The Nudge Feature in Online Slots: What It Is and How It Works

John Bonello

Updated by John Bonello

Content Editor

Lee James Gwilliam

Fact Checked by Lee James Gwilliam

Senior Vice-President

Last Updated 23rd Jun 2025, 12:51 PM

Warning! Nudges are on the rise in your area. Have you fallen foul of a Nudge? Does your partner suffer from Nudge addiction? Are your neighbors acting suspiciously like they may be harboring a fugitive Nudge? If you’re unsure or maybe 60% sure, continue reading this all-new online slot guide to the Nudge Feature.

Inside this life-saving guide, you will learn about the Nudge feature in online slots, what it is, how it works, and where you can safely get your hands on it. This is an 18+ guide for adults only, as this guide may cause overstimulation from gentle Nudges.

Slots That Love to Nudge You Just Right

Outsourced Game Logo
Software Provider Nolimit City Logo
RTP 96.08%
Volatility High
Maximum Win 1400000
Nudge Feature Icon Yes
Knights of the Golden Egg Game Logo
Software Provider Games Global Logo
RTP 96.24%
Volatility High
Maximum Win 225000
Nudge Feature Icon Yes
Dragon Hopper Game Logo
Software Provider Push Gaming Logo
RTP 96.33%
Volatility High
Maximum Win 1000000
Nudge Feature Icon Yes
More Unusual Suspects Game Logo
Software Provider Games Global Logo
RTP 96.06%
Volatility Medium
Maximum Win 120000
Nudge Feature Icon Yes
Mental Game Logo
Software Provider Nolimit City Logo
RTP 96.08%
Volatility High
Maximum Win 4666620
Nudge Feature Icon Yes

Albert Slotstein Quantum Reels Retreat, Mirage Mountains Chief Slot Scientist & Volatility Field Tester

Nudges are the slot’s quiet provocateurs. They hint, suggest, almost whisper a win into being. Sometimes they deliver gloriously. Other times? Just missed magic. But that’s the brilliance: a single reel tremor turns routine spins into edge-of-seat events. Not guaranteed, never dull. The reel gods merely tilt the odds, not your fortune.

What’s a Nudge? Let’s Break It Down

After mere minutes of study by men and lower-paid females in white lab coats, I can reveal the Nudge. 

The Nudge is an intervention that allows the reels of a video slot to move up and down once a spin is complete. The Nudge can bring into play symbols that can produce winning outcomes or activate bonus features. The Nudge dynamic has been used in slots since they were built into casino gaming cabinets.

How the Nudge Feature Is Triggered

Let us now look at the question, ‘How does the Nudge feature work in slots?’ Yes, that is a fine-looking question. Now that we have seen it, let’s begin to answer it using our 1950s scientific brain waves.

The Nudge handles the mechanics of a full reel symbol, which can reward big and/or activate a bonus feature. Only a part of the symbol should land on the gaming grid, and it can become activated. The Nudge mechanism shifts the whole reel symbol up if it only partially appears on the bottom rows or shifts the symbol down if it only partially appears in the top rows.

The Nudge is also beneficial because it can last over several spins, meaning you get more opportunities to win from its Nudge-a-licious powers.

Why a Little Push Can Go a Long Way

The Nudge feature is a positive feature and should not scare the slot player into jumping off cliffs or into oncoming traffic. Some full reel symbols that use the Nudge feature also come with Multipliers. Each Nudge that is activated can increase the multiplier value, leading to healthy payouts once the full reel symbol is in view. 

The Nudge is also beneficial because it can last over several spins, meaning you get more opportunities to win from its Nudge-a-licious powers. You may even find yourself landing more than one full reel symbol on the grid, which then activates multiple Nudges.

A Brief History of Why the Nudge Feature in Online Slots Exists

The Nudge has been used for decades as an advantageous feature that has helped people to win money and activate features. Back in the early days, the Nudge would just move regular paying symbols up or down one space. It would be used to help complete a payline, allowing players to choose which reel to Nudge, and bring the needed symbol into view.

Today, the Nudge feature has advanced to be something a little different and typically offers much more. Examples of this change and the new way of Nudging can be seen in slots like Big Game Fishing TopHit by Reflex Gaming and True Grit Redemption by Nolimit City.

Where to Dig for Nudge-Packed Slots

If you want to play slots with Nudge feature dynamics, you’re in luck. Below is a specially crafted list made out of cheese. Here you will find the best casinos (not made from cheese) that offer you the best Nudge slots online.

Number of slots 350+
Mobile Slot Games 643
Slot Providers 30+
Mobile Slot Providers 7
Must be 21+ to participate. Reveal up to 50 Spins on 10 separate days out of the next 20 when you sign up and deposit a minimum of $10. Offer is only available to customers who register their account after 07:00 AM ET on February 20, 2025. Max. prize, time limits, game restrictions and T&Cs apply. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER
Number of slots 1112
Mobile Slot Games 1112
Slot Providers 10+
Mobile Slot Providers 7
Bonus Money Has a 1x Playthrough After Entering Deposit Code.
Number of slots 2000+
Mobile Slot Games 1008
Slot Providers 15+
Mobile Slot Providers 13
Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER (MI/NJ/PA/WV), or visit www.1800gambler.net (WV). 21+. Physically present in MI/NJ/PA/WV. Void in CT/ONT. Eligibility restrictions apply. New customers only. Must opt-in to each offer. LOSSBACK: Min. net loss of $5 on eligible games to earn 100% of net losses back for 24 hours following opt-in. Max. $1,000 issued in Casino Credits for select games. SPINS: Min. $5 in wagers req. Max. 350 Casino Spins for featured game. $0.11+ per spin. Game availability may vary. Rewards are non-withdrawable and expire in 7 days (168 hours). Terms: casino.draftkings.com/promos. Ends 6/15/25 at 11:59 PM ET. Sponsored by DK.

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John Bonello
John Bonello
Content Editor Content Editor

With a passion for words, John is always thinking about what to write next. He has over 12 years of experience working with online content and as an Editor at Casinos.com, John makes sure that readers get the latest and most accurate information about the online gambling industry.

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