Le Bandit is a fun and exciting online slot game from Hacksaw Gaming that features a charming raccoon bandit named Smokey. With vibrant graphics, cascading wins, and the chance to trigger one of several bonus features, this 5×6 video slot offers big winning potential. But one of the most intriguing aspects of Le Bandit is the Bonus Buy feature which lets you buy your way into one of the bonus games. In this in-depth review, we’ll take a close look at how the Bonus Buy works, the different bonus options available, and whether it’s worth spending your hard-earned cash to use it.
Le Bandit has a bright and cartoonish look with Smokey the raccoon bandit being the main character. The background shows a lush forest with other forest creatures like beavers, deer, and owls making appearances. The 6 reels are set inside the trunk of a large tree, giving the game screen a nice framed look.
The main gameplay centers around clusters and cascading wins. Rather than paylines, any cluster of 5 or more matching symbols will award a payout. Whenever you hit a winning cluster, those symbols disappear and new ones cascade down to fill the empty spots, potentially triggering more wins.
There are 9 regular symbols based on forest items like acorns, mushrooms, and gems. The green gem is the most valuable, awarding up to 100x your bet for 13 symbols. The special symbols are Rainbows which are scatters, and Golden Acorn wilds.
Item | Description |
---|---|
Software | Hacksaw Gaming |
Type | Video Slot |
RTP | 96.34% |
Volatility | High |
Theme | Forest animals |
Reels | 5 |
Rows | 6 |
Paylines | Cluster pays |
Bonus Features | Bonus Buy, Free Spins |
Hits | Cascading wins, Coin values |
The best way to get a feel for the Le Bandit Bonus Buy is to first try it in demo mode. All of the top casinos that offer Le Bandit will allow you to play in a free practice play version without spending real money.
This is the perfect way to see how the different Bonus Buy options work and experience the features risk-free. Take your time playing the demo and buy into each bonus multiple times to get a sense of the volatility and potential payouts.
Testing things out in demo mode lets you learn the game mechanics, see the bonus features in action, and decide which Bonus Buy offers the best value before you risk real cash. It really helps make the transition to real money smoother.
Return to Player, commonly referred to as RTP, is a measure of the percentage of wagers returned to players over the long term when playing a slot game. It is typically represented as a percentage, typically falling between 94% and 96%. The Le Bandit slot boasts an RTP of 96.35%, surpassing the average.
Hacksaw Gaming, like many other slot providers, offers various RTP rates to their operators. Among their options, the highest rate is the previously mentioned 96.35%, followed by 94.23%, 92.17%, and 88.36%. To find the best RTPs, it’s advisable to explore different platforms. However, we’ve already done the research for you and provided a table below with a few sites and their respective percentages.
One of the most interesting features in Le Bandit is the Bonus Buy. Bonus Buy lets you pay a set amount to buy your way into one of the bonus features without having to hit the triggers during the base game. There are 4 options:
Each Bonus Buy has a predetermined cost and number of spins or features. Buying into one is basically like paying for a shot at bigger wins without having to rely on bonus triggers landing during normal spins. It’s a cost vs reward gamble where you hope the bonus produces enough wins to cover the upfront cost.
So is it worth using the Bonus Buy feature in Le Bandit? Let’s take a closer look at what each Bonus Buy offers.
Luck of the Bandit is the cheapest Bonus Buy option at only 30x your bet. During the bonus you get 8 free spins with the chance for improved cascading wins. On any spin where a Rainbow symbol lands, it will activate the highlighted Golden Squares on the reels.
These squares reveal random coin values starting at 0.1x up to 500x your bet. Four-Leaf Clovers can boost the coin wins by 2x to 10x, while Golden Pots collect all the coins on their reel into one big win. With frequent cascades and the chance to build up big coin payouts, this is a pretty fun bonus.
While 8 spins may not seem like much, the potential for coins wins to quickly multiply can result in some big payouts. For the low 30x cost, Luck of the Bandit offers a great balance of risk vs reward. This is a Bonus Buy that is worth trying out to see those Golden Squares in action.
For 50x your bet, this Bonus Buy triggers the All That Glitters is Gold bonus. This is basically an enhanced version of the Luck of the Bandit bonus. You still get the 8 free spins, highlighted Golden Squares, and cascading coin wins. But there are a few improvements:
The boosted coin values and max win make this one of the most volatile Bonus Buy options. And with the potential for a free spin retrigger if you land the bonus trigger again, there is serious winning potential here.
For just 20x more than the cost of Luck of the Bandit, you get buffed up coin values and a chance at 4 extra spins. This makes All That Glitters is Gold one of the best value Bonus Buys in the game. Just be prepared for bigger variance swings between spins.
Here the cost jumps up to 100x your bet, but you get 10 free spins and a new bonus feature. During the spins, a special Rainbow Wand symbol can appear on reels 2-6.
Get 3 or more Wands and all symbols on the reels will turn into the same random symbol, helping to trigger big cluster wins. Land 5+ Wands and Smokey will even make an appearance to turn some symbols wild.
With more spins to work with and the extra Wand feature, there’s great potential here to build some massive cascading wins. Of course, with the 100x cost, you’re risking more upfront. But a couple of good hits can easily cover the buy-in and take you into profit. Overall, another solid Bonus Buy, especially if you land the Smokey wilds for some reel-filling wild symbols.
As the most expensive Bonus Buy, Smokey’s Big Time needs to bring some serious rewards. Here’s what you get for your 250x bet:
Having up to 5 wild reels can pave the way for some truly massive wins. Cluster pays are all but guaranteed with multiple sticky wilds in play.
Of course, with the huge upfront cost, Smokey’s Big Time is massively high variance and could easily burn through your balance if the spins don’t pan out. You really need multiple wild reels hitting within the first couple of spins to stand a chance of profiting.
While the maximum win potential is drool-worthy, for most players the 250x cost will be too risky compared to the other options. Unless you have a big bankroll and want to chase those 5 wild reel dream hits, the lower cost Bonus Buys offer better balance.
Le Bandit is optimized for mobile play, so you can take the raccoon bandit with you on the go. The gameplay translates seamlessly to smartphone or tablet. The graphics and animations look great on the small screen and the intuitive controls are perfect for tapping and swiping.
When playing on mobile, the Bonus Buy is just as easy to use as on desktop. Tapping the Bonus Buy button will bring up the selection menu with all the buy-in options. You simply tap your choice and confirm to play.
One tip for mobile is to use the autoplay feature which will automatically start your Bonus Buy for the number of spins you set. This lets you sit back and watch the action unfold.
When playing any online slot for real money, you want assurance that the game is fair and your funds are secure. Here is an overview of how Le Bandit measures up in these areas:
Le Bandit is produced by Hacksaw Gaming, a reputable slots developer that holds licenses from the UK Gambling Commission and Malta Gaming Authority. These require strict standards for responsible gambling and game integrity.
The top online casinos offering Le Bandit also hold licenses from reputable regulatory bodies like the MGA, UKGC, or state commissions. Playing at a licensed site ensures oversight and accountability.
Like all Hacksaw slots, Le Bandit utilizes a Random Number Generator to ensure fair and random outcomes on every spin and feature. The RNG is frequently tested and certified by independent auditing firms to prove it meets randomness standards.
Any quality casino will use top security tech to keep your info and funds safe. This includes SSL encryption to scramble data, firewalls to prevent hacking, and strict identity checks. Players should look for the latest 128-bit or higher encryption when banking and playing Le Bandit.
All casinos should provide tools to enable responsible play such as deposit limits, loss limits, cool off periods, and self-exclusion. Choosing sites that make these features prominent allows you to manage your slots play responsibly.
Playing Le Bandit at a licensed casino from a respected provider gives peace of mind that it’s fair and secure. But players also need to gamble within their means and use provided tools to stay in control and have fun.
Le Bandit’s Bonus Buy feature adds an extra layer of excitement by letting you purchase your way into the bonus games. The lower cost options like Luck of the Bandit and All That Glitters provide nice value, while Smokey’s Big Time offers massive but volatile potential. Used wisely, Bonus Buy gives you more control over when you trigger those cascading coin features. Just be sure to set a budget and manage your balance if you decide to take a gamble with that sneaky raccoon bandit!
Click the “Bonus Buy” button below the reels to bring up the purchase menu.
Luck of the Bandit and All That Glitters provide the best balance of cost vs. potential rewards.
Yes, you can try all the Bonus Buy features in demo mode first.
No, despite paying to trigger the bonus, it still comes down to luck on whether you receive a payout.