Hot VS Cold Casino Games: Know the Difference Before Playing!

by Ed Miller
06 Oct 2023

Ed had dived into the cryptocurrency market before everyone got on the bandwagon. Therefore, his blockchain & crypto expertise can boast of both retrospective and prospective analyses, as well as their level-headed and well-targeted peer reviews. Ed has long realized that the online crypto gambling market would soon evolve into another investment sector for those willing to not only have some fun playing but to scale up crypto assets, too. He did online gambling market research, tested tens of crypto casinos, got a fix on trends and target users’ feedback, and is ready with his insights and recommendations on how to combine crypto business with gambling pleasure.


One game will give you $10K out of $100. Another slot machine will gorge $10K and barely give you half of that back. These are hot and cold casino gambling games, and I will explain the concept right away! 

Hot and Cold Slot Machines 🎰

Slot machines have been the #1 casino entertainment since the 19th century; they are easy to play and require the minimum skill for you to enjoy some thrill. Of course, some slot machines are better (hotter) and worse (colder) regarding payouts. 

Definitions 

  • Hot slots are those that pay often and a lot. These are machines that give you big wins continuously. Another interpretation is that a casino slot machine has great parameters, such as high max win, high RTP, and optimal volatility, all made fair with RNG. Hence, you can say that hot slots are the most profitable ones. 
  • Cold slots are the least profitable games. In the shortest terms, they are the opposite of hot casino slots: greedy, demanding a lot of spins, paying low, etc. 

NOTE! The hotness and coldness of casino software are never static. The games have CYCLES; you must be attentive to the most recent data to identify phases. Most importantly, look at RTP and SRP (I will explain this in the next section, but keep this in mind already). 

Checklist to find hot slots 

Alas, no gambler should get their hopes up regarding identifying the hottest slot machines with superficial information found on the net. No definitive way exists to know that because you need winning records that are not public, and casinos never share this data. Some casinos may have live charts with information on how much a user wins in a particular slot machine, but you can only see the win (for instance, $347, but you do not know what the bet is and how much is already spent on that game). 

Since gamblers can only access superficial information on slots’ parameters, the only checklist that works is…

Step 1: Check RTP and SRP 

Return to Player % β€” what you can usually call RTP β€” is a theoretical number indicating how much money the machine will pay you back for each conditional bet unit. So, it is the expected payback. Note that RTP can range!! Check that information systematically or use websites like Cloudbet (check its review here) that display the current RTP. 

Casino game creators use simulations of BILLIONS of game rounds to calculate the approximate RTP. Hence, the value of this metric is high only when you are ready for a long run that can take over two hours (on a single slot, yes!). 

As a rule, hot slot machines’ RTPs are over 95%

Here is an example! Let us look at the game Power of Merlin Megaways with its 96.08% RTP. Suppose you have $1K. In the ideal scenario, your long run (even the unluckiest one) will leave you with approximately $960, plus or minus $70. 

So, RTP, yes… Most gamblers focus on this metric only, completely ignoring SRP β€” Statistical Return Percentage β€” which indicates how much money is returned to players IN PRACTICE within a time. 

SRP constantly changes because data is updated every hour/minute, depending on which service you use to check it. The hot slot games are those with SRP higher than the RTP. 

Step 2: Look at the variance 

Variance, volatility β€” call it what you want, but remember the principle:

  • Low variance: small wins on almost every spin 
  • High: Big wins but rarely 
  • Medium: Average wins sometimes.

Read this article β€” What is Slot Volatility in Crypto Casino Games β€” for more explanations and examples. 

A hot slots game can have ANY volatility level. Note that it is directly linked to the RTP and other parameters. 

As a rule, low-variance slots machines cannot be hot slot machines because the developers give those lower max win caps, fewer bonus features, and a fewer number of betways, cutting a gambler’s opportunities to win a lot. The best scenario with such games is getting a profit of $100-500, but you must spend hours, and you are actually likelier to lose $10-100 while spinning. 

Medium and high-variance games are likelier to be hot casino slots. Hot slot machines with medium volatility are the best option, especially if their RTP, max win, and other parameters are good. Highly volatile hot slot machines, in turn, are challenges for high rollers with big bankrolls because you must first spend $3K+ on such a slot to get a profit of 15K and more. 

Step 3: Max win check 

That is the maximum you can get from any online slot, a winning cap that only activates with the luckiest spin. Note that getting the max win is often super challenging because you must be lucky enough to land the most valuable symbols, get the right combo of special symbols, and trigger that reaction on the maximal number of paylines (or clusters; more on that later). Oh, and the volume of your bet matters a lot here since all “reactions” are based on how much you stake. So, hitting max win with the max bet will result in much higher profits than hitting it with the minimum bet. 

For instance, Power of Merlin Megaways’s max win is X40K. Given that the game has 117649 betways, a 6X7 grid, dynamic reel tops, and several bonus features, the scenario of a gambler snatching the max win is possible once in 21276596 spins (And no, I DID NOT count all that by myself. I just googled 😎😎😎). 

Step 4: Checking the number of paylines 

Paylines are how many… well, lines can give you winning combinations. Here is an example:

Book of Ra 6 slot machine
Colorful crooked lines are paylines

A hot slots machine usually has over 100 paylines, and cold games normally have around 20, plus or minus 10 (usually minus). 

Note! You will not have any paylines if you play a slot machine game with cluster pays! Titles with cluster mechanics eliminate lines and let you get winning combinations anywhere on the playboard. With cluster pay games, you merely land matching symbols in a way that they are being attached β€” it does not matter how they are attached. 

Step 5: Analyzing the playboard 

A slot machine’s number of reels and rows (or grids for cluster pay slots) matters a lot. Smaller playboards (usually offered in classic slots) make the game easier, but you rely on paylines. Bigger slots with 8X8+ grids are more challenging and tend to be aggressively volatile, but the potential winnings in those make them hot casino slot machines instantly. 

Bonus step: learn more about providers! 

Discovering facts about a slot machine provider can instantly give you a ton of information on 100+ games. Legit companies that create hot slots machines have patterns in which they develop new drops. That, in turn, lets you predict how profitable a new game can be. Plus, the top providers are certified and guarantee RNG-powered results (aka fair). 

Related posts that might help you clarify more details: 

The 5 best hot casino slot games RIGHT NOW 

I personally love slots over everything else and play them more often than Blackjack, Poker, etc. I stepped out of my comfort zone with these games in October, too, so I tested 55 titles I would not usually even click. Here are the best 5 hot slot machines I recommend! 

🎰 Gemhalla by BGaming | 10/10 

Gemhalla cover
Gemhalla is a new hot slots game with high RTP and SRP
RTP: 97.17%
Volatility: High
Max win: X5K
Released: 15.06.2024
Best for: Advanced players and high rollers

Gemhalla is a cute and bright one-armed bandit online with simple graphics and a Norse vibe. Its hit freq. is 25.64%, meaning that it is realistic to get a win in every four spins. Its SRP, in turn, is 97.9% at the moment of writing, according to SlotCatalog (that significative will soon change). It’s also a Bonus Buy game, meaning that you can have a 50% boost in your chances of winning. 

I loved its vivid yet non-vampirical design, mobile play smoothness, and consistent wins. My profit result was not life-changing, though (a bit more than $440; well, I’ve spun it for less than fifty minutes). 

🎰 Wild Cash X9990 by BGaming | 9.5/10

Wild Cash X9990 cover
This hot slots game will be perfect for those appreciating classic entertainment
RTP: 96.01%
Volatility: High
Max win: X9990 (obv)
Released: 31.08.2022
Best for: Advanced players and high rollers

This one is a bit older but still HOT. 

I’m not a fan of classic games because graphics and vibes matter to me; plus, I have the worst luck with classics. Despite mutual hate, I clicked the game, and it was nice to me. The design is actually good, although there is nothing special to highlight. 

A big negative of this game is its number of paylines β€” only ten. On the one hand, that is understandable because the slot is five reels and three rows wide and long. On the other hand, I consider slots with fewer paylines. 

Anyway, it is still a good option among hot slot machines. 

🎰 Ramses Book Respins of Amon-Re by Gamomat | 9/10

Game cover
Want more hot casino games? This one is rather good!
RTP: 96.16%
Volatility: High
Max win: X1.5K
Released: 18.12.2019
Best for: Advanced players and high rollers

First of all, I think that creating high volatility slots with max wins that low is illegal. Second of all, I think this is one of the ugliest hot casino games I’ve seen in my entire existence. BUT! The SRP here is over 108% at the moment of testing. Plus, it has several bonus features that can keep your wallet well-fed. 

Regarding the negatives (apart from visuals), this bro does not have progressive features and is unsuitable for people who want to chill. That is high-roller material that pays a good win once in 30-50 spins. Hated it, but also loved the payout βœ¨πŸ€‘πŸ‘βœ¨

🎰 Coin Strike Hold and Win by Playson | 8.5/10

Coin Strike game cover
For those wanting classic hot slots machines, Coin Strike is another great option
RTP: 95.66%
Volatility: Medium (closer to high)
Max win: X5150
Released: 14.04.2024
Best for: Advanced players and high rollers

Coin Strike is a small slot with three rows and reels, offering only five paylines. The hit frequency is also 10.9%, meaning you will likely snatch a win once in ten spins. So far, it seems ugly, but at least its bonus features are good. Respins here are insanely frequent, and it is easy to refill your bankroll even on the unluckiest streak. SRP adds good things to this situation, and you can realistically get profits of over $2K in the long run.

🎰 Beer Party by Gamomat | 7.5/10

Beer Party cover
Another star of hot casino games
RTP: 96.1%
Volatility: Low
Max win: X200
Released: 19.09.2019
Best for: Novices and regular players

HEAR ME OUT 😭

Hot casino games are not necessarily those that will get you millions overnight. This title is barely profitable, but the most important word here is PROFITABLE. Also, this is novice-friendly material that can provide useful practice to those stepping into the gambling world. Do not expect bonus features, though. 

It will take eons of suffering to get a $300 profit, but you can manage that as long as SRP stays over 100%.

🎰 But also…

These were new experiences for me, but I also have a list of the top hot casino games I’ve played for over 6 months. Here is the list of hot slot machine titles I usually choose! 

  • Rich Wilde and the Tome of Madness (of course) 
  • Moon Princess 100 (instant yes) 
  • Reactoonz (old but gold) 
  • Gates of Olympus (no comment) 
  • Scroll of Dead (never lets me down; alright, sometimes it does, but still).

Hot Casino Table Games πŸƒπŸŽ²

All principles that work with hot slot machines also work with cards and tables. Even though you do not normally use this concept in card/table casino games, it can help a gambler identify how a particular table will reward you. Yet, the process depends on your skills heavily. 

The top hot casino games of this kind to entertain you are…

πŸƒ Blackjack 

Blackjack is the hottest casino game, with 99% RTP, plus or minus two. It is easy to play and especially profitable when you are good at card counting and enter a game that only uses one deck. 

Multihand Blackjack (with several decks), while outrageously challenging for 90% of gambling enthusiasts, is the best-paying card casino game in the industry. So, high stakes on it can bring you $10K+ in less than five hours. 

πŸƒ Poker 

In contrast to Blackjack, which can be good entertainment even for the novices, Poker is for people who can control their bankroll AND emotions. Single-player Poker against AI/RNG is an alright option for novices, but beware of game variations β€” even the slightest change of rules alters the game! 

🎲 Dice 

Almost any dice game has the simplest rules paired with big wins for persistent gamblers. Of course, you will need some practice before getting into the real challenge, but it is mostly just enjoyable entertainment. 

Hot Instant Win Games ✈️

An instant win game is another option for gamblers who seek a hot slot machine with guaranteed fairness. ORDB has already covered this topic, by the way! Check out my post regarding crypto Aviator for more information. 

Apart from Aviator, there are other instant-win games like Plinko, Hi-Lo, the Bayraktar slot, and many other options. As a rule, such entertainment is novice-friendly, has X100-300 max win caps, and offers the easiest money ever because no volatility creates a challenge for you. Yet, all those things rely on RNG, which decides your win’s fate with each round. 

Final Words πŸ’«

Choose the most profitable casino games, enjoy each second of betting, and win! I wish you all the luck for the next round and hope that the hottest slots will give you all the Jackpots you want. Happy gaming!

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