5 Slots with High RTP and High Variance in the UK

If you’re a player in the UK and you’re after big wins, as opposed to little wins more often, this article is perfect for you. In this list, we’ve rounded up five of the most impressive slots that balance a high Return to Player percentage (RTP) as well as high variance. For players who enjoy the highly thrilling environment of this gameplay, all five of these titles will entertain your desires fully. So, if you’re a thrill seeker, strap in and give these games a go.

Jackpot 6000 – NetEnt

This simulator-like slot packs a punch. Jackpot 6000 is a throwback to old fruit machines, designed using a classic 3-reel, 5-payline system and crammed full of lemons, cherries, grapes, and bells. It’s essentially designed to mirror the classic land-based casinos of the past, considered “retro” by today’s standards. The styling shouldn’t fool you, though, this slot is one of the most volatile of its kind.

The mystique behind its sky-high RTP lies in the allure of the “Supermeter Mode”. Once a win is secured, you are able to choose to bank all of your winnings or gamble them by entering Supermeter Mode, changing the tempo to play at higher stakes, and activating the chance to claim mystery prizes by landing on two ‘Joker’ symbols. This for me is where the experience sets itself alight. The potential expands from here, offering players a possibility of winning up to 6,000 coins.

With the gamble feature, you can double down after each win. This really ramps up the tension. For players who thrive in this environment, it’s a real nerve-wrecker. Players who frequently engage with the Supermeter Mode can slowly creep closer to the slot’s maximum RTP of 98.9%.

Jackpot 6000 is a purist’s dream and not only this, it’s also high-risk, rewarding good old-fashioned bravery and careful bankroll management over flashiness.

Medusa Megaways – NextGen Gaming

Medusa Megaways combines ancient legend with updated mechanics, resulting in something that’s made for modern-day gaming. This slot is an absolute powerhouse, delivering a unique take on archaic Greece with its crumbled ruins, purple light-stricken sky, and glorious golden walls (this is where the reels are spun). Powered by the Megaways engine, it presents players with up to 117,649 ways to win, with features that compound for high volatility fun.

In the forefront of this idiosyncratic take on Greece, six reels unfold and spin against the neon purple skyline. Landing a win will trigger a cascading reel mechanic, where tiles drop out, replaced with new tiles to create a chain of new combinations. The free spins bonus round is where volatility skyrockets. In this mode, an unlimited win multiplier is placed, increasing with every cascade that triggers, with no cap on how high you’re able to climb. Landing three scatter symbols kicks off the bonus round. Throw in extra wilds, the snake strike feature, and Medusa’s gaze, and this slot can quickly lead to some seriously big wins.

What I really appreciate about Medusa Megaways is the pacing. Once free spins are triggered, time goes out the window. There’s no mistake that this slot is built for players who enjoy volatility, as well as an immersive, cinematic experience.

Rainbow Riches Leprechaun’s Gold – Barcrest

After a fair share of Rainbow Riches iterations from developers Barcrest, Leprechaun’s Gold might be one of the best ever made, especially for fans of high volatility and plenty of features. The layout of this game features five reels and 50 paylines, twisting the typical Irish theme whilst still cramming the reels with high-risk bonuses and progressive-like mechanics.

The standout feature of this game is the “Super Rainbow” feature, active during the “Big Bet” game and its “Free Spins.” When this is active, one or more reels are randomly selected as Super Rainbow reels at the start of each spin, while “Wild Cash” symbols, represented by coins with multiplier values from x1 to x50 on wild symbols, function as wild symbols and contribute to line wins. These multipliers are crucial for winning big. Multiple pathways can help get you there, even if it’s not as frequent as most.

Whilst the base game is quite tight itself, showing typical high-variance characteristics, each spin has the possibility of more substantial outcomes. The “Wishing Well Bonus” and the “Rainbow Ring Bonus Spinner” give players more avenues for potentially winning big. Even though these may be infrequent to trigger, it’s part of the charm, and with the luck of the Irish on your side, anything could happen!

Joker Lanterns – Kalamba Games

Even without the mainstream pull of some of the bigger developers, Kalamba Games has carved out a solid reputation for itself in players’ eyes, mainly down to its design layers, its array of features within its slot games, and extreme levels of volatility.

Joker Lanterns is no exception to this label. The theme of this slot is obviously Halloween, standing out with its 6×4 reel layout, 40 paylines, and customisable freedom for gamers to play around with to personalise their experiences.

At the heart of its gameplay are “Joker Lantern” wilds symbols. These tiles multiply wins, and substitute for all pieces except the multiplier wilds, bonus symbols, and cashpot symbols. The area that really pushes the boat out for me is the inclusion of “HyperBet” and “HyperBonus” systems by Kalamba. These features enable players to manually adjust the volatility, frequency of features, and even the ability to jump into the bonus round.

Once the free spin round is introduced, it unleashes pure chaos, increasing winning multipliers and randomising wilds features with each spin. Large payouts can be reached in merely a few spins, but triggering them can obviously take some time.

From an aesthetic point of view, Joker Lanterns is visually slick, uses dynamic graphics that are typically always in motion, and nails the spooky Halloween slot genre with ease. For me, it’s one of the best examples of how a high-variance game can be applied to experimental formats with ease.

Aztec Powernudge – Pragmatic Play

This slot offers one of the most innovative high-variance systems currently available on the market. Powered by Pragmatic Play’s “Powernudge” mechanic and sitting on a 5×6 grid, this slot is positively vibrant; teeming with life, gems, and archaic symbols. This mechanic, pioneered by Pragmatic Play, pushes winning symbols down the reels without resetting them, creating ample opportunities to experience additional wins.

The best part of this slot for me is the diamond multiplier, which carries a random multiplier whenever it hits. Every nudge increases the multiplier incrementally, and because the nudge mechanic usually triggers repeated sequences, the multipliers applied to the board can often compound speedily into high three or even four-figure payouts – especially when the Ruby symbols all line up perfectly. The highest random multiplier you can trigger is 100x, which, paired with the other features, could even get you to five figures.

The visuals are a sight to behold, laden before the Aztec temple in the background is a field of moving greenery and luminous gems. It’s one of the most relaxing gaming experiences I’ve been fortunate enough to play. As is the case with most high volatility slots, though, the game isn’t frivolous with its prizes -but it is keen on building player progression, which feels rewarding in-game.

If you’re on the lookout for modern slots that go above and beyond their means to create a fully immersive experience, sharp volatility gameplay, and ingenious mechanics, then Aztec Powernudge is the place for you.