Starburst Slot Review and Free Demo
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Expert Rating
4
- Year Created 2012
- Software Provider NetEnt
- Reels 5
- Paylines 10 (Pays both ways)
- RTP (%) 96.09%
- Min Bet 0.10
- Max Bet 100
- Volatility Low
The Starburst slot is a hypnotic blend of simplicity and suspense, where every spin holds electric potential. From the easy-to-use layout to only 10 paylines that reward both ways, it takes only a few spins to see why this classic never fades.
Try the free Starburst demo to feel the thrill before enjoying the real money version at our highly recommended online casino.
Play Starburst if you like:
- Low volatility slots, because you prefer steady, frequent wins over gut-wrenching dry spells — ideal if you hate watching your balance drain between bonuses.
- Classic 5-reel, 10-payline video slots with Win Both Ways, since you love simple, no-fuss mechanics where wins pay left-to-right and right-to-left simultaneously on every spin.
- Modest payouts capped at 500x your stake, which is conservative even by low-volatility standards but suits players who value session longevity over chasing life-changing jackpots.
- A 22.6% hit frequency, meaning you’ll land a win roughly every 4–5 spins — one of the most active base games in iGaming, keeping your bankroll stable for extended sessions.
- The Expanding Wild Respin feature — Starburst has no Bonus Buy, but its signature Wild lands on reels 2, 3, and 4, expanding to fill the reel and triggering up to 3 free respins, which is the game’s entire thrill engine.
Starburst Slot Key Features
| Software Provider | NetEnt |
| Reels | 5 |
| Paylines | 10 (Pays both ways) |
| Min Coins per Line | 1 |
| Max Coins per Line | 10 |
| Min Bet | $0.10 |
| Max Bet | $100 |
| Max Payout | 500x |
| RTP (%) | 96.09% |
| Theme | Space, Cosmic |
| Type | Video Slot |
| Volatility | Low |
| Mobile Compatible | Yes |
| Languages | English, Swedish, Finnish + |
Starburst Slot Machine Overview
The colorful gems, classic 7s, and BAR symbols on the Starburst reels give it a nostalgic, retro feel, ensuring an enjoyable play experience at top online casinos.
It plays on a 5×3 grid that sits comfortably against an outer space backdrop, with beautiful planetary bodies in the background.
Its unforgettable gameplay has made the Starburst game stand out since 2012. The electrifying sounds, arcade-style light effects, and flashing text create a rush that makes you feel you’re in the 70s disco era.
How to Play the Starburst Online Slot
At first glance, the Starburst game by NetEnt’s 10 paylines may not seem like much at offshore casinos, until you realize they pay both ways. You win when a combo forms from right to left, and unlike most online slots, you also win from left to right, doubling your chances. Let’s get started.
- Adjusting the Bet: Tap “+” or “–” to adjust your stake, or click the bet display to choose a value between $0.10 and $100.
- Review Payouts: Hit the menu button and open the paytable to see symbol values and how wilds work based on your current bet.
- Activate Wins: Press spin to set the reels in motion. You’ll score a win when 3, 4, or 5 matching symbols land on a payline in either direction.
Low volatility makes small, consistent bets ideal. Even a modest budget stretches far — focus on maximizing respin sequences rather than chasing big single hits.
Starburst Symbols to Payouts
As one of the most played games, the online slot Starburst features vibrant gem symbols, the classic BAR, seven icons, and the crucial Starburst wild. Payouts are determined by matching three, four, or five symbols across the ten win-both-ways paylines.
Below is a breakdown of the win multipliers you can expect from each symbol combination in the game.
| Purple Gem | 3 symbols = 0.5x; 4 symbols = 1x; or 5 symbols = 2.5x stake |
| Blue Gem | 3 symbols = 0.5x; 4 symbols = 1x; or 5 symbols = 2.5x stake |
| Red Gem | 3 symbols = 0.7x; 4 symbols = 1.5x; or 5 symbols = 4x stake |
| Green Gem | 3 symbols = 0.8x; 4 symbols = 2x; or 5 symbols = 5x stake |
| Yellow Gem | 3 symbols = 1x; 4 symbols = 2.5x; or 5 symbols = 6x stake |
| 7 | 3 symbols = 2.5x; 4 symbols = 6x; or 5 symbols = 12x stake |
| BAR | 3 symbols = 5x; 4 symbols = 20x; or 5 symbols = 25x stake |
Starburst Bonus Rounds
Unlike modern video slots by NetEnt and other software providers, which rely on complex bonus rounds or traditional scatter symbols.
The Starburst game keeps its bonus features fast, sleek, and focused on its signature mechanic, the Starburst wild, ensuring its immense popularity at the top new casinos.
Let’s find out more about how the entire bonus experience in the Starburst video slot is shaped around this high-impact feature.
Win Both Ways
One of Starburst’s most distinctive features is the Win Both Ways pay mechanic. Unlike most slots, you win with combinations forming both left-to-right and right-to-left. It doubles your chances of hitting a successful combination win in every spin.
It also creates frequent payouts while significantly increasing the slot game’s overall payout potential, since a combination win can start from the leftmost and rightmost reels.
A simple innovation that gives you 20 ways to form combination wins across only 10 paylines. The highlight is that the slot game feels constantly active.
Starburst Wilds
The wild symbol is a vibrant, 8-pointed star, key to unlocking the slot’s most significant payouts. Starburst wilds can only appear on the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th reels.
When one or more Starburst wild lands, they expand to cover an entire reel, which means the three middle reels can turn completely wild.
Once you have a wild reel, it locks into place and automatically activates a free re-spin of the remaining reels. If up to three additional wilds land during the respin, they also expand, stay locked in place, and award a maximum of 3 respins.
Stacked Re-Spins for Massive Payouts
The genuine excitement in the online slot Starburst starts during the re-spins. If new wilds arrive during a re-spin, they also expand and lock into place while awarding another free re-spin.
The respins feature can re-trigger up to 3 times. If you aim for maximum win potential, getting all three center reels entirely wild should be your aim.
The wild feature acts as the Starburst slot free spins or bonus round, allowing you to unlock high payouts across three high-value free respins.
Features and Bonuses at a Glance
| Bonus Payouts | No |
| Jackpots | No |
| Bonus Rounds | No |
| Free Spins | Respins (up to 3) |
| Multiplier | No |
| Scatter Symbol | No |
| Wild Symbol | Yes (8-pointed gem star) |
| Autoplay | Yes |
| Gamble Feature | No |
| Progressive Jackpot | No |
Starburst Slot Review
The Starburst by NetEnt stands out for its clean design, cosmic visuals, and arcade-style soundtrack, which deliver a retro yet modern feel. Simplicity makes it perfect for casual or first-time players, while the low volatility ensures frequent, smaller wins that keep gameplay smooth and steady.
A key highlight is the win both ways mechanic, paying from left to right and right to left, which doubles your chances on every spin.
While there are no bonus rounds or interactive extras, the expanding Starburst wild with respins adds just enough excitement to keep things engaging. This game still shines bright if you enjoy uncomplicated gameplay with a touch of retro charm.
Starburst Slot RTP and Volatility
The Starburst RTP of 96.09% sits comfortably within the industry average, and although it doesn’t rank among the highest RTP slots, it offers fair long-term returns.
Starburst is a low volatility game, which indicates that you can expect frequent, smaller wins. During our Starburst review, we experienced steady payouts that match its advertised variance, which is ideal for casual play and longer sessions.
NetEnt offers up to 6 RTP configs, from 90.05% to 96.09%. Many casinos run lower versions — always check the paytable before playing a single spin.
Why Play Starburst for Fun
Top software developers, like NetEnt, offer free slots. For example, you’ll have fun in the demo and can get used to the Starburst RTP before heading straight into real money excitement.
You should play the free Starburst demo first because it lets you enjoy the bright theme and experience the frequent win rate risk-free, but without real cash prize payouts.
Playing for real money adds the excitement of steady real-money payouts thanks to low volatility. However, the game has no bonus rounds; it doubles up on winning chances with both ways pays.
Top 3 Tips for Playing the Starburst Slot Machine for Real Money
If you want to increase fun, success, and value for your wagers while playing Starburst for real money, these three tips can help:
- Place higher bets: Our tests confirm that the Starburst online slot pays out consistently. You don’t need to bet too high, but make your wagers big enough to generate substantial wins.
- Autoplay and quick spin: These functions add more convenience to your game session and will help speed things up while you settle back to watch as you land combinations.
- Don’t leave the game screen: Avoid leaving the game until your session ends. We noticed that the server will log you out due to inactivity. If you stay away too long, you could lose your wins.
Similar Games to Starburst by NetEnt
If you enjoy the classic feel when you play Starburst for fun or real money, we’ve got some similar slots you’ll love to try out:
- Jackpot 6000 by NetEnt: A classic retro-themed slot is an enjoyable alternative to Starburst. It offers a gamble feature, supermeter mode, and pays up to 6,000x your bet.
- Gold Train by Pragmatic Play: This slot is based on a fun old-school railway theme. The classic three reels have retro designs, a progressive bonus, and maximum payouts of 513x.
- Sweet Bonanza by Pragmatic Play: Treat yourself to sweets and candies with tumblers, buy free spins, while combinations pay anywhere on the reels.
Closing Thoughts on Starburst Slot
The Starburst online slot attracts thousands with its low volatility and brilliant design, and it pays both ways.
The wilds frequently expand to trigger respins, boosting your winnings, arguably in the same way Starburst free spins would. Its high hit rate means fewer dead spins and more returns, perfect for relaxed, extended play sessions.
Play this all-time favorite at our top slot site, and thanks to its popularity, you could even end up with a few free spins to get started.
Starburst Slot FAQs
Is there any advantage to the win both ways feature in the Starburst game?
Yes, there is. The win both ways feature increases your winning chances by more than half compared to slots that pay one way. You’ll win payouts regardless of how matching symbols land (left to right or vice versa).
What are the differences between the Starburst XXXtreme and Starburst slots?
One of the main differences between the Starburst XXXtreme and the Starburst slot game is the volatility. Starburst has very low volatility, while the sequel has a high variance. Starburst XXXtreme also offers random multipliers.
How does my experience differ between portrait vs landscape play in the Starburst mobile slot?
Whether you’re playing Starburst in portrait or landscape mode, the experience isn’t so different. However, a portrait view is preferable if you prefer a sleek interface that puts buttons within thumb distance.
Can I use the same betting options in the Starburst demo as in the real money version?
Yes. You can use the same betting options in the demo and the real money versions of Starburst. The only difference is that you can’t win real funds when playing in demo mode.
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