This Big Bass Day At The Races review scrutinizes the latest slot in a popular series. Gone are the rods, lures and lines as our familiar fisherman friend dons his tweeds for a trip to the track. He’s hoping to land a lucky bet worth 10,000x.
Pragmatic Play and Reel Kingdom certainly have form in the book, but will this latest effort prove a winner? Find out in our comprehensive review.
| Software Provider | Pragmatic Play |
| Release Date | March 2024 |
| RTP | 96.07% |
| Volatility | High |
| Max Win | 10,000x |
| Reels x Rows | 5 x 3 |
| Minimum – Maximum Bet | $0.10 - $250 |
| Number of Paylines | 10 |
| Themes | Horse Racing |
Big Bass Day At The Races Details, RTP and Volatility
Launched in March 2024, this 5x3 slot offers just ten fixed paylines. A high-volatility affair, there’s a maximum potential payout of 10,000x per spin up for grabs, in addition to a solid 96.07% RTP. However, some casinos offer lower rates of 95.08% and 94.05%.
Ideal for casual players and newcomers, you can spin the reels from just $0.10 per play. However, high-rollers are also welcome, with a maximum bet of $250 on offer.
Theme & Graphics in Big Bass Day At The Races
Apparently, the fisherman from Pragmatic Play’s iconic series of bass-themed slots likes a flutter on the sport of kings. In this March 2024 release, he’s trading nets for bets, enjoying a day off at a racetrack. The funky, bluegrass-inspired music suggests the venue might be Churchill Downs in Kentucky, the home of US racing.
In all honesty, it looks like the developer has run out of ideas for new slots in the series, and calling this game Big Bass is a bit of a stretch. Other than the familiar bearded angler, there is nothing to do with fish in this horse-racing themed game.
Still, it works as a concept, but it makes you wonder where the fisherman will turn up in the next release. The poker table? A casino? Maybe he’ll be the next James Bond?
Big Bass Day At The Races Slot Features
This section of our Big Bass Day At The Races review deals with the game’s various features and mechanics.
Regular Symbols
Five lower-value playing card icons return anywhere from 0.2x to 10x when matching three, four or five on a payline. In addition, four more regular symbols exist, all of which are race day essentials.
The binoculars and beer symbols pay 50x, 10x and 2x each, while the picnic hamper returns 100x, 15x and 3x. Finally, the most-rewarding symbol is the champagne bucket. 200x awaits for collecting five of these.
Wilds
The fisherman serves as the wild, though he’s demoted simply to “Man” in this release. He helps to create wins on all five reels by substituting for any of the nine regular symbols.
Scatters
Gone is the familiar bass scatter from this series, replaced by the angler-turned-jockey on horseback. This symbol can appear on any reel, and three or more triggers the free spins bonus.
Money Symbol
The money symbol concept returns, but you’ll see a variety of race horses instead of fish. These can land on any reel, containing values ranging from 0.2x to 1,000x your total bet
Unlike older versions, they don’t pay when matching at least three on a payline. However, after any spin, there’s a random chance that all visible values are gathered up and awarded. Should that happen, a multiplier of between 1x and 50x is also applied.
Free Spins
Perhaps the most important part of this Big Bass Day At The Races review, let’s break down how the game’s bonus round works. First of all, landing three or more scatters triggers ten free spins.
During the bonus round, every fourth Man wild collected retriggers the feature with ten more spins. However, a multiplier is also applied, starting from 2x and eventually reaching 50x. Activating the bonus with four or five scatters begins the round with one or two Man wilds already collected.
Random Features
If Man wilds appear during the bonus, but there are no money symbols, one of two random features could trigger. The first sees money symbols thrown onto the reels and collected, while the second is the Stampede! feature. This switches all regular symbols on the reels for new ones.
Should money symbols land without a Man wild, a lasso could randomly appear, hooking a reel and hauling a wild into view. This lasso can also show up at the end of any individual spin, dragging wilds and money symbols into play.
Horse Selections
Before the free spins begin, you’ll choose horses from the racecard. These randomly determine which in-game modifiers will apply:
- More free spins. Start the bonus with additional spins. Six is the highest possible figure.
- Fixed horse. This guarantees the appearance of a money symbol. Three horses is the maximum awarded.
- Collected wilds. Up to three Man wilds can be added before the game begins.
- Remove lowest horse. This eliminates the 2x money symbol, followed by the 5x.
Ante Bet
To increase the odds of triggering the free spins bonus, toggle the Ante Bet switch. However, you’ll pay 50% extra per spin if this feature is enabled.
Buy Free Spins
Can’t back a winner? Guarantee access to the feature by clicking the rectangular button to the left of the reels. This costs 100x your bet.
How to Play Big Bass Day At The Races Online
Like most slots in the Big Bass series, Day At The Races is easy to play. First, use the plus and minus symbols below the reels to set a bet size. Then tap the circular arrows to play, or set up to 1,000 spins using the “Autoplay” button.
To win, drop at least three matching symbols onto any of the game’s 10 paylines, from left to right. The champagne bucket is the exception, as you’ll only require two.
Try the Big Bass Day At The Races Demo for Free before playing for real money
Don’t race off to any real money casinos right out of the gate. Pace yourself and take the time to learn how this slot works, before risking your hard-earned cash. Play our free Big Bass Day At The Races demonstration game first.
Big Bass Day At The Races Review – Our Final Verdict
As a big fan of horse racing, I was looking forward to this one. In that regard, I wasn’t disappointed, particularly enjoying the horse selection game prior to free spins. There are some witty names, including some good racing puns, and it’s a fun way to choose the modifiers.
However, you can’t ignore that the gameplay is identical to Big Bass Amazon Xtreme. Although the theme is different, literally everything else is faithfully reproduced, from the RTP and volatility, to the bonus game mechanics and maximum payout. That leaves me wondering where else this franchise can go next.
Overlooking the fact that this slot is a simple reskin, it is highly entertaining. If you’re new to the Big Bass series, or a fan of horse racing, you’re sure to love it. There’s a lot going on, but not so much as to be confusing. While the betting limits cover a wide enough range to appeal to everyone.
Similar Slot Games
If you like our Big Bass Day At The Races demo, these similar slots have also shown good form.
- Fishin' Frenzy The Big Catch Megaways: A dynamic 95.02% RTP fishing-themed slot from Blueprint Gaming’s popular series.
- Big Bass Bonanza: This 5x3 angling-themed slot with an RTP of 96.71% spawned a hugely successful collection of Pragmatic Play spin-offs.
- Scudamore's Super Stakes: NetEnt’s volatile racing-themed slot is inspired by legendary jumps jockey Peter Scudamore, boasting an RTP of 96.99%.
