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Can any of the upcoming slots dethrone Starburst in 2021

Published

5 years ago

January 20, 2021

Starburst is the video slot created by NetEnt back in 2012. Despite its age, it is still one of the most popular slots currently, and probably the most played video slot game of all time! What makes this classic 5×3 slot so special that is still played by millions today, and can anyone find the secret behind its success, and create the slot which can dethrone Starburst in 2021? We will analyze the facts of what makes Starburst that popular, and take a look at some of the upcoming slot releases from the first quarter of 2021 and try to give an answer to that question. Also, if some of you, by any chance, still haven’t tried this amazing slot, Starburst free play is available. Try it now and see why it is so popular.

The Building Blocks behind Starburst Popularity

At first glance, we can see that Starburst’s graphics and design are impeccable. It is still modern, although it is more than eight years old! Although this is just makeup, it is very important for slot longevity.

With the fast evolution of technology and the fact that graphics are becoming more sophisticated, even slots that are only two or three years old can look outdated. After that, their player counts go to the abyss. With Starburst this didn’t happen, and we even believe that it won’t, because graphics are that sophisticated, and yet so simple, that we won’t see a huge dip in their popularity anytime soon.

The second reason behind Starburst slot popularity is its simplicity. Some of the slot game providers experiment with a huge number of reels and rows, many different features, and various cosmetic additions to keep the players entertained and happy. Starburst makes all the things simple, with its classic 5×3 design. Some players argue that Starburst is boring, but it is not a coincidence that the 5×3 design is the most popular slot design ever. It is not too plain and boring, and not too complicated as well, because slot game players want to win some cash, and not feel overwhelmed by design and gameplay.

Starburst has a huge betting range, from €0.01 to €100. That allows both casual players and high-rollers to play this slot. Although high-rollers don’t like this slot very much, because it is not volatile, casuals adore it. There are many more casual players than high-rollers, so they again targeted a broad audience.

We mentioned that Starburst has low volatility and therefore is not that popular with the players who want to win big. However, casuals love to see many small wins, because they have a feeling that they are generally winning, although they actually don’t – the wins you will get will often be smaller than the bet you made, but some of the players somehow don’t notice it. The sessions are usually long if you play for the smallest amounts, so you can have fun, even if you lose money.

For all these reasons, Starburst retained its popularity over the last eight years. Although it is not the best slot in terms of the chances of winning big, all the reasons we mentioned make it appealing for most players, which happen to be casuals.

We will now take a look at some of the upcoming slot releases and try to guess whether or not they have a chance for dethroning Starburst.

The Most Anticipated Slot Releases 2021

January is not over yet, and we already got some exciting slots this year. For example, we got an exciting video slot from Gamomat, an independent slot game provider, called Crystal Strike. It is a highly volatile slot, beautifully designed, with classic features such as respins and wilds.

Nolimit City released San Quentin xWays. This slot is based on the infamous US jail, which is a theme that wasn’t widely used, so it can be hit or miss, but we expect to be popular, especially among the younger audience.

iSoftBet, another award-winning games supplier, released Mighty Stallion Hold & Win, the Wild West theme-based video slot. It is another slot that uses their Hold & Win mechanic, but the theme is not inventive, nor the slot itself is offering something new – it is basically the type of slot we get from them all the time, only with a slightly altered theme.

Play’n GO released Miner Donkey Trouble, while Pragmatic released Mysterious Egypt. These slots feel like they were already seen before, and there is no chance that slots that use the same, boring theme, such as the Ancient Egypt flourish and dethrone Starburst.

Pragmatic Gaming has a more interesting release scheduled for February – Dragon Kingdom: Eyes of Fire. This slot should be way better and way more popular than Mysterious Egypt because it has a flawless design and many features attached. Dragons are still a popular topic, and they aren’t overused in video slots such as Ancient Egypt, so we can see this release gaining popularity right off the bat.

Another highly anticipated release should be the Playtech Age of the Gods series’s next release – Book of Oracle. This slot should be the first to come from Playtech in 2021, and they decided to go big right away. Age of the Gods series gained a significant amount of players which is getting bigger with every new slot release. We expect that this slot will be masterfully done in terms of the graphics and interface (since we still didn’t have an opportunity to see it), and the features should be similar to the ones from the previous slots. This is a volatile, progressive jackpot slot, so it will draw attention from the high-rollers.

What Features Should a Slot Have to Beat Starburst

Since we know what is behind Starburst’s popularity, and we saw what the first slot releases are in January 2021, the question arises – does any slot from this list have the features and traits required to dethrone Starburst? We can never know for sure, but the answer is probably – no.

To be as popular as Starburst, the audience must be predominantly casual players. There are some amazing, volatile slots you can make a fortune on, but there are not enough people who would risk big money to try it out. Long, interesting sessions, with lots of small wins, which give you the false impression that you are an overall winner, are the key to the slot popularity.

After that, the slot must have an impeccable design that will age well, so it can stay relevant with time, and must have simple, but yet unique and interesting features. You should overcomplicate, but the slot can’t have a dull theme or average graphics.

Summary

We eagerly expect more great slot releases in 2021. In January and February, we should get several amazing slots from the biggest slot games providers, but in terms of popularity, we don’t think that any slot will be able to dethrone Starburst anytime soon.

However, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try out new slot additions, especially if you are a high-roller. There is a trend of more progressive jackpots, mega ways, and other great features incorporated in new slot releases, and in general, it seems that the average volatility is getting higher, which is excellent news for the ones chasing big wins.

BGaming

Weekend Reels | Week 29: Slot Drops & Trends

Published

38 minutes ago

July 17, 2026

Wladimir P.

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Here are this weeks latest slots releases compiled by Eastern European Gaming

EveryMatrix-owned studio Fantasma Games has launched Bonus Bullets, expanding EveryMatrix’s exclusive games portfolio with a new three-reel slot featuring modern bonus mechanics. The game introduces a Bullet Prize mechanic that awards instant cash prizes or one of four jackpots when Bullet symbols align across all three reels.

High 5 Games is marking the 25th anniversary of its Green Machine franchise with a new title, Green Machine Blitz. The company said the game will include a “fast-paced duplication mechanic,” activated collection features, four jackpots, and a LootLink bonus. According to High 5 Games, special symbols can duplicate across the reels to create chain reactions.

BGaming has launched The Godfather: 3 Pillars of Power, a new slot title built on The Godfather film franchise. According to the supplier, the game includes the likeness of Vito Corleone, portrayed by Marlon Brando, alongside the film’s voice and musical score.

Evoplay has launched Flame of Ra, a new ancient Egypt-themed online slot featuring scatter-triggered free spins and a bonus buy option. The game is played on a 5×4 grid. Wild symbols substitute for all regular symbols, while landing three or more scatter symbols anywhere on the reels activates the free spins feature.

Playson has launched 4 Chili Pots: Hold and Win, a new slot built around Hold and Win and Pots mechanics with two bonus modes and jackpots reaching 10,000x. The game runs on a 5×3 grid and triggers a Hold and Win Bonus Game with Chili Features when red, orange or green Chili Bonus symbols land, combining with enlarged matching chilis above the reels

Blueprint Gaming has released a new slot, Wolf Fury Fire Blitz, built around an “evolving Fire Blitz mechanic” and two bonus paths: Fire Spins and Blitz Spins. The game uses a Fire Blitz logo above the reels as a meter. In the base game and Power Play, the supplier said every Cash and Wolf symbol contributes to the meter, with boosts able to add extra symbols.

Wazdan has launched 16 Coins Betsson, a bespoke branded version of its 16 Coins title, in partnership with Betsson. The release adapts Wazdan’s Coins series format for Betsson players, combining the original game’s mechanics with operator-specific branding. The game is played across 16 independent reels in a 4×4 layout.

Booming Games has launched Tasty Bonanza Max Scatter, a new online slot released on 16 July 2026 from the supplier’s Malta base. The title is the second game in its Max Scatter series and uses a 6×4 grid with Scatter Pays, cascading wins and a stated maximum win potential of 15,000x.

The post Weekend Reels | Week 29: Slot Drops & Trends appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Las Vegas

WSOP 2026 wraps in Las Vegas with record 251,899 entries and $469.98m paid out

Published

38 minutes ago

July 17, 2026

Wladimir P.

wsop-2026-wraps-in-las-vegas-with-record-251,899-entries-and-$469.98m-paid-out

The 57th annual World Series of Poker (WSOP) concluded its summer tournament schedule on July 15, 2026, after 51 days at Paris Las Vegas and Horseshoe Las Vegas. WSOP said the series ran 100 live gold bracelet events and finished with a record 251,899 total entries and $469,975,059 paid out across gold bracelet events.

WSOP reported the $10,000 No-Limit Hold’em World Championship (Main Event) attracted 9,208 entrants, with the final nine set to return to Las Vegas from August 3 to 5, 2026, to play down to a champion live on ESPN. “The 57th annual World Series of Poker proved that Las Vegas remains the undisputed epicenter of the poker universe,” said Ty Stewart, Chief Executive Officer of the WSOP. “What is truly remarkable this year is how our community expanded far beyond the physical walls of the casino floor… we are incredibly proud of this summer’s success and cannot wait to witness the Final Nine battle for the World Championship on ESPN next month.”

The operator also pointed to a redesigned final table arena and an expanded distribution footprint. It said Main Event coverage returned to ESPN and cited a multi-year agreement with Warner Bros. Discovery to distribute coverage across HBO Max, Eurosport, and TNT Sports globally. WSOP added that edited broadcasts will air from July 21.

On tournament metrics, WSOP said 35,157 places were paid and 41 prizes of $1m+ were awarded. The operator highlighted several field-size records, including 22,811 entries for Event #63 $1,000 Mystery Millions No-Limit Hold’em, 1,368 entries for Event #68 $1,000 Ladies No-Limit Hold’em Championship, and 11,933 entries for Event #18 $1,500 Monster Stack No-Limit Hold’em. WSOP also said 149 countries were represented across the series and 111 countries were represented in the Main Event field, which it called a new record.

WSOP also reported digital and social growth during the series, citing 378.3 million total views across its social channels and 222,828 new followers overall. By platform, it reported 38.7 million YouTube views (103,128 new subscribers), 125 million Instagram views (54,450 new followers), 127 million Facebook views (56,800 new followers), and 36.6 million impressions on X (8,450 new followers). Looking ahead, WSOP said it is rolling out a revamped $1 Million Global Player of the Year race spanning WSOP Europe, the Las Vegas summer series, and WSOP Paradise, with the overall winner to be crowned at WSOP Paradise at Baha Mar in The Bahamas from December 1 to 17, 2026.

The post WSOP 2026 wraps in Las Vegas with record 251,899 entries and $469.98m paid out appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

affiliate marketing

iPredicta launches US prediction markets price comparison site

Published

38 minutes ago

July 17, 2026

Wladimir P.

ipredicta-launches-us-prediction-markets-price-comparison-site

iPredicta has launched a comparison platform for US prediction markets, aimed at bringing live prices from multiple venues into a single interface, including Polymarket. The company announced the launch from London.

iPredicta operates an affiliate model, letting users compare prices on its site before continuing to a participating exchange to register and trade. At launch, the company said it tracks dozens of live markets across two venues, with data updating automatically as markets move.

The platform includes market scoring and notifications designed to help users monitor price differences, liquidity and market movements. It also offers plain-English guides for newcomers and an “AI explanation layer” that summarizes a market’s question, resolution criteria and what the current price implies. iPredicta said the AI “produces the words, not the numbers” and “does not set scores, predict outcomes or give trading advice.”

“Prediction markets have grown rapidly over the past 12 months, yet the information people need is still scattered across different exchanges,” said Charlotte Nimmo, founder of iPredicta. “We launched iPredicta because people should not have to piece everything together across several exchanges just to understand what is happening.

“Whether you are well versed in prediction markets or trying them for the first time, iPredicta brings prices and comparisons together in one place, making it easier to follow how markets are changing. It also gives newcomers a clearer way into a category that can look complicated from the outside.”

The launch comes as prediction markets expand across categories including sport, politics, entertainment, crypto and climate. iPredicta cited CertiK’s 2026 Skynet Prediction Markets Report, which said global prediction market trading volume rose from $15.8 billion in 2024 to $63.5 billion in 2025. Nimmo previously ran affiliate betting platform Best of Bets and founded Cavalier Public Relations, according to the company.

The post iPredicta launches US prediction markets price comparison site appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.