Jingle Balls slot review
NoLimit City released Jingle Balls in December 2023. The slot has six reels, with a 3-3-4-4-5-5 formation, and with reels 5 and 6 locked in the base game. It’s got an RTP of 96.10%, high volatility, and up to 614,656 ways to win.
Jingle Balls has eight bonus features, including three kinds of Wilds, three variations of free spins, and a few others. Dive into my Jingle Balls slot review to learn about what Santa’s been up to.
Highlights
Jingle Balls slot review summary
NoLimit City takes Christmas into its own hands and reveals that the classic characters you’ve always known have always been on the naughty list. The lewd illustration style is almost cartoon/comic book-like, with a lot of not very subtle perversions.
The slot includes well-timed voice-over comments from Santa and some simple but effective animations. It’s funny and festive in its own way, but this slot is more than its design choices.
Jingle Balls is stuffed with bonus features from beginning to end, with three kinds of Wild, three free spins variations, multipliers, and a few other details. Before starting any free spins round, you’ll go through a setup spin, where the main character and their assigned multiplier are chosen for the round.
Besides the bonus features, Jingle Balls has a varying RTP that starts out at 96.10% during the base game, but can increase to 96.36% depending on which bonus features you’re working with. The slot has a maximum win of 12,250x your bet, and can reach up to 614,656 ways to win.
Pros
3 free spins modes
96.10%-96.36% RTP
Max win of 12,250x
Cons
High min bet of $0.20
Bonus features not ideal for new players
Low average payouts
Jingle Balls comprehensive review
My Jingle Balls slot review covers everything you need to know before getting started. I cover the Jingle Balls slot RTP, its volatility, all the bonus features, and even the different symbols and their payouts. Plus, at the end of this review, I break down the basics you need to know to start playing.
RTP and volatility
The Jingle Balls slot has a base game RTP of 96.10% with high volatility. When different bonus features are enabled, the RTP varies:
- Wish Upon A Star Booster: 96.22%
- 3 Scatter Spirit Spins feature buy: 96.18%
- 4 Scatter Spirit Spins feature buy: 96.27%
- 5 Scatter Spirit Spins feature buy: 96.36%
- Lucky Draw feature: 96.33%
The grid has six reels, but reels 5 and 6 are locked during the main game. They can be unlocked with specific bonus features. The base game reel setup is 3-3-4-4-5-5. In bonus mode, this changes to 5-5-4-4-3-3.
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| RTP | 96.10% |
| Maximum win | 12,250x |
| Number of paylines | 614,656 |
| Volatility | High |
The Jingle Balls slot can have up to 614,656 ways to win, but the default base game has a minimum of 144 ways.
A six-reel grid is always interesting, and I liked the approach of having reels 5 and 6 locked. It just adds something innovative and fresh to a format that’s often the same.
It also means that when those two reels are unlocked and are in play, that spin becomes more interesting, creating a much more dynamic game, adding additional win lines, and the hope of a bigger win.
You do however need to manage your expectations. While those reels can be unlocked, they’re often locked for most of the base game, meaning you’re playing with a 3-3-4-4 formation and a minimum of 144 ways to win. Not bad technically, but don’t forget this is a high volatility slot, so wins don’t hit as often as you might expect.
Bonus features
Jingle Balls comes with eight bonus features, ranging from free spins to multipliers and different kinds of Wilds. Plus, you can always call on the bonus buy feature to trigger a feature instantly.
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Bonus features | Wilds, Scatters, xWAYS, xNUDGE Wild, xSPLIT Wild, Free spins, Multipliers |
| Top features | Wilds |
| Jackpot | N/A |
Wish Upon A Star
This feature is activated by clicking the bell that sits under the second reel. You can press the bell again to switch it off. When the Wish Upon A Star feature is active, you can increase your chances of landing scatter symbols by increasing your base bet with +50%. This increases your chances of triggering the Spirit Spins bonus.
With the Wish Upon A Star feature, you’re also guaranteed to get one scatter symbol on the second reel, which unlocks reel 5 for that spin.
xWAYS
The xWAYS symbol, which is a red and yellow Christmas cracker, can land on reels 1 and 2 during the base game. In the Spirit Spins bonus mode, the symbol can land on reels 5 and 6. When this symbol lands on the reels, it pops open to reveal a random symbol. If there’s more than one xWAYS symbol, they’ll all reveal the same symbol.
The xWAYS symbol expands to fill two symbol positions, and comes with a multiplier of x2 or x3. If it’s split by an xSplit Wild, the xWAYS multiplier value is doubled.
xSPLIT WILDS and WILDS
Regular Wild symbols can land on all reels. They can substitute for any paying symbol.
The xSPLIT Wilds can land on reels 5 and 6 during the main game, and reels 1 and 2 during the Spirit Spins bonus mode. xSPLIT Wilds will split all the symbols to the left and right of a similar row height, creating doubles of those symbols. This increases the number of ways to win. If a symbol is split more than once, it’s displayed with a multiplier.
When an xSPLIT Wild splits an xWAYS symbol, the xWAYS symbol multiplier is doubled with every split. If the xSPLIT cuts through a scatter symbol, the scatter is transformed into an expanding Wild, which fills the entire reel. This doesn’t happen during Spirit Spins.
The xSPLIT Wilds convert into two regular Wilds after landing on the reels, and can be split again by another xSPLIT Wild.
xNUDGE WILD
The xNUDGE Wild can land on reels 3 and 4 during the main game and the Spirit Spins bonus mode. This is a stacked Wild symbol that fills the entire reel with a Christmas tree, followed by four Wild red baubles. Every nudge releases a Wild bauble and adds a Wild multiplier.
If a part of the xNUDGE Wild symbol lands on the reels, it will begin to nudge up and down until it takes over the entire reel. If an xSPLIT Wild splits and xNUDGE, it will add one more Wild to the reel.
Scatter
This is the golden Christmas tree star symbol. It can land on any reel except for reel 1. Three or more scatter symbols will trigger the Spirit Spins bonus game. Four scatter symbols trigger Spirit Spins: All Aboard, and landing five will trigger Spirit Spins: Double Joy. In the latter mode, all symbol win multipliers will be doubled.
In the base game, a scatter symbol can only be split by an xSPLIT Wild if the Spirit Spins haven’t been triggered. When a scatter symbol is split, it becomes an expanded Wild, but doesn’t include a multiplier, like the xNUDGE Wild.
Spirit Spins
Spirit Spins is the free spins bonus round in Jingle Balls. When this feature is triggered, the first phase is the setup spin. This spin features the four high-paying symbol characters, sitting in a dark red light, while the setup spin determines how many free spins are awarded, and what multiplier is attached to each of the four characters.
Then, one of the character symbols is chosen randomly to be the symbol with the active multiplier for the free spins round. If four or more scatter symbols triggered the free spins round, all four of the characters will be activated with their multipliers for the free spins round. If five scatters triggered the Spirit Spins bonus, then the multipliers will be doubled during the setup spin and during the free spins.
During the Spirit Spins bonus mode, the top reel can award an additional multiplier value for the active character symbol. In Spirit Spins and Spirit Spins: All Aboard, the additional multipliers can be +1x, +2x, or double the current collected multiplier value.
In Spirit Spins: Double Joy, a +2x, +4x, or double the current multiplier value can be randomly awarded. Any additional multipliers remain for the rest of the free spins.
Collecting additional scatter symbols during the free spins round will award extra free spins. Landing three scatter symbols during free spins can also upgrade a regular Spirit Spins round to Spirit Spins: All Aboard mode.
Bonus Buy
Apart from the Wish Upon A Star feature, you can also use the bonus buy feature to trigger Spirit Spins, Spirit Spins: All Aboard, Spirit Spins: Double Joy, and Spirit Spins: Lucky Draw. The costs are as follows:
- Spirit Spins – 60x your current bet
- Spirit Spins: All Aboard – 270x your current bet
- Spirit Spins: Double Joy – 486x your current bet
- Spirit Spins: Lucky Draw – 187.20x your current bet
The bonus features do feel a bit complicated, and they happen often and quickly, with one often triggering another. For that reason, I feel this slot is better suited for more experienced players, or players who enjoy slot games where the bonus features are the main event.
Jingle Balls goes hard on bonus features, which are mainly variations of Wilds and free spins. The Spirit Spins take time to get used to because of the variations, but after a few attempts, it becomes much clearer. Another slot that loves its bonus features is Reactoonz 2, which brings in cascading reels and massive symbols that take up nine symbol positions, but it’s missing a free spins round.
I like the Wish Upon A Star bonus buy feature, too. It’s really easy to switch on and off, and it produces results instantly, even if that’s just one scatter to open up reel 5.
Symbols and paytable
Jingle Balls has 10 paying symbols. The five lower-paying symbols are all suspiciously shaped presents that are vibrantly gift-wrapped. The five high-paying symbols are the main character symbols: Rudolph, Groucho, Justin the Elf, Granny, and Santa.
The two lowest-paying symbols, the green and blue presents, award the same payout values. Three symbols on a bet of $1 will award $0.15. Five of a kind will pay out $0.75, and six symbols will pay out $2. The next three symbols all pay out a little bit more, with the round yellow present symbol awarding $3 for six symbols.
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Theme | Christmas |
| Reel layout | 3-3-4-4-5-5 / 5-5-4-4-3-3 |
| Highest paying symbol | Santa |
| Adjustable paylines | No |
| Visuals | Dark, lewd |
| Sound | Good |
| Mobile quality | Good |
Rudolph and Groucho are the middle-of-the-road symbols. Rudolph awards $0.35 for three symbols and Groucho $0.40. Both symbols will pay out $1.25 for five symbols and $4 for six. The highest-paying symbol in the game is Santa. For three symbols on a bet of $1, you’ll get a payout of $0.75. Landing five symbols will give you $4, and landing six symbols will award a payout of $6.
Playing on the maximum bet of $200 means landing six Santa symbols pays out $1,200. The maximum payout on Jingle Balls is 12,250x your bet.
Jingle Balls isn’t the best when it comes to average payouts. Three of the lowest-paying symbols award just $0.15 for a bet of $1. Compare that with Christmas Krampus, which awards $0.50 for the same bet value. And five symbols will pay out as much as $10, but in Jingle Balls, five symbols won’t even pay out a dollar.
Considering the maximum bet can reach $200, the maximum payouts need to be questioned, too. Six Santas awarding $1,200 sounds good, but when you look at Christmas Krampus again, the highest payout it can give is $4,000 on a bet of $20.
How to play the Jingle Balls slot
To start playing, press the spin button on the right of the game window. Above it, there’s the bonus buy symbol, which opens up the features you can trigger. Below it, there’s the autoplay button and the quick spin button.
In autoplay, you need to choose the number of autospins you want to play. This starts with a minimum of 10 and can reach a maximum of 1,000. You can also enter a specific win value to stop the autospins. You can also choose to stop autospins when you win or lose a certain percentage amount. The loss percentages are 0%, 50%, and 75%. The win percentages are 150%, 200%, and 500%.
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Min bet | $0.2 |
| Max bet | $200 |
| Autoplay | Available |
| Turbo mode | Available |
| Game history | Available |
On the left of the game window, there are the bet button, mute button, and paytable button. To change your bet, press the bet button and choose one of the options presented. The betting options are $0.20, $0.40, $0.60, $0.80, $1, $1.60, $2, $2.80, $3.20, $3.60, $4, $5, $6, $8, $10, $16, $20, $24, $32, $40, $60, $80, $100, $160, and $200.
Casinos where you can play the Jingle Balls slot
If Santa’s naughty list is for you, you might want to give Jingle Balls a shot. These are some top online casinos I recommend trying out for NoLimit City’s Jingle Balls:
| Casino Logo | Rating | Bonus | Go-to-casino button | Show more | T&C |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1
|
88/100
Expert rating
by Paul P.
92%
Playscore
based on
|
$20 Bonus Dollars + 100% up to $1,000
|
Play now players accepted |
|
Visit Borgata.com for Terms and Conditions. 21+ years of age or older to wager. NJ only. All promotions are subject to qualification and eligibility requirements. Rewards issued as non-withdrawable site credit, unless otherwise provided in the applicable Terms. Please Gamble Responsibly. Gambling Problem? 1-800-GAMBLER. |
2
|
89/100
Expert rating
by Paul P.
91%
Playscore
based on
|
100% up to $1,000 + $25 On The House
|
Play now players accepted |
|
Visit BetMGM.com for Terms and Conditions. 21+ years of age or older to wager. MI, NJ, PA or WV only. Excludes Michigan Disassociated Persons. All promotions are subject to qualification and eligibility requirements. Rewards issued as non-withdrawable site credit, unless otherwise provided in the applicable Terms. Please Gamble Responsibly. Gambling Problem? 1-800-270-7117 for confidential help (MI), 1-800-GAMBLER (NJ, PA & WV). |
3
|
94/100
Expert rating
by Sophie P.
85%
Playscore
based on
|
Up to $1,000 Lossback in Casino Bonus after your first 24 hours
|
Play now players accepted |
|
Offered by Seminole Hard Rock Digital, LLC. All Rewards issued as non-withdrawable site credits. 24-hour Lossback period starts when player makes first cash wager on slots only. Up to $1,000 back in casino bonus if player has net loss on slots after first 24 hours. Casino Bonus credit has a 1x wager requirement and expires after 14 days. NJ Only. Bet with your head not over it. GAMBLING PROBLEM? CALL 1-800-GAMBLER |
1
|
94/100
Expert rating
by Sophie P.
85%
Playscore
based on
|
50,000 Gold Coins + 1 Sweepstakes Coin
|
Play now players accepted |
|
|
2
|
94/100
Expert rating
by Sophie P.
81%
Playscore
based on
|
50,000 Gold Coins + 1 Sweeps Coin
|
Play now players accepted |
|
|
3
|
94/100
Expert rating
by Paul P.
91%
Playscore
based on
|
1.5 million WOW Coins + 35 free Sweepstakes Coins
|
Play now players accepted |
|
|
4
|
93/100
Expert rating
by Sophie P.
79%
Playscore
based on
|
50,000 Gold Coins + 1 Sweeps Coin
|
Play now players accepted |
|
|
5
|
89/100
Expert rating
by Paul P.
89%
Playscore
based on
|
Up to 650,000 Gold Coins + 1,400 Fortune Coins
|
Play now players accepted |
|
|
6
|
89/100
Expert rating
by Paul P.
81%
Playscore
based on
|
10,000 Gold Coins + 2 Sweeps Coins
|
Play now players accepted |
|
|
7
|
89/100
Expert rating
by Paul P.
79%
Playscore
based on
|
25,000 Gold Coins + 2.5 Spree Coins
|
Play now players accepted |
|
|
8
|
89/100
Expert rating
by Paul P.
87%
Playscore
based on
|
Up to 120,000 Gold Coins + 10 Sweeps Coins
|
Play now players accepted |
|
|
9
|
89/100
Expert rating
by Vule P.
79%
Playscore
based on
|
500 Gold Coins + 3 FREE Sweeps Coins
|
Play now players accepted |
|
|
10
|
89/100
Expert rating
by Sophie P.
77%
Playscore
based on
|
50,000 Gold Coins + 1 Sweeps Coin
|
Play now players accepted |
|
Expert verdict
Jingle Balls is not for the faint-hearted, nor is it for inexperienced players. There are a lot of moving parts here that might make a greener player feel out of their depth.
While the RTP is very player-friendly, this is still a high volatility slot, so wins are infrequent. They can pack a punch when there’s a big win, but the average payouts on Jingle Balls are nothing to write home about. There’s always the chance of draining your bankroll if your wins aren’t enough to sustain it.
Although the Jingle Balls slot has a maximum win of 12,250x your bet, its average payouts are on the small side, with the low-paying symbols not even paying out a dollar for five symbols on a bet of $1.
The bonus features are a big attraction for players who love innovative, fast-moving features. The free spins are not your regular free spins, with three Spirit Spins variations, including active characters and growing multipliers. It keeps players on their toes and keeps the game moving.
High-stakes players, who love bonus features and a twisted Christmas, this slot’s for you.
FAQs
What is Jingle Balls’ slot RTP?
The Jingle Balls slot RTP varies depending on which bonus feature is in play; however, the RTP for the base game is 96.10%.
What is the maximum win potential in the Jingle Balls slot?
The Jingle Balls slot has a maximum payout potential of 12,250x your bet.
Does the Jingle Balls slot have a buy feature?
Yes, Jingle Balls has a bonus buy feature. This allows you to buy any of the Spirit Spins variations and the Wish Upon A Star feature.
How do I trigger free spins on Jingle Balls?
Free spins, called Spirit Spins, are triggered when three or more scatter symbols land on the reels. There are three variations of Spirit Spins.
How many reels are active in the base game on Jingle Balls?
Jingle Balls has a six-reel grid, but during the base game, the fifth and sixth reels are locked. They can be unlocked when scatters land on the reels. The base game reel setup is 3-3-4-4-5-5. This is flipped in the Spirit Spins rounds to 5-5-4-4-3-3.
