Drill That Gold

Drill That Gold Slot Review

Drill deep into the mines and strike gold with Pragmatic Play’s thrilling Drill That Gold slot. Released in July 2022, this mining-themed video slot delivers an exciting combination of features, impressive payouts, and an above-average RTP of 96.49%. Whether you’re a seasoned slot enthusiast or exploring mining-themed games, this comprehensive review covers everything you need to know.

Game Overview: Drill That Gold is a 5-reel, 20 payline video slot developed by Pragmatic Play. With a maximum win potential of 5,000 times your stake and high volatility gameplay, this slot combines exciting features with genuine entertainment value that keeps players coming back for more spins.

Game Theme & Visual Design

Pragmatic Play has executed the mining theme masterfully. The game features a deep, dark mine setting illuminated only by candlelight, with occasional glints of gold nuggets scattered throughout. A central character—a miner holding two cables—plays a crucial role in the base game mechanics, adding personality and visual interest to the gameplay experience.

The visual atmosphere perfectly complements the mining narrative, creating an immersive environment that makes each spin feel meaningful and engaging. The design proves that sometimes simplicity, when executed well, resonates more powerfully than overly complex graphics.

Slot Symbols & Symbol Hierarchy

Drill That Gold features a clear symbol hierarchy that rewards players for landing premium combinations:

• Premium Symbols (High Payouts): Miner (highest), Diamond, Wooden Cart, Lantern, Pickaxe
• Standard Symbols (Medium Payouts): Ace, King, Queen, Jack, Ten
• Wild Symbol: Substitutes all symbols except Scatter symbols
• Scatter Symbol: Triggers the exciting Free Spins feature
• Special Drill Symbols: Silver Drill and Gold Drill (activate feature mechanics)

To form a winning combination, you need to land three or more identical symbols from left to right, starting from the leftmost reel. This straightforward mechanic makes gameplay accessible while the features provide genuine complexity.

Base Game Features – Mining Your Fortune

Ante Bet Feature

Before spinning, players can activate the Ante Bet feature, which increases the current bet by 25%. While this reduces RTP slightly (from 96.49% to 96.45%), it triggers a significant gameplay enhancement:

When Ante Bet is active, all Drill symbols transform into Golden Drills and guarantee an instant cash award when they land. This creates more frequent winning moments and adds genuine value for the extra stake invested.

Drill Feature

The Drill Feature represents the core excitement of base game play:

• Trigger: Landing a full stack of Miner symbols on any reel
• Effect: The entire reel transforms into a Silver Drill symbol (Wild)
• Reward: Instant cash prize of 2x, 5x, 10x, 15x, 25x, 50x, 75x, or 100x your stake

This feature creates regular opportunities for significant base game wins, preventing the gameplay from becoming monotonous between bonus triggers.

Spin Modifiers

At the conclusion of each non-winning base game spin, Drill That Gold offers a chance to trigger one of two valuable Spin Modifiers:

• Modifier 1: Transforms the non-winning outcome into a guaranteed win of at least 10x your current bet
• Modifier 2: Awards the critical 3+ Scatter symbols needed to trigger the Free Spins feature

These modifiers provide genuine excitement and demonstrate Pragmatic Play’s intention to deliver frequent winning moments throughout the base game.

Free Spins Feature – The Main Event

Triggering Free Spins

Landing Scatter symbols across any position triggers the Free Spins feature with the following rewards:

• 3 Scatter Symbols: 6 Free Spins
• 4 Scatter Symbols: 8 Free Spins
• 5 Scatter Symbols: 10 Free Spins

Enhanced Free Spins Gameplay

During Free Spins, a new Drill symbol enters the game alongside the existing Silver and Gold Drills. When any Drill symbol lands and expands into a Wild, it reveals a significantly increased cash prize:

• Prize Range: 5x, 10x, 15x, 25x, 50x, 75x, 100x, 200x, 500x, or 1,000x your stake

Additionally, when Miner symbols appear, the reel nudges up or down and transforms into a stacked Gold or Silver Drill, maintaining the feature’s excitement throughout.

Extending Free Spins

Scatter symbols during Free Spins don’t end the feature—they extend it:

• 2 Scatters: +4 Additional Free Spins
• 3 Scatters: +6 Additional Free Spins
• 4 Scatters: +8 Additional Free Spins
• 5 Scatters: +10 Additional Free Spins

Important Note: The Free Spins feature concludes when the 5,000x maximum win capacity is reached. Any remaining spins are forfeited, but at that point, you’ve already struck the jackpot.

Game Verdict – Our Honest Opinion

The Mining Theme Is a Winner: Pragmatic Play has executed the mining theme exceptionally well. While mining slots are relatively common, Drill That Gold stands out through thoughtful design and immersive atmosphere. The dark, candlelit mine setting creates genuine ambiance without sacrificing clarity or gameplay.

Features Deliver Entertainment: The Ante Bet feature, Drill Feature, and Spin Modifiers work in concert to create frequent winning moments. These aren’t just cosmetic additions—they genuinely enhance the gameplay experience and provide real value, especially the Spin Modifiers that prevent extended dry spells.

Free Spins Offer Potential: While the Free Spins feature maintains the same mechanics as the base game, the increased cash prize amounts and extended spin possibilities make this round genuinely exciting. Landing multiple Drill symbols during Free Spins creates the potential for substantial wins.

Statistics Support the Gameplay: An RTP of 96.49% is above industry average, and the maximum win potential of 5,000x provides genuine excitement for high-volatility enthusiasts. The Ante Bet option (reducing RTP to 96.45%) provides choice without feeling exploitative.

Final Recommendation: Drill That Gold successfully mines the depths of engaging slot gameplay. Whether you’re drawn to the mining theme, appreciate Pragmatic Play’s execution, or seek a high-volatility slot with genuine feature depth, this game delivers. We find ourselves digging again and again, happy to get our hands dirty in pursuit of the entertaining features and exciting potential wins Drill That Gold provides.

Overall Rating: 7.8/10 – A well-executed mining adventure that combines theme, features, and statistics into a compelling slot experience.

Frequently Asked Questions

• How do you trigger free spins in Drill That Gold?

  Landing 3, 4, or 5 Scatter symbols in any position triggers 6, 8, or 10 Free Spins respectively. Additional Scatter symbols during Free Spins extend the feature with +4, +6, +8, or +10 additional spins.
• What is the maximum win in Drill That Gold?

  The maximum win is 5,000 times your stake, achievable during the Free Spins feature through accumulating cash prizes from multiple Drill symbol expansions.
• What is the RTP of Drill That Gold?

  Drill That Gold has a Return to Player (RTP) of 96.49% in the base game, which is considered above average. With Ante Bet activated, the RTP is 96.45%, still excellent for the enhanced gameplay experience.
• How many reels and paylines does Drill That Gold have?

  Drill That Gold features 5 reels with 20 fixed paylines, providing consistent winning opportunities on every spin with flexible bet amounts.
• Does Drill That Gold have a bonus buy feature?

  No, Drill That Gold does not include a bonus buy feature. Free Spins must be triggered naturally through landing Scatter symbols or through the Spin Modifier feature during base game play.
• What is the volatility level of Drill That Gold?

  Drill That Gold has High volatility, meaning it offers larger payouts but with less frequent wins. This makes it suitable for players with adequate bankrolls who enjoy the thrill of pursuing bigger prizes.
• When was Drill That Gold released?

  Drill That Gold was released in July 2022 by Pragmatic Play as part of their 2022 portfolio of slot releases.
• What is the betting range for Drill That Gold?

  The minimum bet is £/€0.20 per spin (£/€0.25 with Ante Bet), and the maximum bet is £/€100 per spin (£/€125 with Ante Bet), providing flexibility for all bankroll sizes.