This guide to Extra Chilli examines the RTP, free spins and UK stake limit of the slot, drawing from the help sheet and Big Time Gaming's official game page. That small print is often ignored by most reviews. Keep in mind that these rules come from the provider and can differ across game versions, so the help screen in the version you open is the definitive source.
The fundamental details are explained well in other places. Extra Chilli is a Big Time Gaming six-reel Megaways slot themed around a Mexican market. It offers up to 117,649 ways to win, reacting (cascading) wins, and free spins started by HOT Scatters, which include a gamble.
The RTP figures, and which one to trust
Big Time Gaming's official page lists the RTP as 96.15%–96.41%. Such a range usually indicates that the game is available in several configurations.
The retrieved help-sheet provides different figures: 96.42% Overall RTP and 96.54% Bonus Buy RTP. Both are just outside the range published by the provider. The provider's page is the official source, so treat 96.15%–96.41% as the range Big Time Gaming stands behind. The numbers on the help-sheet probably relate to one specific build. In practice, check the RTP displayed in the help screen of the version you are playing.
Review sites give conflicting maximum-win and RTP figures. A volatility rating or a maximum win isn't stated on the help-sheet or the provider's page. The help-sheet also mentions nothing about what happens if a win cap is reached or how such a cap is applied. Treat any figure you see for either as unconfirmed.
How wins and reactions are paid
- Wins run left to right across consecutive reels. The height of symbols is irrelevant.
- Only the highest win counts per combination, with the totals of all winning combinations on a spin summed.
- The extra reel moves horizontally, placing one symbol underneath reels 2–5.
- Winning symbols react and disappear, though Scatters do not. New symbols drop from the top on the main reels and move in from the right on the extra reel. This can produce more wins from the same paid spin.
HOT Scatters and retriggers
On the main reels only, Scatters land during the base game, never appearing on the extra reel:
- Three Scatters grant eight Free Spins.
- Each additional Scatter provides four more. Four Scatters result in 12 spins, five result in 16, and so on.
This changes during Free Spins. Scatters appear only on the extra reel:
- Three grant four extra spins.
- Four grant eight.
The stake that triggered the feature is used to play it. Starting at 1, the win multiplier increases by 1 following every reaction. Big Time Gaming describes it as unlimited, and the help sheet mentions no upper limit. After the spins finish, the total is displayed and credited, and normal play continues.
The Free Spins Gamble, in plain words
You can either take your present prize or gamble it before the spins begin. The guidelines aren't as harsh as "double or nothing":
- Winning grants four additional Free Spins and lets you gamble again.
- Losing doesn't always result in nothing. You get the amount displayed in black on the wheel. The feature only stops if that figure is zero.
- The probabilities get better after the initial gamble. Big Time Gaming states that the first gamble is a 50/50 split and every subsequent gamble is weighted 60/40 in your favour.
- The limit is 24 spins. Your spins are secured during the second-to-last gamble, meaning the final stage cannot remove them.
So a player holding eight spins makes the most risky choice first. Every following stage has better odds, and the last stage is safe. Check the black number on the wheel before tapping. It shows you precisely what you'll have left if you lose.
The bonus buy and the UK stake cap
Feature Drop is the name Big Time Gaming gives to its buy option, which they say allows you to start the feature whenever you want. According to the help sheet, the cost is eight Free Spins for 40 times the Free Spins Stake. That stake can be changed, and the cost is taken directly from your balance. The help sheet also mentions that the buy might be restricted or not available depending on the jurisdiction.
In Great Britain, online slots are legal but subject to a stake cap. For people aged 25 and above, the cap is £5 per game cycle, while it is £2 for those aged 18–24. Because the price of a feature buy is considered a stake, the 40x cost has to stay within the cap.
As an example, a Free Spins Stake of £0.20 results in a buy cost of £8, which is over both caps and cannot be played. To fit the purchase, the Free Spins Stake would need to be 12.5p or less for someone over 25, or 5p or less for an 18–24-year-old. The help sheet doesn't confirm if the buy is offered in a British version.
These same caps limit the normal stake range. Regardless of what the game shows, you can't stake more than £5 per spin, or £2 if you're 18–24.
What Great Britain rules switch off
| Help-sheet or standard feature | In Great Britain |
|---|---|
| Autoplay | Not available. Each game cycle needs its own commitment (RTS 8A) |
| Turbo, quick spin, slam stop | Not available (RTS 14E) |
| Win sounds and animations on returns equal to or below the stake | Not allowed (RTS 14F) |
| Spin pace | At least 2.5 seconds between the start of one paid cycle and the next. Free spins with no extra stake are exempt (RTS 14) |
The celebration rule is relevant for a cascading game. A spin that yields reactions equal to or less than your stake isn't shown as a win.
If a spin is interrupted
The help sheet explains how unfinished play is settled:
- The incomplete spin is repeated if a problem occurs or the game freezes mid-spin. The result appears the next time you start the game.
- Incomplete games resolve automatically after 30 minutes, with any winnings added to your account. You don't need to rush back to collect them if your connection drops during Free Spins.
- A system malfunction voids all pays and plays. That clause is standard, meaning a result from a genuine fault won't stand.
Set a budget and a time limit first and stick to them if you play. Extra Chilli is for adults only, like every slot.