Cash Collect Slots Explained

Mike Collins, Game Product Owner at Thunderkick, tells you everything you need to know about Cash Collect slots.

Cash Collect slots have become hugely popular with online casino players in the UK. And it’s easy to see why. Cash Collect is what it says it is – the chance to collect additional cash values with every spin of the game. 

To learn more about Cash Collect, we spoke to Mike Collins, Game Product Owner at Thunderkick, whose Eager Beavers slot uses the mechanic. 

What is a Cash Collect feature and how does it actually work?

The Cash Collect feature varies from provider to provider. However, the general idea is that a specific symbol is the designated cash icon and comes with a random value attached. Cash values are then collected either on a spin-by-spin basis, each time a collect symbol lands, or at the end of the bonus round.

There are also several factors that determine how long the bonus will last. For example, in our recently released Eager Beavers, the bonus ends when every position on the grid is filled. In contrast, in our 2023 release Bones & Bounty, three respins are awarded. Every time a new cash symbol lands on the reels, the number of respins resets to three. This process continues until no new icons land or until the entire grid is full of symbols.

How does Cash Collect help players to win?

While players are never guaranteed to win, the Cash Collect feature does enhance anticipation and excitement. Cash symbols land with random values attached up to a predetermined multiplier. In Eager Beavers, the maximum value of cash icons is 100x, and the opportunity to land several of these in one bonus round makes the 10,000x win potential feel more attainable compared to landing a full grid of wilds or high-paying symbols.

Are there different ways the feature can be triggered? If so, what are they?  

This is dependent on the studio. Most Cash Collect features are triggered traditionally by landing a set number of scatters or bonus symbols. In Eager Beavers, three golden nugget bonus symbols trigger the feature. In some games, the number of triggering symbols can impact the duration of the bonus round, for example, by awarding additional respins, so it is always worth checking the game instructions before spinning the reels.

Can Cash Collect be combined with other bonus features, too?

All the best Cash Collect bonuses incorporate other features. At Thunderkick, our aim is to make unique and engaging content that keeps players on the edge of their seats, and packing the bonus round full of features is the perfect way to achieve this. In Eager Beavers, not only are there cash, collect, upgrade, and build symbols to look out for in the bonus game, but there is also a ‘super’ version of each symbol to boost wins.

Each time a collect symbol lands, all cash icons on that reel are accumulated and removed, allowing the entire reel to re-fill with new values. The upgrade symbol enhances the value of all cash icons on that reel by up to 5x, while the build symbol increases the height of the reel up to a maximum of ten symbols. When the ‘super’ version of each symbol lands, that upgrade is applied to each and every reel. Combining these additional bonuses is the key to unlocking the game’s win potential.

How is Thunderkick looking to elevate the Cash Collect feature?

There is an abundance of slots with a classic Cash Collect feature, where players are awarded a specific number of spins and the values are accumulated on each spin. There is of course a place for those games, but we like to do things a little differently, providing players with something distinctive and fresh.

In Eager Beavers, that uniqueness is provided by combining the feature with expanding reels and random multipliers, packing each spin with as much potential as possible. In Bones & Bounty, the added value comes from the ghost reel. When coins reach the ghost reel, they are boosted with a multiplier and redistributed across the reels. There are also treasure chests which amplify the value of all coins on the grid, and ghost monkey symbols, which increase the ghost reel multiplier.

What would you say to a player who hasn’t tried a Cash Collect slot before?

Cash Collect slots might not appeal to everyone, but why not give one a go? They offer something a little different to standard free spins, and the large multiplier values can be extremely rewarding, providing a sense of promise and potential with every spin.

The beauty of the Cash Collect feature is that every studio has its own take on it. Very rarely will the bonus in two games be exactly the same. Eager Beavers and Bones & Bounty are both Cash Collect slots, but that’s where the similarities end. The former focuses on upgrades such as expanded reels, while the latter is all about the stacked multipliers. The result is two games that might incorporate the same feature, but offer completely unique gameplay experiences.

Want to know more about online slots and how they work? Check out these Comparasino blog posts: 

Explained: Wilds in online slots 

Explained: Scatters in online slots 

Explained: Multipliers in online slots