SlotBears' Favorite Slots
Standards, New Favorites, and Wildcards
These are the slots we go looking for when we go to a new casino. They’re fun and pay reliably.
Standards
Double Top Dollar
I don’t think there are many gamblers who haven’t tried Top Dollar. It’s a standard both in high limits and the casino floor.
Pros: Easy to find, pays frequently, can pay extremely well. All machines can take high-limits bets. Cons: Typical payouts can be 18-20x of the denomination and a 2-credit bet is needed to trigger the bonus.
Pinball
Top Dollar and Pinball are the two high limits kings. We prefer the one-line version over the 9-line version, which is quickly becoming the standard variant in Vegas casinos.
Pros: Simple paytable. Bonus is not difficult to get. Payouts can be extremely high. Cons: We’ve never seen a video of someone actually winning the progressive jackpot. Lower denomination bets typically pay less than 20% of the bet amount.
Dragon Link, Dragon Cash, Lightning Link, etc.
Again, a standard in high-limits rooms. Excellent game play. Wildly popular for good reason since the two bonuses (hold and spin and regular) are both fun to play.
Pros: Can pay extremely well. The best slot to play at a new casino. Many variants to choose from (locked reel bonus or multiplier bonus). Cons: Bonuses can be extremely hard to get for new gamblers.
New Favorites
Phoenix Link
Our favorite slot for 2025 for it’s automatic retrigger on “bad” hold and spin bonuses and full-amount stacked jackpots.
Pros: Hold and spin retriggers in the bonus can be lucrative. High-limits version available. Cons: Set too tight in most casinos
Huff N’ Puff Money Mansion
The two distinct bonuses (deed bonus, hard hat bonus) are not that difficult to get. Displays large wins until the game resets.
Pros: Bonuses are easier to get than other slots. Payouts can be high. High-limits version available. Cons: None.
Wildcards
Diamond Queen
Another high limits room standard. A bonus round on high limits Diamond Queen is usually a handpay.
Pros: Not easy to find. Cons: Can require a significant investment to get the bonus.
Cleopatra, Cleopatra II
Sometimes found in high-limits and just recently saw a rise in popularity. The bonus on Cleopatra II is difficult to get, but can pay extremely well even on low bets.
Pros: Not always available. Cons: Difficult to get the bonus.
Also Rans
Frankenstein
Free games bonus can be hard to get. Line hits don’t pay well, but the “It’s Alive” bonus can pay decently.
Pros: In almost every casino. All machines can take high-limits bets. Cons: Frustrating if set too tight.
Jin Ji Bao Xi (Singing Cats and variants)
Fairly easy to get the bonus on at higher bets. “Collect” feature can pay well even on smaller bets (less than $10/spin).
Pros: Relatively easy to find. Cons: Depending on the cabinet, the bonus can be extremely drawn out, even boring.
Summary
These are the slots that we have either won handpays playing or have consistently paid well on bets of $10 or less.
As you play more slots, you’ll definitely develop a preference. We only played super high volatility slots like Planet Moolah variants on our the first gambling trip.