Hot Turkey Slot Review
Slot Provider: Thunderkick
RTP: 94.13% | Variance: Medium-High | Maximum Win: 10,000x
Our Score: 7.4
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 Hot Turkey
Reviewed by:
Published Date: 30th October 2024
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.Hot Turkey is a cluster pays Christmas slot from Thunderkick. It uses an avalanche wins mechanic and exploding wilds that reveal multipliers when they remove 3×3 sections of symbols. Each time an explosion happens over a position its multiplier doubles from 2x to 4x and so on, right up to 128x. There is also a free spins round with 10 plays where multipliers are persistent between spins and re-triggers are possible.
The max win is 10,000x and spins start at 10p.
Hot Turkey Game Information
- Release Date: 27.12.24
- RTP: 94.13%
- Variance: Medium-High
- Maximum Win: 10,000x
- Progressive Jackpot: No
- Reels: 7
- Rows: 7
- Minimum Stake: £0.10
- Theme: Christmas
- Features: Cascading WinsFree SpinsMultipliersWilds
- Format: Cluster Pays
Testing Notes: Here’s What Happened When We Played Hot Turkey
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 100 spins on Hot Turkey on Thunderkick’s test servers prior to release to test the game. This is what happened.
- Stake Size: 1
- Start balance: 5,000
- End balance: 4,965.8
- Win Rate: 19% (19 winning spins in 100)
- Biggest Win: 18.2x
- Free Spins Rounds: 1
The wins were certainly streaky in this game. The first 12 spins produced nothing, then came a run of 3 or 4 on the bounce. That set the tone for the 100 spins which produced an overall win rate of 19%. Not bad, but it still burned down the balance quite significantly.
The aim is to get a good run of avalanches going with a few exploding wilds to drive up the multiplier values across the grid. This worked best for the 18.2x win where I had a 32x and 64x in play shown in the screenshot. The free spins round did trigger once after 94 spins, but it only produced a 13.1x win. In theory, as the multipliers persist between spins its more powerful but it didn’t work out that way.
Take aways? A fun Christmas slot with a quite choppy win distribution, but some thrills and big moments to be had if you can build those multiplier spots up.
What We Liked
- Progressive multipliers of up to 128x
- Multipliers persist between free spins
- Avalanches after every win
- Exploding wilds clear spaces and cause more avalanches
- Nice top win of 10,000x
What We Didn't like
- Low max RTP at 94.13%
- Quite simple gameplay
Hot Turkey Review Scores
- Theme and Design 7
- RTP and Variance 7
- Maximum Win 8
- Symbols and Paytable 8
- Features and Gameplay 7
What Our Reviewer Says ...
"A simple Yuletide treat from Thunderkick but still worth a spin for those high value progressive multipliers!"
Overall Score: 7.4
Theme & Design
Our Score 7
Thunderkick’s festive offering for 2024 is all about the feast of Christmas with a 7×7 grid set against the backdrop of a yuletide feast of sausages, sprouts, turkey and Christmas pud. The meal is being enjoyed by revellers supping wine and a jaunty soundtrack completes the atmosphere. It’s all very jovial and likely to put you in the seasonal spirit. Typically high quality stuff from a studio known for their top level production.
RTP and Variance
Our Score 7
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.Hot Turkey has an RTP of 94.13%. This is the standard for Thunderkick games now which generally all run at around 94%. That is under the average for online slots – 96% – but it is at least a fixed RTP. You won’t find the game running at anything less than 94.13%.
Thunderkick rate the volatility as medium-high which means the win distribution could be a little uneven.
Maximum Win
Our Score 8
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 maximum win from one spin in Hot Turkey is 10,000x. That means you can win £1,000 with a 10p stake which is about average for a medium-high variance game. If you want to spin for higher prizes you can try our list of slots with the highest max wins.
Symbols and Paytable
Our Score 8
Hot Turkey is a 7 reel, 7 row slot with a cluster pays format. That means you trigger wins by building clusters of 5 or more identical symbols in horizontally or vertically adjacent positions. The nice part about cluster pays is that you can build massive clusters of up to 25 or more symbols for big payouts.
You have just 6 symbols in the table to work with. They are the holly, the candy, the present, the pie slice, the drink and the woman. These are valued at from 0.1x for 5 hollys up to 100x for 25 or more woman symbols.
There is also a Wild represented by the turkey, which substitutes for any pay symbol to complete a cluster. It has other powers which are explained below.
Features and Gameplay
Our Score 7
Cluster Wins and Avalanches
Firstly, this game uses the classic avalanche feature after every winning spin. The winning symbols in each cluster are removed from the grid and remaining symbols and new ones drop down into the spaces left behind. This can create further clusters, more wins, and more avalanches. The process just keeps repeating until no more clusters are formed.
Exploding Wilds and the Multiplier Grid
The Turkey Wild doesn’t just substitute for other symbols to create clusters. It also explodes when it lands, clearing an area of 3×3 on the grid around it.
Not only does this create more avalanches but it also reveals multipliers in the positions underneath. Those multipliers start at 2x and double each time an explosion occurs over the top of them, up to a max of 128x.
Multipliers are applied to any cluster formed over the top of them. And if more than one multiplier is part of the win, then they are added together before being applied.
Free Spins With Persistent Multiplier Grid
The free spins round in Hot Turkey is unlocked by landing 3 or more HOT scatter symbols.
That gets you 10 spins where the multiplier grid is persistent between spins – that means it does NOT re-set so you have the chance to build huge multipliers.
And furthermore you can re-trigger this feature by landing 3 more scatters.
The Final Verdict
Hot Turkey is a jolly Yuletide slot with a fun avalanche and progressive multiplier combination that looks like it will produce a few really big wins. Using exploding wilds to trigger the multiplier progressions is a fun trick and with some slick production, this looks like it will be one of the better festive slots for 2024.
Useful Tips When Playing Hot Turkey
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. Watch For Exploding Wilds
You need these to reveal the multiplier positions under the grid. These can grow as high as 128x as they double with each explosion above them.
2. Look For HOT ScattersÂ
These unlock the free spins round. You need 3 or more to get 10 spins.
3. Play At Low Stakes
This is medium-high variance slot so it can be a tough play at times. Choose a low stake to avoid burning down your balance too fast.
4. Play At Our Recommended Slot Sites
We have chosen the sites on this page because they all scored high in our reviews and they are licensed by the UK Gambling Commission. That makes them fair and safe places to play slots.
Who Made Hot Turkey?
- Name: Thunderkick
- Established: 2012
- UK License: 40165
- Total Games: 55
- Known For: Quirky, eccentric slots with fun features and distinctive designs
- Popular Slots: Pink Elephants 1 and 2, Flame Busters, Birds on a Wire
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