The popularity of modern-day slot games is impossible to ignore. Whether it be land-based slot machines or high-tech online slots, slots are beloved worldwide by a variety of different nationalities and cultures. Slots started out in humble beginnings as simple fruit machines with three reels giving players either a win or a loss on each spin. The evolution of slots has seen them come along way since the old days. They have now evolved into an array of suave and cultured graphics and original characters and storylines drawn from ancient myth, cultures, tv shows and movies.
Of course, winning is certainly the biggest motive for any online slots player, the increasing sophistication of online slots has meant that players are also attracted to the entertainment value and structural elements and features of online slots. The added value of bonuses, free spins rounds and a variety of different and thrilling online slots features means that slot games have become a much more than a simple repetitive pastime or hobby.
We have showcased our compilation of the best 12 slot games of all time. You will discover that all of the slots listed can be played online and are all different from one another in terms of features, graphics and storylines. From millionaire makers to high roller slot games, jackpot slots and slots with some of the best bonuses available, this list will highlight some of the truly jaw dropping slots from the 21st century.
Rainbow Riches
Themed on Ireland and Irish Leprechauns in particular, Rainbow Riches is one of the king online slot games. Rainbow Riches proved so popular that it has now spawned numerous other similar slots in the series such as Rainbow Riches Pick N Mix and Rainbow Riches Pots of Gold. Regardless, the best slot in the series remains the original Rainbow Riches slot game. Hugely popular in the UK, this slot is found on both online casinos and land-based casinos. Developed by master slot makers Barcrest, Rainbow Riches is a 5-reel slot and was one of the first £500 jackpot slots with a top prize of £200,000.
Rainbow Riches is widely associated with its three fantastic bonus rounds – the ‘Wishing Well, the ‘Road to Riches’ and the ‘Pots of Gold’. These are the bonus rounds where players can win the big money. Of course, to access the bonus rounds, you must spin the reels to trigger them. FYI, the leprechaun is named Lucky O’Leary and he will be with you throughout your journey
Mega Moolah
Known as the millionaire maker due to its absolutely massive jackpot, Mega Moolah is one of the most popular slots of all time for good reason. Mega Moolah has made millionaires out of numerous online slots players with the biggest ever win coming in at an incredible £16,198,066 for one lucky player. Mega Moolah is a jackpot slot, this means that for every bet made by a player on this slot game, a percentage of the bet will go into the jackpot. The Mega Moolah jackpot is triggered extremely rarely, which means that the jackpot can easily rise into the millions. As you can imagine, the main reason gamblers play this slot is to try to trigger its jackpot.
There are four jackpots available in Mega Moolah. There’s the Mega Progressive Jackpot, which starts at 1,000,000 credits, the Major Progressive, which starts at 10,000 credits, the Minor, which begins at 100 credits and the Mini Progressive; the easiest to trigger which awards 10 credits. Mega Moolah was developed by world class developers Microgaming and comes with a unique jungle theme.
Gonzo’s Quest Megaways
Put simply, the biggest and most anticipated releases of an online slot game of all time, Gonzo’s Quest Megaways is arguably THE most popular online slot game ever. Developed by NetEnt and Red Tiger Gaming and using Big Time Gaming’s incredible Megaways mechanic, Gonzo’s Quest Megaways is likely the most played online slot since its release in Summer 2020.
Alongisde its generous RTP of 98%, Gonzo’s Quest Megaways allows players to potentially win up to 21,000x their bet – this is well above average in comparison with other slots. In addition, this slot comes with lots of features including a fun free spins round, respins, sticky wild symbols and lots of huge multipliers for potentially massive wins.
Dead or Alive 2
Widely regarded as an oldy but a goldy, Dead or Alive 2 is themed around the wild west and offers the potential for big wins. With a maximum payout of 100,000x the bet, Dead or Alive 2 is one of the most rewarding slots in history. We love the wild west theme especially, and there are three bonus rounds which you can unlock: the Old Saloon feature, the High Noon feature and Train Heist feature.
Dead or Alive 2 was released back in 2009 by NetEnt but remains one of the most played slots. Over 90% of online casinos have this slot game in their library so it is widely playable. In fact, many casinos offer Dead or Alive 2 free spins in their welcome packages to new players.
Aloha Cluster Pays
One of the most original slots, Aloha Cluster Pays comes with a great soundtrack and an extremely impressive Hawaiian theme. According to slots experts Slotshawk.com where you can choose from a selection of great slot games online, “Aloha Cluster Pays is our favourite slot due to its fantastic playability. This game never gets boring, the wins are frequent, and we love the soundtrack and theme.”
Similar to Dead or Alive 2, many online casino sites offer new players free spins on Aloha Cluster Pays just for singing up. NetEnt, the developers behind Aloha Cluster Pays, even created a Christmas themed version called Aloha Christmas Pays. The game is pretty much the same other than an addition of snow and an Xmas soundtrack.
Rome: The Golden Age
From a playability perspective, Rome: The Golden Age is regarded as one of the best due to its incredibly high payout rate. Drawing comparisons with Dead or Alive 2, this slot offers a potential payout of 100,000x times the bet with a maximum win at most online casinos of £250,000. However, we are more intrigued by this slots theme and graphics. It reminds us of the film Gladiator and the fantastic novel I Claudius due to its classical antiquity theme.
Released in 2021 by NetEnt, this slot is one of their best creations yet. Be on the lookout for huge multipliers as well as a fantastic bonus round based around ancient Roman gladiators.
Starburst
Starburst is certainly one of the most well-known slots of all time, it is definitely one of the easiest to play. Although the rewards when playing Starburst are nothing to write home about, for whatever reason, it is one of the most widely played slots. This could be because many casinos offer Starburst free spins on a consistent basis. The main reason being is that it is a low variance slot which makes it terribly difficult for players to win big.
Despite its seemingly huge popularity, the experts at SlotsHawk have advised us to avoid playing this game as it is very difficult for players to hit big wins when playing. Although they did tell us that it is a nice game for beginners who are happy to bet a small amount to get used to playing an online slot game.
Irish Riches Megaways
Irish themes slots are popular, which is why Blueprint Gaming decided to release Irish Riches Megaways in 2018 to a most splendid applause. Played on six reels and seven rows thanks to the Megaways engine, this slot offers an incredible 117,649 paylines, meaning you can win anything from £1 per spin up to £250,000! This slot is perfect for high rollers due to its maximum bet per spin value of £500. Although the graphics and tech used on this slot are much to be desired, it is the features which make this slot game so popular.
Irish Riches offers respins, cascading reels, multipliers and even a progressive jackpot as Irish Riches Megaways is locked into the Jackpot King progressive jackpot network. This allows you to win potentially hundreds of thousands of pounds from a single spin on the reels. The minimum bet amount here is £0.20, so if you have a smaller budget, then we recommend taking a look at another game on this list.
Bloodsuckers
The Blood Suckers slot by Net Entertainment is themed around ghostly and ghastly vampires. Yes, cloves of garlic, stakes, potions, poisons and creepy vampires await you in this slot game which comes with a return to player of 98% – one of the highest RTP slots around! It is the high RTP which makes Blood Suckers such a popular game.
In order to access the games bonus round, you must land three or more scatter symbols on the reels. Alternatively, if you land five matching symbols on the reels, you will win 30 free spins. There are many different vampire themed slot games, but Blood Suckers and its sequel Blood Suckers 2 are two of the best. In fact, we have a couple more vampire themed slots coming up on this list of the best ever slots games.
Jack Hammer 2
Based on a cartoon superhero named Jack Hammer, this slot game is lots of fun and is themed around a comic book superhero. Another slot by NetEnt, Jack Hammer 2 is famed for its breathtakingly awesome theme and tells the story of the superhero Jack Hammer. As you advance through this slot, you will go on a journey with Jack Hammer as he looks to eliminate his evil nemesis and save the world.
This slot is low variance which means that you can play for a long time whilst betting quite small. Furthermore, NetEnt released the slots hit rate which lands at around 23%. High rollers are also fans of this game due to its maximum bet potential of £250 per spin. You can expect a max payout of 500x your bet, this means that big bets offer the opportunities for big wins.
Ooh Aah Dracula
A cartoonish and intelligent slot from Barcrest, Ooh Aah Dracula can be found at multiple online slot sites and is widely popular due to its many features and high RTP of 99%. Played on 5 reels and 3 rows, Ooh Aah Dracula comes with stacked wilds, multipliers and a sparklingly brilliant bonus round. The heart symbols are your keys to the bonus round so keep an eye out for them especially.
Despite its name, this so-called horror themed slot is not scary, its cartoonish and outlandish but packs a punch!
Immortal Romance
The simple, clean and extravagant graphics of this slot, along with its gripping soundtrack make this Microgaming offering a pleasant and fun online gaming experience. The symbols are basic, but this is one of the easiest slots to lay and master. You can win up to 12,150x your bet and you can expect to hit a win from 1 in every 3 spins, this is not too bad at all for a high volatility slot game. The most rewarding symbol is the Immortal Romance logo symbol, this will give you potential payouts of up to 12,150x.
Immortal Romance does not offer a progressive jackpot, so if this is what you are looking for, we recommend playing Mega Moolah.
For the Love of Online Slots
It’s not easy to come up with a definitive list of the best slot games with the huge variety available. There are literally thousands of slot game for you to pick from which appeal to players for different reasons. However, with consideration to graphics, gameplay, jackpot and potential payout levels, these are the top 12 games which you should make yourself familiar with if you are a slots fan.
