The UK gambling industry is booming, with the Gambling Commission reporting revenue of £14.3 billion in the year from October 2018 to September 2019. Statistics also show that the largest sector of the market by far is online gambling, which accounts for over 38% of the entire market share.
The most popular form of online gambling in the UK by far is slots. Over 69% of the Gross Gambling Yield for online gaming can be attributed to slots. In 2020, online action for real money gaming experienced a boost, with thousands of players enjoying a flutter on casino games, sports wagering and most heavily on slots.
Changing regulations and attitudes have made it easier than ever before to gamble online. UK citizens today can access many thousands of games from their home desktop computers, tablets or mobile phones. The added convenience of begin able to play at any time from anywhere, combined with the attractive bonuses and features of the online software, has resulted in a period of huge popularity of online slots. One of the most popular slots games is the Starburst game.
Themes
Starburst is popular in part due to the game’s visual appeal. Set in outer space, the game has a futuristic feel that is emphasised in both the graphics and the soundtrack. The high-definition animations still look modern despite the game being initially launched in 2012. The soundtrack follows the progress of the player, with notes that are relatively soothing in the early stages and become faster and more electric the closer the player gets to forming a winning combination.
The space theme can be seen in the background, with a jewel them repeated across the reels for a bright and appealing aesthetic. When players do grab a winning combination, they are treated to high-quality visuals which include flashing arcade-style lights to accompany the soundtrack.
The starburst slot game is a theme based around space, using space themed graphics and jewels.
Rules
The simple rule structure for Starburst slots is perhaps one of the core reasons for the game’s popularity. It is easy to learn and play, with no complex features to navigate, yet with enough addictive appeal to keep players spinning time and again. It has a fairly standard set-up of five reels over three rows, offering 10 fixed paylines. Players can log in, set their bet level and coin value and immediately begin spinning without having to spend time learning complex rules.
Studies have shown that the main appeal of slots machines for players is the immediacy of the game. Payouts appear immediately and players interact with the machine on every turn. This demographic is therefore naturally drawn to games that do not require an instruction manual to fully appreciate.
Bonus Feature
In keeping with the simplistic character of the game, Starburst has only one bonus feature; but it’s a good one. The expanding wild feature can be accessed on the second and fourth reels and is activated if a player drops the Starburst symbol into either of these. Once the Wilds feature is activated, the wild symbol expands to cover the entire reel and players are given a free spin. Landing another wild results in three free spins, players who are able to activate this feature significantly increase their chances of winning.
Wager Limits
Starburst allows players to customise the settings to choose their own wager limits, within a broad range from 10p to £100 per spin across all three rows. The technology behind Starburst is “win both ways”, which means players can achieve prizes for lines of three to five symbols beginning from either reel one or reel five.
Players of Starburst slots can choose their own wager limits.
Hit Rate and RTP
The hit rate of Starburst is high enough to ensure players experience the thrill of winning more often than on many slots games. As a low to medium variance game, Starburst pays out smaller wins more frequently, with players achieving a winning combination on average 22.65% of the time.
The RTP is somewhere in the middle of average at 96.09%, which means payers who engage long-term should find they win £96.09 for every £100 spent. However, each single spin generates the opportunity to win a big prize or to lose the entire bankroll, adding an element of thrilling risk to the experience.
Compatibility
As one of the world’s favourite slots games, Starburst has naturally been optimised for play across multiple platforms and devices. Fans on mobile can enjoy Starburst Touch; a mobile-friendly version of the game featuring all the same energising sounds, superior graphics and simple gameplay as the desktop version, optimised for both Android and iOS.
The game has also been adapted to allow players to switch seamlessly between devices and pick up where they left off, allowing for a quick game on the commute home to turn into a longer session on the sofa with ease.
The settings and other game options are grouped in a separate menu for mobile, which keeps the smaller screen free from clutter while still allowing ease of access when required.
Starburst has enjoyed being at the top of many “most popular slots” lists since launch in 2012. With almost a full decade under its belt, it appears the game is not being overtaken any time soon. The fun yet simple gameplay combined with appealing visuals, a strong soundtrack and multiple chances to win result in a game that has so far stood the test of time.
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