Get to Know Starburst, the All-Time Great Online Slot
Starburst is the most popular online slot of all time. The simple yet extremely addictive game has been a mainstay in the popularity charts of casino games across the world since its release in 2012. Learn how to play the game, the way it works, and where you can play it for free with this complete Starburst slot review.
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Starburst Slot Machine Features
The legendary Starburst slot machine has a table of features where each of them could be considered average, but in the best sense of the word. Many of the game’s feature values have become part of the norm of what we expect to see in modern casino slot games. I always look at Starburst as the “precursor" to the current slot market.
Feature | Information |
Developer | NetEnt |
RTP | 96.09% |
Volatility | Low |
Jackpot | €50,000 |
Maximum Payout | 500x |
Min/Max Bet | €0.10/€100 |
Reels | 5 |
Rows | 3 |
Paylines | 10 (Both Ways) |
Symbols | BAR, Wild, Jewels |
Special Features | Pays Both Ways, Starburst Wilds |
Symbols and Payouts
Compared to other popular online slots that I’ve played, Starburst has quite a small number of symbols. Even games like the Cleopatra slot seem to have more, but simplicity is part of the essence of this now-legendary slot game.
Let’s take a look at its symbols and how many coins they pay:
Symbol | Payout with 3 Symbols | Payout with 4 Symbols | Payout with 5 Symbols |
BAR | 50 | 200 | 250 |
Seven | 25 | 60 | 120 |
Yellow Jewel | 10 | 25 | 60 |
Green Jewel | 8 | 20 | 50 |
Red Jewel | 7 | 15 | 40 |
Blue Jewel | 5 | 10 | 25 |
Purple Jewel | 5 | 10 | 25 |
Special Game Symbols
The Starburst slot has one peculiarity that makes it different from modern video slots: it only comes with a single special symbol, which will be the one you’ll be looking to collect if you want to collect a high payout.
Wild Symbol: The Wild symbol, which it’s called “Starburst Wild”, shows up on reels 2, 3, and 4, takes over the entire payline, and allows players to trigger the re-spin feature.
NetEnt Starburst Slot RTP & Volatility – Detailed Technical Info
Starburst is a low-volatility slot game, which means that it has a high hit rate where players frequently win money in multiple rounds. However, wins are generally low in value, being lower than your bet in many cases, since the two most common symbols have very low payouts.
NetEnt distributes Starburst with a flexible RTP, which means that operators get to choose how profitable they want the game to be.

Even if the game’s standard RTP is 96.09%, you should always check the details of the game before you play with real money, as some casinos change it. It could be as low as 90.05% or as high 99.06% (good luck finding the latter – I’ve never seen a reputable casino offering that version of the game).
Starburst Gameplay Features
Starburst is a simple online slot without a scatter symbol. It’s one of the simplest video slots in the online casino industry and by far the simplest slot that remains popular to this day. That’s part of its magic, though, and it’s the reason why the Starburst casino online slot is very popular among industry newcomers.

Starburst has an autoplay feature and allows you to set the value of each coin and the number of coins that you wish to wager, just like most post-2010 video slots. Apart from that, the game has two key features that keep it different from other casino games.
- Pays Both Ways: Starburst is the most popular slot with the “Pays Both Ways” feature, which essentially means that you can create winning combinations in paylines from right to left as well as from left to right. This, combined with the Starburst Wild, is what makes winning rounds so lucrative.
- Starburst Wild: The wild symbol on the Starburst slot shows up on reels 2, 3, and 4. Whenever you see one, it will turn all three symbols on the reel into wilds as well, potentially creating multiple winning combinations. After settling the bet, a re-spin will trigger and the Wild symbols will remain in place. If you land another Wild on another reel, the process will repeat itself. You can trigger up to three re-spins, which would give you a chance to hit the 500x jackpot.
Tips to Play & Win Playing the Starburst Game
There is no ultimate formula to win consistently while playing online slots, but, in my experience, low-volatility games are much more manageable than high-volatility ones when it comes to placing high wagers with a reduced budget.
If you wish to win more often -or increase your chances of doing so-, then you’ll be wise to follow my Starburst tips:
- Take advantage of free spin bonuses: Take zero risks whilst still competing to earn real money with the best Starburst no deposit bonuses and forget about budget management while spending free bonuses in the world’s best online casinos.
- Create a budget and manage it properly: Budget management is key in online slot games, and even though the game’s low volatility means that you may take more risks, I still wouldn’t advise you to wager more than 2.5% to 3% of your budget per spin;
- Keep an eye out for wilds: Wild symbols are going to be your number one ally in your quest to collect high payouts in the game. The best way to win a lot of money playing Starburst is by triggering the Starburst Wild, so keep your eyes open for them;
- Patience pays off: The game’s low volatility could frustrate high-payout seekers, but it also means that your budget shouldn’t take too much of a hit before a lucky round comes around!
Where to Play Starburst for Free? – The Best & Safest Starburst Casinos
Starburst is present in many online casinos throughout the world, as NetEnt is known to partner with plenty of operators to extend the reach of their games to every corner of the Earth. However, not all NetEnt Casinos are worth visiting, nor do they all offer the all-time great casino slot.
I’ve made a list of the best Starburst Casinos to help you find sites where it’s easy to dive straight into the action – either for free, with bonuses, or with real money:
1 | | 9.8 | Visit сasino |
2 | | 9.8 | Visit сasino |
3 | | 9.9 | Visit сasino |
4 | | 8.9 | Visit сasino |
5 | | 9.7 | Visit сasino |
Starburst Biggest Win & Single Spin Potential Payout
The only way to hit the game’s max jackpot, which is a fixed and non-progressive jackpot, is by chaining three re-spins with one another and achieving big wins with BAR symbols in each of them. This is the only way to do it, and it’s highly unlikely that it’ll happen. Should you do so, you would earn a staggering 500x your bet, meaning that a max bet could give you a prize of up to €50,000.
This is a relatively generous jackpot for a low-volatility slot game, but it’s nowhere near what other games like Book of Dead can offer you.
How Does the Starburst Slot Compare to Other Casino Slots?
Starburst is a great casino slot that still lives on more than a decade after its release. Age comes to show when you play it, but it is undoubtedly a fantastic game to keep around and there are many reasons why its popularity is still high. Here are some factors that’ll help you compare it to other industry greats:
- Starburst's low volatility makes it a slot where it’s far less likely for you to hit big wins than in other games, but it’s a game that I recommend to those who don’t like the stress that usually accompanies high-volatility games where players often go into losing streaks before hitting big wins;
- Compared to modern slot games, it’s clear that Starburst lacks many technical features that make gameplay more dynamic and fun in newer slot games. This is a great game to play if you’re a fan of classics, but those who seek to play the newest games in the industry will notice that the game is missing a lot of modern features
- With a low minimum bet and a high max bet, Starburst is a great online slot to play regardless of the size of your budget
Games Similar to Starburst that You Must Try
Apart from the epic Starburst XXXtreme, which is a NetEnt remake of the original game with higher volatility and a bonus buy feature, there are other fantastic alternatives that you’ll surely love if you’re a fan of the classic Starburst game. The alternatives that I’m suggesting are similar to Starburst in terms of gameplay or theme – and you’ll find them in some of the best online casinos!
Game | RTP | Developer |
Star Spinner | 96.47% | Blueprint |
Crystal Sun | 96.60% | Play’N Go |
Star Clusters | 96.54% | Big Time Gaming |
Turning Totems | 96.10% | Thunderkick |
Toki Time | 97.10% | Thunderkick |
The Casino Wizard Verdict – The Ultimate NetEnt Masterpiece
Few people could argue if I were to tell them that Starburst is the most influential slot game of all time. In a market where slots lose relevance in a matter of months, the NetEnt masterpiece has managed to stay afloat for over a decade, even if it isn’t as popular as it was near the end of the 2010s.
Those who seek to play a fun game with low volatility and have a limited budget will find Starburst to be one of the best casino games. Take advantage of world-class bonuses to enjoy the game for free and test your luck playing at the best NetEnt Casinos.
Frequently asked questions
You can play Starburst for free with free spins, free cash, or by checking out the Demo version of the game found on this page.
You can collect Starburst free spins in reliable online casinos by checking out this complete Starburst no deposit bonus guide.
Starburst is a legendary online slot created by NetEnt, which offers an average return rate and low volatility. It's one of the most popular online slots of all time.