Emerald Gold

Emerald Gold Slot Review

Slot Provider: Just For The Win

RTP: 96.12% | Variance: High | Maximum Win: 25,000x

Our Score: 8.2

Play at Duelz Casino
QUICK LINKS: Game Information | Where To Play | Full Review | Testing Notes | Tips For Players | About The Developer

WHY YOU CAN TRUST THIS REVIEW: The information and opinions on this page are the result of an comprehensive process of information gathering and live game testing by the gambling experts who work at allslotsites.com. Find out more here.

About Emerald Gold

Reviewed by:

Published Date: 5th March 2021

How We Review Slot Games

We test and rate all slot games across 5 criteria, assigning a score out of 10 for each and an overall score that is an average of the 5. To build an accurate assessment of each game we gather information from the supplier and play in real play or demo mode. Find out more.

Emerald Gold is an Irish-themed online slot from Just For The Win with 5 reels and 40 paylines. It has the same format as Western Gold Double Barrel, making important use of the Scatter symbol throughout. Landing 5 or more Scatters on one spin in the base game awards wins of between 1x and 25,000x. Then, in the free spins round, Scatters are collected in a barrel after each spin and paid out in one prize at the end of the round. Landing scatters also re-sets the free spins counter to 3 each time.

This highly volatile game has a maximum win of 25,000x and spins start at 20p.

Emerald Gold Game Information

  • Release Date: March 2021
  • RTP: 96.12%
  • Variance: High
  • Maximum Win: 25,000x
  • Progressive Jackpot: No
  • Reels: 5
  • Rows: 4
  • Paylines: 40
  • Minimum Stake: £0.20
  • Theme: Irish
  • Features: Scatter Pays, Free Spins

Testing Notes: Here’s What Happened When We Played Emerald Gold

IMPORTANT: To give you an accurate assessment of the games we review our writers play 200 spins. Whilst this is a useful tool to help us review games and to give an example of what might happen when you play, keep in mind that 200 spins is only a very small sample and cannot be used to accurately predict what might happen over another 200 spins. The outcome of all slots play is always random.

Boom Or Bust? Our Session By The Numbers

I played 200 spins on Emerald Gold for real money at Duelz Casino to test the game and this is what happened.

  • Stake Size: £0.2
  • Start balance: £52.98
  • End balance: £80.04
  • Biggest Win: 123.9x
  • Free Spins: 2
  • Session Time: 20 minutes 57 seconds

Over 200 spins the two headline features dropped just twice each. In the base game I landed 6 scatters once (30x) and 5 scatters once (10x). But it was the free spins round that brought the best result with a 123.9x win on the first occasion. That was triggered by a series of wins with Wilds and Bars and by collecting 8 scatters which gave me a 50x win from the barrel. Despite its simplicity it’s a fun free spins round. You just need to cross your fingers for Scatters to keep landing to keep re-setting your spins and adding to the barrel total. On the second occasion I hit a 64.4x win when once again I picked up 8 scatters to add a 50x win to payouts triggered on the reels.

The Free Spins round in action in Emerald Gold
On the way to a 123.9x win during free spins in testing

For balance, I should add that this was a lucky 200 spins and Emerald Gold won’t always deliver like that. Outside of these wins, the base game gave me very little and was frustrating at times as you would expect from a high volatility slot.

What We Liked

  • Super slick graphics
  • High top payout for a JFTW game
  • Super high variance
  • Big free spins round
  • Simple gameplay

What We Didn't like

  • A bit light on features

Emerald Gold Review Scores

  • Theme and Design 8
  • RTP and Variance 8
  • Maximum Win 9
  • Symbols and Paytable 8
  • Features and Gameplay 8

What Our Reviewer Says ...

"Very simple but highly volatile, Emerald Gold will appeal to the sort of gambler who loves high risk for high reward ... in an epic Irish landscape!"

Overall Score: 8.2

Theme & Design

Our Score 8

A Vibrant Irish-Themed Slot With Rolling Hillsides And Golden Reels

Emerald Gold is the quintessential Irish slots experience, ushered in by a jolly leprechaun who sits above the reel set with the serene landscapes of Ireland laid out behind, creating a relaxing atmosphere which is enhanced by a soundtrack of fiddle and penny whistle. In short, if you like your Emerald Isle iconography then you’re in the right place. The same goes for those who enjoyed Just For The Win’s Western Gold Double Barrel, with almost identical features and layout. As well as the vibrant and sharp visuals you also get the floating reel set with the Scatter Barrel rolling continuously over at the top of the screen. It’s all very pleasing on the eye.

Emerald Gold by Just For The Win
Emerald Gold – a classic Irish slot theme

RTP and Variance

Our Score 8

What is RTP?

RTP (Return to Player) refers to the amount a game will pay out in cash prizes expressed as a percentage of all the money wagered on that game. For example, a 96% RTP means a game will pay out £96 for every £100 wagered. This is an average number and will vary from one session to the next.  Read more here.

What is Variance?

Variance refers to how far a game will deviate from its RTP over time. High variance games deviate a lot and produce uneven win distributions and unexpected windfalls. Low variance games provide a more stable and even distribution of wins. Read more here.

Emerald Gold has an RTP of 96.04%. That is about average for UK slots and Just For The Win slots too. For comparison, from the same studio, Wolf Howl runs at 96.2%, Book of King Arthur runs at 96.1% and Odin’s Riches runs at 96.1%.

This is also a high variance slot so it can be unpredictable, but it does have the capacity to produce some very big wins as we shall see.

Maximum Win

Our Score 9

What Is Maximum Win?

Maximum win refers to the maximum amount a player can win from one spin. It is expressed as a multiple of the stake. For example, where the maximum win is 100,000x, from a £1 stake, the maximum win would be £100,000.  

The top win from this game is a massive 25,000x. That is impressive and it is the same as another game from the same provider, The Bandit and the Baron which is also highly volatile.

Symbols and Paytable

Our Score 8

The format here is simple enough. Emerald Gold plays out on a 5 reel by 4 row reel set with 40 active paylines in play at all times. To trigger wins you’ll need to land 3 or more identical symbols in adjacent positions across a payline from left to right.

Emerald Gold Paytable
The paytable from Emerald Gold

The paytable has some nice value in it. We start with the low payers, which are represented by the Shamrock, Guiness Glass, Emerald Ring and the Horeshoe. These are valued at between 0.04x for three clovers up to 0.3x for five Horsehoes. The premiums are all traditional Bar symbols – singles, doubles, triples or a mix of all three. The latter pays 0.1x for three on a line whilst five triple bars scores you a 3.5x win. There is also a Triple Seven symbol valued at 0.06x up to 6x and a Wild that is valued the same but also substitutes in for all other symbols except Scatters and Free Spins icons to create wins.

There are two specials as well – Free Spins and Scatters symbols that trigger the features in Emerald Gold.

Features and Gameplay

Our Score 8

Whilst the overall potential in Emerald Gold is excellent the base game is very simple. Aside from standard wins, helped by wilds, your only other feature is the Scatter pays.

This is how it works.

Clover Scatters Get You Wins of Up To 5,000x!

In the base game scatters are the added ingredient here that enriches your gameplay. They trigger payouts when AT LEAST four land on the same spin. The good part is, they don’t have to land on a payline, they can land ANYWHERE.

A 6 Scatter Win in Emerald Gold
Landing 6 scatters in testing

The payouts are as follows:

  • 4 scatters: 1x
  • 5 scatters: 5x
  • 6 scatters: 15x
  • 7 scatters: 25x
  • 8 scatters: 50x
  • 9 scatters: 100x
  • 10 scatters: 250x
  • 11 scatters: 2,500x
  • 12 scatters: 25,000x

I should add that in testing these kind of payouts were very rare. Whilst scatters did land frequently, getting 5 or more on one spin only happened twice in 200 spins. 

Scatters Are Collected in Free Spins To Pay Out At The End

To trigger the free spins you’ll need to land at least THREE Free Spins symbols on reels 2, 3 or 4 in the base game. Now, things change a little as Clover Scatters do NOT trigger instant pay outs but instead are collected in the revolving barrel at the top to pay out the total at the end of the round.

Emerald Gold 3 Free Spins Symbols
Triggering the free spins round with 3 free spins symbols

You start the round with 3 spins and each time at least one Scatter lands, as well as being collected, it also re-sets your spins back to 3. The round will only end when you run out of spins – by 3 consecutive spins without a scatter – or when you have collected 12 scatters for the maximum payout.

The Final Verdict

Emerald Gold will be a very enjoyable slot for those who like blockbuster potential and simple gameplay. The goal is always to hit as many Scatters as possible whether you are in the base game or free spins round. The latter has far greater potential because of the cumulative power of those scatters collected in the barrel. For those who enjoyed Western Gold for these reasons, Emerald Gold will be fun too, and with even greater potential at 25,000x, might even make a better choice. Just beware of that high volatility that will also make this slot a rocky ride at times.

Useful Tips When Playing Emerald Gold

Remember, online slots are games of chance, there is NO strategy that can improve your odds of winning. However, reading our review and following these tips will help you get the most out of your time playing this slot game.

1. Always Look Out For Scatters

Once you’ve played this game for a while your eyes will be trained to look out for the Scatter symbols that look like Clovers. Especially in the free spins round where they keep you ticking over AND collect for a bumper payout at the end.

2. Don’t Forget The Wilds Can Help Too

You should also pay attention to the Wild symbols which can help complete paylines. They don’t expand here but they were still powerful in testing when they landed in stacks on two or more reels at once.

3. Keep The Sound On

For the full Irish experience, keep the sound on so that you can enjoy that classic penny whistle-fiddle combination. It’s jaunty and helps keep your spirits up during a period of dead spins!

4. Always Play At Our Recommended Slot Sites

We choose the slot sites in our list of recommendations because we have tested them ourselves and found them to offer the best environment in which to play this game. They have great value bonuses and are all UK-licensed.

Who Made Emerald Gold?

  • Name: Just For The Win
  • Established: 2016
  • UK License: Via Microgaming
  • Total Games: 45 +
  • Known For: Partnerships with Microgaming, high variance games
  • Popular Slots: Western Gold, Bandit and the Baron, Diamond Sands, Wolf Howl
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