Buffalo King slot review

Buffalo King slot overview: prairie theme, big grid

Buffalo King belongs to a well-established type of slot: a North American plains theme, a wide grid, and a free spins round built around multiplying wilds. The premium symbols are North American wildlife, with the buffalo as the top payer, while card ranks fill the lower end of the paytable. The backdrop is open country under a wide sky, and a dedicated bonus symbol acts as the scatter.

Pragmatic Play released it in 2020, and it became one of the studio's best-known titles alongside Wolf Gold. It later gained a Megaways follow-up, Buffalo King Megaways, which keeps the theme but changes the maths.

How 4,096 ways to win actually pay

Six reels of four rows give 4 × 4 × 4 × 4 × 4 × 4 = 4,096 possible paths across the grid. Instead of fixed lines, a win needs the same symbol on adjacent reels starting from the leftmost reel, in any row. Our ways to win entry explains the idea in general; here's how it works with numbers.

If the paytable lists a three-buffalo win at a given amount per way, this spin pays that amount six times. Wilds count as any paying symbol, so a wild on reel 4 in the example would have extended the chain and multiplied the ways again. This is why ways games can produce a surprisingly large win from a screen that looks messy. Our guide to paylines vs ways compares the two systems in more depth.

How to play Buffalo King

1. Check the RTP on the game's information screen; 96.06% is the default, but lower versions exist.
2. Choose your total bet. All 4,096 ways are always active, so the bet you set is the full cost per spin.
3. Keep to the UK maximum of £5 a spin if you're 25 or over, or £2 if you're 18 to 24.
4. Spin manually; UK versions have no autoplay, no turbo and a minimum spin time of 2.5 seconds.
5. Land three or more bonus scatters to trigger free spins.

Buffalo King free spins and multiplying wilds

Three to six scatter symbols award between 8 and 100 free spins, with more scatters meaning more spins. The developer doesn't list the exact award for each count on its game page, so check the paytable in the game for the full table.

Wild multipliers

During free spins, every wild that lands carries a multiplier of 2x, 3x or 5x. When a winning way passes through more than one wild, their multipliers combine, which is how a modest buffalo win can turn into a large one. The game's rules screen explains exactly how they're combined; Pragmatic Play describes them as stacking.

Retriggers

Landing scatters during the round adds more spins. Pragmatic Play says two to six scatters in free spins award between 5 and 100 extra. Long rounds are possible, but most bonus rounds end without a large retrigger.

Wild multipliers only apply in free spins. In the base game, wilds substitute but don't multiply, which is one reason the base game can feel flat.

Buffalo King RTP and volatility in real terms

A 96.06% default RTP means the theoretical return is £96.06 per £100 staked, a house edge of 3.94%. That's slightly below the 96.5% you'll see on many newer Pragmatic Play slots. Combine it with high volatility and you get a game where long losing runs are normal and the return depends heavily on a few strong bonus rounds.

If you're choosing between Buffalo King and a higher-RTP game, our high RTP slots list shows the alternatives.

The 93,750x max win: what it means

The headline max win of 93,750 times the stake works out at £9,375 on a 10p spin and £468,750 at the £5 maximum. It's achievable only in theory: it needs top buffalo wins across many ways, passing through several high-multiplier wilds, probably in a long retriggered round. Pragmatic Play doesn't publish the odds, and the realistic picture for almost every player is a game that pays most of its return through far smaller bonuses. Casinos may also set their own maximum payout limit in their terms.

UK rules and the Buffalo King demo

In Great Britain you can't buy the free spins, autoplay is switched off, and the game shows your net position as you play. Demo play is available on licensed sites once you've passed age verification. Our UK slot rules guide covers every restriction, and our free slots page explains how demos work.

Buffalo King vs similar animal slots

Buffalo King has the highest RTP of the three fixed 4,096-ways games in the table. For a closer look at its stablemate, see Wolf Gold vs Buffalo King, and for the whole theme, our buffalo slots page.

Buffalo King pros, cons and who it suits

Buffalo King suits patient players who like classic animal themes and accept long dry runs in exchange for a bonus that can multiply heavily. Players who want steadier sessions may prefer Wolf Gold's medium volatility.

Where to play Buffalo King in the UK

Buffalo King is a Pragmatic Play title, so look for it in the provider filter at the UKGC-licensed sites below and check the RTP in the game first. Coral gives 100 spins at 10p on selected slots after you bet £10 (no wagering on winnings), Ladbrokes gives up to 500, and Casumo offers a 50% match up to £100 with 10x wagering. 18+, terms apply.

18+. Gambling should be entertainment that costs money, not a way to make it. Set a deposit limit before you play: how to set limits. Free, confidential help: National Gambling Helpline 0808 8020 133.