| Lightning Storm Live Game Quick Info: | |
| 🎲 Game provider: | Evolution |
| 🎲 Game type: | Live game show |
| 📅 Release year: | 2024 |
| ⭐ Our rating: | 4/5 |
| 🤩 RTP: | 95.12-97.44% |
| 💵 Minimum bet: | €0.10 |
| 💵 Maximum bet: | €25,000 |
| 💵 Maximum payout: | €500,000 |
| ❤️ Top Lightning Ball casino: | Bitstarz |
How To Play Lightning Storm
The interface might look crowded and a bit daunting, but this game is really simple to play. The aim is to place your bet on a segment where you think the wheel will stop once it’s been turned. This could either lead to an instant cash win or give you access to one of five bonus rounds. The challenge is which bonus round the wheel could land on, as these are disguised until the wheel starts to spin.
The wheel has 39 segments, 20 of which are dedicated to bonus rounds and 19 to cash prizes. This is smaller than all the other Evolution Gaming money wheel games, like Crazy Time and Dream Catcher. However, I think the wheel itself is visually stunning, and being digital adds heaps more engagement and fun.
The bonus symbol segments can also have a Multiplier attached, and each round is guaranteed at least one. These can be anything up to 50x - woop!
Place Your Bets!
The betting range is phenomenal, and you can place your stakes from €0.10 up to a huge €25,000. Of course, the latter amount will depend on which online casino you decide to play at. Chips are used for betting, and these are in denominations: 0.10, 0.20, 0.50,1.00, 2.00, or 5.00.
There are a few Lightning Storm rules to bear in mind when it comes to wagering:
- Numbered bets:1-20 segments.
- Leaf bets:19 segments with the Evolution leaf logo on.
- All odds/evens:10 odd/10 even numbers.
- Storm Chaser:Covers each segment with a bonus symbol and costs x2.7 your bet.
- X Chaser: Covers each segment that gets a Multiplier and costs x7.8 your bet.
Lightning Storm Payouts & RTP
The maximum you can win is €500,000, which is a capped amount. It follows the likes of Mega Ball and Crazy Time. Betting on a leaf will give you a potential 1:1 payout though the numbers, Storm Chaser and x Chaser bets can pay out the €500K.
Things are interesting regarding the RTP, and if you want to use a Lightning Storm strategy, then pay attention to this. It should help you formulate your betting patterns:
- Leaf bets: 97.44%
- Numbered bets: 95.13%
- Storm Chaser: 95.12%
- X Chaser: 95.13%
If you do win an amount over the €500K cap, then those betting on the max will get the following RTPs:
- Numbered bets: 93.65%
- Storm Chaser: 93.03%
- X Chaser: 93.06%
Most of the bonus rounds have a potential payout of 10,000x your bet, though Lightning Storm is 20,000x. The RTP remains the same for each round at 95.13%.
Game Features
There are 5 bonus rounds, each offering something very different. It’s easy for me to see at this point just why Lightning Storm is Evolution's biggest live game show to date. If one of your bets lands a bonus symbol, then you’ll get entrance. If you’ve been lucky enough to get an additional Multiplier then this is applied at the start of the feature.
Hot Spot
Here, you’ll be presented with a wall grid of 9x12 covered in Multiplier. Once the Lightning Storm live dealer has shuffled all the tiles, your aim is to choose one.
A hot spot will then appear to cover 3x3 of the tiles. It will come to rest over 9 Multipliers and double their values. If you entered the round with a Multiplier then all Multipliers on the grid receive an increase before the Hot Spot game begins!
Monster Mash
The aim is to build a monster in a spooky Frankenstein way! Each segment has a series of heads, torsos, and legs. The live dealer pulls a lever, and each segment spins until it rests on a body part. Blue parts can give Multipliers of 1-50x, while Gold parts can be anything between 4x and 6x.
The total multiplying amount will be added together. If you enter the game with a multiplier from the main wheel, this will boost the existing multipliers.
Battery Charger
This feature is all about testing 10 batteries on a conveyor belt. Nine contain a regular Multiplier, and one has a Global Multiplier. If the tester sign turns red, the battery explodes, and the next one will be tested. If you get a green light, you’ll win that battery and its Multiplier. If you land a Global, all remaining batteries will be Multiplied.
This feature ends when you get a green light or one battery remains. If you manage to enter the round with an existing Multiplier, then all Multipliers on the belt will be boosted before the game starts.
Fireball
This is my favorite bonus feature. You’ll be presented with a floor of 149 sections containing either a double symbol or a Multiplier. The dealer drops a ball that bounces in the grid and lands in one section. If it falls on a double, the Multipliers will double, and the ball will fall once more. If the ball lands in a Multiplier segment, the round is over, and all players get the same value.
Like the other bonus features, if you begin with a main game Multiplier, all Multipliers in Fireball will be boosted.
Lightning Storm
This round has the highest Multiplier win of 20,000x. Set on the roof of the lab is a billboard containing 8 Multipliers. There are 8 regulars and 3 globals. You’ll choose one of three lightning strikes, and the game will begin. There are then strikes where the lightning will choose 1+ Multipliers. This will result in a selection of Multipliers or boosts from the globals applied to your stake.
If you enter the round with an existing Multiplier, it will be applied to the entire grid before the lightning strikes begin.
Lightning Storm Strategy
Whilst I cannot tell you how to win at Lightning Storm, the various elements of the game do allow you to apply strategies.
- Don’t bet on all the numbers
This is high risk and you will need a win 20x the amount to be even Stevens. Aim for bets on a quarter or even half the numbers. This will give you a low-medium risk strategy.
- Use the Storm Chaser and X Chaser bets wisely
Whilst these give guaranteed outcomes, they are costly and don’t guarantee a win. Try them both out with smaller bets to minimize your risk.
- Get familiar with the game
Due to its live casino nature, you cannot enjoy any ‘free’ rounds before you whip out your cash. You can still watch the action play out, though, once you're logged into your online casino account. Do this until you are comfortable to dive in. This will build your confidence and get you used to the pace and mechanics.
- Consider the RTP
Remember that this changes for different bets and bonus features. The RTP is only decent for leaf bets at 97.44%, but this results in a 1:1 payout.
- Play with a strict budget
Consider your bankroll before you load the game and stick to it. Playing responsibly is always the most important strategy when gambling. If you lose, don’t be tempted to up your bet size and coverage on the wheel, either.
Lightning Storm Review: My Verdict
Overall I had a great time testing Lightning Storm. There’s a lot of fun to be had, and I love the combination of a money wheel and 5 bonus rounds. These features aren’t just any old extras, though. It’s easy to see that a lot of energy and thought has gone into the mechanics of each. The Multiplying powers are fantastic, with up to 20,000x to aim for.
The betting options are superb, and I like that they cater to high rollers and those on a smaller budget. The specialized bets of Storm Chaser and X Chaser are also a welcome addition. Without these, it may seem too much of a task to access the bonus features.
There is a lot of RNG use, though, which kind of removes the live dealer/skill element. During testing, I hit the bonus rounds a lot—they are frequent. Does this take away from the challenge a bit? Well, yes, I think so. I believe if you play this game a lot, you may also get bored—sorry, Evolution! The RTP is also overall lower than what I prefer.
I am generally a fan of this series of live game shows. After the slightly boring Lightning Lotto release, Evolution really did need to step things up a little. They have done this brilliantly with Lightning Storm. If you want some high-octane fun for a short time with almost guaranteed bonus sessions - this should be your go-to.
Play Lightning Storm at Online Casinos
Do you feel like having some Lightning Storm online action of your own? This shouldn’t be an issue at all, as Evolution is the most popular live game show provider. You would be hard-pushed to find a platform that does not offer its tables!
This may leave you with too many choices, though, so where do you head? Well, I used Bitstarz to review Lightning Storm live, and I return to this online casino time and time again for the following reasons:
- 5,000+ other games for you to play
- Make payments with a range of cryptos and fiat money
- User-friendly and works perfectly with mobile devices
- Super fast withdrawal processing times
- Friendly and high-quality 24/7 support
- Plenty of payment methods to choose from
- Value for money regular bonuses and live casino tournaments
- Loyalty and VIP programs
Great customer support | Phone support not available |
Easy to use interface | No sportsbook |
Great selection of games |
