There’s no denying that most high volatility slots offer heart pounding thrills, exciting spins and the potential to win big, but not all are made equal. So let’s take a look at the best high variance slots online that provide big win action.
If you’re a fan of these types of slots then you literally have hundreds to choose from. Which makes it difficult to pick a few top high variance slot games.
What you’ll find here are best slots that have proven track records of offering big wins and big thrills to players all over the world. There’s a mix of features, betting limits and theme, with a few new slots to keep an eye out for too.
Our pick of the best high variance slots include Book of Dead, Gonzo’s Quest Megaways, Razor Shark, and Jammin Jars as they all provide the opportunity for big wins, yet combine exciting features to provide plenty of entertainment value while you spin.
Let’s stop waffling on and get on with the show shall we:
1. Rich Wilde and the Book of Dead Slot
One of the most infamous Ancient Egyptian themed slot machines online.
The Book of Dead slot, which it has now been shortened to by many slots sites and players offers a standard 5×3 reel layout but comes packed with a few special features.
Not only does it have a low minimum bet of just 0.10 per spin but you’ll find a decent 96.2% return to player rate and wilds. So far nothing too exciting.
But that Wild symbol in the base game and free spins is what you’ll be on the look out for. It has a dual personality acting not only as the wild symbol, but also a scatter symbol which triggers the free spins bonus.
A free spins bonus which can expand your wallet with a max 5,000x your bet win on a single spin. How?
At the start of the free spins a symbol is chosen randomly to act as an Expanding Scatter during your 10 free spins.
This means that when 2 or more of these special symbols show up across the five reels they’ll expand to fill the whole reel they are on and hopefully create a win. Something that’s helped if you get one of the top 4 high paying symbols show as they pay for finding 2 or more.
It’s this feature that creates huge wins and makes the Book of Dead slot machine not only one of the most popular high variance slots but also one of the best.
Related: This isn’t Rich Wildes first adventure, check out our Rich Wilde slots list for all the games this adventurer features in.
2. Dead or Alive 2 Slot
The sequel to the original NetEnt Dead or Alive slot might surprise people to be on a best slots list but the Dead or Alive 2 slot game is already proving it can give you just as big a wins as it’s predecessor.
In fact the top win here is a whopping 55,000 times your bet, which is over 10x bigger than what the Book of Dead slot can provide.
Will you get that though? Probably not but a good 2,000 to 10,000x might be on the cards.
How? Well, this 5 reel, 9 payline game comes with a decent 96.8% RTP, Wilds, and three free spins bonuses.
- Train Heist Free Spins: All wilds increase spins by +1 and increase multipliers by +1
- Old Saloon Free Spins: All wins multiplied by 2x + sticky wilds
- High Noon Free Spins: All wins multiplied by 2x + sticky wilds + 2 or more wilds on same reel increase the Wild multiplier.
This Wild West themed slot certainly packs a punch, but can let all players the chance to spin from as little as 0.09 per spin.
Play Dead or Alive 2 at LeoVegas
3. Bonanza Megaways Slot
The BTG slot machine that took the world by storm, the Bonanza Megaways slot game offers up to 117,649 ways to win, 6 reels, 96% RTP and up to 10,000x your bet max single spin win.
The changing ways to win of the Megaways slots mechanics proved so popular it has now been used by many other providers to help boost their slot portfolios.
So what makes the Bonanza slot so exciting to play?
Well, for one it on each spin the number of ways to win changes as each reel can vary between having 1 and 7 symbols. Not only that but they come with cascading wins, exploding the winning symbols and dropping more down to replace them.
And then there’s the feature that provides the payouts that would make your grumpy grandmother smile.
Find 4 or more scatters and you’ll get 12 free spins with a starting 1 multiplier. Every single win you get during the free spins will increase the multiplier by 1x. You can also retrigger teh free spins with 3 or more scatters which of course can lead to some huge payouts, with mega multipliers.
A feature that you’ll have to budget for but one that has created many happy and frustrated players since its release.
4. Gonzo’s Quest Megaways Slot
Hot on Bonanza’s tail is the Gonzo’s Quest Megaways slot machine. A game that has the Megaways licence from BTG, and was created by Red Tiger Gaming in collaboration with their new owners NetEntertainment.
Don’t let the politics of this slot disaude you from playing though as it features the same Avalanching Reels and Multipliers in the base game as the original and during the free spins.
It simply adds a sixth reel, a 95.77% RTP, an unbreakable wild, an earthquake feature, and of course up to 117,649 ways to win.
Add a free spins bonus round where you’ll get 9 free spins with increased multipliers on the consecutive avalanches. But unlike Bonanza the multipliers can reach a maximum and they reset on a nin winning spin.
But that’s ok, cause the max win here is bigger, set at around 20,974x your bet and the minimum bet is 0.10 per spin offering those with a small budget but lots of patience the chance to spin.
5. John Hunter and the Book of Tut Slot
We head back to Egypt in the John Hunter and the Book of Tut slot machine from Pragmatic Play.
A high volatility slot that comes with a good 5,000x your bet max win. Set over 5 reels and 3 rows with 10 paylines this is essentially Pragmatic Play trying to cash in on the Book of Dead slots popularity. Which was Play’n GO cashing in on Novomatic’s Book of Ra slot.
Anyway, at heart the wild acts as a scatter and finding three or more triggers 10 free spins. And you’ve guessed it, during the free spins one random symbol will be chosen to be an expanding scatter offering up wins no matter where they show across the reels.
It’s a fun real money slot that offers up some variety when the Book of Dead slot just isn’t going your way.
6. Immortal Romance Slot
The Vampire themed Immortal Romance slot is perfect for Halloween, but offers all-year round action thanks to it’s 243 ways to win and unlockable free spins bonuses.
That’s right folks, Microgaming have made it onto our best high variance slots list with the Immortal Romance slot machine.
A 5×3 reel game it comes with 243 ways to win, 0.30 min bet, a random Wild Desire bonus feature, and a max win of 12,0000 times your bet.
This online slots popularity though is driven by the free spins bonuses that it contains, with 4 different ones on offer, only the bravest of souls will unlock them all.
Well, maybe those who have the patience and casino budget to do it.
Cause every 5th time you enter activate the free spins or you enter the Chamber of Spins will you unlock another set of free spins. Meaning you need to activate the free spins 20 times to unlock them all.
The great thing is you don’t have to do this in one sitting as long as you play at the same slots site you’re progress will be saved.
- Amber Free Spins: 10 free spins with 5x multipliers
- Troy Free Spins: 15 free spins with random multipliers
- Michael Free Spins: 20 free spins with rolling reels (cascading wins)
- Sarah Free Spins: 25 free spins with replicating wilds
Overall this slot is a great addition to any slots players arsenal.
Play Immortal Romance at Videoslots
7. Razor Shark Slot
We head deep under the water with the sharp toothed Razor Shark slot offering wins up to 2,5000x your bet.
This high variance slot comes with a generous 96.7% RTP and is filled with 5 reels and 20 paylines of sea critters and creatures.
A good looking game you’ll find Wilds substituting for all the other symbols except the scatter with Mystery Stacks of symbols nudging down the reels offering more base game wins.
But it’s the Razor Reveal feature wit the golden sharks that can rewrad you with 1x to 2,500x your bet, free spins or more paying symbols.
Add a free spins bonus round where you get two mystery reels of symbols as well as more scatters providing you with an extra free spin.
It might sound complicated but it’s fun to play and can be spinned from as little as 0.10 per spin.
8. Jammin Jars Slot
Next up is another Push Gaming slot machine that’s got a good track record in providing players with big wins and proven that it belongs here on this list of high variance slot machines.
The Jammin Jars slot burst on to the online and mobile slots scene back in September 2018, and this 8×8 grid slot with cluster pays has been paying out big ever since.
A bright and colourful slot you’ll get clusters of symbols paying out wins with cascading reels offering more consecutive wins from one single real money spin.
Add Walking Wilds that when they are part of a win will increase its multiplier by 1x and it makes the base game exciting.
But where this Jammin Jars slot proves its worth is in the free spins bonus where those walking wilds no longer dissapear when not part of a win, continually moving around on each free spins hopefully racking up multipliers and bigger wins.
It’s a feature that gets our heart beating that just that little bit faster when it shows up.
Plus a 0.10 min bet makes it affordable and fun for all types of players, but remember it is high volatility so budget wisely and try out a good slot strategy or two.
What is a high variance slot machine?
A high variance slot machine is one that doesn’t pay out often but when it does it tends to payout out bigger than your standard medium and low volatility slots.
These high variance games don’t usually come with jackpots, instead their big payouts come from in-game features such as free spins and win multipliers.
Which online slots have the highest payouts?
Online slots with the highest payouts are those that have big maximum wins and high return to player rates.
High variance slots tend to payout big, but don’t always have a high RTP.
Which slot games pay the best?
High RTP slots offer payouts more often but potentially not as big as high variance games. If you’re looking for games that pay the most then the likes of Gonzo’s Quest Megaways and Immortal Romance should be on your list.
Of course if you’re looking for mega wins then progressive slots pay the best with millions on offer in the likes of the Mega Fortune Dreams and Mega Moolah slot, but these are more low variance slots.
