Quick Stats
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Provider | NetEnt (Evolution Gaming) |
| Game Type | Progressive Jackpot Slot |
| RTP | 95.3%–95.7% (operator-dependent; Blackspins shows 95.30%) |
| Jackpot Contribution | 6.9% per bet total: Mega 4.9%, Mini 1%, Midi 1% |
| Volatility | Low-to-Medium (hit frequency 37.15%–37.19%) |
| Reels / Rows | 5 × 3 |
| Paylines | 20 Fixed |
| Min Bet | $0.20 per spin |
| Max Bet | $50.00 per spin |
| Max Non-Jackpot Win | 4,314x stake |
| Jackpots | Mini, Midi, Mega (progressive) |
| Mega Jackpot Record | €7,820,888+ |
| Release Year | 2010 |
| Features | Expanding Wild (Midgard Serpent, reels 2–4), Free Spins (10/15/20 + 3x multiplier, retrigger), Bonus Game (shield smash, guaranteed win, jackpot access) |
| Theme | Norse Mythology (Asgard) |
| Platform | Desktop & Mobile |
What Is Hall of Gods?
Hall of Gods is NetEnt’s long-running Norse mythology progressive jackpot slot and one of the most played progressive titles in the world. It’s been running since 2010 — before most of the slots in the Blackspins lobby existed — and has made more than a dozen players millionaires along the way.
The appeal is a three-part structure. In the base game, the Midgard Serpent (Jörmungandr) acts as an expanding wild that can stack three entire reels simultaneously, creating high-coverage win scenarios. Odin’s Ravens trigger a free spins round where all wins are tripled. And Thor’s Hammer symbols open the Bonus Game — a shield-smashing pick-me round that guarantees at least a coin win and can deliver any of the three progressive jackpots.
Every single spin feeds 6.9% of the total bet into the jackpot pools — 4.9% to the Mega, 1% each to Mini and Midi. This is why the RTP sits below the 96% standard. The “missing” percentage is sitting in jackpot pools waiting to pay out. Whether you’re the one who collects is pure chance, but the pots keep climbing until someone does.
NetEnt, now part of Evolution Gaming, holds licences from the MGA, UKGC, Gibraltar, and dozens of other jurisdictions. Hall of Gods is certified across all major regulated markets.
Who this is for: NZ players who want a proven, low-to-medium volatility base game combined with genuine multimillion-dollar jackpot access, enjoy Norse mythology themes, and are comfortable with an RTP slightly below 96% in exchange for life-changing jackpot probability.
Who this is not for: Players who need above-96% RTP or who want cutting-edge graphics — Hall of Gods’ 2010 visual style is competent but noticeably dated compared to 2024–2025 releases. Its base-game wins are also modest due to the low volatility profile.
RTP and Volatility
Hall of Gods carries an RTP of 95.3%–95.7% depending on operator configuration. The Blackspins listing shows 95.30%, the lower end of this range. Of every dollar bet, 6.9 cents goes directly into the jackpot pool — 4.9 cents to the Mega jackpot and 1 cent each to Mini and Midi. The remaining 88–89 cents covers regular game payouts at a 95%+ return rate.
For context: most non-progressive slots run 96%+ RTP because there’s no jackpot seeding. Hall of Gods’ 95.3%–95.7% is actually high for a progressive jackpot slot — comparable titles from other studios often run 92%–94%.
Volatility is low-to-medium, with a confirmed hit frequency of 37.15%–37.19%. That means roughly four out of every ten spins produces a win of some size — a noticeably high base-game win frequency for an online slot. The catch is that most of those wins are modest. Odin, the highest regular symbol, pays 100x your stake for five of a kind — the high-paying gods (Loki, Freya, Thor) need only two of a kind to pay, which contributes to the hit frequency. Big non-jackpot wins come from expanding wild combinations during free spins.
Do this: Before your first session, set a per-spin stake you’re comfortable spinning at for 100+ spins. Low-to-medium volatility means you’ll see activity regularly, but jackpot probability is genuinely long-odds (1 in 2.4 million from the base game). Treat jackpot potential as a bonus to what is fundamentally a steady, moderate-win base-game experience.
Betting Range
Hall of Gods accepts bets from $0.20 to $50.00 per spin, confirmed by Blackspins and all independent sources. The 20 fixed paylines are always active — you’re betting total stake per spin, not per line.
Higher bets improve jackpot probability. The Mega Jackpot trigger odds from the Bonus Game tighten from approximately 1 in 2.4 million (base game) to approximately 1 in 26,618 at maximum bet within the bonus game itself — a significant improvement, though still low odds. The Bonus Game itself triggers roughly every 93 spins on average regardless of stake.
At $0.20 minimum, a $20 session covers 100 spins. At $1.00 per spin, $100 covers 100 spins with stronger jackpot probability per spin.
Start here: At $0.20 per spin, you get the full game experience at very low cost per spin. The Bonus Game triggers on average every 93 spins — so a 100-spin session at minimum stake ($20 total) should statistically include at least one Bonus Game entry. That’s good value for experiencing the shield-smash mechanic before committing to higher stakes.
How to Play Hall of Gods — Step by Step
Base game spins resolve quickly. The Bonus Game adds 30–60 seconds. Free spins add time based on spin count and any retriggers.
- Set your bet. Use the coin value and bet level controls to set your total stake between $0.20 and $50. The coin value ranges from 0.01 to 0.50; bet level from 1 to 5. Your total bet per spin = coin value × bet level × 20 paylines.
- Open the paytable. Review the symbol values, wild behaviour (reels 2–4 only, expands on winning combination), scatter trigger (ravens, 3+), and bonus trigger (Thor’s Hammer/shield, 3+).
- Press spin. Left-to-right combinations on any of the 20 paylines pay. High-paying gods (Odin, Thor, Freya, Loki) need only two of a kind to award a payout — lower pays need three.
- Watch for the Midgard Serpent on reels 2, 3, or 4. When it lands and forms part of a winning combination, it expands to fill the entire reel. If all three middle reels (2, 3, 4) expand simultaneously, Odin symbols on reels 1 and 5 can produce maximum regular payouts.
- Watch for three Ravens (scatters) anywhere on the reels. Free spins trigger immediately.
- Watch for three Thor’s Hammer/Shield Bonus symbols. The Bonus Game activates — this is your path to the jackpots.
- During free spins: All wins are multiplied by 3x. Expanding wilds remain active. The Bonus Game can also trigger during free spins — but any jackpot won from the bonus during free spins does not benefit from the 3x multiplier.
- During the Bonus Game: Smash shields to reveal coin amounts or jackpot symbols. Three matching coin amounts = win that amount. Three matching jackpot symbols = win the corresponding jackpot. The game continues until a three-match is found — you will always win something.
Try this: During your first few Bonus Game entries, note which shields reveal jackpot symbols vs. coin prizes. The bonus guarantees a win regardless, so the pressure is low — it’s worth taking a moment to understand the selection grid before playing at higher stakes where the jackpot prize values are larger.
Symbols and Paytable
Hall of Gods uses a Norse mythology symbol set divided into high-paying gods and low-paying artefacts.
Low-value symbols (need 3+ for payout): A box of fruit, a pickaxe, a brooch, a hammer, a ring, and Idun (goddess of youth). These are the filler symbols that contribute to the game’s high hit frequency through frequent small-to-medium combinations.
High-value symbols (need only 2+ for payout): Loki, Freya, and Thor. These paying only two of a kind makes them active contributors to the 37%+ hit frequency. Even a two-symbol combination on a 20-payline grid produces small but real wins with reasonable frequency.
Odin — the game’s premium symbol. Five Odin symbols on a payline pays 100x your total bet. With an expanding Midgard Serpent covering reels 2, 3, and 4 simultaneously and Odin appearing on reels 1 and 5, the maximum regular win of 4,314x is achievable.
Midgard Serpent (Jörmungandr) — Expanding Wild: Appears on reels 2, 3, and 4 only. When it forms part of a winning combination, it expands to cover the full reel height (3 rows). Does not substitute for Ravens (scatter) or Thor’s Hammer (bonus). Three simultaneous expanding wilds on reels 2–4 create maximum payline coverage.
Odin’s Ravens — Scatter: Huginn and Muninn, Odin’s ravens. Triggers free spins when 3+ land anywhere. Pays a scatter win regardless of position.
Thor’s Hammer/Shield — Bonus Symbol: Triggers the Bonus Game when 3+ land anywhere on the reels. Can trigger during the base game or during free spins.
Bonus Features
Free Spins with 3x Multiplier
Trigger: 3, 4, or 5 Ravens scatter symbols anywhere on the reels.
3 Ravens = 10 free spins. 4 Ravens = 15 free spins. 5 Ravens = 20 free spins.
All wins during free spins are multiplied by 3x. This includes the Midgard Serpent expanding wild combinations — a three-reel wild expansion connecting Odin symbols on reels 1 and 5 during free spins can approach the theoretical 4,314x maximum. The game’s best non-jackpot outcomes come from expanding wild chains during free spins.
Free spins retrigger by landing 3+ Ravens during the bonus round. Each retrigger adds the same number of spins as the original trigger. There is no published cap on retriggers.
The Bonus Game can also trigger during free spins. Any jackpot won from the Bonus Game during free spins is paid at face value — it does not receive the 3x multiplier.
Bonus Game — Shield Smash
Trigger: 3 Thor’s Hammer/Shield Bonus symbols anywhere on the reels (base game or free spins).
The screen transforms into a wall of 15 Viking shields. You use Thor’s Hammer (Mjölnir) to smash shields one at a time, revealing hidden prizes — either a coin amount or one of three jackpot symbols (Mini, Midi, or Mega).
The game continues revealing shields until either three matching coin amounts or three matching jackpot symbols are found. The outcome is guaranteed — you will always win at least the matching coin amount. Every Bonus Game entry produces a payout.
Match three Mini jackpot symbols → win the Mini progressive jackpot. Match three Midi jackpot symbols → win the Midi progressive jackpot. Match three Mega jackpot symbols → win the Mega progressive jackpot.
Higher stakes improve the probability of revealing jackpot symbols within the shield grid, per BigWinBoard’s analysis confirming the jackpot odds tighten significantly at max bet within the Bonus Game.
Expanding Wild (Midgard Serpent)
Active in both the base game and free spins. When the Midgard Serpent lands on reel 2, 3, or 4 and contributes to a winning combination, it expands to fill all three rows on that reel. Multiple expanding wilds on adjacent middle reels can stack simultaneously, covering the entire central section of the grid and maximising payline coverage for any symbols on reels 1 and 5.
The Progressive Jackpots
Hall of Gods features three progressive jackpots, all funded directly from player bets:
Mini Jackpot — 1% of each spin goes into the Mini pool, with 10% reserved as a seed for the next winner. The Mini jackpot resets at its seed value after being won and grows from there.
Midi Jackpot — Same contribution structure as Mini (1% of bets, 10% seed reserve).
Mega Jackpot — 4.9% of every spin across the network feeds the Mega pool, with 8% reserved as a seed. This is the jackpot that has produced the game’s millionaire winners. The Mega jackpot typically sits in the multimillion-dollar range between wins.
Jackpot history highlights:
- Largest recorded win: €7,820,888 (confirmed by SlotCatalog and multiple sources)
- A Norwegian player won €7.5 million in 2017
- A player won approximately $8.9 million in 2015
- Over 11 recorded wins above €6 million since 2010
- Average Mega jackpot size at win: approximately €5–6 million
- Average time between Mega wins: approximately 252 days
The Mega jackpot trigger probability from the base game is approximately 1 in 2,464,171 spins. From within the Bonus Game at maximum bet, that tightens to approximately 1 in 26,618 — which is still very long odds but meaningfully better, and reinforces the value of playing at or near maximum stake when aiming for the Mega.
Is Hall of Gods Worth Playing?
Pros:
- Three genuine progressive jackpots with proven multimillion-dollar Mega payouts — over 11 wins above €6 million since 2010
- Low-to-medium volatility with 37%+ hit frequency — regular base-game wins keep sessions active while the jackpot builds
- Bonus Game guarantees a win every time it triggers — no dry bonus entries
- 4,314x maximum non-jackpot win via expanding wilds during free spins gives a credible ceiling even without jackpot outcomes
- Free spins with 3x multiplier + expanding wilds during free spins = the game’s strongest non-jackpot payout scenario
- $0.20 minimum stake provides low-cost access to the full feature set including jackpot eligibility
- NetEnt is one of the most established and trusted game developers in the industry; Evolution Gaming-backed; multi-jurisdiction licensed
- RTP of 95.3%–95.7% is above average for a progressive jackpot slot, where many competitors run below 94%
Cons:
- RTP below 96% — the 6.9% jackpot contribution is money that leaves the regular payout pool and only returns to the player who wins the jackpot
- Mega Jackpot odds of 1 in 2.4 million from the base game are genuinely very long — most sessions will never come close
- Visual style is 2010-era — the artwork and animations are competent but dated compared to post-2020 releases
- Base-game wins are modest due to low volatility — frequent small wins rather than large individual payouts
- The Bonus Game jackpot outcome depends purely on luck with no skill element — the “smashing shields” interaction is cosmetic
- Blackspins header lists volatility as Medium; the body text says low — low-to-medium is the accurate independent description
Bottom line: Hall of Gods is the original NetEnt progressive jackpot classic and still one of the best-value progressive slots available anywhere, with an above-average RTP for the category, a proven multimillion-dollar jackpot track record, and a genuinely engaging three-feature structure. The base game is steady rather than spectacular. The jackpot is the draw — and it has made enough players rich enough times that the game’s popularity 15 years after launch makes complete sense. Play at a stake you’re comfortable sustaining across 100+ spins and treat any Bonus Game entry as a genuine (if long-odds) jackpot opportunity.
Responsible Gambling
Hall of Gods uses NetEnt’s certified random number generator (RNG), audited across multiple jurisdictions. All reel outcomes, expanding wild triggers, scatter positions, and Bonus Game shield reveals are fully random and independent between spins. Progressive jackpot pools grow from cumulative player bets and reset after being won. The 95.3%–95.7% RTP applies over millions of spins — individual sessions will deviate. Set a session budget before playing, and contact your local responsible gambling support service if gambling causes concern.