Expected Reading Time | 4 Minutes

Last Updated: November 20, 2023

Written by Stephen Cummings

There is not a year that goes by where slot developers do not compete with one another to release the best games. When releasing new slots, developers like to implement never been seen before slot features in the hope that something clicks and their games become some of the most popular of all time.

In 2022, you can expect slots with bigger payouts than ever, games such as Mayan Wild Mystery, as well as some of the top branded slots such as Hell’s Kitchen.

Although it is difficult to anticipate which the best slots of the new year will be, we will still tell you our predictions for the hottest releases in 2022.

Of course, it is far easier for us to tell you about the hottest games from 2021. Carry on reading to discover the most played and liked slots from 2021.

HOTTEST SLOT GAMES FROM 2021

Top slots

Despite the uncertainty of the times, 2021 has been a super year for online slots enthusiasts. Slot games in 2021 have managed to give us a blissful distraction from all of the goings on. In fact, 2021 was a great year for SlotsHawk and we are positive that it was a great year for you too.

There has been a lot of top slots to pick from, including the excellent Gonzo’s Quest Megaways by Red Tiger, Book of Dead by Play’n Go and Punk Rocker by NoLimit City. However, last year we discovered that many of you were playing slot game by relatively unknown slots developers which managed to create numerous excellent and top quality games.

If you are here to find out for yourself which are the most rewarding and most entertaining slots, then look no further. We have listed the very top games right here. Check out our handy list below of the most popular slots from 2021.

THE TOP 10 SLOTS OF 2021

Here’s is our showcase list of the hottest games in 2021, including the number of visits each game has received. If you would like further analysis, keep reading.

SLOT GAMENUMBER OF VISITS (Jan to Nov 2021)
Rome: The Golden Age3365
Gonzo’s Quest Megaways2750
Fishin’ Frenzy Megaways2440
Mega Moolah2011
Immortal Romance1867
Book of Dead1843
Starburst1301
Secret’s of the Phoenix Megaways900
Rainbow Riches887
Monopoly Paradise Mansion750

Our list of the most popular slot games is based on our own online traffic. The list is no real surprise to us. What stood out the most was that many of the most popular games are often included in online casino bonus spins welcome offers. Three out of the 10 can be played using your free spins no wagering bonuses. We are sure that many of our visitors will recognise all of the slots on this list.

Of course, there are several older and classic slot games in this list including Immortal Romance and the fantastic Mega Moolah. At the top of the list if Rome: The Golden Age. We think this is due to the theme of the slot as well as the large max payout value of 100,000x your bet.

Discover more about each slot below:

ROME: THE GOLDEN AGE

Rome The Golden Age popular Slot

The Gladiator arena awaits you in this fantastic slot from NetEnt where you must do your best to vanquish your enemies and come out of the colosseum victorious. This game takes top spot by a clear margin in 2021. Why? Because its fun and offers lots of features and goodies.

Rome: The Golden Age is a 5×5 reel slot with 20 paylines and a maximum payout offering of 100,000x your wager. The game includes repsins and a fun bonus game.

You can play Rome: The Golden Age at Skol casino below and help yourself to a 100% deposit bonus up to £100 to use on this slot.

Play at: Skol Casino

4.5 rating
Get a:
100% Deposit Bonus up to £100 + 100 Bonus Spins
18+. Min deposit £10. New players only.T&C's Apply and BeGambleaware #ad
T&Cs Apply
New customers only

18+. One bonus offer per player. Min deposit £10. Max bonus bet £5. Bonus funds must be used within 30 days & bonus spins within 10 days. Spins valid on Starburst only. Bonus funds separate to Cash funds and subject to 35x wagering

GONZO’S QUEST MEGAWAYS

Gonzos Quest Megaways popular slot

You will find this video slot at pretty much all of the best slot sites and it’s no wonder, this Red Tiger/NetEnt release is fantastic. Gonzo’s Quest Megaways was released in 2020 and it became an instant hit. The Megaways version of the original game has allowed for even more chances to win.

Looking to play Gonzo’s Quest Megaways? Join Playzee Casino and get a 100% deposit bonus up to £300 to play with.

Play at: Playzee Casino

4.3 rating
Get a :
100% Deposit Bonus up to £300 + 100 Bonus Spins on Starburst
18+. Min deposit £20. New players only. T&C's Apply and BeGambleaware #ad
T&Cs Apply
New customers only

18+. New players only. Min Deposit £20. Max Bonus Bet £5. Winnings from spins capped at £50. 100 Zee Spins valid on Starburst (first 10 credited immediately upon first deposit; rest credited at 07:00 GMT at 10/day). Spins must be used by 23:59 GMT of the day on which they are credited to player account, any unused shall be removed. Bonus funds must be used within 30 days. Bonus funds are separate to Cash funds, and subject to 35x wagering (bonus + cash). Full terms apply. BeGambleAware.org.

FISHIN’ FRENZY MEGAWAYS

Fishin Frenzy Megaways popular video slot

The second Megaways game to be featured on our list of the most popular slots, Fishin’ Frenzy Megaways is popular due to its cascading reels feature and high hit frequency of 1 in 4 spins. This Megaways slot can pay out 10,000x your bet too and offers 15,625 paylines.

Play Fishin’ Frenzy at Genting Casino and play with a 100% deposit bonus up to £50.

Play at: Genting Casino

4.0 rating
Get :
100% Deposit Bonus up to £50
18+. Min deposit £10. New players only.T&C's Apply and BeGambleaware #ad
T&Cs Apply
New customers only

18+. New players only. One offer per player. Min Deposit £10. Bonus funds separate to Cash. Wager Req of 30x. Terms Apply. BeGambleAware.org.

MEGA MOOLAH

Mega Moolah popular online Slot

The most popular jackpot slot of 2021, Mega Moolah has been around for years but remains as popular as ever. Released by Microgaming, Mega Moolah is known for its huge life changing payouts of well over £1 million.

Mega Moolah is regarded as the greatest of all progressive jackpot slots. You can play this slot at most casino sites, but we recommend playing at Slotnite where you can get a 100% deposit bonus up to £250.

Play at: Slotnite Casino

4.5 rating
Get a :
100% Deposit Bonus up to £100 + 100 Bonus Spins on Aloha Cluster Pays
18+. Min deposit £10. New players only.T&C's Apply and BeGambleaware #ad
T&Cs Apply
New customers only

18+. New players only. One offer per player. Min Dep £10. Max bonus bet £5. 1st Dep offer is 100% up to £100 + 100 Bonus spins on Aloha Cluster Pays. Spins expire after 10 days, funds after 30 days. Bonus funds separate to Cash. Wager Req of 35x Deposit + Bonus apply. Terms Apply. BeGambleAware.org.

IMMORTAL ROMANCE

Popular slot Immortal Romance

This classic from Microgaming remains as popular as ever. Immortal Romance gives you the opportunity to check out some sexy vampires as well as an opportunity to win up to 12,000x. The atmosphere set in this game makes for a spooky adventure, perhaps one day we will see a film released about the game!

Ready to hit the reels of Immortal Romance? Play at All British Casino for a deposit bonus of £100.

Play at: All British Casino

Get a:
100% Deposit Bonus up to £100 + 10% Cashback
18+. Min deposit £20. New players only.T&C's Apply and BeGambleaware #ad
T&Cs Apply
New customers only

New customers only, min deposit £20, wagering 35x, max bet £5 with bonus funds. Max bonus is 100% up to £100. No max cash out on deposit offers. Welcome bonus excluded for players depositing with Skrill or Neteller. Cashback is cash with no restriction

BOOK OF DEAD

Book of Dead popular slot game

Online casinos across the UK offer Book of Dead free spins to new players who sign up and make a deposit. However, Book of Dead is popular in its own right, offering players some great slot features as well as a high payout ratio.

Play Book of Dead at PlayOJO and you can help yourself to 50 Book of Dead free spins with no wagering requirements.

Play at: PlayOJO Casino

4.8 rating
Get a :
Deposit £10 Get 80 Big Bass Bonanza Free Spins (No Wagering Requirements)
18+. Min deposit £10. New players only.T&C's Apply and BeGambleaware #ad
T&Cs Apply
New customers only

18+. New players only. First deposit only. 80 Deposit Free Spins on Big Bass Bonanza. Min Dep £10. Game: Big Bass Bonanza. Spin Value: £0.10. OJO’s Rewards and Game Play policy applies. T&C's Apply.

STARBURST

Starburst popular slots

Starburst is one of the most played video slot machines of all time. It is the equivalent to Candy Crush offering slots players high thrills, colourful graphics and lots of free spins.

Ready to play Starburst? Join one of our best Starburst slots sites at Skol Casino and get 250 Starburst free spins over your first four deposits.

Play at: Skol Casino

4.5 rating
Get a:
100% Deposit Bonus up to £100 + 100 Bonus Spins
18+. Min deposit £10. New players only.T&C's Apply and BeGambleaware #ad
T&Cs Apply
New customers only

18+. One bonus offer per player. Min deposit £10. Max bonus bet £5. Bonus funds must be used within 30 days & bonus spins within 10 days. Spins valid on Starburst only. Bonus funds separate to Cash funds and subject to 35x wagering

SECRET’S OF THE PHOENIX MEGAWAYS

The final Megaways slot on our list, this fantastic online slot machine offers everything you can expect from a Megaways game including a high payout, lots of ways to win and cascading reels. With 900 visits this year, Secret’s of the Phoenix Megaways has been a surprise hit among slots players.

Fancy a few spins on this game? Check out our Secrets of the Phoenix slot sites to find some different offers to choose from.

Play at: Virgin Games

4.5 rating
Get :
Play £10 Get 30 Free Spins on Double Bubble (No Wagering Requirements)
18+. Min deposit £10. New players only.T&C's Apply and BeGambleaware #ad
T&Cs Apply
New customers only

18+. New players only. One offer per player. Min Dep and wager £10. Spins value 1p. Free spins on: Double Bubble. Spins expire after 30 days. Terms Apply. BeGambleAware.org. #ad

RAINBOW RICHES

Rainbow Riches popular video slot machine

The first ever online slot game to use the Irish Leprechaun theme, Rainbow Riches is now one of the oldest and also most played games of all time. The question is, will you discover a pot of gold at the end of the Rainbow? Find out today!

You can play Rainbow Riches at Rainbow Riches Casino and help yourself to 30 wager free spins.

Play at: Rainbow Riches Casino

Get :
Play £10 Get 30 Free Spins on Rainbow Riches (No Wagering Requirements)
18+. Min deposit £10. New players only.T&C's Apply and BeGambleaware #ad
T&Cs Apply
New customers only

New members only, must opt in. Min £10 deposit & wager. 30 day expiry from deposit. 18+. Extra Spins: on Rainbow Riches. 1p coin size, max lines. Bingo: Advertised ticket value based on £1 tickets. Game availability & restrictions apply. **£10 lifetime deposit for Daily Free Game. #AD BeGambleAware.org.

MONOPOLY PARADISE MANSION

A few years ago, Hasbro decided that it would be a good idea to work together with developers in order to create their own branded slot games based on the Monopoly theme. Since then, there are now lots of fun and popular Monopoly slots with Monopoly Paradise Mansion one of the best of them all.

Looking for free spins on Monopoly slots? Sign up to Monopoly Casino and you can get 30 wager free spins on Monopoly Paradise Mansion.

Play at: Monopoly Casino

4.5 rating
Get:
Play £10 Get 30 Free Spins on Monopoly Paradise Mansion (No Wagering Requirements)
18+. Min deposit £10. New players only.T&C's Apply and BeGambleaware
T&Cs Apply
#adNew customers only

18+. New members only, must opt in. Min £10 deposit & wager. 30 day expiry from deposit.18+. Free Spins: on MONOPOLY Paradise Mansion. 1p coin size, max lines. Bingo: Advertised ticket value based on £1 tickets. Game availability & restrictions apply. Full T&Cs apply Terms Apply. BeGambleAware.org.

TOP ONLINE VIDEO SLOT PROVIDERS 2021

Whilst slot providers are not around to make all of your wishes come true, they are there to bring to you the very best online games you can imagine. Just like EA Sports is the developer which brings you updated versions of FIFA every year, the likes of NetEnt, Yggdrasil and Barcrest do all they can to fill up online casinos slots libraries every year.

Based on our traffic statistics between Jan – Nov 2021 we have recorded the games providers which have offered the most played slots!

NETENT 3 TOP GAMES

NetEnt is one of the worlds biggest slot providers ever since they were founded back in 1996. Their slots portfolio consists of thousands of games which can be played at hundreds of online casinos.

MICROGAMING – 2 TOP GAMES

Another world class developer is Microgaming which has been around since 1994! They have released hundreds of different slots which can be regularly found at online casinos.

BARCREST – 1 TOP GAME

Although there are several developers with just one game on our list, we have given the top spot to Barcrest as they have been creating slots for decades. Rainbow Riches has been one of the best slots ever which can be played at 90% of online casinos.

BLUEPRINT – 1 TOP GAME

Blueprint has taken the bull by the horns to become one of the most prolific slots creators of the past five years. We recommend checking out some of their other slot games too.

GAMESYS 1 TOP GAME

Gamesys have been offering their slots to a number of UK casino sites over the past few years. In fact, the slot developer has even opened up several of its own online casinos – what better way to promote your own games?

ROXOR GAMING – 1 TOP GAME

Although relatively unknown, Roxor Gaming have released several great games, but Secret’s of the Phoenix Megaways certainly stands out among the best. Established in 2002, this US company concentrate on creating quality games with plenty of unique features.

PLAY N’ GO – 1 TOP GAME

Play N’ Go created arguably one of the most played slots of all time with Book of Dead. However, Play N’ Go also have some top games across a variety of online and land based casinos.

SEARCH VOLUME – LOOKING FOR ONLINE SLOTS?

It goes without saying that slots of slots players like to read reviews on both new and tried and tested slots. Reviews help players to find out about the latest slots as well as which features are available in the best slots.

Most players look for game reviews by searching on Google. Is that how you found this page? We think so! Have you ever wondered how many other players are searching for the same slot reviews that you are searching for?

In the table below, you can see how many monthly searches each of our top 10 slots in 2021 have.

SLOTSEARCH VOLUME
Rome: The Golden Age10
Gonzo’s Quest Megaways90
Fishin’ Frenzy Megaways500
Mega Moolah600
Immortal Romance450
Book of Dead600
Starburst10,000
Secret’s of the Phoenix Megaways10
Rainbow Riches121,000
Monopoly Paradise Mansion10

ALL THE SLOTS PLAYERS ARE LOOKING FOR IN 2021

It seems to be a yearly trend that players are on the lookout for new slots to play, and 2021 has been no different. Although our evidence shows that there seems to be a mixture of both new and old slot machines being played and searched for our number one slot of 2021 was released in 2021 – Rome: the Golden Age.

However, given one of our most visited pages is our high RTP slots guide, we can conclude that players are mostly interested in both slots with high RTP percentages such as Ooh Aah Dracula as well as the best paying slots such as Mayan Wild Mystery and Dead or Alive 2.

We eagerly await what 2022 will being. You can be sure to visit SlotsHawk to find out!

CONTRIBUTORS

Stephen Cummings

Greetings, I’m Stephen Cummings

Stephen Cummings is often referred to as ‘The Oracle’. What he doesn’t know about slot games isn’t worth knowing. He’s our genius slot machine analyst who spends most of his time reviewing new games & sites.

Slots analyst since 2020