Last updated: 29-06-2026
Starburst pays on 10 paylines from both left-to-right and right-to-left, effectively creating 20 pay directions on a 5×3 grid. The expanding wild appears on reels 2, 3, and 4 — when it lands, it expands to cover the entire reel and triggers a respin with the wild locked in place. If another wild lands during the respin, it also expands and triggers an additional respin. Up to three consecutive wild respins can occur, which is the primary mechanism for generating wins above 100x.
At 96.09% RTP, Starburst costs AU$3.91 per AU$100 wagered — slightly more expensive than the Pragmatic Play games but cheaper than Deal or No Deal and vastly cheaper than Mega Moolah. Low volatility makes Starburst the smoothest reel-based experience in the DeeSpin library. The 500x maximum win is the lowest ceiling alongside Deal or No Deal, but the session profile is fundamentally different: where Deal or No Deal punctuates flat periods with occasional bonus rounds, Starburst delivers small, frequent wins that extend play time and reduce the emotional extremes of a session.
Author’s tip from Ryan Gallagher, Online Casino Reviewer: “Starburst has no free spins bonus round, no scatter triggers, and no progressive features. The expanding wild respin is the only special mechanic. This simplicity is its strength: there is no bonus round to chase, no scatter to wait for, and no accumulation counter to create false investment. Every spin stands on its own. For Australian players who find themselves overspending on other pokies because they are waiting for a bonus round to trigger, Starburst removes that psychological trap entirely.”| GAME SPECIFICATIONS | |
|---|---|
| Game | Starburst |
| Provider | NetEnt |
| Type | Video Pokie — Win-Both-Ways with Expanding Wilds |
| RTP | 96.09% |
| Volatility | Low |
| Max Win | 500x |
| Layout | 5 reels, 3 rows, 10 paylines (both ways) |
| Min Bet | AU$0.10 |
| Features | Win-both-ways paylines, expanding wild on reels 2–4, wild respins, simple symbol set, no free spins round |
| Mobile | HTML5 — all devices |
How do expanding wilds and respins generate the best wins?
Why does low volatility matter for session planning?
Low volatility means wins arrive frequently in small amounts. A typical 200-spin Starburst session produces 50–70 winning spins, most returning 1x–5x the bet. The bankroll declines gradually rather than crashing. A AU$20 budget at AU$0.10 per spin provides approximately 200 spins and will typically last 15–25 minutes, ending with AU$5–15 remaining. The session experience is predictable and low-stress.
For Australian players with small session budgets (AU$10–30), Starburst offers the most play time per dollar of any reel-based pokie at DeeSpin. The trade-off is explicit: the 500x maximum win means you will never have a session that returns 10x or 20x your starting budget. The wins that do occur are modest corrections that slow the bankroll decline. Starburst is entertainment priced at approximately AU$3.91 per AU$100 wagered, delivered in a smooth, predictable format.
Author’s tip from Ryan Gallagher, Online Casino Reviewer: “Win-both-ways doubles the effective paylines from 10 to 20 without doubling your bet. This means winning combinations form more frequently than on a comparable 10-payline, single-direction game. It also means the individual payouts per combination are calibrated lower to maintain the overall RTP. You get more frequent small wins rather than fewer larger wins. This is the mechanical basis of Starburst's low volatility — it is not a design choice, it is a mathematical consequence of the pay structure.”How does Starburst's session profile compare to other low-cost options?
Is Starburst outdated compared to modern pokies?
Starburst was released in 2012, making it one of the oldest games in the DeeSpin library. Its graphics and sound design reflect that era. However, the underlying mathematics remain competitive: 96.09% RTP is only marginally below the Pragmatic Play average, and the low-volatility session profile is a deliberate design choice that no modern high-volatility game replicates. Starburst is not outdated — it occupies a session niche that newer, flashier games have abandoned. If you want predictable, gentle entertainment without bonus-round complexity, Starburst remains the most mechanically straightforward option available.
Author’s tip from Ryan Gallagher, Online Casino Reviewer: “Starburst's simplicity makes it the best bankroll management training tool in the library. Because wins are frequent and small, you can clearly observe how the house edge erodes your balance over time without the noise of bonus rounds and multiplier events. Play 200 spins at minimum bet, track your balance after every 50 spins, and you will see a remarkably consistent downward slope. This is what AU$3.91 per AU$100 wagered looks like in practice. Understanding this curve helps you budget for any other game.”What does Starburst actually cost per session?
At 96.09% RTP, every AU$100 wagered costs AU$3.91. A 200-spin session at AU$0.10 per spin totals AU$20 wagered and AU$0.78 expected cost. At AU$1.00 per spin, that session totals AU$200 wagered and AU$7.82 expected cost. Low volatility means actual results cluster tightly around these expected figures. Starburst is the most predictable game in the library — your session outcome will rarely surprise you in either direction.
Alternative games to consider at DeeSpin
- Frozen Fruit — Medium volatility cluster game. Higher ceiling (5,000x) with slightly more session variance.
- Book of Ra — Classic reel pokie with free spins and gamble feature. More features at 96.00% RTP.
- Plinko — Provably fair, player-set volatility, 97.00% RTP. Choose green mode for Starburst-like smoothness.
