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WHAT ARE LIGHTNING LINK POKIES & HOW TO PLAY CASINOS IN AUSTRALIA

By Kendall Jenkins on 2021-05-06 08:59:00

Lightning Link is a slot series released by Aristocrat that offers gamblers a chance at four jackpots. The Class III set has sixteen titles under its umbrella so far, and they kicked off with four original titles:

  • Happy Lantern – features an Asian theme with turtles, lanterns, lucky cats, dragons, firecrackers, and Chinese emperors as symbols.

  • Magic Pearl – has an underwater theme and includes starfish, turtles, mermaids, treasure chests, pearls, and dolphins.

  • Sahara Gold – exploits Arabian culture and features belly dancers, pyramids, camels, scorpions, and palaces as icons.

  • High Stakes Las Vegas – showcases the high life of Sin City with characters like roulette wheels, showgirls, sports cards, royal flush cards, and poker chips.

Aristocrat added to the collection after these releases' major success, including Tiki Fire, Dragon's Riches, Heart Throb, and Moon Race. Even with the different themes and symbols used in the games, Lightning Link pokies are similar in their core. The games' main goal is to land one of four progressive jackpots in the Hold and Spin feature.

Slots Gameplay

Lightning Link Slots have a standard gameplay procedure similar to that of all other Aristocrat pokies. The coin denominations used for bets vary depending on the number of bet lines used to activate winning combinations. For fifty play lines, the value stands at one or two pennies. Slots with 25 paylines raise the stakes to five or ten pennies. Five lines have the highest coin denomination of one or two dollars. The best can go as high as 200 dollars in a single round, supporting both low and high rollers.

Regular icon wins activate when three to five similar items land on a bet line from right to left. The paytable displays the values and varies depending on the Lightning Link Slot being played. These wins can be accompanied by various bonus features, including;

  • Wild – this icon can play any other where there is a chance of activating a winning combination. It usually does not appear in the paytable and is only valuable as part of another character's combo.

  • Stacked wilds – some wilds cover an entire reel to increase the chances of activating a winning combo, like the emperor in the Lightning Link: Happy Lanterns Slot.

  • Richer Reels – some pokies eliminate the regular poker face card symbols, leaving only the high value and bonus ones on the grid.

  • Free spins – three or more scatters trigger the freebies in Lightning Link slots. In the Happy Lanterns pokie, it is denoted by a dragon head. The freebies can be reactivated if the characters appear again.

Jackpot Bonuses

All Lightning Link slot machines have four progressive jackpots: Mini, Minor, Major, and Grand. Mini is the smallest of them, and Grand is the largest. The Mini and Minor pots offer wins of $1000 and $5000 respectively. Major and Grand are the only progressive pots, and the former has a seed value of $5000 while the latter's is $100,000. 

Lightning Link Slots award these prizes in the Hold & Spin feature that activates when six bonus icons appear. The symbols remain on the grid while the rest exit the screen. Players are awarded three free spins during which the tiles without characters spin while the rest are held in place. When a new bonus icon lands on the grid, the number of spins is reset to three. The boon ends when the freebies deplete, or the grid is filled with the bonus items.

These characters have different values between 1x and 100x the total stake. The icons can also hold the Mini, Minor, or Major pots. When the feature halts, all the displayed prizes are added together and awarded. The Grand Jackpot activates when all fifteen grid spots are covered in symbols. The displayed values are gifted as well.

Players can also land the Hold & Spin feature when three scatters appear on the grid. Usually, punters have to choose from one of two items to either activate free spins or the Hold & Spin bonus. This time, the feature starts with a blank grid and three spins. The spins reset when a bonus symbol covers any tile.

Playing in Australian Casinos

Aristocrat is the dominant provider of gaming machines in Australian brick and mortar casinos. Therefore, it is no surprise that Lightning Link Slots are easy to find in nearly all gambling destinations around the country in one form or another. Some tips that come in handy when playing these games in casinos are;

  • Check the casino validity

Like online casinos, location-based gambling dens vary in their reputation. If you are familiar with gambling circles, ask around about people's experiences with different gambling dens to determine which one will appreciate your business best. You can also sift through the internet to read reviews and see whether the establishments hold the necessary permits to offer gambling services.

  • Choose an ideal set

Aristocrat has sixteen titles in the Lightning Link Slot series. The provided games fall under different theme categories with varying symbols, paylines, coin denominations, and bonus features. Choose the one that resonates with your desires to make the most of the experience.

  • Have a sizeable bankroll

Lightning Link Slots often rank as medium to high variance games. This payout range means they are likely to offer moderate to high payouts but on average to rare occasions. Having a decent betting amount allows you to survive the losing streaks long enough to see decent wins rolling in.

  • Manage your bets

Even with a huge bankroll, ensure that you manage your stakes to last as long as possible while exploiting the highest payout values. If you have a huge bankroll, place the highest bet possible to get the best winnings. If it is small, use the lowest stakes to ensure you play many rounds.

  • Save any winnings

If you are lucky enough to collect payouts that exceed your starting balance, set them aside. For instance, if you started playing with $1000 and end up with $3000, save the extra $2000 and continue playing with the original $1000. That way, even if you end up losing the second time around, you still have an extra $1000 in your pocket.

The Bottom Line

Lightning Links Slots have significantly penetrated the Australian gambling market, and it is not difficult to see why. The games offer a chance at big wins accompanied by numerous theme choices, wide bet limits, and exciting bonus features.

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