HIGH VARIANCE SLOTS – BEST HIGH VOLATILITY SLOTS IN 2021
Thrill seekers and risk takers – you have the opportunity to try your luck on high variance slots. Slot machines come in three variances (aka volatility): low, medium and high variance. This article will give you all the info you need to know when it comes to picking the best high variance slots to play.
10 BEST HIGH VARIANCE SLOTS
Here are the SlotsHawk top 10 picks of the best high variance slots in 2021.
1. MEDUSA MEGAWAYS (RTP: 97.63%) BY NEXTGEN GAMING
Based on the Greek mythological Gorgon monster, Medusa Megaways is a high volatility slot machine from Blueprint Gaming. This slot is one of the original and classic Megaways slot games played on six reels. The minimum bet here is £0.25 that you can increase up to £25. It is possible to win 50,000x your total bet on this high variance online slot.
The graphics are cool and the theme is bold. The unique features make this game well worth playing and the massive payout percentage as well as the high RTP means that Medusa Megaways is our number one recommended high variance slot.
Medusa Megaways also features on our list of the best payout slot games.
Features:
- Free spins
- Bonus game
- Multipliers
- Scatter symbols
- Wild symbols
- Autoplay
Play at: Skol Casino
Deposit Bonus of up to £1300 + 250 Starburst Bonus Spins
18+. Min deposit £10. New players only.T&C's Apply and BeGambleaware #ad
2. IMMORTAL ROMANCE (RTP: 96.86%) BY MICROGAMING
Released in 2011, Immortal Romance is an absolute classic of a slot game which has truly stood the test of time. Available to be played at 99% of UK casinos, this high volatility slot comes with a large RTP of 96.86% as well as a bunch of great slot mechanisms and features. The graphics are great too and are based on vampires and haunted castles. Spooky!
Played on five reels and three rows with 243 paylines, Immortal Romance features wilds, free spins, multipliers and wild reels. Play Immortal Romance and you will have the opportunity to access symbols giving you 2x your bet and a free spins round offering a 5x multiplier. The maximum payout is set at 12,150x your bet.
Features:
- Free Spins
- Bonus game
- Multipliers
- Scatter symbols
- Wild symbols
- Autoplay
Play at: Playzee Casino
100% Deposit Bonus up to £300 + 100 Bonus Spins on Starburst
18+. Min deposit £20. New players only. T&C's Apply and BeGambleaware #ad
3. DEAD OR ALIVE (RTP: 96.82%) BY NETENT
This is another hit online slot machine released by NetEnt. The Scandinavian slot developer have showcased their ability to create world class high volatility slots with their Dead or Alive slot. This game is in the slots libraries of almost every respectable online casino in the UK and for good reason – it is mightily popular. With a return to play of 96.82%, you get good value for your money too as well as a potential max payout of 12,000x.
Dead or Alive is played on nine paylines and three rows with five reels. This NetEnt high variance game is renowned for its superb graphics which appear straight out of the American Old West. To score a win in this slot, all you need to do is land three matching icons on the fixed paylines. Boom! It is that easy. With free spins and multiplier wins galore, we regard Dead or Alive to be one of the best high variance slots in 2021.
Features:
- Free spins
- Bonus game
- Multipliers
- Scatter symbols
- Wild symbols
- Autoplay
Play at: Genesis Casino
100% Deposit Bonus up to £100 + 300 Starburst Free Spins
18+. Min deposit £10. New UK players only.T&C's Apply and BeGambleaware #ad
4. JAMMIN’ JARS (RTP: 96.80%) BY PUSH GAMING
With a multitude of slot features and an impressive maximum payout of 20,000x, Jammin’ Jars is one of the most impressive high volatility slots out there. The free spins round is where the large payouts can be found.
Although the layout of Jammin’ Jars may look basic, the gameplay is anything but. If you are a fan of retro slots, you will love this one as all of the symbols are based on classic fruit symbols.
Features:
- Free spins
- Bonus game
- Multipliers
- Wild symbols
- Sticky Wild Symbols
- Autoplay
Play at: Genting Casino
100% Deposit Bonus up to £50
18+. Min deposit £10. New players only.T&C's Apply and BeGambleaware #ad
5. JOKER TROUPE (RTP: 96.68%) BY PUSH GAMING
A massive potential payout of 25,367x awaits you in Joker Troupe. This high variance slot game is popular among Uk slots players for a number of reasons. The large payout potential, the high maximum bet size of £200 and the fantastic slot features, all ensure that Joker Troupe is a must play slot.
Joker Troupe was released in 2020 and is based around the theme of magic. We are sure that you will love this slot, the bonus game is fantastic too.
Features:
- Free spins
- Respins
- Bonus game
- Multipliers
- Scatter symbols
- Autoplay
Play at: Slotnite Casino
100% Deposit Bonus up to £250 + 100 Bonus Spins on Aloha Cluster Pays
18+. Min deposit £10. New players only.T&C's Apply and BeGambleaware #ad
6. GENIE JACKPOTS MEGAWAYS (RTP: 96.52%) BY BLUEPRINT GAMING
Like all games within the Megaways slots niche, Genie Jackpots Megaways slot is a thrilling high variance slot machine. Released in 2018, this slot provides you with a 25 line bet system. Scatter symbols will generate free spins. If you play this high variance online slot you will also be treated to wild symbols, mystery symbols and the buy-a-bonus special feature.
The minimum bet here is £0.10 whilst the maximum you can bet whilst playing this slot is £50. The maximum win potential playing Genie Jackpot Megaways is 10,000x your bet!
Features:
- Free spins
- Respins
- Bonus game
- Multipliers
- Scatter symbols
- Wild symbols
- Autoplay
Play at: Skol Casino
Deposit Bonus of up to £1300 + 250 Starburst Bonus Spins
18+. Min deposit £10. New players only.T&C's Apply and BeGambleaware #ad
7. BOOK OF DEAD (RTP: 96.21%) BY PLAY N GO
This is one of the most-played high variance slots and is available at almost all online casinos in the UK. Book of Dead is played on five reels, three rows and 10 paylines. This slot game takes its inspiration from the pioneering online slot game, Book of Ra.
The minimum bet is £0.10 whilst the maximum is £50. Book of Dead revolves around an exciting free spins bonus round with scatters, wilds and expanding symbols. You will also see a special symbol which becomes a scatter symbol and expands across all of the reels. But there is one simple reason why Book of Dead ranks as the best high variance slot. The payout during the bonus round can climb to an incredible 50,000x your bet!
Features:
- Free spins
- Bonus game
- Scatter symbols
- Wild symbols
- Autoplay
Play at: All British Casino
100% Deposit Bonus up to £100 + 10% Cashback
18+. Min deposit £20. New players only.T&C's Apply and BeGambleaware #ad
8. PINK ELEPHANTS 2 (RTP: 96.13%) BY THUNDERKICK
This high variance online slot was released in 2021 and is the sequel to the original Pink Elephants slot. Pink Elephants 2 gives you the chance to win 10,000 times your stake. This factor alone has made it one of the most popular high volatility slots in 2021.
Betting on Pink Elephants 2 starts at £0.10 per spin up to a maximum bet of £100 per spin. The RTP is very solid at 96.13% but it is the excellent gameplay which really make this slot machine stand out. The base game itself is nothing to write home about. However, the bonus round has the potential to reach epic climaxes. A high volatility slot mixed with a huge potential payout is a win in my book.
Features:
- Free spins
- Bonus game
- Scatter symbols
- Wild symbols
- Autoplay
Play at: All British Casino
100% Deposit Bonus up to £100 + 10% Cashback
18+. Min deposit £20. New players only.T&C's Apply and BeGambleaware #ad
9. PUNK ROCKER (RTP: 96.01%) BY NOLIMIT CITY
Based on the notorious British punk rock scene of the mid-1970s, Punk Rocker is an exhilarating high volatility slot with lots of high paying features. Highlights of this 2021 high variance slot include Molotov wilds, a mystery symbol, respins and two different types of free spins – Civil War and Anarchy free spins.
Punk Rocker is a slot for players with a higher bankroll as it has a minimum bet of £0.25 and a max bet of £100. The max payout here is 15,072x your wager. Any fans of the punk rock era will love this slot. Punk Rocker from NoLimit City certainly stands out as one of the better slots released in 2021.
Features:
- Free spins
- Respins
- Multipliers
- Scatter symbols
- Wild symbols
- Sticky wild symbols
- Autoplay
Play at: Fun Casino
100% Deposit Bonus up to £123 + 10% Cashback
18+. Min deposit £10. New players only.T&C's Apply and BeGambleaware #ad
10. MIGHTY GRIFFIN MEGAWAYS (RTP: 95.95%) BY BLUEPRINT GAMING
We return to the high variance Megaways slots arena now with Mighty Griffin. Assuming you are here to play high variance slot games, checking out Mighty Griffin Megaways slot is a no brainer. With a max payout of 50,000x, the potential for big wins is all too real.
This online video slot allows bets from £0.10 per spin up to £10. This game also features a progressive jackpot – 0.49% of the RTP is reserved as a contribution to the progressive jackpots.
Mighty Griffin Megaways actually has three progressive jackpots in total that can be triggered at any time including the industry-renowned Jackpot King progressive jackpot.
Lookout for the griffin symbol which is the highest paying symbol (50 x your stake).
Features:
- Free spins
- Respins
- Bonus game
- Multipliers
- Progressive jackpots (x3)
- Scatter symbols
- Wild symbols
- Autoplay
Play at: Yako Casino
100% Deposit Bonus up to £99 + 99 Spinsane or Joker Pro Bonus Spins and 10% Cashback
18+. Min deposit £20. New players only.T&C's Apply and BeGambleaware #ad
TYPES OF SLOT VARIANCES
Don’t forget, there are three different types of slot volatility levels. Here’s a quick look at the main differences between low, medium and high variance slots. This should paint a clear picture for choosing which type of slot machine is correct for you.
LOW VARIANCE SLOTS
Low variance slots are the opposite of high variance slots. In low variance slot games, the wins come regularly but the payouts are much smaller in comparison to their high variance counterparts.
Low variance slots are best suited to beginner slot players. you can read more about these slots by visiting our low variance slots page.
MEDIUM VARIANCE SLOTS
As you have probably worked out by now, medium variance slots are somewhere in between low and high variance games. These slots produce plenty of low-medium sized wins with a sprinkling of large wins too.
Medium variance slots offer the opportunity to win a decent number of times without having to risk too much of your bankroll. However, this is often not enough for those risk taking players who are looking to win big!
HIGH VARIANCE SLOTS
All of the above online slot games are packed full of thrills and excitement. We have arranged them in descending order, beginning with the high variance slots with the highest RTP first – slots are all about the big wins after all! For your pleasure, we have also included a mini review of each of the 10 high variance slots in addition to the best slot sites where you can play your choice of high payout and high variance slot games.
High variance slots come at the other end of the spectrum, you have to play these slots for a while before you hit a win, but when a win does arrive, the sum is likely to be big. These slots tend to attract high roller slots players and players who like to make large deposits.
Almost all Megaways slots are high variance which is why we have listed several of these slot types in our list of the top 10 high volatility slots. Please do not forget that high variance is not the same as high RTP.
RTP means return to player. High variance slots with high RTPs are much better for your bank roll in the long run. Although high variance slots can be described as more risky for your bankroll, the RTP of a high variance video slot can be exactly the same as the RTP of a low variance slot.
If you are looking for slots with high return to player values, check out our high RTP slots page.
Alternatively, if you like playing slots with huge payouts, we can advise you to read our guide to the best payout slots.
WHICH IS YOUR FAVOURITE HIGH VARIANCE SLOT?
If you have a favourite high variance slot which you regularly play and isn’t on our list of the best high variance slots, please let us know.
CONTRIBUTORS
Greetings, I’m Stephen Cummings
Stephen Cummings is often referred to as ‘The Oracle’. What he doesn’t know about slot games isn’t worth knowing. He’s our genius slot machine analyst who spends most of his time reviewing new games & sites.
Slots analyst since 2020
