Fat Banker

If you remember playing Fat Rabbit or Fat Santa, you're going to feel right at home with Fat Banker. But let me tell you, Push Gaming has traded the farm and the North Pole for the glitz and glam of the roaring 1920s. As soon as I loaded this game up, I was hit with that Art Deco style—think The Great Gatsby meets a very greedy cartoon tycoon. The game is set on a larger 6x6 grid, which immediately makes it feel bigger and more imposing than your standard slot.

Visually, it's a treat. The colours are sharp, mixing deep greens (for money, obviously) with gold accents and crisp whites. The main character is this wonderfully round Banker who looks like he's enjoyed one too many business lunches. I really enjoyed the soundtrack, too; it’s this jazzy, upbeat tune that keeps your head bobbing, but it ramps up the tension perfectly when you're close to a big hit. It doesn't take itself too seriously, which is exactly why I found it so charming right off the bat.

Okay, let's pop the hood on this one. Fat Banker plays out on a 6x6 grid with 50 paylines. If you're new to slots, that just means there are 50 specific patterns across the board where matching symbols will pay out. You've got your standard low-paying symbols (the card suits like diamonds and hearts), and then the high-value stuff: cigars, a classy lady, a cute dog, and the Banker himself.

The base game has a few quirks that keep things interesting. I noticed these Bullion Symbols popping up a lot—they look like blue tickets with numbers on them. These are instant cash prizes. If you land a Silver Safe symbol on reel 6 at the same time as these Bullion symbols, the Safe collects all those values. It’s a bit like finding a winning scratch card inside your pocket; unexpected and awesome.

There's also a feature called the Red Car. I loved this. Sometimes, when the reels stop and you almost triggered a feature but missed, a red car drives across the screen, adds new symbols, and gives you a second chance. It’s a nice little "helper" mechanic that saved me from a boring spin more than once.

Now, let's talk about the math without getting too boring. While the exact volatility level wasn't handed to me on a platter, I can tell you from experience—and looking at that massive 250,000x max win—that this is a high volatility game. Think of it like a rollercoaster with really steep drops. You might go through a dry spell where your balance dips (that’s the climb up), but when the drop comes (the win), it can be absolutely massive.

For us Canadian players, this means you need to be patient. You aren't going to win on every spin like you might in a low-volatility game. As for the RTP (Return to Player), games like this usually hover around the industry average of 96%. Practically speaking, this means the game is fair, but because the max win is so huge, a lot of that "return" is locked up in the bonus rounds. My advice? Don't expect steady small wins; you're playing this one for the shot at the jackpot.

This is where Fat Banker really shines. There are actually two main bonus features, which is super cool. First, you have the Fortune Link feature. This triggers when you land the Silver Safe on reel 6 and enough Bullion symbols. It’s a "Hold and Win" style game—basically, the grid clears, and you get 3 spins to land more cash symbols or multipliers. Every time you land one, your spins reset to 3. I found this feature triggered more often for me and was great for keeping my balance healthy.

But the real star is the Fat Banker Free Spins. To get this, you need the Banker on reel 1 and a Wild Money Bag anywhere else. This is the classic "growing wild" mechanic. The Banker chases the money bags across the screen, collects them, and grows fatter! He starts as a 1x1 symbol, but as he eats bags, he grows to 2x2, 3x3, and eventually can cover the whole 6x6 screen.

The tension when the Banker is huge (like 4x4) and you need just one more bag to make him 5x5 is insane. I was literally cheering at my screen when I got him to grow. It’s incredibly satisfying to watch him stomp around eating gold.

Because Fat Banker is so volatile, you have to treat your bankroll with respect. I recommend betting small—maybe smaller than you usually would. If you normally spin at $1.00, try $0.40 or $0.60 here. The potential win is 250,000x, so even a $0.20 bet can turn into a life-changing amount of cash. You don't need to bet big to win big here.

I also suggest setting a strict session limit. Decide, "I'm going to play for 50 spins" or "I'm willing to lose $20," and stick to it. This game can eat your budget quickly if the bonuses don't land. If there's a Bonus Buy option available (depending on your province), be careful—it's expensive and doesn't guarantee a profit. I prefer spinning naturally and hoping for that Red Car to help me out.

The good news is that Push Gaming is huge, so you can find Fat Banker at pretty much any reputable online casino in Canada. When I'm looking for a place to play, I always check if they accept Interac. It’s just the easiest way for us to move CAD in and out of our accounts without dealing with currency conversion fees.

This game runs perfectly on mobile, too. I played a few rounds on my phone while waiting for a coffee, and the 6x6 grid actually looks great in portrait mode. Before you commit real loonies, look for the "Demo" or "Play for Fun" mode. It lets you get a feel for how the Banker grows without risking a dime. It's a great way to practice before the real action starts.