CasinoSmash

Bonanza Slot Review: Best USA Free Spins Bonus Offers

Bonanza is one of the most popular slot games of all time. It's a 6-reel slot with a mining theme powered by Big Time Gaming using the developer's proprietary Megaways engine.

Spin the reels on the popular slot machine Bonanza at one of our top rated US online casinos below:

Info icon

Oops. No rooms were found..

Although players have had access to Bonanza since 2016, it is still ranked highly among US casino games online. The cascading reels feature, 117,649 ways to win, and a free spins round with unlimited multipliers are some of the reasons why it's such a popular game.

Read on to learn everything there is to know about the famed Bonanza slot.

Slot Data

Slot nameBonanza
SoftwareBig Time Gaming (BTG)
Release date2016
ThemeMining
RTP96%
VolatilityHigh
Paylines117,649
Reels6+1 horizontal reel
Min bet ($)$0.20
Max bet ($)$20
Max win26,000x
✅ Pros❌ Cons
117,649 ways to winHigh volatility slot with potentially long dry spells
Cascading reelsChallenging bonus game to unlock
Free spins feature with unlimited multiplier 
Great win potential 
Impressive graphics and catchy music 
Possible casino welcome bonus ties 

Introduction

Bonanza Free Spins.jpg

Bonanza slot is the first game to put Big Time Gaming and its Megaways engine on the map. The game was released just before Christmas in 2016, becoming an instant hit.

To those new to Megaways best online slots, this mechanic works as each reel shows a random number of symbol positions after every spin. For instance, the third reel can have anywhere between two and seven symbols.

It doesn't feature traditional paylines, as it's enough to only have matching symbols on subsequent reels, starting from the leftmost reel. This results in the Bonanza slot machine having 117,649 ways to win.

The game has six vertical and one horizontal reel. If you win, the winning symbols disappear, being replaced by new ones falling from above. Bonanza features great graphics for the time and has a catchy tune playing while the reels are spinning. Apart from an exciting base game, you can unlock the free spins round with an unlimited multiplier.

Bonanza Theme

The Bonanza slot has a mining theme. The most valuable symbols in the game are differently colored gems and diamonds, the symbols on the horizontal reel are shown in mining carts, and symbol positions are actually rocks that explode once winning combinations are formed. The background shows a waterfall and a rocky terrain with the miner's house sitting in the corner.

There isn't much to say about Bonanza's storyline since there really isn't one. You won't see any characters or human figures. It's all just about mining for valuables.

Bonanza Graphics and Sound

This online slot's graphics are relatively solid, considering the game came out in 2016. The waterfall flowing behind the reels makes you feel as if the environment is alive, and watching the symbols explode every time there's a win is pretty fun, regardless of how many times you've seen it. The symbols are well drawn and distinct from each other.

The sound effects are also crisp and realistic. Catchy and adventurous banjo music plays only when spinning the reels, giving you the incentive to keep playing.

How to Play Bonanza

Bonanza is an easy game to master. But before playing Bonanza for real money, you must create an account on a casino site that carries this slot. You don't need to go anywhere to do that, as our team here at CasinoSmash has listed some trusted online casinos that feature Bonanza and other slot games.

Once you choose your casino, create an account, deposit, and claim the welcome bonus, you can load the game and start playing. All you must do before initiating the first spin is set your wager. Use the arrow button under the Stake tab to set your bet anywhere between $0.20 and $20. After you've set everything up, press the play button and start enjoying the game.

The Bonanza slot also has an autoplay feature that lets you kick back and relax while the spin plays through automatically. You can set anywhere between 5 and 100 automated spins. If you want to learn more about the game, you can access the menu by clicking the icon with the three lines. This is where you can toggle sound on and off and read about the game's rules.

Bonanza Features and Gameplay

Like many other Big Time Gaming slots, Bonanza uses the Megaways engine. As mentioned, Megaways work in a way that each spin spawns a random number of symbol positions on each reel. Since there are no traditional paylines, the Bonanza slot triggers a win if the symbols appear on adjacent reels from left to right, regardless of their position on those reels.

Each of the six reels in the Bonanza slot can feature between two and six symbol positions, but since there is an additional symbol above reels two through five via the horizontal reel, those reels can have a total of seven symbol positions.

Because of the random number of symbol positions, there's also a random number of ways to win on each spin. If all reels feature a maximum number of symbol positions, you can play with 117,649 ways to win.

Three symbols of the same kind must appear on the first three reels for a win to trigger, except for the most valuable symbol, the diamond, which can trigger a win even when showing on just two reels.

The cascading reels mechanic is in play on every spin, meaning that once you win, the winning symbols are destroyed and replaced by new ones falling from above. Symbols on the horizontal reel that become part of the reaction are replaced by new symbols from the right. This goes on until there are no more new wins.

The Bonanza slot has 12 symbols, including low-tier card mark symbols 9, 10, J, Q, K, and A, mid-tier green, blue, and red gem, and the high-tier diamond. Dynamite acts as the wild symbol and replaces all other symbols except scatter symbols. Scatters are shown as letters G, O, L, and D, and you must get all four to trigger the bonus game.

Bonanza is considered a high-volatility game. This implies that there's a big disparity between big and small wins and that massive wins are rare. Casual players can bet as low as 20 cents, while those seeking more risk can wager up to $20 per spin. The game's RTP is measured at 96.00%.

Bonanza Bonuses and Free Spins

Bonanza Free Spins 3.jpg

The Bonanza online slot has only a single bonus game which is a free spins feature. To unlock the free spins, you must get four scatter symbols to appear during a single spin. Each scatter symbol is one letter, and once you get all four, they will spell G-O-L-D (the letters don't need to appear in consecutive order).

This unlocks the bonus round that initially starts with 12 free spins. The free spin scatters (gold bars) can appear during the round, but only in carts on the upper horizontal reel. Three and four carts filled with gold bars will award five or ten more free spins, respectively.

Once the round starts, the scenery changes. Instead of being outside, you are now inside the mine, with red and black mineral-filled rocks dominating the layout. The free spins round works similarly to the base game, but with one major difference — every consecutive winning combination now adds 1x to the unlimited multiplier counter.

In other words, if you got one win, the next one will count as double, the third win will come with a 3x multiplier, and so forth. The multipliers increase all the way to the end of the round.

Where Can I Play Bonanza?

Info icon

Oops. No rooms were found..

Conclusion

The Bonanza slot machine is the game that popularized the Megaways mechanic and the main reason why there are now loads of slot titles featuring this engine. With six reels that constantly show a different number of symbols, you never know how many ways to win you're going to get the next time you press the spin button.

Getting big wins is rare, and so is unlocking the free spins feature, but once you get there, it will all be worth it. Twelve free spins are more than enough to get a huge payout, especially as you'll be helped by unlimited multipliers that increase after every consecutive win.

We can all agree that the Bonanza slot is one of the best slot games in the world right now. However, it's far from being the only slot you should try playing online. For instance, you can't go wrong with Starburst, a simple 5x3 slot with a calming atmosphere ideal for novice players.

Immortal Romance is another classic many US players enjoy, and you just can't ignore the fact that it’s a high RTP slot at 96.86%. If you're all about adventurous slots and getting lost in the jungles of Latin America, NetEnt's Gonzo's Quest is the way to go.

Lastly, if you really like the Bonanza slot and its Megaways mechanic, you should look for some other Megaways slots and slots with cascading reels. Our recommended online casino operators should have plenty of those.

Bonanza Slot FAQs

How does the Bonanza slot work?

Bonanza uses the Megaways engine, BTG's proprietary mechanism that randomizes the number of symbol positions on each reel and allows for many ways to win. The symbols need to appear on consecutive reels starting from the leftmost one to create a win. Once the win is triggered, the winning symbols disappear from the reels and are replaced by new ones falling from above.

Does Bonanza have a free spins round?

Yes, Bonanza has a bonus round with free spins that you unlock once four scatter symbols spelling G-O-L-D land anywhere on the grid. You initially earn 12 free spins with the possibility to win more during the round itself. The bonus round also comes with unlimited multipliers that increase every time there's a win.

Can I play the Bonanza slot on my mobile?

Yes, Bonanza is a mobile-friendly slot that you can play on your smartphone or tablet. Simply access your online casino account on your mobile browser or download the online casino app and load the game. It should work smoothly as it would on a desktop computer, with the interface adjusted to your screen size.

Can I play the Bonanza slot for free?

You can win real money while playing the Bonanza slot on one of our recommended online casinos, but some will also allow you to play the game for free. The best online casinos always have demo modes for all of their slots, so you can enjoy playing for free for as long as you like.

What is the RTP of the Bonanza online slot?

According to the game's info tab, the Bonanza online slot has an RTP of 96.00%

BioGambling enthusiast and sport fanatic, I have a wealth of knowledge when it comes to casino and gambling. I've written for magazines, newspapers and other gambling websites which include the Daily Mail, Golf Monthly and Sporting Index, all contributing to over 3 years in the content industry.
CasinoSmash
We are CasinoSmash – an expert guide about casino, and our experts will only help strengthen your knowledge. We can help you bet safely by providing strategies, pro tips, and honest reviews about the best licensed and regulated casinos available. In addition, we also find the latest bonuses, promotions and free spins for new and existing customers so you don’t have to.
Our Associates:
OddscheckerWhoScored
This site is 100% for entertainment purposes only and does not involve real-money betting. Please gamble responsibly. Call 1-800 GAMBLER in the U.S, 1-866-531-2600 in CA, or visit begambleaware.org in the UK for help. You should be 21+ in the U.S., 19+ in Canada, and 18+ in the UK to participate in sports betting and iGaming.
BeGambleAwareOver 18GamStopRaigGambling Therapy
© 2013-2022 CasinoSmash.com