This is how to play the Starburst casino game, NetEnt's iconic slot

Ben Boland Published 18/05/2026

If you have been playing online slots for any amount of time then it is highly likely that you have encountered Starburst at some point. The iconic Starburst casino game from NetEnt launched in 2012 and, despite its age, it is still one of the finest slots ever created.

Its success means that it is highly popular and widely available at most online casinos — its enduring theme also means that it is a beloved option for streamers. Notable sequels have also been born from it: Slingo Starburst in 2020 and Starburst XXXtreme in 2021.

But one question remains: why is Starburst so popular, given that it has neither huge win potential nor extraordinary features? This guide lets you in on the slot; you’ll learn how to play Starburst, understand its gameplay mechanics, and what makes it stand out among other slots a decade-plus later.

Slot Name	Starburst
Provider	NetEnt
Launched	February 2012
Reels	5
Rows	3
Paylines	10 (fixed)
RTP	96.09%
Volatility	Low
Bonus Features	Expanding wilds, re-spin
Bet Size	$0.10 – $100

What is Starburst?

Starburst is an iconic outer space-themed slot from NetEnt that features a beautiful cosmic background and colourful jewels. The vibrant slot strikes a fine balance between simplicity and excitement, welcoming players of all types. Whether yous are a beginner or an experienced player, an old-school or modern slot lover, or even a small stake or high stake player, Starburst genuinely proves to be a slot worth your time. This is what makes Starburst an iconic selection.

NetEnt sets a game grid featuring 5 reels, 3 rows, and 10 win-both-ways paylines, an innovation that was first introduced in this game by the provider. You’ll have two modes of play at top crypto casinos like Roobet, where Starburst is available. You can demo Starburst and play for free, or you can set up an account with and play Starburst for real money. You can wager for from $0.10 a spin, with the max bet set at $100 per spin, so it is open to all budgets.

To win, you must line up 3+ symbols on a payline, and with the pay-both-ways mechanism in play, it means the symbols can line up from left to right, or right to left. On symbols, Starburst offers coloured jewels, with classic slots aesthetic of BARS and 7s also making an appearance.

The purple, blue, green, red, and yellow jewels are the low-paying symbols on Starburst, while the red lucky 7 and a gold bar are high-paying symbols. Below is a table signifying the symbol payouts:

Symbol	3 symbols	4 symbols	5 symbols
Bar	5x	20x	25x
7	2.5x	6x	12x
Yellow jewel	1x	2.5x	6x
Green jewel	0.8x	2x	5x
Red jewel	0.7x	1.5x	4x
Blue jewel	0.5x	1x	2.5x
Purple jewel	0.5x	1x	2.5x

How to Play Starburst

As we mentioned, you’ll find plenty of new online casinos that offer the Starburst slot. Whichever mode you choose, the guide to play Starburst remains the same, as follows:

Identify a Starburst online casino: Find an online casino partnering with NetEnt. You’ll be sure to find Starburst among the slots in the library. We recommend top sites like Roobet and Stake. They are also among the sites you’ll find most streamers playing at and sign-up will be straightforward.
Search for Starburst: The next step is to search for the slot. You can use the filter options, such as the search function or filtering by provider (NetEnt, in our case).
Launch Starburst slot: Tap on the game icon to launch it, and adjust your coin value through the – and + buttons at the bottom left. The bet value is between $0.10 and $100 per spin.
Tap the ‘Spin’ button: Once you pick your bet value, tap ‘Spin’ to start playing. You’ll have the option to increase the speed of your spins by enabling quick and super quick spins. And if you wish, you can stop the spins through the ‘Stop’ button.
Use the ‘Autoplay’ feature: If you wish to automate your spins, you can use the ‘Autoplay’ feature, which lets you set 5-100 automatic spins.

The ‘i’ option will display the paytable and winning bet lines, while the ‘?’ option displays a guide on how to play Starburst, including the game basics, rules, and features. As with any NetEnt slot, game rules are easy to follow and all the buttons are logical.

Starburst gameplay (image credit: NetEnt)

Starburst Bonus Features

It is not the slot with the most features, but Starburst has two main ones — Starburst wilds and re-spins. Below is an overview of both:

Starburst Wilds

The colourful, jewel-studded star is the wild symbol in the Starbust slot and can appear on reels 2, 3, and 4. These wilds will substitute for other symbols, and for any wild appearing on the reels, they expand and cover the entire reel.

Re-Spin

A re-spin is another feature on Starburst. It is offered after the wilds expand and cover the entire reel. Up to 3 Starburst wilds can appear, triggering a maximum of 3 re-spins. The re-spin round will be played with the same bet as the round activating it.

Starburst Theme, Graphics, and Sound

While it’s a slot released in 2012, Starburst remains a vibrant game, thanks to its colourful nature, sharp graphics, and soothing soundtrack that immerse you in the action. Starburst takes you on an outer space journey with a cosmic background that’s filled with colourful gems and illuminated by dazzling stars and meteors.

The graphics here are crisp and sharp for a slot that has long stayed in the industry. An electronic jazz soundtrack hits in the background, fitting the cosmic adventure vibe perfectly, and a memorable blast of sound is heard whenever you hit winning combinations.

In truth, the legendary theme and symbols are what make Starburst so special, but if you are after a more modern NetEnt release then Divine Fortune Gold is a slot with substantially more action.

Starburst RTP, Volatility, and Max Win

Starburst has a default RTP of 96.09%, which we consider marginally above average. So, for a $100 bet, for example, the average return on this slot would be $96.09 over longer sessions. It is a low-volatility slot, meaning players can expect small but frequent payouts, which makes it a great option for beginners and low-risk players. Starburst has a max payout of 500x.

For a game of this age, the stats are certainly appealing, though more modern games commonly have enhanced RTP.

Starburst Pros and Cons

The table below summarizes the pros and cons of the Starburst slot:

Pros	Cons
✅An iconic slot from NetEnt	❌Limited bonus features – sequels better
✅Simple yet exciting gameplay	❌Low maximum win
✅Quality visuals, graphics, and sounds	❌No free spins
✅Favourable bet size between $0.10 and $100
✅High RTP at 96.09%
✅Pay-both-ways mechanism
✅Widely available at casinos

Trying Starburst yourself

Starburst took the slot world by storm, and the level of intrigue attached to it has never gone away. This legendary slot strikes a fine balance of traditional and modern slots, and complements this with great visuals and soundtracks.

It might not be the slot with plenty of bonus features, but it comes with plenty of other elements that make it the complete game: from its simple gameplay, pay-both-ways mechanism, high RTP, favorable bet size, and a low volatility that caters to low-risk players and beginners. You can try this NetEnt game for yourself at the best crypto casinos like Roobet and Stake.

Image credit: NetEnt

Ben Boland

About Ben Boland

Ben is the Lead Editor at Win.gg, bringing a decade of iGaming industry experience having worked for both the operator and affiliation sides. With a formal journalism background, he is responsible for ensuring that every piece of content that we publish is relevant, accurate and well-written. In his own time, he enjoys playing video games and especially enjoys Rockstar titles, considering Red Dead Redemption 2 the finest title ever made. He has also spent a lot of time playing GTA V over the years and is fascinated by how streaming is changing the landscape of the industry.

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