Starburst Pokie Review
Starburst was launched by software provider NetEnt in 2012. Its mix of simple gameplay, high payouts, and exciting sounds & colours made it into a smash hit months after its release.
Its mix of vibrant gems and traditional symbols pay homage to the golden era of gaming. Yet, its developers have injected enough exciting sounds and visual effects into the gameplay to keep players excited and engaged.
It also features expanding wilds and the ability to win both ways (right to left as well as left to right), both of which increase payouts compared to similar games on the market.
Simple yet elegant, Starburst is a pokie that has captivated the world.
- Reels: 5
- Symbols per reel: 3
- Paylines: 10, but effectively 20 with the ability to win both ways
- Payout percentage: 96.09% of bets are returned to players
- Hit Frequency: 22.7%
- Minimum coin size: $0.01
- Maximum coin size: $10
- Minimum bet: $0.1
- Maximum bet: $100
Starburst does not offer the option of betting on individual paylines. When you wager, you automatically bet one coin on all ten lines.
This game provides a great deal of flexibility for gamers of all budgets. You can risk one coin for a minimum outlay of $0.10, while high rollers can chase huge scores by betting a maximum of $100 per spin.
On the other hand, it is almost too easy to bet your entire bankroll in a single go. Always ensure you are betting an amount you are comfortable with before clicking the spin button.
Lastly, Starburst’s hit percentage is relatively OK, with only 22.7% of spins resulting in a win. However, this is offset by bigger payouts when you do hit. If more frequent (smaller) wins are important to you, check out Mega Moolah, as it pays out on 47% of spins.
How to Play
Like other real money pokies, you don’t need to bother with strategy to win big at Starburst. All that is required is a bankroll, the ability to click a mouse, and a whole lotta gamble.
Starburst rejects the over-the-top graphics, replacing them with attractive traditional symbols and tastefully done ‘big win’ sequences. Just select the level of play you are comfortable with (those on a budget should select 1 while high rollers can jack it up to 10), select a coin value between 0.01 and 1, and hit spin.
If a minimum of three symbols line up, you win money. Of all the gems, the yellow ones are the most valuable, but 7s and BARs (120 and 250 coins for five symbol wins respectively) offer the biggest wins.
Want to try Starburst before dropping your hard-earned cash into it? NetEnt offers a free version of the game on their servers, which can be found here.
Features
Starburst offers a couple features of note. The biggest is its expanding wildcard – spin a starburst symbol on any reel, and it will take over it entirely. Not only does this complete any winning combos, but it also triggers a free re-spin, which can win you even more money.
Secondly, Starburst is a ‘win both ways’ pokie. Combos aren’t just read left to right; lines of at least three symbols running right to left are awarded coins as well. While there are only ten paylines in Starburst, this effectively ‘doubles’ the ways you can win.
However, this game does lack a key feature. Unlike most pokies, scatter symbols are absent from Starburst. This contributes to its low hit frequency, and it also means no free spin rounds. Bummer.
Starburst on Mobile
Love to game while on the go? You’ll be pleased to learn Starburst has a NetEnt Touch version. This allows any supporting online casino to offer Starburst to customers who prefer to play pokies on their phone or tablet.
The following mobile devices support NetEnt Touch, and therefore, Starburst:
- All iOS devices (e.g. iPad, iPhone, etc)
- All Android devices (e.g. Samsung, Huawei, LG, etc)
- All Windows devices (Microsoft, Acer, Alcatel, etc)
NetEnt touch games used to only run on iOS devices, but a working version was developed for Android soon after. A few years later, support for phones & tablets running Windows OS was added.
Essentially, almost any mobile device on the market (apart from Blackberry-powered devices) should be able to run Starburst. But hey, who uses Blackberry anyway?
Starburst Bonuses for Kiwis
Kiwi gamblers are in luck with Starburst bonuses. Many top online casinos like offer their free spins specifically for Starburst.
That’s not it, as there’s plenty of more bonuses you’ll get when you make your first deposit. The casinos hammer you with better and better bonus spins if you’re an active player.
Starburst is an essential part of every casino’s free spin playbook, as long as they offer NetEnt games. Most casinos top online casinos in NZ offer NetEnt powered pokies.
Starburst No Deposit Bonuses
No deposit bonuses are getting tougher to find these days. However, some quality ones can be found if you’re persistent.
A few casinos are currently dangling no deposit free spin promotions for Starburst – check them out below.
- Rizk casino: Minimum 10 no deposit spins
- Leovegas casino: 22 no deposit spins
- Dunder casino: 20 no deposit free spins
This must be what they really mean when they say “the stars were lined up”.
Starburst Free Spins
The best Starburst free spin promotions are given to real money depositors. Below you’ll find some
- LeoVegas: 50 bonus spins (22 without a deposit, 200 more when you put money in)
- Dunder: 200 free spins
Most casinos give free spins to Starburst as it is one of the most popular pokies in the world.
Best Starburst Casino June 2020
Currently LeoVegas needs to be at the top of the list for NZ Starburst casinos. They’ll give you no-deposit free spins right off the bat and continue with a tasty $1000 bonus.
LeoVegas is an excellent casino overall. They’ve got you covered with brilliant slots, smashing live casino games and also a fine sportsbook.
It’s also the go-to casino for mobile gamblers, as LeoVegas is quite possibly the best mobile casino you’ll find. It’s great on desktop, too, but on mobile it really stakes its claim.
Starburst FAQ
- 🔷 Can I play Starburst for free?
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You can at any online casino that has Starburst. The game has a "fun money" mode, which plays exactly like a real-money game. You can test out the free game at all online casinos that have Starburst.
- 🔷 What is the best Starburst casino?
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This one is easy. Jonny Jackpot has Starburst Free Spins as part of their welcome bonus. And what's best, you can even get 10 No Deposit Free Spins when you register via our link.
- 🔷 Is there a progressive jackpot in Starburst?
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No, Starburst is not a progressive jackpot game. If you want to chase after a life-changing score, play games like Mega Moolah or Mega Fortune. Mega Fortune is another huge hit from NetEnt, while Mega Moolah has been around for ages and made tens of millionaires.
- 🔷 What’s the maximum bet in Starburst?
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$100 is the most you can bet while playing Starburst pokie. To do this, max out your playing level (10) and your coin value (1.00) – good luck!
- 🔷 How much can I win playing Starburst?
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50,000 coins is the most you can win in one Starburst spin. A budget player playing on level 1 with minimal coin value (0.01) will net $750 from the nailing the ultimate spin (15 BAR symbols).
A high roller on level 10 who has maxed out his coin value stands to win $760,000 by hitting the exact same spin.
- 🔷 What’s the Starburst return percentage?
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Starburst returns 96.09% of all wagered funds to players over the long run. In the short run, though, hot and cold streaks can produce huge winning sessions and extended losing streaks that depart from this game's expected value. We recommend always playing pokies with high RTP (return to player %) like Starburst or Book of Dead.
