Bonanza is the Big Time Gaming game most searched for in Great Britain. The trigger for its Free Spins is frequently reported incorrectly, and its maximum win isn't published. This article details Bonanza's RTP, max win and UK stake limit, based on the Gambling Commission's rules and the provider's own material.
Other sources cover the basics well. Bonanza is a Megaways slot with six reels, a gold-mining theme and up to 117,649 ways to win. Symbols that win cascade away and are replaced. Gold Scatters activate Free Spins, during which a multiplier increases as wins continue. The remainder of this article addresses what those pages usually omit.
RTP: one published figure
The Bonanza page from Big Time Gaming lists the RTP at 96.00%. A help sheet for the game from 2019 also states 96%.
Alternative RTP versions aren't mentioned in either document. Several return levels are sometimes shipped for a game by some providers, but Big Time Gaming's own material doesn't say Bonanza is one of them. Based on the published evidence, the figure is 96%.
How the reels work
The provider's cascade mechanism is known as Dual Reaction. Instead of symbols only falling from above, the reels can cascade in two directions when winning symbols vanish. These "reactions" persist as long as additional wins are created.
The help sheet provides the following essential gameplay details:
- Wins pay left to right. Symbols must match on adjacent reels, beginning with the first reel on the left.
- Carts add symbols to reels 2–5. Extra symbols are fed onto these four reels by mine carts positioned above them.
- Wilds appear only in carts. They replace all symbols except the Scatter, so a Wild can only enter the reels via a cart.
Free Spins: the trigger many pages get wrong
According to the help sheet:
- 12 Free Spins are triggered by four Gold Scatters.
- Five additional spins are added for every Scatter over four.
- The multiplier begins at 1 and increases by 1 following each reaction.
- Spins are added during the feature by Free Spin Scatters in carts. Four award ten extra spins, and three award five.
Certain casino pages claim that four Scatters provide 10 Free Spins. This is incorrect regarding the trigger. The help sheet is the game's own rulebook, and it says 12.
The figure of ten does appear in the rules, but in a separate context. It is the amount awarded when four Free Spin Scatters appear in carts while the feature is already active. This mistake likely results from confusing the retrigger with the trigger.
The multiplier increases per reaction, rather than per spin. It can go up several steps at once during a spin that triggers a long chain of cascades. It remains unchanged during a spin with no win.
Max win, volatility, stakes and demo: what isn't published
No information regarding a maximum win, volatility rating, stake range or demo is provided on Big Time Gaming's Bonanza page. The help sheet is also silent on these points. Although the page describes the game as "a real, white-knuckle ride, with massive pay potential", this is marketing language rather than a figure.
The provider's page for Millionaire, another Big Time Gaming game, does list a maximum win of up to 50,000 times the bet. There is nothing on the Bonanza page to allow for a comparison. Claims that "Bonanza pays X times more than Millionaire" aren't supported by the provider's own pages.
The release date is similarly hazy. The provider's page says 7 December but doesn't specify the year. While other sources agree it was 2016, they disagree on the date, mentioning 6, 7 or 16 December.
How Bonanza ranks among Big Time Gaming's games in the UK
The following data are Google Ads estimates regarding the average number of monthly UK searches for "[name] slot". These figures track interest rather than the number of players.
| Big Time Gaming game | Average monthly UK searches |
|---|---|
| Bonanza | 590 |
| Gold | 320 |
| Millionaire | 260 |
| Pop | 170 |
| Danger High Voltage | 170 |
| Lil' Devil | 140 |
| Monopoly Megaways | 140 |
| White Rabbit | 90 |
Bonanza is first among the 74 Big Time Gaming games that have a figure. It attracts almost double the searches of Gold, which is second.
Two mechanics are the focus of the provider's description of Bonanza: Megaways, which determines the ways on every spin, and Dual Reaction cascades. No volatility rating is provided, so the provider's material doesn't support a volatility comparison with Gold, Millionaire or others on the list.
What changes when you play Bonanza in Great Britain
While online slots are legal in Great Britain, several Gambling Commission regulations modify the way Bonanza functions in this region relative to the details provided in the provider's material.
The stake cap
Bonanza fits the legal criteria for an online slot, so the stake limit is active:
- Aged 25 and over: a maximum of £5 per game cycle (effective from 9 April 2025).
- Aged 18–24: a maximum of £2 per game cycle (effective from 21 May 2025).
The provider doesn't list a stake range, meaning the cap serves as the upper limit for a British player.
Any sum risked or paid regarding the game is a stake. If a version of Bonanza ever provided a bonus buy, that cost would be included in the cap. The provider's documentation doesn't mention a buy for this game.
No autoplay
An autoplay feature is mentioned in the help sheet, but it isn't available in Great Britain. RTS 8 requires the player to commit to every game cycle separately.
No speed-up features
The provider describes the action as "fast paced". RTS 14E prohibits turbo, quick spin, slam stop and any other tool that allows you to reduce the duration before a result is shown.
The cascades and Free Spins still run in full, as the rules don't prohibit bonus or feature play that requires no additional stake. Under RTS 14, at least 2.5 seconds must elapse between the beginning of one game cycle and the beginning of the following one.
No celebrating a loss as a win
The provider promotes "interactive win effect lighting that sets a blaze when you win Big". A British version cannot use win animations or sounds for any return that is equal to or less than the total stake, per RTS 14F.
This is relevant in a Megaways game, as a payout can be smaller than the stake that generated it. The spin didn't make money if the sounds and lights remain quiet.
These rules are in place to ensure clarity and slow play down. If you play, decide on a budget first and stop once you hit it.