Lucky 88 POKIE

Lucky 88 Pokie Review

This 5-reel 25-line pokie from Aristocrat is abundant with features and is themed around China and lucky number 8. The pokie has decent graphics and reasonable bet sizes and its key highlight is an Extra Choice side bet that widens bonus choices and elevates your winning opportunities. Lucky 88 has a very potent and generous wild symbol with a random multiplier that reaches an incredible x88. Free spins are available in four selectable modes, with up to 25 spins and the aforementioned multiplier. Besides, you can try your luck in an immersive dice game and win a pocketful of money.

Number 8 is very welcome in China because it is believed to attract fortune and prosperity. Interestingly, Chinese people want to see this number when they are about to buy a license plate, make an appointment on a specific date or buy a telephone number. Anyway, the reviewed pokie has lots of references to number 8: the paytable is flooded with 8s, the wild has a multiplier of x88 and so on. The pokie has a strong Chinese touch played out in its symbols and two clusters of red firecrackers hung to the right and left of the reels. After every spin, the firecrackers explode and reveal a multiplier that would apply to wild combinations, if any.

Yes, of course, playing card icons come into the picture. They are represented in the values from 9 through Ace and they pay out x2 to x68 a line bet. Other symbols depict a red drum (x78), a pagoda (x78), a winged statue (x88), a heron (x88) and a golden lion statue (x88). The figures in brackets indicate the multiplier applied to a line bet if five of the same symbols stop on an active payline. In dollar terms, the max payline win that consists of only regular pictures is $440.

Extra Choice bet

The pokie has 25 lines and you can choose to bet on fewer lines, if desired. A line bet is adjusted from $0.01 to $5 so the minimum and maximum bets are $0.25 and $125 accordingly. In addition, the pokie features an Extra Choice side bet that can be activated by pressing a triangular button at the bottom right corner of the game. Clicking (tapping) it adds 5 coins to your initial bet so if you play at max, the total bet would equal $150 per spin. By activating Extra Choice, you enhance free game features and increase your chances of winning big.

Wild symbol with random multipliers

A smiling man (an emperor or a magician) is a wild that substitutes for all regular icons. Along with substitution, the wild has two clear benefits that merit detailed consideration:

1. Two or more wilds collected on an enabled line pay out x8 to x888 or $4440 at max
2. All winning combos where a wild substitutes are subject to a random wild multiplier of x2 to x88. Suppose you have wagered $125 and get four Lions plus one wild at a x88 multiplier. Your ultimate win will be $5 (the line bet) x 88 (normal value for 5 lions) x 88 (random wild multiplier) = $38,720.

Free spins

Free spins may start randomly at any time in the base game. Alternatively, the feature is triggered by 3 or more Red Lantern scatters located in any position. The manner in which free spins are played depends on whether you have activated Extra Choice or not. In case you have, you get four options to choose from:

1. 4 free spins and a wild multiplier of x88
2. 8 free spins and x18 or x88
3. 15 free spins and x8 or x38
4. 25 free spins and x5 or x18.

The said multipliers are only applicable to the wins where the wild symbol substitutes.

If you play without Extra Choice activated, the pokie invites you to pick any of the three modes:

1. 3 free spins and a wild multiplier of x18 or x88
2. 10 free spins and x8 or x38
3. 20 free spins and x5 or x18.

Dice feature

Playing with Extra Choice on, you can also select the Dice mini-game instead of free spins. If Extra Choice is off, no bonus selection is offered. Once started, eight dice are thrown and every roll with number “8” awards a random coin prize. The feature completes after three rolls.

Bottom line

Lucky 88 is a feature-packed game that would suit all betting budgets. A five-coin side bet spurs the gameplay by adding more bonus features and can finally culminate in very big wins.