Return-to-player percentage
95.8%
Minimum bet
0.09
Slot format
Video Slots
Variance level
High
Number of reels
5
Progressive jackpot
No
Popularity
Maximum bet
45
Game Provider
NetEnt
Bonus features
Yes
Number of paylines
9
Theme
Gangster
Reel Steal online slot review
NetEnt may have launched the original Reel Steal in 2008. The 2018 revamp keeps the same action, including 25x multipliers and free spins, while adding mobile optimisation.
Theme and storyline
Reel Steal takes players into an 80’s gangster setting, where mob bosses and police detectives clash on the streets. The free spins bonus round offers the game’s greatest prize potential when Wilds combine.
In the base game, the Wild can already add 5x multipliers to winning paylines, highlighting its potential in Reel Steal’s story. Other themed symbols also pay prizes, helping explain the game’s enduring popularity.
Visuals, audio and animations
The game’s 2008 roots show in graphics and design that strongly evoke the decade, though its dated look does not rule out an entertaining experience.
The symbol artwork fits the gangster theme, but the background is quite basic, with most of the design concentrated in the top left-hand corner and the rest left as a plain colour. The 2018 re-release could have been an opportunity to update it.
A funky soundtrack suits the 80s setting. The original review welcomed the decision to leave these small gameplay touches unchanged in the revamped edition, as preserving them should appeal to fans of the original.
Top casinos to play Reel Steal:
Gameplay overview
Reel Steal has five reels, three rows and nine paylines. Lower-value symbols depict a gun, camera, bag of cash, briefcase and safe full of cash. Higher-value icons represent characters such as the mob boss and detectives. The man with the gun offers the biggest in-game prize: up to 1500x your stake for five symbols on any active payline.
The Wild and Scatter symbols open the way to bonus rounds and larger multipliers. The Wild appears as a yellow car, while dynamite is the Scatter that triggers the free spins bonus. There are no other special symbols, and the game has few paylines, but its multipliers are presented as the main source of prize potential.
Bonuses and free spins
First to note is the Wild, whose multiplier depends on where it lands. In the base game, it provides a 5x multiplier on each winning payline it connects with. If it lands during free spins, the multiplier rises to 25x, creating the potential for larger prizes.
Landing the Scatter triggers free spins, with a chance to find the 25x multiplier. Three Scatters award 15 spins, four award 20, and all five symbols on the reels award 25 free spins in total.
Scatters may also pay at random, without requiring a payline combination. Five Scatters anywhere on the reels award a 100x multiplier, while two double your stake.
Bet sizes, RTP and variance
The minimum bet per spin is €0.09, rising to €45 for high-stakes players. RTP is 95.87%, and variance is high. The 25x multipliers may be hard to trigger, so the review suggests having a balance that can withstand substantial swings and warns that players could go through stretches with very few wins.
Final thoughts
Reel Steal may be familiar from its first appearance at online casinos in 2008. Evan Carrington’s original review, presented here by Casino Ideal, says the revamped version preserves the original gameplay for newcomers to iGaming. The funky soundtrack and large multipliers may catch your attention, but the review stresses understanding high variance and playing patiently when pursuing bigger prizes.
Evan Carrington brings more than 12 years of experience in the iGaming industry, with a focus on reviewing online casinos, assessing slot games and examining player safety. Their work covers casino licensing, RTP, volatility, bonus terms and withdrawal policies. Drawing on practical testing and independent research, Evan provides clear, evidence-based reviews to help players understand gambling platforms, their features and possible risks.
