Free spins on Big Bass Bonanza vs Starburst

Free spins on Big Bass Bonanza vs Starburst: quick verdict

If a casino gives you spins on one of these two slots, the expected value is almost identical, so the real question is how you want those spins to feel. Starburst tends to pay small amounts often and rarely surprises in either direction. Big Bass Bonanza tends to pay nothing for long stretches, with most of its value packed into an occasional free spins round that can return much more.

Neither is ‘better’ for a bonus in a way that changes the odds. Both have a house edge, and a batch of spins on either can end with nothing. Our pages on Big Bass Bonanza free spins and Starburst free spins cover each game on its own; this page puts them next to each other. For other head-to-heads, see the comparison hub.

18+. Free spins offers come with terms, usually a qualifying deposit or bet. Spin values below assume 10p a spin, the most common value on UK offers.

Big Bass Bonanza vs Starburst: the specifications

The RTP that applies is the one in the game’s help screen at the casino you play at; check it there before starting. Under the Gambling Commission’s rules on game descriptions and the likelihood of winning (opens in a new tab), that information has to be available to players. Our glossary entries on RTP and volatility explain both measures.

What free spins on each slot are worth

The value of casino spins is simple: number of spins × spin value. The average return is that face value × RTP. Because the two RTPs are only 0.62 percentage points apart, the averages barely differ.

The gap between the two on 100 spins is about 6p, which is far smaller than the normal swing of a single batch. What separates them is the spread of results around those averages, which is where volatility comes in. Our free spins value page shows the same method for other stakes, and what is the average win from 100 free spins? looks at the typical spread.

Volatility: why the same value feels so different

Low volatility means frequent, mostly small wins. On Starburst, a batch of 50 or 100 spins will usually land several modest line wins, and the balance at the end is likely to sit within a fairly narrow range around the average, though it can still finish well below it. Big wins are limited by the 500x cap: £50 on a 10p spin.

High volatility means long runs of losing or small-win spins, broken by occasional large returns. On Big Bass Bonanza, much of the value sits in the free spins round. A batch of spins that doesn’t trigger it often returns well under the average; one that does can return several times the face value. The 2,100x cap puts the theoretical top at £210 on a single 10p spin, though results anywhere near that are very rare.

This trade-off is examined in more depth in free spins on low vs high volatility slots, and the pages on high volatility slots and low volatility slots give more examples of each type.

Big Bass Bonanza’s free spins round

Big Bass Bonanza has its own free spins round, separate from any casino offer. According to the developer’s game information, landing 3, 4 or 5 scatters awards 10, 15 or 20 free spins.

• Fish symbols carry money values. During the round, wilds collect the values of all visible money symbols.
• Every fourth wild collected retriggers the round with 10 extra spins.
• Retriggers raise a win multiplier: 2x after the first, 3x after the second and 10x after the third.
• Money symbols in the bonus game can carry values up to 2,000x, according to the developer; the game’s overall max win is 2,100x.

Our glossary has more on how a retrigger works. Exact symbol values and odds aren’t published, so check the help screen in the game for the current paytable. Pragmatic Play distributes the game; its official site (opens in a new tab) carries the Reel Kingdom catalogue.

Starburst’s re-spins: no free spins round

Starburst doesn’t have a free spins round at all. NetEnt’s game information describes its feature as expanding wilds: when a wild lands it expands to fill its reel, stays in place, and triggers a re-spin. Further wilds landing during a re-spin also expand and hold, and this can repeat up to three times.

Wins pay both ways across the 10 lines, which is why the game produces frequent small wins and fits its low-volatility label. The practical result for a casino spin offer is that there is no single feature to wait for: the value is spread across the spins themselves. For questions about whether a casino spin can set off a game’s own bonus, see can free spins trigger the bonus round?

Free spins on Big Bass Bonanza vs Starburst with or without wagering

If spin winnings are paid as cash, which is how no-wagering offers work, the value is simply the averages above. If winnings come as bonus funds with wagering, volatility starts to matter in a second way.

1. Play the spins: say 50 spins at 10p, £5 of face value.
2. Suppose the winnings are £5 in bonus funds with 10x wagering, the maximum allowed since 19 January 2026.
3. That needs £50 of qualifying stakes. At a 4% house edge, the average cost is about £2.
4. So the expected value of the bonus drops from about £4.80 to roughly £2.80, before any expiry or max-win limits.
5. Higher volatility while wagering makes it more likely you lose the whole bonus before finishing, and also more likely you finish well ahead.

Our explainer on free spins wagering works through more cases, and no wagering free spins explains why many UK players now favour offers without playthrough.

How UK rules shape both slots

The British versions of both games run under the same rules as every other online slot. Since 31 October 2021 there is no autoplay, each spin takes at least 2.5 seconds, and turbo or slam-stop features aren’t allowed. Feature buys aren’t offered on slots supplied to Great Britain, so the Big Bass Bonanza round can only be reached through scatters.

Stake limits also apply: £5 a spin for players aged 25 and over since 9 April 2025, and £2 for 18–24s since 21 May 2025, as the government announced in its note on the new £2 maximum stake for under-25s (opens in a new tab). Casino spins are already fixed at a low value, so these limits matter more when you play on with your own money. See our pages on slot game design rules and online slot stake limits.

Which suits you: Big Bass Bonanza or Starburst spins?

Often you won’t get the choice: spin offers name their games. Our answer on whether you can choose your free spins slot explains why. Fans of the fishing theme may also like Bigger Bass Bonanza, and the fishing slots page covers the wider genre; for a high-volatility Starburst variant see Starburst XXXtreme.

Where to use spins on these slots

Of our partners, only PlayOJO names one of these games for its welcome spins. 18+, new customers only, terms apply.

• PlayOJO: first deposit of £10 or more gets 80 free spins on Big Bass Bonanza at 10p each, £8 of spins with an average return of about £7.74 at 96.71% RTP. No wagering: winnings are paid in cash. Not available in Northern Ireland; only through the designated offer link and not combinable with other offers.
• Coral: deposit (some payment types excluded) and bet £10 on slots for 100 free spins at 10p on the offer’s selected games. Accept within 48 hours, valid 7 days, no wagering. The offer lists its selected games; check the promotion page to see whether either slot is included.
• Ladbrokes: deposit and spend £10 on slots for 50 free spins a day for 10 days (up to 500) at 10p on selected games. Claim by 23:59 daily, valid 7 days, no wagering. Check the promotion page for the current game list.

We can’t confirm any partner spin offer on Starburst. The 80 free spins page goes into PlayOJO’s offer in more depth.

18+. Gambling should be entertainment that costs money, not a way to make it. Decide a budget before you play: set a budget. Free, confidential help: National Gambling Helpline 0808 8020 133.