Wheel Of Wishes Pros & Cons
Wheel of Wishes has real progressive potential, but it kills your RTP to pay for it. Power Spins guarantees jackpot access, but you're paying 10x your bet for that privilege.
- Four-tier progressives with WowPot starting at $2M
- Power Spins guarantees jackpot wheel spin
- Free spins include 2x or 3x multipliers
- Medium volatility keeps bankroll stable
- Hit frequency ~25% gives regular small wins
- 93.34% RTP is way below industry standard
- Power Spins costs 10x your total bet
- Base game pays weak without multipliers
- Max bet only $50 limits high-roller play
- Theme feels generic and overused
Wheel of Wishes Slot Review: Progressive Jackpots Meet Arabian Nights
Wheel of Wishes dropped in February 2020 from Alchemy Gaming (part of Microgaming's network), and it made waves as the first slot in the WowPot progressive jackpot system. The main attraction? Four-tier progressive jackpots that can hit seven figures, with the WowPot Major starting at $2 million. Here at SlotsGamblers, we tested this one to see if chasing those massive prizes makes up for some glaring weaknesses.
You get an Arabian Nights theme with genies, magic lamps, and mystical symbols across 5 reels and 10 paylines. There are two main features - free spins with multipliers and Power Spins, where you can buy direct access to the jackpot wheel. The base game is smooth enough, but let's be honest, you're here for one reason: that big jackpot spin.
What makes this slot different is the guaranteed jackpot trigger during Power Spins. You're not grinding for hours hoping to get lucky - you buy the feature, spin the wheel, win a jackpot. The question is whether the 93.34% RTP makes this worth playing, or if you should stick with higher-paying slots and forget the jackpot dream.
The graphics are decent but nothing special, and the soundtrack fits without being annoying. Betting goes from $0.10 to $50 per spin, so that casual players can afford it, but high-rollers might want more. We'll break down the symbols, features, and whether those progressives are actually worth your time and money.
| Specification | Details |
|---|---|
| Developer | Alchemy Gaming (Microgaming) |
| Release Date | February 11, 2020 |
| Reels X Rows | 5x 3 |
| Paylines | 10 (fixed) |
| RTP | 93.34% |
| Volatility | Medium |
| Min Bet | $0.10 |
| Max Bet | $50.00 |
| Max Win | Progressive Jackpots (WowPot starts at $2M) |
| Hit Frequency | ~25% |
| Default Bet Range | $0.10 - $50.00 |
| Mobile Compatible | Yes (iOS, Android, Desktop) |
Symbols & Payouts
10 symbols total - themed icons and card royals. High-value symbols use Arabian stuff like magic lamps, treasure chests, and golden coins. Card symbols have Arabic patterns, but they're still just A-K-Q-J-10.
🧞 Genie Wild - Special Symbol
Golden genie works as the wild and subs for everything except scatters and bonus symbols. Five wilds on a payline pay 500x your line bet, making it the top-paying symbol. The animation shows the genie materializing with sparkles when you win. You'll see wilds fairly often, 1 in every 15-20 spins.
💰 Treasure Chest - High Value
Golden chest overflowing with coins and jewels, and second-best paying at 250x for five on a line. The chest opens slightly during wins, showing treasures inside. The design has intricate gold engravings. Even three chests pay 25x your line bet, creating decent mid-range wins.
🪔 Magic Lamp - High Value
Classic Aladdin-style lamp in polished gold with decorative engravings. Five lamps pay 100x, and the symbol glows purple when it lands. Design quality is good with visible detail even on small mobile screens. This one appears more often than treasure chests, giving you consistent medium wins.
💎 Ruby Gem - Medium Value
Red ruby with golden setting and sparkle effects. Pays 75x for five, putting it in the medium-value range. Gem pulses with light during winning lines—simple but effective design. You'll see this often enough to contribute to regular, smaller payouts.
🪙 Gold Coins - Medium Value
Stack of golden coins with Arabic script on the faces. Five coins pay 50x, making them the lowest of the themed symbols. Coins shimmer when you win. Clean and recognizable design. These appear frequently and create a bulk of your small, consistent wins.
🃏 Ace (A) - Low Value
Purple card with decorative Arabic patterns around the letter. Five aces pay 40x. These show up regularly to keep your balance moving between bigger hits. Design is nicer than plain cards you'd find in older slots.
👑 King (K) - Low Value
Blue decorated card with a king symbol. Pays 30x for five. Card symbols appear frequently because they're the lowest value, creating lots of small 5-10x wins that maintain bankroll during dry spells.
💠 Queen (Q) - Low Value
Green patterned card paying 20x for five. You'll land these constantly, and while payouts are small, they prevent the balance from dropping too fast between bonus rounds.
💫 Jack (J) - Low Value
Orange card with a jack letter. Five pays 20x, same as a queen. These low-value symbols appear almost every spin, creating small returns that keep the game moving.
🔟 Ten (10) - Low Value
Red decorated ten paying 20x for five. Lowest paying symbol, but appears frequently enough to contribute to the 25% hit frequency.
⭐ Scatter Symbol - Special
Purple star-burst with "Scatter" written across it. Landing 3+ triggers free spins. Scatter doesn't need paylines and can land anywhere. Three scatters give 10 free spins, four award 15 spins, and five trigger 20 spins.
🎰 Power Spins Symbol - Special Bonus
Golden wheel icon only in Power Spins mode. Exclusive to the bonus buy feature, not available during regular play. Landing it triggers the jackpot wheel, where you're guaranteed one of the four progressive prizes.
| Symbol | 5 of a Kind | 4 of a Kind | 3 of a Kind | 2 of a Kind | Special Properties |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Genie Wild
|
500x | 100x | 25x | - | Subs all except scatter/bonus |
|
Treasure Chest
|
250x | 50x | 25x | - | Second highest payout |
|
Magic Lamp
|
100x | 25x | 10x | - | High-value themed symbol |
|
Ruby Gem
|
75x | 20x | 8x | - | Medium-value symbol |
|
Gold Coins
|
50x | 15x | 5x | - | Medium-value symbol |
|
Ace (A)
|
40x | 10x | 5x | - | High card value |
|
King (K)
|
30x | 8x | 4x | - | Card symbol |
|
Queen (Q)
|
20x | 6x | 3x | - | Card symbol |
|
Jack (J)
|
20x | 6x | 3x | - | Card symbol |
|
Ten (10)
|
20x | 6x | 3x | - | Lowest value symbol |
|
Scatter
|
- | - | 10/15/20 Free Spins | - | Triggers bonus round |
Bonus Features
Two main features - free spins with multipliers and Power Spins jackpot mode. Both add variety, but play completely differently.
| Feature Name | Trigger Method | Description | Max Potential | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Free Spins
|
3+ scatter symbols | 10-20 spins with 2x or 3x multipliers on all wins | Up to 1000x+ with wilds | Medium |
|
Power Spins
|
Buy for 10x total bet | Special mode with enhanced jackpot wheel chances | Progressive jackpots ($2M+ WowPot) | On demand |
|
Jackpot Wheel
|
Power Spins symbol during Power Spins | Guaranteed wheel spin awarding one of four progressives | WowPot Major starts at $2M | During Power Spins only |
|
WowPot Jackpots
|
Jackpot wheel spin | Four-tier system: Mini, Minor, Major, WowPot | Ranges from $10 to $2M+ | Varies by tier |
RTP & Volatility
93.34% RTP is way below the 96% industry standard. Medium volatility balances the low RTP. Max progressive win depends on current jackpot levels.
| Metric | Details |
|---|---|
|
Min Bet
|
$0.10 |
|
Max Bet
|
$50.00 |
|
Max Win (Base)
|
500x (wild symbols) |
|
Max Win (Progressive)
|
WowPot starts at $2,000,000 |
|
RTP
|
93.34% |
|
Volatility
|
Medium |
|
Hit Frequency
|
~25% |
|
Power Spins Cost
|
10x total bet |
Mobile Experience
Works perfectly on iOS and Android with no issues. Built using HTML5, so it runs in mobile browsers without downloads. Screen adjusts automatically for portrait and landscape, with controls sized right for touchscreens. Graphics maintain quality on smaller screens, jackpot wheel looks good even on older phones. Battery drain is average, loading is fast over WiFi or 4G.
Strategy Tips
Skip Power Spins unless bankrolled properly - 10x bet cost adds up fast, you'll usually hit Mini jackpots ($10-20) that don't justify the expense.
Focus on free spins—multipliers deliver better value than chasing progressives for most players.
Bet lower to extend sessions - Low RTP drains bankroll faster, so smaller bets let you play longer.
Set win limits - If you hit decent free spins or a Minor jackpot, consider cashing out because variance will take it back.
SlotsGamblers recommends avoiding this for regular play - 93.34% RTP makes it a poor value unless you're specifically jackpot-hunting.
Watch jackpot levels: If WowPot climbs way above $2M, the progressive value improves slightly.
Similar Games
Mega Moolah by Microgaming has similar progressives with an RTP of 88.12%, also low, an African safari theme, and four-tier jackpots like Wheel of Wishes.
Mega Fortune from NetEnt has a luxury yacht theme, three-tier progressives, and a 96.6% RTP—way better value. Jackpot wheel works similarly but triggers through bonus symbols.
Divine Fortune by NetEnt combines Greek mythology with progressive jackpots and an RTP of 96.59%. Features free spins and a jackpot bonus with much better base RTP.
Hall of Gods from NetEnt uses Norse mythology, features three progressives, and has an RTP of 95.5%. Slightly better than Wheel of Wishes but still below industry average.
Play Responsibly - 18+ Only
Gambling should be entertaining and fun. Remember that slots are games of chance, and there's no guaranteed way to win. Never gamble more than you can afford to lose, and always set limits for yourself. If you feel gambling is becoming a problem, please seek help immediately.
FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions
Why is the RTP only 93.34% when most slots hit 96% or higher?
Alchemy Gaming lowered it to fund the progressive network. WowPot starts at $2 million, so they offset that by reducing returns on regular gameplay.
What's the difference between Power Spins and regular spins?
Power Spins costs 10x your bet and gives enhanced chances to trigger the jackpot wheel. Regular spins can only trigger free spins through scatters, not progressives.
Can you win WowPot during regular gameplay?
Nah, you need Power Spins active and must land the special symbol to spin the jackpot wheel. Progressives aren't available during the base game.
How often do free spins trigger?
We tested it and saw free spins roughly every 100-150 spins at medium volatility. Your results will vary, with one or two per hour of play.
Is Power Spins worth the 10x bet cost?
Usually not, honestly. You'll typically hit a Mini jackpot ($10-20) that doesn't cover the cost. Only worth it if you're hunting Major or WowPot specifically.
What's the biggest win possible in free spins without jackpots?
Five wilds with a 3x multiplier pays 1500x your line bet. On a $1 total bet, that's $150 from a single payline if you get lucky.
How does this compare to Mega Moolah?
Both have awful RTPs (93.34% vs 88.12%) and four-tier progressives. Wheel of Wishes has a Power Spins buy option, and Mega Moolah's jackpot triggers randomly. Pick based on theme preference.
Can you retrigger free spins during the bonus?
Yeah, landing 3+ scatters during free spins adds more to your total. We tested this and retriggered twice in a single session, totaling 40+ spins.