Sweet Bonanza Review

Sweet Bonanza at a Glance

Developer

Pragmatic Play

Release date

June 2019

Grid

6 reels × 5 rows

How wins are formed

Pay anywhere: 8 or more matching symbols

Main mechanic

Tumbling reels

RTP

Around 96.5% (lower versions exist at some casinos)

Volatility

High (some sources list medium-high)

Maximum win

Over 21,000x the stake

Free spins

4+ scatters award 10 free spins

Multipliers

Bombs worth 2x to 100x, in free spins only

Extra options

Ante bet; bonus buy where permitted

Figures are based on information published for the game. Always check the information screen of the version you are playing, as RTP and available options can differ between casinos and regions.

How Sweet Bonanza Works

Sweet Bonanza is set in a bright, sugary landscape filled with fruit and sweets. Each spin fills a six-by-five grid with 30 symbols.

Pay-Anywhere Wins

There are no paylines. A win is formed when eight or more of the same symbol land anywhere on the grid. They do not need to be next to each other or on adjacent reels. Larger groups of the same symbol pay more. This style of play is sometimes called "scatter pays". See Scatter Symbols Explained and Cluster Pays Explained for how it compares with other systems.

Tumbling Reels

After a win is paid, the winning symbols disappear and the remaining symbols drop down, with new ones falling in from above. If the new symbols form another win, the process repeats. This means one paid spin can produce several wins. Our Cascading Reels Explained guide covers this mechanic in detail.

Symbols

The grid is filled with two groups of symbols:

• Fruit symbols, such as bananas, grapes, watermelons, plums and apples, are the lower-paying symbols.
• Candy symbols in different shapes and colours are the higher-paying symbols.
• The lollipop scatter triggers the free spins round and also pays when four or more land.

The exact value of each symbol for different group sizes is shown in the game's paytable.

Bonus Features

Free Spins

Landing four or more lollipop scatters anywhere on the grid triggers 10 free spins. Landing three or more scatters during the round awards five extra spins.

Multiplier Bombs

During free spins, colourful bomb symbols can land showing a multiplier of between 2x and 100x. When a tumble sequence ends, the values of all bombs on the screen are added together and applied to the total win from that sequence. A bomb only pays out if the sequence includes a win.

Multiplier bombs are the key to the game's largest wins. Without them, free spins wins are usually much smaller.

Ante Bet

The ante bet option increases your stake by 25% on every spin. In return, scatter symbols appear more often, roughly doubling the chance of triggering free spins naturally. It makes the feature more frequent, but each spin costs more and the game does not become more generous. See Slot Buy Features Explained for more on ante bets.

Bonus Buy

In some markets, players can pay 100 times their stake to enter free spins straight away. This option is not available in every region, including the UK. Buying the bonus puts a large amount on one outcome, and many bonus rounds return less than they cost. Read Slot Buy Features Explained before considering it.

RTP and Volatility

Sweet Bonanza's standard RTP is around 96.5%. Published figures vary slightly between sources, and lower RTP versions are offered at some casinos. The RTP for the version you are playing is shown in the game's information screen. Read Pokies RTP Explained to understand what the figure means.

The game is generally rated high volatility, although some sources list it as medium-high. In practice, that means:

• The base game produces frequent small tumble wins, many of which are worth less than the stake
• A large share of the game's return comes from free spins with multiplier bombs
• Results can swing widely, and long periods without a significant win are common

See Slot Volatility Explained for what this means for your budget.

Maximum Win

The maximum win is published at just over 21,000 times the stake, although figures vary slightly between sources. Wins of this size are extremely rare and usually require several large multiplier bombs during free spins. The maximum win should never be treated as a realistic expectation.

Gameplay, Design and Mobile Play

Sweet Bonanza is bright and cheerful, with a pastel colour scheme, playful animations and an upbeat soundtrack. The pay-anywhere system makes it easy to understand: you simply look for eight or more of the same symbol. The game runs on desktop and mobile devices, and the grid layout adapts well to smaller screens.

A free-play demo is widely available, so you can see how tumbles and multiplier bombs work before deciding whether to play. See Demo Slots Explained.

Pros and Cons

Who Might Like Sweet Bonanza?

Sweet Bonanza may appeal to players who enjoy simple rules, colourful design and the possibility of large but rare wins in a bonus round. Players who prefer steady, frequent returns may find the volatility frustrating. Either way, the game has a house edge, and no strategy can change the outcome of a spin.

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Playing Responsibly

If you choose to play, set a budget and time limit before you start, and stop when you reach them. Avoid chasing the free spins round. Our guides on setting gambling limits and recognising gambling harm explain practical steps, and Gambling Help Online offers free, confidential support 24/7 on 1800 858 858.

In Australia, it is illegal for companies to offer online casino games, including online pokies, to people in Australia under the Interactive Gambling Act 2001.