Some slots whisper; 8 Dragons roars.

Released by Pragmatic Play, this Asian-themed slot throws stacked symbols, roaming Wilds, and fiery multipliers at you.

It’s a game built around momentum: when the Wilds stack up, wins can snowball fast. When they don’t, the volatility reminds you who’s really in charge.

Below, we break down exactly how 8 Dragons works, what makes it dangerous (in a good way), and whether it’s worth stepping into the dragon’s lair.

What is 8 Dragons all about?

The 8 Dragons slot is themed around traditional Chinese imagery: dragons, koi fish, gold ingots, lucky coins, and jade-style card symbols.

Gameplay-wise, 8 Dragons is a 5-reel, 3-row slot with 20 paylines. The game mechanics are simple, which makes this slot a suitable choice even for beginners.

Experienced gamblers will not be disappointed either. While this might not be a Megaways chaos machine, like many from Pragmatic Play’s portfolio, 8 Dragons does have plenty of exciting features.

The slot is heavily focused on stacked Wilds and multipliers. The base game already has teeth, while the Free Spins feature turns those teeth into full-on fire-breathing mode.

Another thing that makes it popular among veteran players is its high money-making potential. 

This is especially true if you play the 8 Dragons slot at Gamdom, where high rollers can wager as much as $500 per spin.

8 Dragons theme and visuals

Visually, it’s classic Pragmatic Play: clean animations, rich colours, and symbols that are easy to read even during fast spins.

The dragons in this game are those from Chinese mythology. The legend of the Dragon God is what most likely inspired Pragmatic Play’s developers.

It’s a deity common in Asian myths, dating back as far as 7000 BCE.

The story goes that the almighty dragon can control the weather with his mind. In this game, he gets to control whether you’ll walk out with cash.  

8 Dragons slot game: RTP, betting range & more

Slot details

• Software: Pragmatic Play
• Game type: Video slot
• Reels: 5
• Rows: 3
• Paylines: 20 (fixed)
• RTP: 96.39%
• Min bet: $0.20
• Max bet: $500
• Volatility: Medium
• Max Win: 5,727x
• Release date: 1 June 2017

Return to Player (RTP)

The theoretical RTP of this game is 96.39%. In simple terms, this means that for every $100 wagered, the house keeps roughly $3.6.

The rest is paid back to the players, but not everyone gets the same. The luckiest ones hit the biggest prizes, which sometimes amount to six-figure wins.  

Volatility

This slot has medium volatility, meaning that wins happen relatively frequently and they’re relatively big. This makes the 8 Dragons slot suitable for all types of players, regardless of their gambling style.  

Bet size limits

If you play 8 Dragons at Gamdom, you can wager as little as 20 cents per spin. This makes it a suitable choice for those who are mindful of their budget.

If you don’t belong to this category, but prefer a high roller style, 8 Dragons is once again a good choice. The slot lets you wager up to $500 per spin.

Maximum win

Hit the Bet Max option and wager $500 per spin for a chance to win more than half a million dollars. 

Still, keep in mind that the maximum win depends on the online casino. If you want to play it safe, gamble at Gamdom, a gambling site famous for monstrous wins.

How to play 8 Dragons: Free spins, bonus features, and more

Released in 2017, the 8 Dragons slot is one of Pragmatic Play’s early releases. This is why it’s no surprise that its gameplay is relatively simple.

What is kind of surprising is that it does have some advanced features. But worry not, they’re not hard to figure out. Just keep on reading to learn how to get the most out of them.

Paytable Breakdown: Who Breathes the Most Fire?

Wins pay left to right on adjacent reels, starting from reel one. Like most classic slots, this one uses two sets of paying symbols: high-value and low-value.

High-value symbols in 8 Dragons

The premium symbols are all creatures and lucky items:

• Tiger (five symbols = 25x your bet, four = 5x, three = 1x, two = 0.1x)
• Blue dragon (five: 6.5x, four: 2.5x, three: 0.75x)
• Koi fish (five: 5x, four: 2.50x, three: 0.75x)
• Lucky coins (five: 3.5x, four: 1.25x, three: 0.5x)
• Gold ingot (five: 3.5x, four: 1.25x, three: 0.5x)

The Tiger sits at the top of the food chain, paying up to 25x your bet for five of a kind. The Dragon and Koi aren’t far behind, and because symbols frequently stack, full-line hits aren’t as rare as they might look on paper.

8 Dragons low-value symbols

Standard royals (A, K, Q, J, 10, and 9) fill out the rest of the reels. They won’t make you rich on their own, but stacked versions can still chip away nicely, especially when Wild symbols get involved.

Wild symbol: Where the slot truly breathes fire

The Wild is the beating heart of 8 Dragons. This symbol can substitute all others except the Scatter.

Represented by a double-dragon, the Wild symbol appears only on reels 2, 3, and 4, and is stacked in groups of two. Full stacks anywhere on the screen double your total spin win (2x). That last part is crucial.

You don’t need the Wild stack to complete a payline. If a full Wild stack lands anywhere, the entire win from that spin is multiplied by 2x.

What happens if multiple full stacks land? The multipliers stack. This mechanic is what turns average-looking spins into sudden firestorms.

Mystery Stacked Symbols

Every spin features Mystery Stacked Symbols. At the start of each spin, one paying symbol is randomly selected and appears stacked across reels. You don’t know which symbol it’ll be until the reels land, which adds a constant layer of suspense.

This feature runs both in the base game and during the Free Spins bonus round.

Sometimes it’s just low card symbols doing nothing. Other times, it’s premium symbols lining up perfectly.

Scatter symbol: The Free Spins trigger

The Scatter symbol is the red envelope. Get three or more of these anywhere on the grid, and you’ll trigger Free Spins.

The best thing about the Scatter symbols is that they can appear in the bonus rounds as well. If they do (at least three of them), they will retrigger the round, sending more Free Spins your way.

Free Spins bonus round: Choose your dragon

At the start of Free Spins, you pick one of five options. Each option balances the number of spins with the multiplier power.

The Free Spins options are:

• 5 Free Spins (Wild multipliers: 8x, 10x, 15x)
• 8 Free Spins (Wild multipliers: 6x, 8x, 10x)
• 15 Free Spins (Wild multipliers: 3x, 4x, 6x)
• 20 Free Spins (Wild multipliers: 2x, 3x, 4x)
• Mystery Option (Random spins and multiplier range from the above)

During Free Spins, full stacks of Wilds multiply the total win by a random multiplier from your chosen range (not just a flat 2x like in the base game).

Special Reels

Free Spins also use special reels, increasing the frequency of stacked symbols and Wild interactions.

In practice, that means more volatility, but also a real chance at slaying dragon-sized prizes.

Top strategies for playing the 8 Dragons slot

Watch your budget

Tread carefully. Dragons don’t share gold easily. Instead, a lot of time can pass before you land a significant win.

But if you don’t mind slaying a few dry spins before the treasure shows up, this is the right game for you.

To make your 8 Dragons adventure epic (both in terms of excitement and profits), make sure to plan your budget. Decide on your Total Bet based on the amount of money you’re willing to spend on this game.

For example, if your total 8 Dragons budget is $500, don’t go all-in with the Bet Max option. Instead, go with more sensible bets, like $10 per spin. This way, you’ll have a minimum of 50 rounds.

Use responsible gambling tools (if needed)

We understand that 8 Dragons is a fun game. Time can fly when spinning the reels, and you can get carried away with your wagers. The result can be underwhelming: you may end up losing more than planned.

This is why it’s essential to plan ahead. But if you’re having trouble sticking to the plan, you should use some of the Responsible Gambling tools available at Gamdom. 

For instance, turn on the Self-Exclusion feature if you want to take a break from gambling for a couple of days.  

Try 8 Dragons demo

If you want to test the waters first, you can play the 8 Dragons slot demo version. This version is 100% free, allowing you to test the gameplay and get familiar with all of its features.

To give it a go, just hit the button Demo below the game window. You will get 100,000 free credits to play with. Unfortunately, you can’t win real cash this way.

Play the 8 Dragons slot machine at Gamdom

If you want to play 8 Dragons for real money, do it at Gamdom. You can get started in under a minute. Here’s what you've got to do:

• Step 1: Create an account and complete the verification process
• Step 2: Fund your Gamdom account, using one of the 50+ supported cryptocurrencies
• Step 3: Find 8 Dragons in the slots lobby, set the Total Bet, and start spinning

Recommended games if you liked the 8 Dragons slot?

• Triple Dragons (Pragmatic Play): Another Pragmatic Play-powered dragon-themed slot, but this one’s even simpler to play than 8 Dragons. It’s got just eight symbols, plus Wild, and a very simple 3x3 grid.
• 5 Lions (Pragmatic Play): Asian myths, random Wild multipliers, and big potential for winnings – this is what awaits you in the 5 Lions slot.
• Barbarossa Dragon Empire (Peter and Sons): Pirates meet dragons in Peter and Sons’ slot called Barbarossa Dragon Empire. Visuals are stunning, special features are adrenaline-pumping, and a max win of 40,000x can change your life in a second.

FAQ

Should you pick the Mystery Number in the 8 Dragons bonus round?

If you don’t want to choose your own fortune in the bonus round, you can leave it all up to luck by going for the Mystery option. You’ll get a random multiplier number, along with a random number of spins.

How does the 8 Dragons payout percentage compare to other games?

This slot has an RTP of over 96.39%, which is above average when online slots are considered. However, some other types of games, including Gamdom Originals, have even higher numbers.