5 Lions is Pragmatic Play’s take on Chinese legends. The game’s drenched in dragons, turtles, frogs, and enough gold to make a Ming emperor blush.

It follows a familiar Pragmatic formula: bold visuals, thundering drums, wild multipliers, and an interesting free spins feature (where you get to choose your own volatility).

5 Lions is fun to play, but what makes this game special is its money-making potential. This is a high-volatility slot, where lucky players are rewarded with prizes of up to 3,520x their total bet.

What is the 5 Lions slot?

Pragmatic Play released 5 Lions back in 2018, and it quickly earned a cult following among players who enjoy multiplier-driven gameplay and “pick-your-volatility” bonuses.

The slot uses a 243-ways-to-win engine across a 5×3 layout. Wins form from left to right, and the game’s star is the golden lion wild. This symbol only lands on the middle reels and unleashes random multipliers.

These multipliers don’t just look good; they can turn even modest wins into chunky payouts by multiplying them between 2x and 40x.

With a 96.5% RTP, this online slot gives you a pretty good chance to win nice cash. The hit frequency is modest, the volatility is high, and the whole thing feels like a slow burn that suddenly erupts the moment multipliers chain together.

5 Lions graphics and theme

This is classic Pragmatic Play doing what it does best. It’s got vivid colours, sharp ornamentation, and bold Eastern motifs without clutter. The reels sit inside a golden temple draped in red silk, guarded by imperial dragons.

Premium symbols include the eponymous lions, turtles, frogs, phoenixes, and koi fish. They’re all glossy, polished, and animated with subtle flickers of movement.

The Wild is represented by the golden lion symbol, which takes centre stage (as it should) in this game.

The symbol (and the game itself) is inspired by imperial guardian lions, massive statues that traditionally stood at the entrances of Chinese palaces. There are even some at the gates of the famous Forbidden City.

The story goes that the golden lions had the power to protect buildings from evil spirits. In the Pragmatic Play world, their power lies elsewhere: they can bring fortune your way.

5 Lions Slot: RTP, max win, and more

5 Lions details

• Software: Pragmatic Play
• Game Type: Video Slot
• Paylines: 243 base game / 576 in free spins
• Reels/Rows: 5×3
• RTP: 96.03%
• Min Bet: $0.50
• Max Bet: $500
• Volatility: High
• Hit Frequency: N/A
• Max Win: 3,520x
• Release Date: 16 May 2018

Betting limits

Stakes begin at $0.5 and climb to $500, making it accessible whether you’re spinning casually or feeling brave.

Wonder how the TOTAL BET size is calculated in this slot (and many other Pragmatic Play products)?

The formula is the following: BET (number of coins) is multiplied by COIN VALUE (bet per one coin) and BET MULTIPLIER (fixed, in this case 50x).

FYI: this multiplier doesn’t have anything to do with the Wild multiplier in the game.

If this seems a bit too complicated to your liking, there is a simpler alternative. You can simply choose the amount you wish to wager per spin.

Just go to the TOTAL BET box and increase/decrease the number.

RTP (return to player)

This online slot machine has a theoretical RTP of 96.03%, which is what most Pragmatic Play slots have.

In simple terms, this means that, in the long run, the casino earns a 3.97% profit on this game. The remaining 96.03% of all wagers are paid back to the players.

Of course, not every winner gets the same. Being a volatile slot, the difference between wins can be huge: some win only a couple of pounds per spin, while others hit thousands.   

Volatility

Make no mistake: 5 Lions is high volatility through and through. You’ll get stretches where nothing happens, followed by multiplier hits that completely flip the session.

High-variance games like 5 Lions are great for players who enjoy tense gameplay and adrenaline spikes. So, if you’re on the search for such slots, this is your territory.

Maximum win

The top win is 3,520x your total stake, and because multipliers can hit up to 40x per wild, the slot can produce surprising bursts of gold.

A $500 total bet means up to $1,760,000. It’s one of the biggest in Pragmatic’s catalogue, so chasing the main prize is guaranteed to get the adrenaline pumping.

How to play Pragmatic Play’s 5 Lions

5 Lions paylines

Wins form from left to right using a 243-ways engine, offering far more flexibility than old-school paylines. As long as matching symbols land on consecutive reels, you’re in business.

Symbols and payouts

This slot combines traditional symbols used in gambling with those inspired by Chinese mythology.

The traditional ones are all designed in ornate Eastern calligraphy. They’re all low-paying symbols, with 9, 10, J, and Q paying up to 2x your bet and A and K paying 4x.

When it comes to high-paying symbols, they all have something to do with Asian myths, namely:

• Turtle (up to 6x)
• Koi fish (6x)
• Frog (16x)
• Phoenix (16x)
• Golden Lion (20x)

The golden lion is the highest-paying symbol in the base game. Get five golden lions, and you’ll get 20x your wager.

Not only that, but this symbol also acts as the Wild, appearing only on reels 2–4. Plus, it also triggers the multiplier feature.

In addition, there’s also a Scatter, represented by the yin-yang symbol. Get 3, 4, or 5 of these symbols on adjacent reels, and you will trigger the free spins feature.

Free Spins option

Trigger the free spins round in 5 Lions, and the whole layout shifts into a new shape. Reels 2, 3, and 4 gain three extra symbols on top, turning the grid into a taller, stacked setup that pays using a 576-ways configuration.

In other words, the round gives you more space to land wins and more chances for the lion multipliers to do their thing.

Before the feature begins, you’ll choose one of seven free-spin options, each offering a different balance of spin count and wild multipliers.

You can pick one of the following setups:

• 25 Free Spins – 2x, 3x, 5x multipliers
• 20 Free Spins – 3x, 5x, 8x multipliers
• 15 Free Spins – 5x, 8x, 10x multipliers
• 13 Free Spins – 8x, 10x, 15x multipliers
• 10 Free Spins – 10x, 15x, 20x multipliers
• 6 Free Spins – 15x, 30x, 40x multipliers

And if you can’t decide? There’s also a Mystery option that randomises both the spin count and the multiplier range.

Once the round starts, a new multiplier is randomly selected on every spin from the range tied to your chosen option. Any winning combination that includes at least one wild then gets boosted by that multiplier.

Retriggers are unlimited. Land three or more Scatters again, and the feature restarts with the same option you originally picked. With special reels active throughout, this is where the slot can properly explode.

One thing to keep in mind is that this slot does not offer a Bonus Buy: you’ll have to land your Scatters the old-fashioned way.

Top strategies for playing 5 Lions

Pick the free spins option wisely

The more spins you pick, the lower the multipliers. What this means is that your chance of winning is high, but you might not win thousands of pounds this way.

If you go with the opposite strategy, you stand a chance of winning big cash. The fewer spins you take, the wilder the lion becomes, but your odds of hitting a win are reduced.

Try the demo mode to get a feel for the features

Before you let the lions loose on your bankroll, run the free demo version first. It’s the easiest way to get a feel for the game without risking real cash.

This way, you will be able to figure out which strategy to use in the free spins round: should you go with a big or a low number of spins? 

Set some boundaries

Being a high-volatility slot, 5 Lions can put you on long winless streaks before you finally hit a big prize. But sometimes those streaks can be too long.

This is why it’s wise to set some limits. Before starting your gambling adventure, decide how long you wish to play and how much cash you’re willing to risk.

Play 5 Lions with crypto at Gamdom

Gamdom makes it smooth if you prefer crypto payments:

• Register: Visit Gamdom’s site and sign up. Enter your name, email, location, and other details, confirm your account, and you’re done.
• Deposit:  You can fund your account quickly with Bitcoin, ETH, USDT, and dozens of other cryptos.
• Spin:  With cash in your balance, go to the Slots section, find 5 Lions, and jump straight into the lion’s den.

In addition to digital currencies, Gamdom supports bank cards and other mainstream options. Still, it’s crypto that’s this casino’s forte.

Recommended slots if you liked 5 Lions

• 5 Lions Megaways (Pragmatic Play): A turbocharged version of the game with up to 117,649 ways to win.
•  5 Lions Gold (Pragmatic Play): Similar theme, but with jackpot features and more explosive spins.
• Power of Thor Megaways (Pragmatic Play): If you want to switch from mythical Chinese lions to Norse gods, this slot could be your ideal pick.  

Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

Does 5 Lions have a bonus buy feature?

Unlike its cousin (5 Lions Megaways), this slot doesn’t give you an option to buy the bonus feature. Instead, you need to earn it the old-fashioned way: by getting three or more scatter symbols.

How does 5 Lions compare to 5 Lions Megaways?

5 Lions has five reels, with 243 ways to win, while its cousin’s got six reels and way more ways to win (up to 117,649). The Megaways version also has some special features like Ante Bet and the option to purchase the bonus feature.

Where can I play 5 Lions?

You can spin the reels of 5 Lions on Gamdom, either for free or in real-money mode. If you want to test it out, play it in Demo mode. If you’re looking for a possibility to win big, then play for real cash.