the feature.
This game's reaction feature is still present in Bonanza Slot, but with each cascade, the multiplier goes up. When wilds appear in the carts and connect reels 2 through 5, especially later in the round, premium clusters that show up tend to do the best. The round usually gets better as it goes on because the multiplier doesn't reset between free spins. For that reason, some bonuses feel so different from the base game in Bonanza: they make things feel like they're getting harder. The best results seem to come from a mix of early reactions, a retrigger in the middle of the round, and one or two high-value hits with higher multipliers.

Strategy And Win-tips
There is no skill-based way to be sure of results, but managing your bankroll in a way that keeps it from getting out of hand can help. Being patient pays off in the Bonanza Slot, so don't set your stakes so high that a dry patch is unbearable. Set a target spin count based on your total budget and do not base your expectations on short-term swings. Instead, focus on long-term patterns. A session's structure is just as important as its stakes. Set the spin blocks in place and wait a while between each one to reset. Bonanza has action-packed bursts that can be both fun and hard on the mind. While a stake raise is sometimes better than a break if a bonus doesn't work out, the next entry point in a game can come at any time.
When pacing a high volatility Megaways game, these habits will help you stay consistent and avoid making mistakes that needn't be made. You might want to change these tips to fit your own needs.
- Depending on your budget, choose stakes that let you spin the reels 200 to 500 times per session.
- Don't try to get a certain bonus in a certain number of spins.
- To learn how to react and how the top reel feeds combinations, use the demo.
- Record the results of each session to see how they usually change over time.
- You can set win and loss points to help you decide when to stop or pause a session.
Where To Play The Bonanza Slot
Licensed sites that carry Big Time Gaming games will usually have both a practice mode and real money games, though this depends on the rules in your area.
The Bonanza Slot works well on all devices, and the demo mode is a good way to get used to the reels, the scatter letters, and the reactions. For autoplay and other feature settings, always check the rules in your area. The interface doesn't take too long to load and works well on both phones and computers. Because the sound mix is so clear, it's easy to see how people are reacting to the symbols in Bonanza, even when the number of Megaways grows. The game's performance profile seems to be light enough to work with a lot of different hardware.
Other Slots You Might Like
If you like adaptive ways engines, you'll probably like other Megaways games with strong bonus rounds that are based on multipliers.
The Bonanza Slot is more on the classic side of things, so the games below range from slower versions with fewer features to faster ones with more. Some are about line speed and modifiers, while others are about the release's escalating value structure. Which one you choose depends on whether you want more bonus frequency or raw top end. While some games may add extra features or more frequent retriggers, Bonanza focuses on long-term multipliers and patient base play. Here are a few to give you some background and help you compare.
- Extra Chilli Megaways by Big Time Gaming
- Fruit Shop Megaways by NetEnt
- Gonzo's Quest Megaways by Red Tiger
- Temple Tumble Megaways by Relax Gaming
- Who Wants To Be A Millionaire Megaways by Big Time Gaming
The Bonanza Slot shows off the best parts of early Megaways design, giving you a smooth base game and a lot of free spins.
When you play Bonanza, reactions and the top reel help you make chains. Then, an unlimited bonus multiplier can turn medium clusters into big wins. One could say that the timing and balance still feel modern years after the album came out because they focus on the basics instead of flashy effects. The Bonanza Slot is likely to be a good choice for players who like slow paces with big jumps in between. It is a good game to use to compare newer Megaways games because it has clear rules, an easy-to-use interface, and scalable volatility. This is still a great, tried-and-true choice if you want features that build momentum and a bonus that can grow on its own.

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