Big Bass Bonanza vs Bigger Bass Bonanza

Big Bass Bonanza vs Bigger Bass Bonanza: the quick answer

Pick the original Big Bass Bonanza if you want the simpler, lower-ceiling game, or Bigger Bass Bonanza if a taller grid and a 4,000x maximum appeal. Both are made by Reel Kingdom, distributed by Pragmatic Play, and rated high volatility. The bonus is the same fisherman-collects-fish idea in each.

The detail that matters most for your wallet is the RTP setting. At its top setting the sequel matches the original's 96.71%, but it is also supplied at 95.67% and 94.62%, so two casinos can run noticeably different versions under the same name. Checking which one you have takes about thirty seconds and is covered in the steps further down. The comparison hub has other slot match-ups.

Two grids compared: 15 positions against 20

The sequel's name refers to its board. Adding a fourth row takes the grid from 15 symbol positions to 20, a third more space, and the payline count rises from 10 to 12. Here is how the two shapes compare on paper.

A taller grid doesn't by itself make a slot more generous. The designers set the reel strips and paytable so the whole package lands on the target RTP; more positions mean more symbols on screen, but each one is weighted to fit the maths. What a fourth row does change is the look of a free spin: there is more room for fish and fishermen to appear on the same screen, which suits a collect mechanic.

Twelve paylines across four rows also means lines run through more of the grid's middle positions, so line wins are spread a little differently. The game's help screen draws each line if you want to see the patterns.

Specification sheet for both Big Bass slots

How the fisherman feature plays on each grid

In both games the free spins are where most of the return sits. Fish symbols show cash values as multiples of the stake, and a fisherman wild landing on the same spin collects them all. In the original, every fourth fisherman retriggers the round and lifts the multiplier on later collections in steps of 2x, 3x and 10x. The sequel keeps the same collect-and-level principle; its help screen lists the exact levels for the version you are playing.

Illustration on a 5×4 board at 20p

Imagine a free spin on Bigger Bass Bonanza that shows four fish worth 2x, 2x, 5x and 15x, and one fisherman. At a 20p stake those are 40p, 40p, £1 and £3, so the fisherman collects £4.80, or 24x the stake. On a three-row board the same spin would have had five fewer positions to show fish, which is the practical point of the extra row. The values here are invented to show the arithmetic; real values and their frequencies are set by the game.

If you want the general version of this mechanic, our cash collect page covers it, and the fisherman symbol page traces how the character became a staple of fishing slots.

RTP versions and the cost of 100 spins

Because Bigger Bass Bonanza ships with three RTP settings, the cost comparison has four columns rather than two. The figures are long-run averages from the house edge; your own results over 100 spins will vary widely.

Between the top and bottom settings the house edge goes from 3.29% to 5.38%, so the average cost of play rises by roughly two-thirds. That is a bigger difference than anything about the grid. Our RTP variants explainer covers why suppliers offer several settings and how UK casinos must show them, while RTP information rules sets out what players are entitled to see.

How to tell which Bigger Bass Bonanza RTP you are playing

1. Open Bigger Bass Bonanza from the casino lobby; if you haven't staked yet, demo play is available after age verification.
2. Tap the menu (three lines) or the information icon.
3. Scroll through the game rules to the line that states the theoretical return to player.
4. Compare it with 96.71%, 95.67% or 94.62%.
5. If the figure is lower than you want, close the game; another casino may run a different setting.

Max win at UK stake limits: 2,100x vs 4,000x

Since 2025 online slots in Great Britain have been limited to £5 a spin for players aged 25 and over and £2 a spin for 18 to 24-year-olds. The government's announcement of the £2 limit (opens in a new tab) sets out the reasoning. These are the caps in pounds.

As with any max win cap, these are ceilings that a round stops at, not amounts any session should be expected to approach.

From the original to the sequel: a short timeline

The series kept growing after that; Big Bass Splash is compared with the original on our Big Bass Bonanza vs Big Bass Splash page.

Playing either slot at a UK casino

UK versions of both games follow the same online design rules. Spins are started one at a time, as the autoplay ban requires; each takes at least 2.5 seconds; there is no quick-spin option; small returns aren't presented as wins; and your net position is displayed. Neither game is offered with a bonus buy at UK-licensed casinos, so the free spins depend on landing scatters.

These rules make the cost of time easier to judge. At 20p a spin and the minimum spin time, an hour of non-stop play could stake up to £288, and at 96.71% RTP the long-run average cost of that hour is about £9.48, with real results ranging far more widely. The Gambling Commission's safer gambling pages (opens in a new tab) list the tools casinos must offer.

Does a bigger grid mean better odds?

No. This is the most common misreading of the sequel. A larger grid and more lines change how wins are distributed, not the average return; that is fixed by the RTP. Two other beliefs are worth clearing up:

• More lines doesn't mean more value. With fixed lines, the stake is spread across 12 rather than 10; the paytable is scaled to suit.
• A higher cap isn't a higher return. Bigger Bass Bonanza's 4,000x needs a rare top-level round. Average cost depends on RTP, which can actually be lower on the sequel if a casino runs a reduced setting.

Our slot machine myths guide covers more of these.

Which Big Bass game to choose

Where to play Big Bass Bonanza and its sequel

PlayOJO's offer is the closest match here: 80 free spins on Big Bass Bonanza at 10p each for new UK customers aged 18+ (excluding Northern Ireland) who make a first deposit of £10 or more, with no wagering so winnings are paid in cash; terms apply. Coral's bet £10, get 100 free spins and Ladbrokes' play £10, get up to 500 free spins are on selected games at 10p each with no wagering on the winnings. We can't promise any partner offers Bigger Bass Bonanza, so search the casino's lobby; game availability changes. 18+, terms apply.

Free support is available from the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133, run by GamCare (opens in a new tab), and you can block all UK-licensed gambling sites with GAMSTOP (opens in a new tab).

18+. Gambling should be entertainment that costs money, not a way to make it. Decide a budget before you play: plan a slot budget. Free, confidential help: National Gambling Helpline 0808 8020 133.