Covers the classics people search for by name, the Scandinavian studios, and the slots that make a budget last.
Updated
This page carries figures checked on the date above, and that window has now passed. Studios publish new RTP settings and casinos change their rules: re-check the sources at the foot of the page.
NetEnt made a lot of the slots people still search for by name. Starburst. Gonzo's Quest. Dead or Alive. Most of them are old now, built on five reels and three rows with a single free spins round, and they hold up better than you'd expect.
Here's what makes NetEnt easy to write about: each game page on netent.com carries a stats box with RTP, a volatility score out of 10, hit frequency and a 'max payout' figure. That's more than most studios give you. The catch is that last number. On some games the stats box and the game's own feature text disagree, sometimes by a factor of fifty, so where that happens I say which figure comes from where.
We scored twelve NetEnt slots. The ten best are ranked below in Spin Score order. Remember the basics while you read: every slot has a negative expected value, and RTP is a long-run average over millions of spins, not what one evening returns.
At a glance
Best for
Players who like old-school line slots with one strong bonus, and anyone who wants a studio that prints its numbers on the game page
Top of our table
Dead or Alive 2, Spin Score 8.4
Highest published RTP
Blood Suckers, 98.0% on netent.com
The catch
The 'max payout' in NetEnt's stats box is not always the game's cap, so big-win figures disagree between sources
Skip
Starburst if you want a real bonus round: it has none, and scores 4.8 here
Play instead if...
You want huge multipliers on modern mechanics: look at Relax Gaming or Red Tiger's Megaways games
12Slots scored
96.5%Median top RTP
95.97%–98%RTP range
300x–200,000xMax win range
2 of 12With lower RTP settings
Medium-high 4, Low 3, Very high 3, High 1, Medium 1Volatility mix
On this page
The 10 best NetEnt slots, ranked
Every NetEnt slot we scored, in Spin Score order. Spin Score = 40% RTP, 15% max win, 30% free spins round, 15% base game. How we score
Top spot, and the bonus is why. Three scatters give 12 free spins and a choice of three modes (Old Saloon, High Noon Saloon, Train Heist), all built on sticky wilds with multipliers up to 16x. RTP is 96.8% on netent.com. The max win needs care: the Train Heist feature text says wins can reach 100,000x, while NetEnt's stats box on the same page lists a 1,600x 'max payout'. The base game is plain 9-line hits while you wait. NetEnt rates it 9.9 out of 10 for volatility, so expect long dry spells. Bring patience.
How the score breaks down, and the fine print
Return to playerData · 40%9.4
Max winData · 15%10.0
Free spins roundEditors · 30%9.0
Base gameEditors · 15%3.0
What it is: A 5x3, 9-line western slot. Three scatters award 12 free spins and a choice of three sticky-wild bonus modes with different multiplier rules.
Free spins round: Three free spins modes to choose from (Old Saloon, High Noon Saloon, Train Heist) built on sticky wilds and multipliers up to 16x, with retriggers.
Base game: The base game is mostly plain line hits on 9 lines while you wait for the scatters.
RTP, volatility and max win as NetEnt publishes them, checked on November 3, 2026. A casino may run a lower RTP setting: check the game’s info screen.
This is Starburst rebuilt for people who found the original too gentle. Expanding wilds on reels 2 to 4 carry random multipliers up to 150x and lock in place while they respin, which is why the base game scores 8. There are no free spins at all, and that's what holds it at second. NetEnt's stats box lists a 16,800x max payout; slotcatalog and NetEnt's launch material quote 200,000x. The 96.45% RTP applies with the paid XXXtreme Spins option, and slotcatalog lists 96.26% without it. XXXtreme Spins isn't offered to UK players.
How the score breaks down, and the fine print
Return to playerData · 40%8.4
Max winData · 15%10.0
Free spins roundEditors · 30%4.0
Base gameEditors · 15%8.0
What it is: A 5x3 remake of Starburst where expanding wilds on reels 2 to 4 carry random multipliers up to 150x and lock in place during respins.
Free spins round: No free spins; the paid XXXtreme Spins option guarantees one or two Starburst Wilds per spin, which is the only bonus-style feature.
Base game: Expanding wilds with random multipliers up to 150x and Random Wilds can land on any base spin.
RTP, volatility and max win as NetEnt publishes them, checked on November 3, 2026. A casino may run a lower RTP setting: check the game’s info screen.
The 2009 original still ranks third, mostly on RTP: 96.82% at its best setting. The free spins round is simple and brutal. Twelve spins, every wild sticks for the rest of the round, all wins are doubled, and five extra spins come if each reel holds a sticky wild. The base game is the worst here (scored 2): long dead stretches between scatters. NetEnt's stats box lists 8,600x; slotcatalog quotes 12,000x. Slotcatalog also lists settings down to 90.07%, so check the info screen.
How the score breaks down, and the fine print
Return to playerData · 40%9.5
Max winData · 15%6.9
Free spins roundEditors · 30%7.0
Base gameEditors · 15%2.0
What it is: A 5x3, 9-line western slot. Three scatters award 12 free spins in which every wild sticks for the rest of the round and all wins are doubled.
Free spins round: 12 free spins where every wild becomes sticky and wins are doubled, with 5 extra spins when each reel holds a sticky wild.
Base game: Long dead stretches between scatters; little happens on most spins.
RTP, volatility and max win as NetEnt publishes them, checked on November 3, 2026. A casino may run a lower RTP setting: check the game’s info screen.
The most balanced game on the list. Walking Wilds triple wins and step one reel left with a free respin each time, so the base game actually does something. In free spins you collect keys that upgrade the wild symbols. RTP 96.28%, 20 lines, and NetEnt rates volatility 7.7 out of 10. The stats box lists 7,100x as the max payout. If Dead or Alive feels too punishing, this is where I'd go.
How the score breaks down, and the fine print
Return to playerData · 40%7.8
Max winData · 15%6.6
Free spins roundEditors · 30%7.0
Base gameEditors · 15%6.0
What it is: A 5x3, 20-line fairy-tale slot. Walking Wilds triple wins and move left with a free respin each step, and free spins add key collection that upgrades the wilds.
Free spins round: 10 free spins with a Treasure Collection where collected keys upgrade the wild symbols.
Base game: Walking Wilds triple wins and step one reel left each respin in the base game.
RTP, volatility and max win as NetEnt publishes them, checked on November 3, 2026. A casino may run a lower RTP setting: check the game’s info screen.
One of NetEnt's most inventive games, and the score shows the problem. NetEnt's stats box lists a max payout of just 300x, the lowest here, which drags the max-win factor to the floor. Everything else is good. Symbols travel along a spiral on a 5x5 grid, four random features (Starfall Wilds, Dragon Destroy, Irish Luck, Magic Transform) fire on base spins, and free spins start when you steer a key to the centre. RTP 96.62%, volatility 4.4 out of 10. Good for a calm session.
How the score breaks down, and the fine print
Return to playerData · 40%8.9
Max winData · 15%2.0
Free spins roundEditors · 30%6.0
Base gameEditors · 15%8.0
What it is: A 5x5 cluster-pays slot where symbols move along a spiral after each win. Random features fire on base spins and free spins trigger when the key symbol reaches the centre.
Free spins round: Free spins come from steering a key to the centre of the grid, then you pick one of four modes based on the random features.
Base game: Avalanches, exploding wilds and four random features (Starfall Wilds, Dragon Destroy, Irish Luck, Magic Transform) run in the base game.
RTP, volatility and max win as NetEnt publishes them, checked on November 3, 2026. A casino may run a lower RTP setting: check the game’s info screen.
A Megaways version with up to 117,649 ways. Wilds fall one row per respin, and a wild landing on a falling wild expands to fill the reel. Free spins turn every wild into a full-reel wild and add bronze, silver and gold collections worth 10x to 500x. One thing people miss: netent.com lists no progressive jackpot for this version, unlike the original Divine Fortune. RTP 96.09%, stats box max payout 4,500x. Solid, never spectacular.
How the score breaks down, and the fine print
Return to playerData · 40%7.3
Max winData · 15%5.8
Free spins roundEditors · 30%7.0
Base gameEditors · 15%6.0
What it is: A 6-reel Megaways slot with up to 117,649 ways. Wilds fall one row per respin, a wild landing on a falling wild expands to the full reel, and free spins add bonus-win collections.
Free spins round: Free spins (10, plus 5 per extra symbol) turn every wild into a full-reel wild and add bronze, silver and gold collections worth 10x to 500x.
Base game: Falling Wilds respins and Wild on Wild expansions show up in the base game.
RTP, volatility and max win as NetEnt publishes them, checked on November 3, 2026. A casino may run a lower RTP setting: check the game’s info screen.
The game that made avalanches famous, and honestly it has aged fine. Every win explodes, new symbols fall, and the multiplier climbs to 5x in the base game and 15x in Free Fall. What sinks it is RTP: 95.97% is the lowest of the twelve NetEnt games we scored. NetEnt's stats box lists 2,200x; you'll see 2,500x quoted elsewhere. Our full Gonzo's Quest guide goes deeper.
How the score breaks down, and the fine print
Return to playerData · 40%6.9
Max winData · 15%4.6
Free spins roundEditors · 30%7.0
Base gameEditors · 15%7.0
What it is: A 5x3, 20-line slot where winning symbols explode and new ones fall in (Avalanche). Each consecutive Avalanche raises a multiplier up to 5x, or 15x in Free Fall free spins.
Free spins round: Free Fall gives 10 free spins with an Avalanche multiplier that climbs to 15x and can retrigger, a clear step up from the base game.
Base game: Every win triggers an Avalanche and lifts the multiplier toward 5x, so wins can chain in the base game.
RTP, volatility and max win as NetEnt publishes them, checked on November 3, 2026. A casino may run a lower RTP setting: check the game’s info screen.
98.0% RTP on netent.com, the highest published figure in our whole NetEnt set, and that's the only reason it's here. It gets a full 10 on RTP and not much else. The stats box lists a 900x max payout, the base game is straight 25-line hits, and the bonuses are basic: 10 free spins, plus a pick-a-coffin game. Volatility is 2.7 out of 10. Casinos can run lower settings, so check. And 98% still means you lose over time.
How the score breaks down, and the fine print
Return to playerData · 40%10.0
Max winData · 15%3.0
Free spins roundEditors · 30%5.0
Base gameEditors · 15%3.0
What it is: A 5x3, 25-line vampire slot. Three scatters give 10 free spins, and three bonus symbols on a line open a pick-a-coffin bonus.
Free spins round: 10 free spins from three scatters plus a separate pick-a-coffin bonus game; simple, with one twist each.
Base game: Mostly straight line hits between the scatter and bonus triggers.
RTP, volatility and max win as NetEnt publishes them, checked on November 3, 2026. A casino may run a lower RTP setting: check the game’s info screen.
People play this for the jackpots, not the reels. Three bonus symbols start a wheel bonus that can climb to one of three progressive jackpots. The 96.6% RTP includes the jackpot contribution, so ordinary spins return less than that headline. The 1,700x max payout in the stats box excludes the jackpot entirely, which is why the max-win factor looks modest. Base game: 25 lines, wilds multiply line wins by 5. That's about it.
How the score breaks down, and the fine print
Return to playerData · 40%8.8
Max winData · 15%4.1
Free spins roundEditors · 30%6.0
Base gameEditors · 15%3.0
What it is: A 5x3, 25-line luxury-themed slot linked to three progressive jackpots. Three bonus symbols start a wheel bonus that can climb to the Mega jackpot.
Free spins round: Free spins with a picked multiplier, plus a three-wheel bonus that can award one of three progressive jackpots, which is why people play it.
Base game: Wild substitutions multiply line wins by 5, otherwise the base game is plain.
RTP, volatility and max win as NetEnt publishes them, checked on November 3, 2026. A casino may run a lower RTP setting: check the game’s info screen.
A busy base game, scored 7: Walking Wilds move left each spin, Drive-by drops random wilds, and Locked Up is a respin feature with cash values. Free spins add Walking Wilds and high symbols turning wild. The weak spot is the 1,000x max payout in NetEnt's stats box, which keeps it at tenth. RTP 96.23%, 243 ways. It's a licensed Netflix game, so it may not be available in every market.
How the score breaks down, and the fine print
Return to playerData · 40%7.7
Max winData · 15%3.2
Free spins roundEditors · 30%6.0
Base gameEditors · 15%7.0
What it is: A 5x3, 243-ways slot based on the Netflix series. Walking Wilds move left each spin, Drive-by adds random wilds, and Locked Up is a respin feature with cash values.
Free spins round: 10 free spins with Walking Wilds and high symbols turning wild, plus a separate Locked Up cash-collect feature.
Base game: Walking Wilds, the random Drive-by wild feature and Locked Up triggers keep the base game busy.
RTP, volatility and max win as NetEnt publishes them, checked on November 3, 2026. A casino may run a lower RTP setting: check the game’s info screen.
Demo buttons open the free-play version on the game studio’s own site: no deposit, no account. We are not paid for them. How we make money
What NetEnt is known for
Classic structure. Most of the twelve games we scored use a 5x3 grid with 9 to 25 lines, and the interesting stuff happens in one feature: sticky wilds in Dead or Alive, walking wilds in Jack and the Beanstalk and Narcos, avalanches in Gonzo's Quest. Finn and the Swirly Spin and Divine Fortune Megaways are the outliers.
The volatility mix is wider than people think. NetEnt's own scale runs from 2.7 out of 10 for Blood Suckers to 9.9 for both Dead or Alive games and Starburst XXXtreme. So the studio isn't 'low variance' as a brand. It made the gentlest game here and three of the harshest.
Published RTPs are tight: 95.97% (Gonzo's Quest) to 98.0% (Blood Suckers), with most between 96% and 96.8%. That's why RTP rarely decides the order on this page. The bonus round and max win do.
netent.com itself is now run under Evolution: the site footer names Evolution Gaming Malta Limited as the licensed company.
The stats box problem: which max win to believe
NetEnt shows a 'max payout' on each game page. Useful. But on its two biggest games the number fights with the rest of the page.
Dead or Alive 2: the stats box lists 1,600x, while the Train Heist feature text says 100,000x. Slotcatalog lists 111,111x.
Starburst XXXtreme: the stats box lists 16,800x; NetEnt's launch material and slotcatalog quote 200,000x.
Dead or Alive: the stats box lists 8,600x; slotcatalog quotes 12,000x.
Gonzo's Quest: the stats box lists 2,200x; 2,500x is widely quoted elsewhere.
My read is that the stats box is not the theoretical cap on these games. So we don't call those figures caps. When a number on this page comes from the stats box, I say so.
Does it matter? Less than you'd think. A max win is a ceiling that almost nobody reaches. What it tells you is how lopsided the maths is: the higher the cap, the more of the RTP sits in rare, huge hits and the less is left for ordinary spins.
Does NetEnt run lower RTP settings?
netent.com prints one RTP per game. It doesn't list alternatives. That doesn't mean there aren't any.
Slotcatalog lists six settings for the original Dead or Alive, from 96.82% down to 90.07%. It also gives Starburst XXXtreme 96.26% without the paid spins, against 96.45% with them. For Blood Suckers, the 98% is the netent.com figure, and casinos may run something lower.
So treat netent.com's number as the best case. Open the game's info or help screen at the casino you're on; the RTP for that installation is printed there. If it's several points below what you see on this page, play something else. Our RTP explainer covers why a few points matter over a long session.
How to pick a NetEnt slot
Start with budget, not theme.
On a small budget, the low-volatility end makes more sense: Blood Suckers (2.7 out of 10), Mega Fortune (3.0), Finn and the Swirly Spin (4.4). Your money lasts longer, and the ceiling is lower. That's the trade.
If you want one big feature and can stomach long gaps, the Dead or Alive pair is the obvious choice. They sit at 9.9 out of 10 on NetEnt's own scale. Expect a lot of spins where nothing happens, which is exactly how the maths is built, not a sign that something is coming.
In the middle, Jack and the Beanstalk and Gonzo's Quest give you base-game features that keep things moving. Jack is my pick of the two, because of RTP.
What to skip
Starburst. I know. It's the most famous NetEnt game, and it scores 4.8 here, second from the bottom of the 105 slots we've scored.There's no free spins round: just expanding wilds on the middle three reels with respins. NetEnt's stats box lists an 800x max payout. It's pleasant and low volatility (3.1 out of 10), but you can get the same gentle pace with more going on elsewhere. If you love the look, Starburst XXXtreme at number two is the version with teeth. Our Starburst guide has the full case.
Twin Spin (5.3) is the other one I'd pass on. Linked reels on every spin, a 1,000x stats-box max payout, and no proper bonus.
Of the twelve we scored, Blood Suckers, at 98.0% on netent.com. Next are Dead or Alive (96.82%) and Dead or Alive 2 (96.8%). A casino can still run a lower setting, so check the game's info screen.
What is the max win on Dead or Alive 2?
It depends on which line you read. The Train Heist feature text on netent.com says wins can reach 100,000x, while NetEnt's stats box on the same page lists 1,600x as the 'max payout'. Slotcatalog lists 111,111x. We use the feature text figure, and we don't think the stats box is the cap.
Is Starburst worth playing?
Only if you want a slow, low-volatility game and don't mind having no bonus round. It scores 4.8 in our table. Most players who like its style will get more from Starburst XXXtreme or Jack and the Beanstalk.
Who owns NetEnt?
netent.com's footer names Evolution Gaming Malta Limited as the company behind the site, licensed by the Malta Gaming Authority, and says Evolution Group is licensed in a number of jurisdictions. Red Tiger's site carries the same footer.
Are NetEnt slots rigged?
No more than any regulated slot: results come from a random number generator, and the RTP is set in advance. That's the honest problem, not a rigged one. Every slot returns less than you stake over time, and nothing you do changes the odds of the next spin.
Further reading
Official sources
NetEnt: About– Footer naming Evolution Gaming Malta Limited and its MGA licence, checked November 3, 2026
NetEnt: Dead or Alive 2– RTP 96.8%, volatility 9.9/10, hit frequency, 1,600x stats-box max payout, Train Heist 100,000x feature text, checked November 3, 2026
NetEnt: Starburst XXXtreme– RTP 96.45%, volatility 9.9/10, 16,800x stats-box max payout, features, checked November 3, 2026
NetEnt: Dead or Alive– RTP 96.82%, volatility 9.9/10, 8,600x stats-box max payout, checked November 3, 2026
