The gamble feature has been around for decades, but it is now more prevalent than ever thanks to the advent of online slots. Many software providers incorporate this functionality into their games, giving slot enthusiasts the opportunity to boost their profits from winning spins.
While spinners relish the added excitement it provides, the gamble feature is not without its downsides. Double or nothing is the main premise here, and players can easily end up losing their winnings from successful rounds.
Various factors warrant consideration when it comes to using the gamble option, and we examine them all in the following article. Before we get to that, let’s take a closer look at how the gamble feature works and what its most common variations are.
Introduction to the Gamble Feature in Online Slots
The gamble option becomes available only after winning spins, but it functions differently depending on the specific game. Some online slots automatically prompt the player to gamble their profits after a win occurs. In others, a ‘gamble’ or ‘2x’ button is highlighted after the winning round, and the player must click or tap it to trigger the feature.
The player then leaves the main screen for a side game that typically involves guessing the color or suit of a playing card. However, as you will see later, there are many variations of the gamble function. One of several things can happen after the feature activates:
Gamble feature outcomes are determined in the same way as the results of winning spins: by a Random Number Generator (RNG). In other words, they are as random and fair as possible.
Gamble Feature Variations
Software developers constantly devise new ways to diversify players’ experiences, so it makes sense that there are numerous variations of the gamble feature as well.
The classic version of the feature involves cards, but newer releases often feature theme-related gamble games, such as guessing the color of a dyed egg in Easter-themed slots. Without further ado, here are some of the most common gamble feature variations you will come across in online slots.
So Should You Use the Gamble Feature?
The answer depends largely on your personal goals and preferences as a slot player. If you want to add extra excitement to your gameplay and potentially increase your profits, using the feature is a solid choice. A 100-credit win can become a 200-credit, 400-credit, or even 800-credit win on a good day.
Gamble Your Winnings If the Feature Treats Ties as Pushes
Check the RTP of the Gamble Feature
Chances of Winning in Hi-Lo Gambling Feature
Does the Size of the Win Matter?
Gamble Your Winnings If the Feature Treats Ties as Pushes
Another thing to consider is whether the gamble feature in your preferred slot treats ties as pushes when your chosen card matches the house’s card in denomination. If that’s the case, the long-term theoretical return of the feature jumps to 100 percent, making it a fair bet with no house edge.
Conversely, when ties are counted as losses, you are at a disadvantage and your theoretical return during the gamble feature decreases. We recommend avoiding it in such situations. This obviously applies to slot releases with hi-lo gamble features, where you double your winnings only if you outdraw the house by selecting a higher-denomination card.
Check the RTP of the Gamble Feature
Some online slot paytables show the average return players can expect from both the main game and the gamble feature. Review the percentages and avoid wagering your winnings if the feature’s return is subpar or worse than that of the main game. Water Tiger by Endorphina is one such example.
According to its paytable, the main game offers an average return of 96.03%, whereas the gamble feature sits nearly twelve percentage points lower at 84%. The paytable further states that the likelihood of cards being dealt is not distributed evenly. In our view, such a gamble game is unplayable. On a brighter note, the slot lets you collect your winnings from the last spin even after you have seen the house’s exposed card in the hi-lo mini game.
Chances of Winning in Hi-Lo Gambling Feature
In such slots, your odds of doubling your win clearly depend on the strength of the house’s exposed card. The lower the house’s card, the higher your chances of drawing a stronger one. The good news is that you can exit the gamble feature and collect your winnings if the house shows a strong card. The probabilities of winning the gamble are as follows:
| Exposed Card in Hi-Lo Gamble Feature | Chance of Winning the Gamble |
| 2 | 162.00% |
| 3 | 121.00% |
| 4 | 113.00% |
| 5 | 101.00% |
| 6 | 100.00% |
| 7 | 100.00% |
| 8 | 100.00% |
| 9 | 92.00% |
| 10 | 78.00% |
| Jack | 69.00% |
| Queen | 66.00% |
| King | 64.00% |
| Ace | 42.00% |
Endorphina’s slots, in particular, also include joker cards in the gamble feature, and these beat all other denominations. The house can never receive a joker under these rules.
The bottom line is you should not press your luck when the random number generator produces a particularly strong card for the house. Simply click the ‘collect’ button in the lower right corner of the screen to exit the gamble and keep what you won during the last round.
Does the Size of the Win Matter?
Some slot players claim that the gamble feature is set up to award wins on lower payouts more readily than on high-paying combinations. This reasoning is flawed because the outcomes of the gamble are determined by random number generation.
The RNG ensures that every deal, coin toss, or dice roll (or whatever method the feature uses) is completely random and fair. This should always hold true at properly regulated casinos that undergo independent software audits. The RNG has no way of knowing how much you wagered or won on the last spin, which makes the above assumption both erroneous and unreasonable.
Drawbacks of Using the Gamble Feature
As exciting as it is, the gamble feature is not entirely without downsides. The biggest drawback associated with this functionality is that it can dramatically increase a slot’s variance. For rookie spinners unfamiliar with this term, variance reflects the level of risk inherent to different slot games.
On the positive side, using the gamble feature from time to time will slow down your speed of play. As a result, you will play fewer spins at a disadvantage, and the house edge will not wipe out your slot bankroll as quickly.
Increased variance will lead to the opposite effect. With the gamble feature, you may earn money more quickly, but you can also lose it just as fast because you will successfully gamble your profits only about half of the time, at best.
No reasonable person would advocate using the gamble feature after every single winning spin. We recommend using it in moderation, preferably on smaller wins, to protect your bankroll and extend your gaming sessions. Last but not least, know when to call it quits. Do not be too greedy; collect your profits after several consecutive doubles, or you risk losing everything you have earned on the last spin.
