Last updated: 13-07-2026
Starburst is the pokie most AU punters meet first, usually through a welcome bonus free spins offer — it's the most widely used title in casino promotions locally, and there's a reason for that. Released back in 2012, it's low volatility, 96.09% RTP, and built around a single mechanic instead of a scatter-triggered bonus round. No free spins feature exists at all — everything happens through expanding wild re-spins.
Bet range is narrow, A$0.10 to A$10, which caps its appeal for high rollers but suits exactly the casual, budget-conscious session it's designed for. Graphics haven't been updated since 2012, and it shows next to newer Pragmatic Play or BGaming releases — but the simplicity is arguably the point.
How does the expanding wild re-spin sequence work?
The 5x3 grid runs 10 fixed paylines with both-ways-pay — symbols pay left-to-right and right-to-left simultaneously, which effectively doubles winning opportunities compared to a standard one-direction pokie. When the Starburst gem wild lands on reel 2, 3, or 4, it expands to fill the entire reel and locks in place for one re-spin. Land a second wild during that re-spin and you trigger another re-spin, with a maximum of three re-spins and up to three locked expanded wilds possible in a single sequence.
The 5,000x max win requires all three wilds landing simultaneously across reels 2, 3, and 4 — a genuinely rare event given the low volatility design. There's no scatter symbol, no separate bonus game, and no multipliers anywhere in the mechanic. Every bit of excitement comes from whether that wild re-spin chain extends or stops after one.
| Parameter | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| RTP | 96.09% | Consistent across most operators |
| Volatility | Low | Frequent small wins by design |
| Max win | 5,000x | Requires 3 simultaneous expanded wilds |
| Bet range | A$0.10 – A$10 | Narrow range, not built for high rollers |
| Free spins | None | No scatter, no bonus round, no multipliers |
| Max re-spins | 3 | Chained by consecutive wild landings |
| Bonus buy | Not available | No feature-buy option on this title |
| Demo mode | Available | No registration required |
Starburst, or one of its higher-volatility sequels?
If you find Starburst too gentle after a few sessions, NetEnt built two direct follow-ups worth knowing about. Starburst XXXtreme (2021) steps up to medium-high volatility with a 16,800x max win. Starburst Galaxy (2024) goes further still — high volatility, avalanche-style wins, and a 25,000x ceiling. Neither is available on this page, but both exist as a natural progression if the original's low-volatility, no-bonus-round format starts to feel too flat.
For a casual AU punter working with a A$50–A$100 session budget, though, the original Starburst does exactly what it's built to do — stretch that budget across a long session without the rapid swings a Very High volatility title like Gates of Olympus or Sugar Rush would introduce. That's precisely why it remains the most common free spins bonus pokie in AU welcome offers.
Author's tip from Ryan Gallagher, Online Casino Reviewer: "If a welcome bonus hands you free spins on Starburst, don't expect a life-changing outcome from them. Low volatility means those spins are there to demonstrate the mechanic, not to chase the 5,000x ceiling."
Starburst is 18+ like every game on Level Up. Its low volatility and narrow bet range make it a genuinely low-pressure option for beginners or casual sessions — demo mode is available if you want to see the wild re-spin sequence before playing for real money.
