How it works
Starburst by NetEnt has 5 reels, 3 rows and 10 paylines that pay both ways — left to right and right to left. That doubles the ways a line can hit compared with most classic slots.
Starburst wilds and re-spins
- The Starburst wild can land on reels 2, 3 and 4.
- When it lands, it expands to cover the whole reel and triggers a free re-spin with that reel locked.
- A new wild during the re-spin expands and locks too, giving another re-spin — up to 3 in total.
RTP and volatility
The RTP is 96.09% and volatility is low: wins come often but are mostly small. The maximum win is 500x your stake — much lower than modern high-volatility games, which is the trade-off for its steady pace.
Both-ways wins, with an example
In most slots a line only pays from the leftmost reel. In Starburst every line also pays from the right. Three matching gems on reels 3, 4 and 5 of an active line would pay nothing in a left-to-right slot, but here they count as a win.
Combined with the expanding wilds on reels 2, 3 and 4, this is why Starburst produces so many small wins. It does not raise the RTP above 96.09% — it spreads the same return across more frequent, smaller payouts.
Key facts
| Provider | NetEnt |
|---|---|
| Type | Video slot |
| Released | 2012 |
| Layout | 5×3, 10 lines, both ways |
| RTP | 96.09% |
| Volatility | Low |
| Max win | 500x |
| Free spins | None — wild re-spins instead |
Casinos can choose between several RTP versions of a game. The exact figure is shown in the game's info panel.
Questions
Does Starburst have free spins?
No. Its bonus feature is the expanding wild with up to three re-spins.
Why is the max win so low?
Starburst is a low-volatility game: it pays small wins often instead of rare huge ones.
What does 'pays both ways' mean?
Lines pay from left to right and from right to left, so more combinations count as wins.
Does paying both ways mean a higher RTP?
No. The paytable is balanced for both-ways wins, so the RTP is still 96.09%. You just see small wins more often.