Lucky 88 Slot Review

If you’re feeling lucky, it might be time to reach for the stars with Lucky 88. Developed by Aristocrat, this slot has everything an avid bettor might want: two bonus games, high RTP, plenty of paying symbols, and great graphics.

Lucky 88 is pretty old, but this doesn’t stop it from providing gameplay that rivals modern slot titles being released today. 

But, is Lucky 88 the right slot for you? After all, Aristocrat has produced dozens of well-paying slots that are very entertaining. To answer this question, we’re going to take a deep dive into everything that lucky 88 offers. 

We’ll look at their RTP, symbols, themes, and even bonus features. Then, hopefully by the end of our review, you’ll know whether or not Lucky 88 is for you.

Lucky 88 Overview

Lucky 88 is a Chinese-themed slot developed by Aristocrat. Despite being released in 2008, the slot remains a classic at many online casinos. 

RTP and Variance

Lucky 88 has an RTP of 97% and a medium-high variance. Lucky 88’s RTP of 97% means that, for every $10,000 wagered in the long run, you can expect to win back around $9,700.

Considering that most slots have an RTP of 96%, this puts Lucky 88 above the average pay rate of most online slots. 

However, RTP shouldn’t be used as the sole way of determining how much you’ll be paid whenever you play a slot. Luck always plays a factor in how much you win and RTP is moreso a way to project payouts in the long run than in the short run.

In the short run, you could easily hit a jackpot and win more than what the RTP says you’ll win. Similarly, you could go on a cold streak, causing you to lose more than expected.

Rather, it’s better to use RTP as a way to compare payouts between slots. Slots with higher RTPs tend to have more payout opportunities than slots with lower RTPs.

Lucky 88’s medium-high variance means that there’s more risk than usual whenever you play the slot machine. To offset this, Lucky 88 offers higher payouts than most slots.

For reference, low-volatility slots have little-to-no risk, meaning that you’ll consistently hit paylines. This is set with smaller payouts that are lower than what you would see at Lucky 88.

Wager Limits

Lucky 88 has a minimum bet of $0.30 and a maximum bet of $60. This is a pretty large range, but we’ve seen larger. Nevertheless,  Lucky 88 can accommodate a wide range of playstyle. You can play with your coins close to you or you can bet the maximum everytime and hope you land a high-paying symbol.

Since Lucky 88 doesn’t have as high of a maximum bet as other slots, we recommend looking at other slots if you’re a high-roller. However, if you’re someone who likes to play casually, Lucky 88 offers a great range of bets that you can choose from that won’t break the bank. 

Themes and Graphics

Lucky 88 is a Chinese-themed slot. As such, you’ll find plenty of symbols and decorations in the game that reference Chinese culture. 

The graphics are well-drawn, with most of the symbols having a painted look. While there isn’t a design in the background for you to appreciate, Lucky 88 has a red base which is synonymous with Chinese culture. (1)

How to Win at the Lucky 88 Slot

In order to win when playing the Lucky 88 slot, you’ll need to match at least three of the in-game symbols in a payline. By doing so, you’ll be paid out according to the multipliers for that symbol.

Game Rules

Before you can spin the reels, you’ll need to make a bet that is at least the minimum bet and at most the maximum bet. 

If you don’t want to manually spin each round, then you can put the game on autoplay for a certain number of spins. 

Lucky 88’s paylines are adjustable. This means that you can pick how many paylines you want to play for each game. However, we recommend going with the maximum amount since this guarantees you’ll be paid out every time you hit a payline. 

Lucky 88 Symbols and Values

Lucky 88 has thirteen different symbols that you can find when playing the slot. All thirteen symbols will pay you some type of amount if you land them on a payline, regardless of if they’re a bonus symbol or not.

The lowest-paying symbol in Lucky 88 is the “9”. This symbol will only pay out 2X your line bet for three matching symbols in a payline.

On the other hand, the highest-paying symbol is the Wild. Landing five of these in a payline will garner you an 888X multiplier on your line bet. You can also receive an extra multiplier that goes up to 88X your line bet when you win. 

For more information on the game’s symbols and their respective payouts, be sure to check out our paytable below!

Wilds

Lucky 88’s bonus symbol is the Smiling Man. The Smiling Man can replace any symbol except for the scatter. Moreover, it comes with its own winning multiplier based on the number of symbols hit as well as an additional multiplier just for hitting the wild itself. 

Scatters

The scatter symbol is the Lamp. Like the wild, the scatter symbol also pays out its players for landing scatters in a payline. However, landing three or more scatters unlocks the Free Games feature which can help you win even more money.

Lucky 88 Slot Features

Lucky 88 comes with a plethora of features that you can take advantage of whenever you play the slot. The only caveat is that most of these symbols come at a price since they’re mainly found in the bonus round. 

Whenever you land three scatters, you can choose between a free games bonus round and a dice bonus round. However, in order to be able to choose between both games, you’ll need to play the maximum number of paylines and also pay the “Extra Choice” fee.

Free Games Feature

If you choose the free games feature, you’ll need to first choose between four options:

• 25 Free Spins: 5-18X multiplier on Wild substitution wins
• 15 Free Spins: 8-38X multiplier on Wild substitution wins
• 8 Free Spins: 18-88X multiplier on Wild substitution wins
• 4 Free Spins: 88X multiplier on Wild substitution wins

Dice Feature

The dice feature can only be unlocked via three or more scatters and you must have the “Extra Choice” toggle on as well.

The dice feature starts out with 8 dice being rolled. If one or more “8” is rolled, then those dice are held and the remaining dice are rolled again. This process continues until no more “8’s” are rolled or all eight dice have the number “8” on them. 

Afterwards, a cash prize is awarded based on the number of dice rolled and the betting amount that was present before the bonus game. 

Jackpot

Unfortunately, Lucky 88 does not have a progressive jackpot nor does it have a jackpot you can win from one of the bonus games. That doesn’t mean that Lucky 88 doesn’t have a great payout, though. You can win up to 888X your line bet if you manage to land five Wilds in a payline.

This payout alone is more than most jackpots you’ll find at other online slots. 

Play Lucky 88 On a Mobile Device

Because of Lucky 88’s popularity, you can expect to find the slot title at most online casinos. Furthermore, since mobile casino gaming is becoming more popular, there’s a good chance you’ll be able to play Lucky 88 from your phone. 

All you need to do is find if your online casino offers a mobile option for their site. If they do, then all you need to do is simply boot up a mobile browser, log into the casino, click Lucky 88, and you’re good to go!

Some casinos might offer an app in the iOS or Google store. However, this is a little more complicated since restrictions can limit what the casino allows.

For example, Google Play has only just begun to allow real money casino apps in their store. For iOS, they’re less strict and you’ll find that some online casinos will offer their poker room or slots room via an app.

We recommend playing through a mobile browser since this is the route that most online casinos go. The reason being is that mobile browsers are easier to upgrade and maintain. Furthermore, they use less resources thanks to their HTML5 technology. (2)

Nevertheless, because of how popular mobile casino gaming is, you can expect just about every top online casino to be mobile compatible. Therefore, you can play Lucky 88 wherever you go, whether it’s at the park, at home, or at the library.

Overall Rating

Here at Gamblib, we like to compile our overall rating of a slot game based on four areas: user experience, game features, payouts, and sounds & visuals.

We applied these ratings to the Lucky 88 slot. That way, we can come up with a definitive ranking to help you determine whether or not you want to put your money here.

The user experience for Lucky 88 was pretty good. There wasn’t anything outstanding about it, but we couldn’t find any complaints. Everything was easy to access and there was no lag whenever we were spinning the reels.

Furthermore, the slot had indicators that helped us determine which paylines we were hitting. Overall, Aristocrat did a great job with the user experience. 

The game features were also pretty great. It was awesome that there were two in-game features to choose from. However, what was more impressive was that the in-game features both provided plenty of opportunities to win.

The “Extra Choice” tax was also pretty interesting. It added more risk to the game and kept us on our toes since we had to constantly think about the money at stake. 

Lucky 88’s payouts were alright. They weren’t anything crazy, but they weren’t terrible. All the symbols paid out pretty well according to their level and there were plenty of multipliers to take advantage of in the bonus game.

Our only wish is that there would be some type of official jackpot players can win whenever playing Lucky 88’s bonus games. 

The sounds and visuals of Lucky 88 fit the Chinese theme well. For one, aside from the standard deck-based symbols, the other symbols all had a hint of Chinese culture in them. Furthermore, we were fans of the red firecrackers that descended whenever we hit a payline.

Lucky 88’s sounds were also pretty good. Despite not having any background music to listen to, Aristocrat used themed sounds by incorporating Chinese instruments and melodies into the noises.

We definitely would’ve loved to hear some background music. But, nevertheless, Lucky 88 still does a great job with the sounds and visuals. 

Lucky 88 is an all-around solid slot that you can depend on for a great time. While they may not have a jackpot or the best graphics, Lucky 88 still provides plenty of entertainment and winnings opportunities.

Furthermore, Aristocrat incorporates the Chinese theme well. If you’re looking for a new slot to play from a dependable provider, we recommend checking out Lucky 88.

Lucky 88 FAQs

Can I play a demo version of the Lucky 88 slot?

Yes, you can play a demo version of the Lucky 88 slot here at Gamblib. We offer one of the widest selections of free onlines slots across the internet.

Where can I play the Lucky 88 slot machine for real money?

You can play the Lucky 88 slot machine for real money at any trustworthy, credible online casino.

Is it safe to play the Lucky 88 online slot?

Yes, it’s safe to play the Lucky 88 online slot as long as you’re playing the online slot at a casino that is credible.

Can I play the Lucky 88 slot game using cryptocurrency?

Yes, you can play the Lucky 88 slot using cryptocurrency. However, this largely depends on whether or not the online casino you’re playing at accepts cryptocurrency.