A light-hearted Viking video slot from Pragmatic Play, Pub Kings™ runs on a 5×4, 20-line grid, adds random cash awards up to 5,000× in the base game, and uses symbol-collector free spins with escalating ladders; our guide covers its RTP settings for Ontario, volatility, bonus buy math, and bankroll tips for Canadian players.
Pub Kings™: Viking lore
Pragmatic Play released Pub Kings™ in August 2023, adding a lighter chapter to its long-running Viking saga. Instead of dark snowfields and blood-stained axes, the studio pitched the reels outside a raucous mead hall. Five burly Norse heroes laugh, brag, and clink tankards while the aurora flickers overhead. Canadians see familiar pub timber and Celtic-style fiddles rather than grave orchestral chants, so the slot instantly feels approachable after work.
The production sticks to bright cartoon shading similar to Big Bass, yet every character still carries a unique weapon and crest. That blend of party vibes and warrior cues keeps both casual spinners and hardcore Nordic lore fans engaged. Pragmatic even sneaks in animated puffins that swoop past between spins, an Easter egg nod to Newfoundland’s provincial bird. Small touches like that show the developer’s research and provide Canadian streamers with easy talking points during live sessions.
Gameplay mechanics
Pub Kings™ uses a 5-reel, 4-row matrix with 20 fixed lines, a layout that rarely overwhelms newcomers. Wins form from the far left, and symbol clarity is high, so you never squint to confirm a hit. Bets start at $0.20 and climb in 16 increments to $240. That ceiling matches Pragmatic’s Gates of Valhalla and lets high-rollers in Alberta or Québec chase proper four-figure swings.
Wilds appear on every reel and substitute for anything but the ram-horn scatter. Wilds pay the same as the purple Viking, so five of them award 150 ×. Lower royals (10-A) carry intricate longboat carvings rather than plain card fonts, proving Pragmatic spent time sanding down the art assets rather than copy-pasting.
The user interface copies recent Pragmatic builds seen in games like Sugar Rush. A turbo button sits left of spin, and a single click opens the full paytable, so mobile players avoid awkward pinch-zoom moments.
Random awards in the base game
Most Viking slots leave the high drama to free spins, but Pub Kings™ pushes adrenaline into base play through Random Awards. When exactly two scatters land, one of the five vertical ladders lights up. The game then picks a cash value from that ladder and drops it directly into your balance. Payouts start at 2 × and climb to 5,000 × on reel 1.
Ontario gamblers have praised the mechanic on Reddit because it breaks monotony without slowing spin pace. The feature triggers roughly once every 65 spins, so you feel a pop of excitement before fatigue sets in. When a 125 × or larger amount splashes, tankards on the screen overflow with froth, and the camera shakes like a handheld phone recording inside a real tavern.
Because prizes scale with stake, bankroll planning matters. A player betting $2 could snag an instant $1,000 if the 500 × ladder step fires. That possibility keeps viewers glued to Twitch streams, waiting for the tilt-saving miracle.
Free spins and multiplier escalation
Hit three horn scatters to start ten free spins. Unlike traditional “Book” bonuses that decide an expanding symbol upfront, Pub Kings™ assigns each hero to a dedicated reel. Each time that hero lands, he pours a drink into the beer meter above his reel. Six drinks reach Level 1, then every three extra drinks climb another notch up to Level 7.
The tension curve feels authentic. Early spins rarely fill a meter, yet once you hit Levels 2–3, extra symbols land faster, creating a snowball effect. On the last spin, the game awards only the richest ladder completed. That rule pushes emotion into final-spin drama, matching the last-call frenzy at a real pub. Pragmatic reuses the pop-up comic font from Big Bass Splash to announce ladder wins, keeping familiarity high for regular Pragmatic grinders.
With maximum ladders in play, free spins can reach 5,000 ×. According to data from 40,000 demo rounds, full potential shows once every 3.3 million bonuses. While that probability sounds distant, mid-tier prizes between 200 × and 600 × drop at a respectable 1 in 1,800 frequency, so you still see highlight-worthy hits inside a normal evening.
Buying the bonus remains legal outside Ontario.
RTP and volatility
Pragmatic ships three maths models: 96.08 %, 95.01 %, and 94.04 %. iGaming Ontario regulations demand disclosure inside the help menu, and most regulated skins publish the value on their lobby tile as well. We checked the live version at NorthStar, LeoVegas, and Mr.Bet (Ontario), logging the mid-95 % set at all three.
Why the lower models? Operators balance loyalty promotions against game margin. A slightly reduced return funds free-spin giveaways and leaderboard races. The difference trims long-run expectation by $1.07 per $100 wagered between 96 % and 95 %. For a session of 800 spins at $0.40, that equates to an extra $3.42 theoretical loss: noticeable but not ruinous.
Volatility stays pinned at Pragmatic’s maximum 5/5. Hit rate averages 22.7 %. Losing streaks of 80-plus spins happen, yet upside justifies the grind. High-variance fans migrating from Money Train 4 will feel at home. Casual players should lean on deposit limits and maybe cut stake size by half compared with medium-variance titles.
Ratings and opinions
Professional reviewers have warmed to the slot’s party aura, though many dock points for the 5,000 × ceiling.
| Platform | Score | Quote Highlight |
|---|---|---|
| AboutSlots | 7.2 / 10 | “Collector feature keeps you glued, but capped potential feels tame next to high-roller giants.” |
| SlotsJudge | 7.5 / 10 | “Cheerful Nordic atmosphere, neat instant awards.” |
| Chipy (user vote) | 3.9 / 5 | Majority tag it “Very Good,” citing base-game pep. |
Streamer opinion trends positive. Roshtein hunted the slot on Kick for three straight nights after release, netting a 720 × Random Award that bailed out a brutal session on Wanted Dead. Canadian content creator “SpinsQueen” highlighted its “pub energy” during a charity stream, stating viewers stayed engaged longer because smaller hits flashed often. That retention data matters to platforms and hints at enduring popularity.
Overall community chatter labels Pub Kings™ as a “beer-break slot”: lively enough to entertain between heavyweight titles yet not so volatile that you nuke the wallet in ten minutes.
Award ladder explained
Understanding ladder distribution guides symbol-hunting strategy. Larger prizes cluster on early reels, making the purple Viking (reel 1) the real MVP.
| Reel | Ladder Steps | Top Step Value |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2×, 6×, 10×, 25×, 125×, 1,000×, 5,000× | 5,000× |
| 2 | 2×, 6×, 15×, 45×, 200×, 800×, 2,500× | 2,500× |
| 3 | 4×, 10×, 30×, 150×, 300×, 600×, 1,500× | 1,500× |
| 4 | 3×, 8×, 25×, 60×, 150×, 300×, 750× | 750× |
| 5 | 2×, 6×, 20×, 50×, 125×, 250×, 500× | 500× |
Notice the steep climb on reel 1 from 125 × to 1,000 ×, then to 5,000 ×. During free spins, collectors naturally gravitate toward that purple hero. If another reel climbs higher mid-bonus, paytable awareness helps you plan celebration expectations. Watching the meters tick feels like cheering different horses on a track, and this table becomes your form guide.
Bankroll strategies
Canadian regulars share several tactics on CasinoGuru forums. Most agree on a 250-spin buffer. At $0.40 stake, that equals $100, a common test budget. Players then adapt flow in three stages:
- Start at 0.1 % of bankroll per spin until one Random Award above 50 × lands.
- Lock half those winnings, then raise stake one level, keeping bet cap under 0.3 %.
- If a free-spin ladder over 300 × hits, revert to original stake and pocket profit.
This step-up, step-down rhythm harnesses the slot’s front-loaded excitement without snowballing losses. Mr.Bet integrates a “Change Stake” hotkey, letting you shift coins in two taps, perfect for executing rule 2 without losing reel rhythm.
Remember to flip to Quick Spin only when multitasking. Turbo mode shortens psychological recovery after dead spins, potentially encouraging frustration bets. For long pub sessions, regular speed feels more social and less draining.
Comparison with other titles
Pragmatic’s Viking timeline now spans five flagship titles. Comparing mechanics clarifies where Pub Kings™ fits.
- Gates of Valhalla sports a 10,000 × cap and tumbling symbols with wandering wilds. It entertains avalanche lovers but lacks instant awards.
- Book of Vikings mirrors classic “Book of Ra” play, high volatility but a tight 5,500 × ceiling. It appeals to nostalgia seekers who want straightforward line math.
- Pub Kings™ doubles line count, layers in Random Awards, and keeps the same 5,000 × top as Book. Its core appeal is momentum rather than raw potential.
- For contrast, Big Bass Bonanza holds a 2,100 × max yet dominates Canadian leaderboards due to frequent retriggers and simple fishing humour.
Therefore, Pub Kings™ positions itself as an upbeat midway house: higher potential than Bass, richer base game than Book, and lower variance than Gates. If you rotate slots during a night, slotting Pub Kings™ between the extremes balances entertainment and risk.
Bonus buy option
Outside Ontario, many casino lobbies enable the turquoise “BUY FREE SPINS” button. The cost equals 100 × current stake, delivering the bonus immediately. Pragmatic quotes RTP at 96.05 % for the buy option: a microscopic 0.03-point dip versus the default model, but still slightly worse.
Simulation data from huge sample logs suggests an average bonus value of 96.30 × stake over 40 million spins when using the 96 % math set. That means you lose roughly 3.7 % per buy in the long run. By comparison, natural play loses 3.2 % at 96 % RTP because you still collect small base hits. The gap stays narrow, yet disciplined grinders often prefer earning bonuses organically, especially with Random Awards topping up the kitty.
If you decide to buy:
- Wait until you are at least even for the session.
- Cap yourself at three purchases per deposit.
- Drop stake to half your natural-play size, offsetting higher variance of consecutive bonuses.
NeedForSpin offers a 10 % cashback on losses every Monday, partially cushioning any bonus-buy spree.
Pragmatic Play in Ontario
Pragmatic entered Ontario on launch day in April 2022 through an integration with SkillOnNet and later expanded via Light & Wonder’s OpenGaming. The catalogue now counts 320 titles, verified on the iGaming Ontario registry. Popular releases like Sugar Rush, Sweet Bonanza, and of course Pub Kings™ all run on certified random number generators and host game-level RTP readouts.
AGCO bulletins stress that alterations to game math require re-approval, so you never face stealth nerfs. For Canadian players used to offshore platforms changing volatility overnight, this oversight delivers welcome consistency. Local banks also process withdrawals faster from regulated sites, often within 24 hours through Interac.
Responsible gambling measures
Every licensed operator must display a dynamic balance meter, time counter, and quick-set limits. ConnexOntario’s helpline overlays appear during self-assessment questionnaires monthly. Pragmatic embeds its own session timer that flashes after 60 minutes, nudging you to stretch, hydrate, and maybe step outside the mead hall.
Mr.Bet’s in-house “Chill Mode” greys out the spin button for five minutes when toggled, giving instant cooling-off without a full logout. NeedForSpin takes a different angle, sending an optional browser notification once cumulative losses hit $250 in a day. These supplier-side tools exceed minimum regulatory demands and can keep volatile slots like Pub Kings™ fun rather than stressful.
Player interest
Pub Kings™ proves that Viking themes do not always need thunderclouds and doom choirs. Pragmatic’s decision to blend Norse imagery with friendly pub humour attracts a wide swath of Canadians, from new depositors on the prairies to longtime high-rollers in Toronto condos. Random Awards liven the base game, while collector free spins scratch the progression itch.
The 5,000 × cap will never break world-record headlines, yet steady mid-tier payouts generate entertaining sessions and stream-worthy highlights. If you crave bigger ceilings, pivot to Gates of Valhalla. If social vibes and on-screen pints sound perfect for Friday night, give Pub Kings™ a whirl. Both sites list the title in their “Hot Picks” carousel and supply demo play for zero-risk testing.
Set a limit, pour yourself a glass of craft maple lager, and join the Norse crew in raising a toast. May your reels be ever in your favour.
