The gamble feature has been around for decades but is now more prevalent than ever thanks to the advent of online slots. Many software providers incorporate this functionality into their games, giving slot mavens the opportunity to boost their profits on winning spins.
While spinners relish the added excitement that comes with it, 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 on successful rounds.
Various factors bear consideration when it comes to using the gamble option and we examine them all in the following article. But before we get to that, let’s have 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 after winning spins only but plays differently when taken 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 gets highlighted after the winning round and the player must click or tap it to trigger the feature.
The player then exits the main screen for a side game that typically involves guessing the color or suit of a playing card. However, there are many variations of the gamble function as you shall see later. 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, that is by a Random Number Generator (RNG). In other words, they are as random and fair as possible.
Gamble Feature Variations
Software developers are constantly coming up with new ways to diversify reel spinners’ experience, so it makes sense there are numerous variations of the gamble feature as well.
The classic version of the feature involves cards but newer releases often boast theme-related gamble games like guessing the color of a dyed egg in Easter-themed slots, for example. 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 to this question largely depends on your personal goals and preferences as a slot player. Using the feature is a good idea provided that you are looking to add extra excitement to your slot play and potentially increase your profits. A 100-credit win can turn into 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 that bears consideration is whether the gamble feature of your preferred slot treats ties as pushes when your chosen card is of equal denomination as the house’s card. If this is the case, the long-term theoretical return of the gamble feature jumps to a hundred percent, making it a fair bet without a house edge.
Conversely, ties counted as losses put you at a disadvantage and decrease your theoretical return during the gamble feature. We recommend against using it in such instances. This obviously applies to slot releases with gamble features of the hi-lo variety where you double your winnings on condition you outdraw the house by picking a higher-denomination card.
Check the RTP of the Gamble Feature
The paytables of some online slots list the average return players can expect from both the main game and the gamble feature. Check the percentages and refrain from gambling your winnings if the feature’s return is subpar or worse than that of the main game. Water Tiger by Endorphina is an example of one such game.
According to the paytable, the main game has an average return of 96.03%, while that of the gamble feature is nearly twelve percentage points lower at 84%. The paytable itself states that the likelihood of cards being dealt is not distributed equally. Such a gamble game is unplayable in our opinion. On a more positive note, the game allows you to 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 one such slot, your odds of doubling your wins obviously depend on the strength of the house’s exposed card. The lower it is, the higher your chances of pulling out a stronger card. The good news is you can exit the gamble feature and collect your winnings in the event of a strong house 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 feature joker cards during the gamble that beat all other denominations. The good news is the house can never get a joker under this set of rules.
The bottom line is you should not press your luck if the random number generator pulls out a particularly solid card for the house. Just click the ‘collect’ button in the lower right corner of the screen to exit the gamble and settle for whatever you have won during the last round.
Does the Size of the Win Matter?
Some slot players argue that the gamble feature is adjusted in such a way so that it awards wins on lower payouts more readily than it does on high-paying combinations. This line of reasoning is incorrect since the outcomes of the gamble are based on random number generation.
The RNG ensures the deal, coin toss, and dice roll (or whatever the gamble feature uses for outcome settlement) are all fully random and fair. At least, this should be the case at properly regulated casinos that undergo independent software audits. The RNG has no way of knowing how much you have wagered or won on the last spin, which makes the above assumption 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 has to do with the fact it can dramatically increase the slots’ variance. For rookie spinners unfamiliar with this term, variance reflects the level of risk inherent to different slot games.
On the positive side of things, taking advantage of the gamble feature from time to time will slow down your speed of play. As a result, you will go through fewer spins at a disadvantage and the house edge will not wipe out your slot bankroll as quickly.
Increased variance would lead to the opposite. With the gamble feature, you will earn money more swiftly but you will also lose it more quickly since you will gamble your profits successfully only half of the time at best.
No reasonable person will advocate using the gamble feature after every single winning spin. Our recommendation is to use it in moderation and preferably on smaller wins to protect your bankroll and extend the longevity of your gaming sessions. Last but not least, you should know when to call it quits. Do not be too greedy and collect your profits after several consecutive doubles or else you risk losing everything you have earned on the last spin.
