Starburst Pokie Review

Starburst is a 5-reel, 3-row pokie with 10 fixed paylines that pay both left-to-right and right-to-left. That means every winning combination can be read from either direction, effectively doubling your chances on each spin.

NetEnt released it in 2012, and it's been a staple in online casinos ever since. The theme is space and gems, rendered in a bright, arcade-style presentation that still holds up. There are no free spins or bonus rounds – the action is built around the wild symbol and respins.

The game's simplicity is part of its appeal. You set your bet, spin, and the features trigger on their own. It's a low-volatility pokie, so wins come frequently but tend to be modest. The hit frequency sits around 23%, meaning roughly one in four spins lands something.

To play Starburst, set your bet using the plus and minus buttons in the bet selector. The minimum is $0.10 and the maximum is $100 per spin. The game uses a 5x3 layout with 10 fixed paylines that pay both left-to-right and right-to-left, so winning combinations are read from either direction. The paytable and game information are available via the info or paytable button, usually next to the spin button. Once you've chosen your stake, press the spin button to start. There is no ante bet or bonus buy feature, so each spin costs exactly the amount you set. The controls are straightforward, making it easy to adjust your bet between spins.

Starburst's low volatility means it pays out often but in smaller amounts. For a $50 session, a sensible bet is around $0.50 to $1 per spin. That gives you 50 to 100 spins, enough to ride out the natural ups and downs. For a $200 session, you can comfortably bet $2 to $5 per spin, giving you 40 to 100 spins.

There's no bonus buy or ante bet in Starburst, so you can't pay extra to trigger features. Each spin costs exactly what you set. No betting system – like martingale or progressive staking – changes the RTP. The game's maths stays the same regardless of how you bet.

The maximum win of 500x your stake means a $1 bet could return $500, but that's a rare outcome. Low volatility means you'll see frequent small wins, not huge ones. Keep that in mind when sizing your bets.

The Starburst Wild is the core feature. It appears on reels 2, 3, and 4 only. When it lands, it expands to cover the entire reel and locks in place. You then get a respin with that wild locked.

If another wild lands during the respin, it also expands and locks, and you get another respin. This can continue up to three respins in a row, with all wilds staying locked.

Because paylines pay both ways, a wild on reel 3 can help form wins in both directions. For example, if you have matching symbols on reel 1 and reel 2, and a wild expands on reel 3, that's a win left-to-right. If you also have matching symbols on reel 4 and reel 5, the same wild helps form a second win right-to-left.

The respins end when no new wild lands. There are no free spins or bonus buy – the wild respins are the only feature.

Starburst's default RTP is 96.09%. NetEnt also offers a range of RTP versions, from 90.05% up to 99.06%. The official netent.com page lists 96.08%.

A lower RTP version directly affects your expected return. At 90.05%, for every $100 wagered, you'd expect to get back $90.05 on average. At 96.09%, that's $96.09. The difference is about $6 per $100 wagered.

The maximum win is 500 times your stake. If you bet $1, that's $500. If you bet $5, it's $2,500.

Before you play, check the RTP version in the game's info panel – it can vary by casino, and you want to know what you're getting.

The demo version of Starburst uses play credits but operates with the same maths and RTP version as the real-money build at the casino you open it in. A demo session is useful for getting a feel for the game's low volatility—wins land frequently, around 23% of spins, but are modest. You can test how bet sizes from $0.10 to $100 affect the pace of your bankroll, and see how often the expanding wild triggers on reels 2–4. With real AUD, bets are actual money and limits matter, so the demo helps you decide on a comfortable stake before committing.

You can play Starburst at Skycrown Lucky Dreams, which offers it in AUD. There's also a demo mode available so you can try the game for free before betting real money.

When you play for real money, check the RTP version in the game's info panel to see which one is active.

Remember to play responsibly. If gambling stops being fun, call Gambling Help Online on 1800 858 858.

Dead or Alive 2 — Both are NetEnt pokies, but Dead or Alive 2 is very high volatility with a max win of 111,111x and features free spins modes with sticky wilds and multipliers. Starburst is low volatility with a simpler expanding wild respin feature.

9 Masks of Fire — Both have a 5x3 layout and a relatively simple structure, but 9 Masks of Fire is medium volatility with a max win of 2,000x and includes mask scatter cash prizes and a free spins wheel. Starburst focuses on expanding wilds and respins.