When I first started gambling I really enjoyed the thrill of a suspense reel or anticipation spin. I loved seeing those two bonus icons lock in and watching the remaining reels spin by in anticipation of landing the elusive bonus.
If you’re a gambler, you probably understand that even when a suspense reel is underway, there isn’t always a guaranteed bonus at the end of the rainbow.
Now that I’m a “seasoned” gambler, I’m pretty much over the anticipation spins because I know that more often than not, they won’t hit. My mindset, either better or worse, has evolved into “give me the bonus or don’t and let’s keep it moving.”
With this style of gaming in mind, read on below for some of my favorite games that tip you off when a bonus or big win is incoming, without any false alarms.
Fu Dai Lian Lian
Let’s start the list off with a fan favorite, Fu Dai Lian Lian, also known as “the bag game.” Chances are, you’ve probably taken this game for a spin, hoping for the three bags to whirl around and start a bonus.
Something that you might not be aware of is the game will let you know if the bags are going to grow or trigger a bonus. Take a look at the lights that line the sides of the cabinet and watch for them to send a “spark” up to the top. The spark will travel to the top of the cabinet and will either make a bag grow OR spin. Want to know which it will be? Watch the color of the lights for your answer.
Double Money Link
This has been one of my newer favorites for the past couple of months. Like Brian Christopher says, in this game we’re really hoping for a “shakey shakey.” This is when the screen of the game will shake, perhaps more of a rumble, and the spin will feel like it’s taking forever. Once the spin is finally over, you’ll be delighted to see one of the bonus options locked in place. This can get particularly exciting when you experiment with higher denominations and get a shake on one of the first spins.
Here’s a shakey shakey example from TheBigPayback:
Monopoly Hot Shot
Who doesn’t love when a cute dog gets involved in a bonus tell? Granted, in Monopoly Hot Shot it’s a digital dog but the cuteness is paired with the chance to win big in the bonus feature. For this one, Scotty can run across the screen and bring with him the bonus. From there, you’re off to try your luck navigating around the nostalgic board game.
Here’s an example from TheBigPayback:
Wheel of Fortune High Roller
There are a few Wheel of Fortune slot machine iterations that feature a bonus tell. The one that I’m specifically referencing is Wheel of Fortune High Roller. In this game you get the bonus by either connecting the pointers to the bonus columns at the top of the screen or by the grace of Vanna White.
After pressing the spin button, Vanna can appear in a circular frame and say some words of encouragement before unveiling a bonus feature. You can see this in action below from a Brian Christopher video:
