Why Hot Tuna hooks you from the first spin
When Reel Kingdom dropped Hot Tuna in 2025, I expected another Big Bass clone. I was half right — the collect mechanic is similar, but the golden tuna changes everything. One lucky appearance can turn a dead bonus into a massive payout.
I ran 400+ demo spins and caught three bonuses. First paid 47x — nothing special. Second hit 230x when the golden tuna scooped up 6 coins in a single spin. Third one? 890x. That's when I understood why people are hooked on this slot. The tuna-Wild collects every coin on screen, and when the golden version shows up, it grabs EVERYTHING plus adds its own multiplier on top.
5x3 grid, 10 paylines, 96.71% RTP — above average for Pragmatic's ecosystem. Max win x5000. Bonus buy costs 100x — very reasonable. Hit the demo button above and see for yourself.
The honest truth — is it worth your time
Pros
- 96.71% RTP — among the best from Reel Kingdom
- Golden tuna can genuinely deliver x1000+ in a single spin
- Gorgeous graphics — the tuna swimming animation is chef's kiss
- Bonus buy at just 100x — won't break the bank
- Relaxing ocean atmosphere with soothing wave sounds
Cons
- x5000 cap feels modest for a 2025 release
- Some casinos quietly set RTP to 94.50% — always check
- 10 paylines means base game drags without action
- Without golden tuna, bonuses often pay just 30-80x
How the grid works — 10 lines where it all happens
Classic layout: 5 reels, 3 rows, 10 fixed paylines. Bets range from €0.10 to €100. Nothing revolutionary in base game — matches count left to right. But the real action isn't here — it's in the bonus. Think of base game as the warm-up before the real fishing trip.
Payout table — who pays what
Here's what each symbol pays when you land 5 on a payline:
| Symbol | 3 | 4 | 5 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuna (Wild) | x5 | x25 | x100 |
| Fishing Rod | x2 | x10 | x50 |
| Bait | x2 | x8 | x40 |
| Float | x1 | x5 | x25 |
| Anchor | x1 | x4 | x20 |
| A, K | x0.5 | x2 | x10 |
| Q, J, 10 | x0.2 | x1 | x5 |
Wild is the tuna — it substitutes for everything except Scatter. But its real job is in the bonus, where it becomes a collector and scoops up every coin it can reach. The number of tunas in your bonus is what determines your payout.
Chasing the golden tuna — how the bonus works
Triggering free spins
Land three or more scatters and you're off fishing. The number of spins depends on how many scatters you land:
- 3 Scatters = 10 free spins
- 4 Scatters = 15 spins — now we're talking
- 5 Scatters = 20 spins — serious win potential
Collect mechanics — the heart of the slot
During the bonus, coins with multipliers land on the reels. The tuna-Wild scoops up every coin it can see on screen. Each coin adds x1, x2, x5 or even x10 to your total multiplier. At the end, everything is summed and multiplied by your bet. My best bonus had the tuna collecting 14 coins across 10 spins — paid 230x.
Golden tuna — that's where the money is
Rare but devastatingly powerful. The golden tuna appears randomly and instantly collects ALL coins on screen. On top of that, it adds its own x2-x10 multiplier. This is what turns an ordinary 50-100x bonus into a 500-1000x monster. I saw it once in 400 spins — it immediately delivered 890x.
Bonus buy — 100x and go
One option available:
- Free Spins (100x) — guaranteed 3+ Scatters, buy RTP stays at 96.71%
At a $1 AUD bet, the bonus costs $100 AUD. That's fair — many slots charge 150-200x. Just remember: buying doesn't guarantee the golden tuna will show up.
Three RTP versions — which one are you actually getting
Here's what frustrates me about Pragmatic/Reel Kingdom slots — the casino picks which RTP version to give you, and not all of them play fair. Always check before you bet real money.
How to Check RTP
- Open the game in casino
- Click "i" or menu
- Find "Theoretical Return"
- Look for 96.71%
If you see 94.50% — walk away. Over 1,000 spins at $1 AUD, the difference between 96.71% and 94.50% is roughly $22 AUD. That's real money the casino is taking from you beyond the standard edge.
Volatility is high — 4 out of 5. In my testing, bonuses landed roughly once every 130-150 spins. Expect dry runs of 200-300 spins without seeing a single scatter. But when a bonus finally hits with a golden tuna — it makes up for everything with room to spare.
What I learned after 400 test spins
Slots are pure RNG — no secret tricks. But after extensive testing, I noticed a few things worth knowing.
Don't watch the tuna — watch the coins
In the bonus, focus on how many coins land on screen, not the tuna. The tuna will do its job when it appears. But if coins are scarce, even three tunas won't save you. My best bonuses happened when the screen filled with coins by spin 3 or 4.
Bonus buy at $1-2 AUD bets
At $1 AUD bet, the bonus costs $100 AUD. At $2, it's $200. With 96.71% RTP, that's a fair price. But don't buy with your last funds — one of my three purchases returned only 47x (a $53 AUD loss).
Golden tuna is the bonus jackpot
Without the golden tuna, average bonus pays 50-150x. With it — 300-1000x. You can't influence when it appears, it's pure luck. But know this: it's the reason to keep spinning. One golden tuna with an x8 multiplier collected 6 coins in a single spin and gave me 890x.
Always try the demo first
The demo at the top of this page is identical to the real game. Spin 50-100 rounds, catch at least one bonus, see how the collect mechanic works. Then decide if it's worth real money.
How much can you actually win — calculator
Enter your bet size and see what's possible at different luck levels:
Hot Tuna vs Big Bass and other fishing slots
How does Hot Tuna stack up against the competition? Here's a side-by-side comparison:
| Slot | RTP | Volatility | Max Win | Bonus | Feature |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Hot Tuna
|
96.71% | x5,000 | 100x | Collect tuna | |
Big Bass Bonanza
|
96.71% | x2,100 | 100x | Fisherman collects | |
Fishin' Reels
|
96.50% | x4,000 | - | Free spins |
My verdict
Hot Tuna takes the proven Big Bass collect mechanic and cranks up the max win to x5000 (Big Bass caps at x2100). Same 96.71% RTP. But the golden tuna makes bonuses more exciting than watching a fisherman with a rod. If you've worn out Big Bass and want something fresh with higher ceiling, Hot Tuna delivers.
More fishing slots — if tuna isn't your thing
Other fishing slots with collect mechanics. All available to try for free:
Big Bass Bonanza
RTP: 96.71%
Fishin' Reels
RTP: 96.50%
Big Bass Splash
RTP: 96.71%
Big Bass Hold & Spinner
RTP: 96.71%Common questions about Hot Tuna
What's the real RTP of Hot Tuna?
The maximum is 96.71%, but casinos can quietly set it to 95.50% or even 94.50%. Open the game, go to the menu (the "i" button), and look for "Theoretical Return." If it's not 96.71%, find a different casino.
Can you actually win x5000?
Theoretically yes — that's the hard cap. In practice, you need a bonus with golden tuna and a screen full of coins. My best in 400 spins was 890x. Hitting x5000 requires extraordinary luck.
How exactly does the tuna collect coins?
During bonus spins, coins with multipliers (x1, x2, x5, etc.) land on the reels. When the tuna-Wild appears, it automatically grabs every coin on screen. Their multipliers are summed and added to your total win.
Is 100x for bonus buy expensive?
Actually no — it's one of the cheapest in the market. At $1 AUD bet, the bonus costs $100 AUD. Many slots charge 150-250x. Just know that buying doesn't guarantee the golden tuna, and average bonuses pay 50-150x.
Can I play for free?
Yes, the demo is right on this page — button at the top. The demo runs on the same algorithms as the real money version. Only difference is the winnings are virtual.
What makes the golden tuna different from regular?
Regular tuna collects coins near its position. Golden tuna collects ALL coins on the entire screen in one sweep, plus adds its own x2-x10 multiplier. It's the most valuable symbol in the game by far.
Player Reviews
Been playing at $2 AUD bets for a few sessions now. First night put in $300, bonuses paid $85 and $120 — barely treading water. Second session was the charm though. Golden tuna popped on spin 8 of the bonus, grabbed 7 coins, and the whole thing paid $1,640 AUD. That one hit carried the entire week. Base game is pretty dead between bonuses, you're just bleeding money waiting for scatters. But the collect mechanic is satisfying when it works. Prefer this over Big Bass honestly — the tuna animations are cleaner and x5000 cap gives more room than Bass's x2100.