Big Hot Flaming Pots Slot

Order up! If you have never said that in a casino, then quite clearly you have never played the Big Hot Flaming Pots slot machine. That’s something you should probably put right at some point.

Light & Wonder started sprinkling their food-themed game over land-based casino floors in 2023, and it didn’t take long for it to start gaining recognition among players. It’s certainly eye-catching, using big, bright, colorful, bubbling pots of food to attract players.

Pots, of course, have become a solid go-to for slots manufacturers in recent years. It’s a proven way to fool players into thinking a game is ‘due’ to pay. Even when you know it means nothing, and Light & Wonder make it very clear in the game information, it’s hard to silence that little voice in your head that whispers ‘maybe.’

The psychology of the casino floor, right?

Big Hot Flaming Pots, though, is a lot more than just a bit of clever perceived progression. It’s a very good, very playable modern game that delivers something actually quite unique in my experience.

So, let’s take a bit of a closer look and see why you should be ordering up some bonuses on it as soon as possible.

The theme for the Big Hot Flaming Pots slot machine is food. More specifically, it’s Bao Zi Chinese dumplings. You know, those things that are not cooked in giant metal pots of suspiciously brightly colored boiling liquids. I suppose, though, if you are already a slots player it’s probably a bit late to be speaking out against willing suspension of disbelief given the entire industry is largely based upon it.

As well as the pots there is also a chef. There are two versions, one with a male chef and one with a female chef. As far as I have ever been able to tell, it’s just a cosmetic difference.

It’s the pots that largely dominate the screen, though. Three of them to be precise. A red one, a green one, and a purple one. They bubble, they boil, they physically grow in size the more you put in them. You know, just like your pots at home.

And what do you put in them, you might ask? Well that’s obvious, isn’t it? It’s a food-themed game with food-based symbols. So, naturally, you put coins in them – the only symbol in the game that isn’t a food.

It’s just like cooking at home, right? First you bring your magic growing pots to the boil, chuck in whatever bright green, red and purple coins you can find whilst ignoring all of the food in your kitchen, wait for the pots to close themselves, and then eat delicious Bao Zi dumplings. You know, the traditional method.

I mock, but it’s light-hearted and fun, and if I wanted to learn how to make Bao Zi dumplings I’d probably not ask a slot machine anyway.

For all I have made the Big Hot Flaming Pots slot machine sound utterly crazy, it’s actually very simple to play. Before you get too excited about that, though, the reason is that you don’t have to think about line-pays.

I mean, there are line-pays in it, but they are minuscule, even with a stacking nudging wild feature. Big Hot Flaming Pots truly is a bonus or nothing kind of game. And I don’t necessarily mind that because the bonus delivers.

There is also no free games feature. It’s all about the Hold and Spin Pot Feature. You spin, you collect coins, you try to close the pots, you enjoy the bonus. That’s pretty much it.

At a glance:

• Layout: 5×3 reels
• Denominations: Often 1c, 2c, 5c, 10c, 25c, $1
• Bet levels: 88c-$50
• 4 Progressive jackpots: Mini, Minor, Major, Grand
• Bonus feature: A Hold and Spin with a collect feature plus Expanding Wilds
• RTP: 87%-96%
• Volatility: High

The Big Hot Flaming Pots slot machine has a fun bonus. It’s a Hold and Spin, as so many are, but with a really nice twist.

Bao Zi dumplings are the "balls", and when you fill a column with them, the chef will shout ‘order up’ and you will instantly win the credit value of the column. So it’s a Collect, essentially. You can land cash values or progressive jackpot amounts on the dumplings, which can really add up.

There are two extra features that make it great, though. Firstly, unlike with other collect features, once the balls have been collected, they actually disappear from the screen. That creates more room for more to land and keep the bonus going. And it does go on, often for quite a long time.

The other thing to look out for is the G, R, A, N, and D on the top of the columns. When you get an order up in a column, the corresponding letter fills in. Fill them all in to spell out the word "GRAND", and you win the Grand Jackpot.

There are also three different types of bonuses depending on which color pot you closed. They are:

• Green: Yummy – Gives you four spins in the Hold and Spin, instead of three
• Red: Upsize – Gives you a second Hold and Spin game that you play simultaneously on a second screen.
• Purple: Spicy – Adds an additional chilli pepper symbol to the Hold and Spin that boosts the value of all the Bao Zi dumplings

If you are really lucky, though, you will close more than one pot when you trigger the bonus. If you do, you get multiple features, and that is usually where the big wins are found.

When spinning Big Hot Flaming Pots (or any slot) in a land-based casino, always slide your player rewards card into the machine first. This particular game isn’t great for recycling money and earning points, but you’d still might as well get what you can from it.

Keep one eye on the floor for your cocktail server too. In Vegas and most US casinos, free drinks flow the moment you start playing. Flash a smile, order bold and tip $3–$5 per round. I personally recommend an early $5 tip as it tends to guarantee quick waitress returns.

Some casinos, such as many of the Atlantic City ones, also now feature touchscreen drink ordering too. You’ll need to rack up enough play for the “Order Now” button to light up, but it really doesn’t take much. Still tip when it arrives, though.

I really like Big Hot Flaming Pots. I’d definitely consider it part of my regular rotation of games. It’s fun, it has character, and it has a fun bonus.

The lack of line-pays is a drawback, especially if you are looking to earn points for comps for any reason. If, for example, you need a certain number of points to renew your tier level and limited time, don’t pick this game. Pick something a lot less volatile that helps you recycle wins more.

It’s a fun game. Simple as that.