Sweet Bonanza Slot Review
Sweet Bonanza was released in June 2019 and became one of Pragmatic Play's most popular slots. The 6x5 grid has no traditional paylines - you win by landing 8+ matching symbols anywhere on screen.
The main feature is bomb multipliers. During free spins, colorful bombs with values from x2 to x100 land on the reels. All multipliers in a single spin add up and apply to your win.
There's Tumble - after each win, symbols disappear and new ones fall from above. Win chains in a single spin are common. Ante Bet increases your stake by 25%, but doubles the chance of landing Scatters.
RTP is 96.51%, volatility is medium-high. Maximum win is x21,100 your stake. You can try the Sweet Bonanza demo for free - button at the top of the page.
What Makes Sweet Bonanza Addictive
Pros
- 96.51% RTP — above industry average
- Bomb multipliers stack up to x100 each
- Tumble cascades = multiple wins per spin
- Ante Bet doubles scatter frequency
- Medium-high vol = more frequent base wins than Gates
Cons
- Many casinos use reduced 94.50% RTP
- No Wild symbols at all
- Bonuses without bombs pay almost nothing
- Ante Bet costs 25% extra per spin
No Paylines — Just Land 8 Matching Symbols
6 reels, 5 rows, bets from €0.20 to €100. There are no paylines. Land 8 or more identical symbols anywhere on screen and you win. Position doesn't matter — top-left, bottom-right, scattered across the grid — all valid.
The Paytable
Two categories: candies (high value) and fruits (low value). Payouts for 8-9 to 12+ symbols:
- Red Heart candy: 10x–50x — the premium symbol
- Purple Grapes: 4x–25x
- Green Apple: 3x–20x
- Plum: 2.5x–15x
- Watermelon: 2x–12x
- Banana: 1.5x–8x — lowest payer
The lollipop is the Scatter: 4 = 10 free spins, 5 = 15, 6 = 20. No Wilds exist in this game.
How Tumble Works
Every time you win, the winning symbols vanish. Everything above drops down, fresh symbols fill the gaps. This repeats as long as new wins form. In the base game it's nice for small streaks. In free spins it becomes crucial — each cascade gives another chance for bombs to land.
How Bomb Multipliers Actually Work
The Bombs
During free spins, rainbow-colored bombs land alongside regular symbols. Each bomb carries a random multiplier: x2, x3, x4, x5, x6, x8, x10, x12, x15, x20, x25, x50, or x100. Here's the key: all bombs in a single tumble sequence add together.
Real example from my session: three bombs landed — x10, x25, x50. Total multiplier = x85. A cascade of hearts (10x base) × 85 = x850 in one spin. That's the moment Sweet Bonanza players chase.
Free Spins Breakdown
Scatter count determines your starting spins:
- 4 Scatters → 10 free spins
- 5 Scatters → 15 free spins
- 6 Scatters → 20 free spins
3+ Scatters during the bonus retrigger +5 more spins. No cap on retriggers — theoretically infinite.
Ante Bet — The Essential Toggle
Costs 25% extra per spin. In return, Scatter frequency roughly doubles. With Ante Bet on, expect a bonus every ~150 spins. Without it, closer to 300. For most players, it's worth the cost.
Bonus Buy
100x your bet for an instant 10 free spins. Quick math: if your average bonus returns around 80-120x, buying at 100x is roughly break-even. But ~40% of bought bonuses will disappoint.
96.51% RTP — But Your Casino Might Offer Less
Sweet Bonanza's headline RTP is 96.51%, which is genuinely above average. But here's what most reviews don't tell you: many casinos run it at reduced rates. Three versions exist:
How to Check RTP Before Playing
- Open the game at your chosen casino
- Click the "i" (info) or "☰" (menu) button
- Find the "Game Rules" or "Theoretical Return" section
- Make sure RTP is 96.51%
See 94.50%? Leave. Over 1,000 spins at €1, that 2% difference costs you an extra €20. It adds up fast.
Volatility is medium-high — noticeably softer than Gates of Olympus or Sugar Rush. Base game returns small wins more frequently, keeping your balance alive longer. But the trade-off: massive bonus rounds are rarer. Think of it as a marathon runner vs a sprinter. Sweet Bonanza grinds, occasionally exploding when bombs align.
300 Spins in Demo — What I Learned
I ran 300 spins with Ante Bet on. Here's the breakdown.
Bonuses Without Bombs = Disappointment
Four bonuses triggered. Two had zero bombs — results were x18 and x24. Barely worth the wait. The third bonus dropped three bombs (x10, x25, x50) and a cascade of hearts turned it into x680. Fourth bonus: one x5 bomb, total x47. The lesson: everything depends on whether bombs appear. No bombs = trash bonus.
Ante Bet: Always On
Without Ante Bet, my first bonus took 187 spins. With it on, it hit at spin 67. That's a massive difference. Yes, you pay 25% more per spin, but without bonuses Sweet Bonanza just bleeds money. Keep it on.
Buying the Bonus: Proceed With Caution
100x for instant 10 free spins. From what I've seen across hundreds of sessions, roughly 40% of purchased bonuses don't return the 100x investment. But the ones that hit 3+ bombs can return 500x+. High risk, high reward — classic Pragmatic.
Bankroll Management
With Ante Bet: bring at least 250 bets per session. Without: 350. Sweet Bonanza is gentler than Gates, but drawdowns still happen. Don't chase losses after 3 dead bonuses.
Calculate Your Win Potential (x21,100 Max)
Enter your bet size to see what's theoretically possible:
Bonanza vs Gates vs Sugar Rush — Head to Head
Sweet Bonanza gets compared to other Pragmatic hits constantly. Here's an honest breakdown:
| Slot | RTP | Volatility | Max Win | Bonus | Feature |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Sweet Bonanza
|
96.51% | x21,100 | 100x | Bomb multipliers up to x100 | |
Sweet Bonanza 1000
|
96.53% | x25,000 | 100x / 500x | Bombs up to x1,000 | |
Gates of Olympus
|
96.50% | x5,000 | 100x | Multipliers up to x500 | |
Fruit Party
|
96.47% | x5,000 | 100x | Random multipliers x256 |
My Take
Sweet Bonanza is the Goldilocks of Pragmatic slots — x21,100 potential but friendlier volatility than Gates. Want bigger? Sweet Bonanza 1000 has x25,000 max with bombs up to x1,000. Gates of Olympus plays differently (orbs vs bombs), a unique feel. Fruit Party uses cluster mechanics with random multipliers — completely different rhythm. Personally, I keep coming back to the original Bonanza. The bombs are just fun.
If You Like Sweet Bonanza, Try These
Hooked on the candy theme? Here's what else to spin:
Sweet Bonanza 1000
RTP: 96.53%
Sweet Bonanza Xmas
RTP: 96.51%
Sweet Bonanza Dice
RTP: 96.50%
Starlight Princess
RTP: 96.50%Sweet Bonanza — Common Questions
Why is Sweet Bonanza still so popular after 7 years?
Simple formula: bright candy theme + bomb multipliers + Tumble cascades. Every bonus is a mini-lottery — will bombs land or not? That dopamine hit keeps players coming back since 2019.
Do x100 bombs actually appear?
Yes, but extremely rarely. In 300 demo spins, my highest was x50. The x100 bomb is roughly a 1-in-5,000+ free spin event. But even x25 + x10 together create meaningful multipliers.
What's the difference between Sweet Bonanza and Sweet Bonanza 1000?
The 1000 version has bombs up to x1,000 (vs x100), max win x25,000 (vs x21,100), and higher volatility. RTP is nearly identical. If you want a bigger ceiling and can handle wilder swings, go for 1000.
How do I check the RTP at my casino?
Open the game → click the "i" or menu button → find "Game Rules" or "Theoretical Return" → it should say 96.51%. If it shows 94.50% or 95.50%, the casino is using a reduced version.
Are there any Wild symbols?
No. Sweet Bonanza has no Wilds at all. The entire bonus mechanic is built around bomb multipliers during free spins.
How many free spins can you get?
Base award: 10 (4 scatters), 15 (5 scatters), or 20 (6 scatters). Retriggers add +5 with no limit. In theory, the bonus can run indefinitely.
Player Reviews
Been playing Sweet Bonanza on and off since it came out. It's my comfort slot — colourful, easy to understand, and the bombs keep things interesting. Had a session last week where I bought the bonus 4 times at $2 bet. First three were rubbish (x23, x41, x17 — no bombs at all basically). Fourth one: two bombs x25 and x50, a full screen of grapes cascaded and I hit x1,350. That one buy paid for the entire evening. The base game is slower than Gates but you actually get small wins to keep going. Just make sure your casino isn't running the 94.50% version — I switched casinos specifically because of that.