Play Starburst Slot

Starburst is a space-themed online slot developed by NetEnt and originally released in 2012. It is played on five reels and three rows, with ten fixed paylines that can form winning combinations from both the left and right sides of the grid.

The game is built around a straightforward set of features, including its Win Both Ways mechanic and expanding Starburst Wilds. When a wild appears on one of the three middle reels, it expands across the reel and awards a respin.

Starburst does not contain a traditional Free Spins bonus round. Instead, its main feature is the possibility of receiving consecutive respins when additional expanding wilds appear.

NetEnt’s current developer listing gives Starburst a maximum payout of up to 800x the bet. Before publishing, confirm that the information displayed within the talkSPORT BET version matches the developer’s current listing.

Win Both Ways

Starburst uses ten fixed paylines that pay in both directions.

This means a qualifying symbol combination can begin from either the leftmost reel or the rightmost reel. Symbols must still appear on consecutive reels along one of the active paylines.

Win Both Ways does not guarantee more frequent wins on an individual session. It simply allows the game to evaluate qualifying combinations from both sides of the grid.

Starburst Expanding Wild

The colourful Starburst symbol is the game’s wild.

It appears on reels two, three and four and substitutes for the standard paying symbols. When it lands, it expands vertically until it covers the entire reel and awards a respin.

Wild symbols cannot appear on the first or fifth reels.

Starburst Respins

Every expanding Starburst Wild awards a respin.

During the respin, there is another opportunity for a wild to appear on one of the remaining middle reels. Any additional Starburst Wild that lands can expand and award another respin.

The respin sequence ends when no further expanding wild is triggered.

Starburst Symbols

The Starburst paytable combines colourful gemstone symbols with classic casino imagery.

Lower-value symbols include:

• Purple gemstone
• Blue gemstone
• Red gemstone
• Green gemstone
• Yellow gemstone

The higher-value symbols are:

• Golden BAR
• Red 7

The Starburst symbol acts as the wild and is responsible for triggering the expanding-wild and respin feature. NetEnt describes the red 7 and golden BAR as the game’s highest-value standard symbols.

Starburst Slot Review

Starburst is intentionally simpler than many modern online slots. It does not contain a bonus-buy mechanic, progressive jackpot or traditional Free Spins round.

Its gameplay instead centres on the ten Win Both Ways paylines and the expanding wild respins. This makes the feature set easy to understand without requiring players to follow several different bonus mechanics.

The visual design uses coloured gemstones, golden BAR symbols and red 7s against a space-themed background. Its soundtrack and presentation have remained closely associated with the original game since its release in 2012.

Players looking for a more feature-heavy version of the Starburst theme may prefer one of the later games in the series, while the original remains focused on its core wild and respin mechanics.

Does Starburst Have Free Spins?

Starburst does not have a traditional Free Spins bonus round.

The game instead awards respins whenever a Starburst Wild appears on one of the three middle reels and expands to cover the full reel.

Additional wilds can result in further respins, but these are part of the Expanding Wild feature rather than a separate Free Spins mode.

Starburst's charm is in the balance it strikes. The visuals are genuinely gorgeous, all glistening gems against a deep-space backdrop, paired with that hypnotic synth soundtrack. But underneath the sparkle is a slot that just works. The low volatility delivers regular wins to keep sessions ticking along, the win-both-ways system keeps every spin interesting, and the expanding wild re-spins provide those little jolts of excitement. It is fast, it is simple, and it is endlessly replayable, which is exactly why it has stayed a UK favourite for over a decade.

Getting started with Starburst at talkSPORT BET could not be simpler. Here is how it works:

1. Set your bet. Adjust the coin value and bet level using the controls at the bottom of the screen. Both feed into your total stake per spin, which can run from 10p up to £100.
2. Spin the reels. Hit the spin button and watch the gems tumble across the five reels. Autoplay is available if you would rather let a set number of spins run.
3. Watch for the wilds. The Starburst Wild is the symbol you want. It only lands on reels 2, 3, and 4, and when it does it expands to fill the whole reel and triggers a re-spin.
4. Bank your wins. Winning combinations pay out instantly, and because of the win-both-ways system, they can form in either direction across the paylines.

A quick reminder before you spin. Starburst is a game of chance and outcomes are unpredictable, so play within your means. The talkSPORT BET Safer Gambling Portal is always there if you want to set deposit limits, time-outs, or product restrictions.

Keep an eye out for offers and other promotions on our casino bonus offers page that could give your playtime a potential extra boost. Remember, these offers are subject to terms and conditions, so ensure you are fully informed before opting in.

If you enjoy Starburst, the talkSPORT BET lobby is full of similar cosmic and classic-style slots worth a spin:

• Starburst XXXtreme is the high-octane sequel, keeping the cosmic theme but cranking up the volatility with XXXtreme Spins and multiplier wilds for a much bigger 200,000x max win.
• Twin Spin Megaways is another NetEnt classic, blending the retro vibe with the Megaways engine.

Starburst sits at the top of the talkSPORT BET rankings as one of the top NetEnt slots, joining the studio's wider catalogue alongside Gonzo's Quest, Twin Spin, and the rest of NetEnt's classic library.