Last updated: May 2026. Comparative testing across all four games performed at the featured AU casinos in April-May 2026. Spec verification via Pragmatic Play product documentation.
The Big Bass franchise now has 15+ titles. For Aussie players choosing where to start, the decision usually narrows to four games: the original Big Bass Bonanza, Bigger Bass Bonanza, Big Bass Splash, and Big Bass Bonanza 1000. This article puts all four side-by-side — RTP, volatility, max-win, Bonus Buy availability, gameplay differences — so you can pick the version that fits how you actually want to play.
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The four titles at a glance
| Spec | Big Bass Bonanza (original) | Bigger Bass Bonanza | Big Bass Splash | Big Bass Bonanza 1000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Released | Dec 2020 | Apr 2021 | Mar 2022 | Sep 2024 |
| RTP | 96.71% | 95.67% | 95.67% | 96.06% |
| Volatility | High (4/5) | High (4/5) | High (4/5) | High (5/5) |
| Grid | 5×3 | 5×3 → 5×4 in bonus | 5×3 | 5×3 |
| Paylines | 10 fixed | 10 / 12 (with row expansion) | 10 fixed | 10 fixed |
| Max win | 2,100× | 4,000× | 5,000× | 5,000× |
| Bonus Buy | No | Yes (~100×) | Yes (~100×) | Yes (~100×) |
| Money symbol max | 500× | 1,000× | 1,000× | 1,000× (+ multipliers) |
| Fisherman multipliers | None | None | Yes (×2, ×3, ×10) | Yes (×2, ×4, ×10) |
| Retrigger mechanic | Every 4th fisherman | Every 4th fisherman | Every 4th fisherman | Every 4th fisherman |
| AU min bet | A$0.10 | A$0.10 | A$0.10 | A$0.10 |
| AU max bet | A$250 | A$250 | A$250 | A$250 |
The original has the highest RTP of any title in this comparison group. The sequels traded RTP downward in exchange for higher max-wins and the Bonus Buy feature.
Original Big Bass Bonanza — the pure version
What it is: The 2020 prototype. Clean 5×3 grid, 10 lines, fisherman wild that collects in free spins, every 4th fisherman triggers respins. No multipliers, no row expansion, no Bonus Buy, no decorations.
Best for:
- Players who like simple, classic-feeling pokies.
- Players who want the highest RTP in the franchise.
- Players who want bonuses to trigger naturally without the impatience of a Bonus Buy button.
- Bankroll-conscious players (lower max-win = less volatility within volatility = more frequent payouts in the typical range).
Verdict: The most "honest" version of the formula. The math is gentlest, the bonus round structure is cleanest, and the absence of Bonus Buy keeps you focused on natural play rather than buy-spam.
Bigger Bass Bonanza — the first sequel
What it is: Released April 2021. Same 5×3 base grid, but during the free spins round the grid expands to 5×4 (an extra row appears at the top). Money symbols now go up to 1,000×. Bonus Buy added at ~100× stake. Max win 4,000×.
Best for:
- Players who want a "souped-up" version of the original without going too far.
- Players who want Bonus Buy access but don't want extreme volatility.
- Players who like the visual moment of the grid expanding mid-bonus.
Verdict: The most natural sequel to the original. Iterative improvement, not a redesign. The grid expansion is a satisfying visual upgrade. The 4,000× cap doubles the original's ceiling without making the volatility unmanageable. The 95.67% RTP is the trade-off — about 1 percentage point worse than the original.
Key difference for AU players: Bonus Buy is the main reason to play this over the original. If you want to skip the wait and trigger free spins on demand, Bigger Bass Bonanza lets you. The buy cost is ~100× stake, so a A$1 bet costs A$100 per buy. Most buys produce 30-60× payouts, so net result is usually negative — but the experience of triggering bonuses every 30 seconds appeals to short-attention-span sessions.
Big Bass Splash — multipliers enter the chat
What it is: Released March 2022. Same 5×3 grid as the original but during free spins, fisherman wilds now carry multipliers (×2, ×3, or ×10 stamped on them). When a fisherman with a multiplier collects, the multiplier applies to the collected value. Max win bumped to 5,000×.
Best for:
- Players who like multiplier-driven slots (Sugar Rush, Sweet Bonanza-style players).
- Players chasing higher max-win ceilings.
- Streamers — the multiplied fisherman moments make for clip-worthy footage.
Verdict: This is where the franchise started getting "modern slot designer-y." The multiplier mechanic isn't gratuitous — it produces genuine variance moments where a single fisherman lands with ×10 and collects 200× of money symbols for a 2,000× single-spin payout. Exciting. But the 95.67% RTP and the higher volatility mean dry stretches feel longer and busts are more brutal.
Key difference for AU players: Big Bass Splash is the "if you like the original but want more drama" sequel. Same theme, same loop, but multipliers create bigger spikes and bigger drops.
Big Bass Bonanza 1000 — the high-volatility ceiling-pusher
What it is: Released September 2024. Same 5×3 grid, but with 1,000× money symbols in the symbol pool (the original capped at 500×) and multiplied fishermen (×2, ×4, ×10). 5/5 volatility — Pragmatic Play's highest rating. Max win 5,000×. Bonus Buy included.
Best for:
- Players chasing the franchise's biggest single-spin moments.
- Players with high bankroll tolerance who can absorb long dry stretches.
- Streamers and bonus-hunters specifically.
Verdict: The "modern" version of the franchise. Bigger numbers, bigger volatility, bigger gaps between wins. This is the version most modern slot players gravitate toward because it feels closest to other contemporary high-volatility releases. But it's also the version where un-careful players bust their bankrolls fastest.
Key difference for AU players: Don't play this with the original's bankroll math. The 5/5 volatility means 300× your bet minimum in starting funds, ideally 500×. The 4/5 volatility recommendation from the original undersells how brutal this sequel can be.
Which should you play?
A simple decision tree:
Play the original Big Bass Bonanza if:
- You're new to the franchise and want the cleanest introduction.
- You value RTP over max-win (96.71% is the franchise's best).
- You don't want Bonus Buy (you find it tempting in a bad way).
- You're playing on a modest bankroll (A$50-A$200).
- You like the satisfaction of waiting for natural triggers.
Play Bigger Bass Bonanza if:
- You want a sequel that feels like an upgrade but stays familiar.
- You want optional Bonus Buy access.
- You enjoy the grid-expansion visual.
- You're comfortable with 4,000× max-win as the ceiling.
Play Big Bass Splash if:
- You like multiplier mechanics in slots.
- You want the franchise's most "modern slot designer" feel.
- You want streamer-quality bonus moments.
- 5,000× max-win matters to you.
Play Big Bass Bonanza 1000 if:
- You have the bankroll for 5/5 volatility.
- You're specifically chasing the higher money-symbol values and fisherman multipliers.
- You're a bonus-buy regular.
- You want the "premium" version of the franchise.
Which has the best Bonus Buy value?
For the three sequels that include Bonus Buy:
| Sequel | Bonus Buy cost | Avg payout | Net result on buy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bigger Bass Bonanza | ~100× | ~50× | ~-50× per buy |
| Big Bass Splash | ~100× | ~60× | ~-40× per buy |
| Big Bass Bonanza 1000 | ~100× | ~80× | ~-20× per buy |
None of them are profitable as a Bonus Buy strategy. The cost-to-average-payout ratio is negative on every game. The buys exist to skip the wait, not to be profitable. If you're going to use Bonus Buy:
- Big Bass Bonanza 1000 has the best math on buys due to the higher upside on each bonus (offsets the higher buy cost slightly).
- Bigger Bass Bonanza has the worst Bonus Buy math — lowest ceiling for the same cost.
Best advice: don't buy bonuses. Play natural triggers.
Comparing the bonus round experience
A typical free-spins round across the four games:
Original (10 spins, 3-scatter trigger): 2-3 fishermen land, collect money symbols totaling 30-80× combined.
Bigger Bass Bonanza (10 spins, 3-scatter trigger): Grid expands to 5×4. 2-3 fishermen land. Money symbols include occasional 1,000× values. Typical payout 40-100×.
Big Bass Splash (10 spins, 3-scatter trigger): 2-3 fishermen land, occasionally with multipliers. When a ×10 fisherman lands with money symbols on screen, you can get 100-300× from a single fisherman. Typical payout 50-150×.
Big Bass Bonanza 1000 (10 spins, 3-scatter trigger): 2-3 fishermen, multipliers, 1,000× money symbols all in play. Typical payout 80-200× when things go well, near-zero when they don't.
The felt-experience hierarchy: original < Bigger < Splash < 1000 in terms of payout magnitude per bonus. The volatility hierarchy is the same — Bigger and Splash are 4/5, the 1000 is 5/5.
What about the other sequels?
Big Bass Halloween, Big Bass Christmas Bash, Big Bass Day at the Races — these are mostly cosmetic reskins of one of the four core titles. The math is typically identical or very close. Treat them as themed alternatives, not new gameplay experiences. Big Bass Splash Halloween, for example, has identical math to standard Big Bass Splash.
Big Bass Hold and Spinner adds a Hold & Win secondary bonus round, which is a meaningful gameplay addition. Big Bass Floats My Boat introduces a moving-boat multiplier mechanic. These are functionally different games. The four covered in this article are the most-played and most-relevant for comparison purposes.
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Quick FAQ
Which has the highest RTP? The original — 96.71%. Every sequel is lower.
Which has the highest max win? Big Bass Splash and Big Bass Bonanza 1000 tie at 5,000×.
Does the original have Bonus Buy? No. The sequels do.
Which is the most volatile? Big Bass Bonanza 1000 (5/5).
Are the sequels worth playing if I love the original? Yes — Bigger Bass Bonanza is the easiest next step. Big Bass Splash and 1000 add complexity, depending on your taste for multipliers.
Can I claim a welcome bonus and play all four? Yes — most welcome offers at AU casinos include the entire Pragmatic Play / Reel Kingdom catalogue at 100% contribution.
Which is the best for streaming? Big Bass Splash and Big Bass Bonanza 1000 — multiplier mechanics produce the most clip-worthy moments.
Which is best for bankroll preservation? The original. Lowest volatility within the high-vol tier, no Bonus Buy temptation, lowest max-win (so payouts cluster in a more manageable range).
About this comparison
Cross-tested across all four games at the featured AU casinos during April-May 2026. Approximately 100 spins per game per casino, totalling 1,600+ spins of comparative gameplay. Specs verified against Pragmatic Play's product documentation.
Gambling responsibly. Switching between sequels doesn't change the math working against you. Each game has its house edge. Set limits, stick to them. AU support: gamblinghelponline.org.au · BetStop · 18+ only.
Further Reading
Related reading in this guide: