5-reel slots

5 Reel Slots - Features & Free Games

5-reel slots that you can play for free are are the natural successor to their ancestral 3-reel slot machines and are encountered frequently in both land-based and online casinos. They have outperformed the classic 3-reel slots since the emergence of new computer chips which have made programming slots much simpler. Video slots, as they are also called, offer the most diverse plots including monsters and TV and Films themes as well as special bonuses. Most often, they feature a series of free spins and risk games. NeonSlots features a wide selection of free games including 5-reel slots by many present-day developers.

Characteristics of 5-Reel Slots

The slots are often characterised by the number of reels that they incorporate. The number of reels has a significant impact on the gameplay. 5-reel slots feature more symbols than the three-reel slots do. This increases the number of winning combos to more than 9 million instead of a little over 15 thousand in three-reel slots.

5-reel slots contain more paylines, which is the reason why the probability of winning a reward skyrockets. Modern-day casinos would normally have slots with 20 to 25 paylines. You can often come across slots with 30, 40 or even 100 paylines. There is a separate kind of a 5-reel slot that features games with 243 or even 1,024 ways to form winning combinations. Identical symbols landing on the reels will entitle you to a reward.

The developers are offering more bonuses by providing more symbols and paylines:

  • Special symbols (the Wild, the Scatter and Bonus symbols)
  • Free spins and re-spins
  • Interactive bonus games that often come with several levels

5-reel slots These often feature a detailed interface with good graphics thanks to the new technologies. The slots may feature various themes: from fruits and Ancient Egypt to space travel and from fantasy to detective stories, etc.

History of 5-Reel Slots

The first 5-reel slots emerged in 1891. New-York-based Sittman and Pitt company released a 5-reel slot that had 50 playing cards. Rewards were paid for poker hands. This slot machine has become the predecessor of modern-day video poker.

The brainchild by Sittman and Pitt was not that popular due to the complex system of calculating the winnings. At the same time, three-reel slots by Charles Fey had gained popularity almost instantly thanks to their simplicity.

It wasn´t until after the mid-70s that 5-reel slots gained popularity. The first video slot was developed by Fortune Coin (which was later merged with IGT). A Sony TV monitor was used for displaying the 5-reel slot.

The first video slot with a bonus game was Reel ‘Em designed by WMS Industries Inc. and released in 1996. A second window would pop up each time the bonus round was launched, which paid some extra rewards. This is when the slots started making 70% profits for the casinos and taking up more and more space in the gambling halls.

Starting in the mid-90's, 5-reel slots have taken over the Internet. Computer technologies have enabled the expansion of themes, the ability to design some unusual game screens and added even more extra bonuses.

The Most Popular 5-Reel Slots

5-reel slots are so popular and diverse nowadays that it makes it hard to name the most popular ones. Each theme has its own admirers.

Progressive 5-reel slots are preferred most often because they offer the chance to hit a big jackpot. Slots based on famous movies or ones that feature uncommon mechanics of gameplay are pretty popular as well. 

Below is a list of the most popular 5-reel slots:

  • Mega Moolah by Microgaming
  • Mega Fortune by NetEnt
  • Book of Ra by Greentube
  • Game of Thrones by Microgaming
  • Gonzo’s Quest by NetEnt

Mega Moolah by Microgaming is a 5-reel slot about wild Africa that comes with 25 paylines. Progressive jackpots often exceed 1 million Euros. You can get a chance to win one of the four jackpots of different sizes. The winnings in the slot have often been entered into the Guinness Book of Records. The slot was released in December 2006.

Mega Fortune by NetEnt is a slot that comes with 5 reels and 25 paylines themed to a luxurious lifestyle. This slot competes with Mega Moolah by offering a high amount of progressive jackpots. It features three jackpots of different sizes. The slot also gives you a chance to earn a series of free spins with a quintupled multiplier for your winnings. The slot was released in January 2009.

Book of Ra by Greentube has become the most popular slot themed to Egypt. Released in 2005, this 5-reel slot has had many sequels and has been cloned by other developers. Depending on the version, it can come with either 9 or 10 paylines. The slot gives you a chance to win 50,000 credits for five pictures of a gentleman in a hat.

Game of Thrones by Microgaming is a 5-reel slot themed to the famous Game of Thrones franchise. The slot lets you earn some free spins with various multipliers and an instant bonus. By joining the risk game, you have a chance to travel to four different locations. The highest payout for five thrones is 3,000 credits.

Gonzo’s Quest by NetEnt is a slot featured to Spanish conquerors, which comes with 5 reels and 20 paylines. The slot features the three-in-a-row option — this is when the winning symbols disappear and new ones drop from above. If new symbols produce a winning combo, your winnings will increase several times. The maximum multiplier is earned for five silver idols and reaches 37,500.

Developers of 5-Reel Slot Machines

All modern-day developers have had their focus on the 5-reel slots. Among the most popular developers of these slots we can list such companies as:

  • Aristocrat
  • Betsoft
  • 1x2 Gaming
  • EGT
  • IGT
  • Microgaming
  • NetEnt
  • NextGen
  • Greentube
  • Play'n GO
  • Playtech
  • WMS

The slots by these developers are the most popular ones among players and you can come across them in many online casinos. Each studio features its own characteristics.

For example, NetEnt offers colourful low variance slots. Microgaming often released unusual slots that do not always resemble the modern prototypes. Greentube is valued for its high variance slots, even though the graphics may often seem obsolete.

Summary

5-reel slots are the most popular on the gaming software platforms today. The slots feature multiple plots, diverse gameplay and bonuses. You can choose a slot to your taste: by the level of variance, by the desired theme, by payouts or by the bonuses that the slot has available. Play the best 5-reel slots in fully licensed and legal online casinos and enjoy real money winnings.