Play Day at the Races for Free

..you need to stake some cash. In Day at the Races, one coin is permitted per line and the coin values stretch from 0.25 right up to 50. Most players probably aren’t interested in betting 1,000 per spin – let’s face it, you’d have to be rich as hell or just plain stupid – but as ever, you’re advised to play to your limits. If you wish, play on one line with a modest bet of 0.50, 0.75 or 1 credit, or activate a few lines. Better still, play in free slot mode before committing cold, hard cash.

We all know horse racing events are as much about hobnobbing as horses, and OpenBet know it, too: two of this slot’s characters are an aristocratic man and woman, he in a top hat and pencil moustache, she in a fascinator clutching a glass of champagne. Anyway, the class war won’t be won here. The 5x3 board appears against a backdrop of the racecourse itself, complete with white railings and rough green grass.

Below the reels, the usual dashboard appears, though each button has been designed to resemble a clod of turf – a neat touch. All the usual controls are provided, including those for Stake, Lines, Bet Max and Gamble. There’s also a Paytable button and the usual Spin control. When you want to withdraw your moolah from the game, just hit Collect.

Lower-value symbols in Day at the Races include playing cards: 9, 10, Jack, Queen and King. The cards appear in front of the white rails of the racecourse and are painted to resemble jockeys’ shirts – another clever touch. Other icons include a horse and jockey, the aforementioned female (presumably visiting on Ladies’ Day) and top hatted race-goer, a Royal Ascot blackboard with the prices of horses written on it and three special icons.

The best-paying of the regular symbols is the aforementioned gentleman, who pays 50 for three, 150 for four and 200 for five. The ace pays 30 for three, 60 for four and 120 for five, while the female pays 20 for three, 50 for four and 100 for five.

The game’s wild is an image of the stable door, with a silver horseshoe and the word WILD printed on it. It substitutes for any other icon, except the scatter, and furnishes players with a x2 multiplier on any win it helps form. It is not, however, associated with any values of its own.

The scatter symbol treats players to free spins. Represented by a snoozing horse on the eve of a big race, it grants 15 free spins for three, 20 for four and 25 for five. It also pays modest sums into the bargain: x2 for three, x5 for four and x10 for all five in a line.

Lastly, the feature icon is Tic Tac Charlie. TTC (as he shall henceforth be known) is a shady looking character in a wide-brimmed hat and mackintosh. Players must find TTC in order to enter the mini-game, where they’ll be asked to pick a winner from a list. After you’ve made your choice, you’ll get to watch the race itself unfold. Depending on where your horse finishes – will he fall at the first hurdles or leave his rivals in the dust? – you’ll receive a multiplier. This game can also be triggered during a round of free spins, and a gamble feature is available after every win made during the base game.

Day at the Races is a slot that’s colourful, fun and frivolous. While the pay-table is relatively modest, the sheer number of bonus features more than makes up for it. Don’t hold your horses – give it a go today.