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Written by: Filip Gromovic Reviewed by: Nashon Khamala
Updated: Jun 2025
For every diehard slot fan, IGT games are the go-to option when you feel like rocking out in style with exciting slot action. As a major update, you can now find one of their all-time classics optimized for online play – the Red Hot Tamales slot! Still, we heard lots of players commenting on the simple gameplay, so we thought we’d jump in to explain it in more detail. Truth be told, it is a very simple and classic slot, but that doesn’t need to be a bad thing. Join us in this guide to figure out what makes the Red Hot Tamales slot as hot as Mexican chili peppers!
The Red Hot Tamales slot machine comes straight from Las Vegas casino floors where it has already been a big thing for quite a few years. The game follows a simple concept with just 3 reels and seemingly a single payline. However, it’s not your everyday slot, so you’ll notice there’s also some room above and below the symbol in the central reel position.
So, that leads to a total of 27 paylines, which is a decent number even by today’s standards, let alone for such a classic slot. Most fruit-type games or slots that resemble the plain old one-armed Jack action come with a maximum of 3 or 5 paylines, so you can clearly see IGT’s intention here. They wanted to bring back the old appeal of classical games, but not without some modern mechanics, and in our opinion – it’s a winning combo.
From the moment you load the game, you’ll be able to clearly see what it’s all about since the Mexican tamales are featured in the design of the premium symbols. The game’s theme also indicates that it’s the spicy version, and we feel like IGT did its best to spice up the gameplay as well.
Featuring a flaming-hot «Red Hot Tamales» inscription at the top of the grid, you’ll see flames blazing all around it, and the reel space is surrounded by retro flashing lights. If you’re an older player, you’ll surely be able to think of at least a few games back in your day following this retro design.
However, we can’t exactly say it’s a vintage slot since the symbol design is very modern and fresh. You’ll also see other elements following the game’s theme such as the cheerful soundtrack, bright colors and giant numbers when a winning combination is going to be calculated.
We know we’ve already said multiple times how this game features a classic design, but who said anything about it being outdated? We certainly haven’t, and our experts had a grand time exploring the game which is essentially aimed at land-based casino play.
So, when you play Red Hot Tamales slot online, that becomes even more clear and it’s visible from the prize calculations. You’ll see big golden numbers in the bottom-right corner, followed by a suitable coin sound effect. We think that the symbol design is also very cool and fun, and IGT went with a common pattern of combining Bars and Sevens. You’ll even find double and triple symbols for higher payouts! How cool is that?
We wanted to give you a firsthand impression of what it’s like to play this one, so we immediately got to action. As we played, we noticed how simple it is to keep track of everything that’s going on in front of you. We appreciate the efforts made by IGT to make the symbols clearly different and fun in design without too many flashy colors.
When it comes to the game’s soundtrack, we were thrilled to hear familiar notes of Mexican Guitarron, followed by comforting harp sounds. The music intensifies as you play, and it dies down while in between spins, so we also find that to be a great quality of this game. Plus, it really leads you into the slot just like it would do on a real casino floor.
The gameplay of the Red Hot Tamales slot is very straightforward, and it all starts by using the round toggle switch to set up your bet size. From there, you’ll be greeted with an uplifting Mexican music tone as you load the game, and it goes very simply from there. You’ll have just three reels in front of you, so it’s easy to keep track of the winnings and features.
While we’re mentioning the features, we’ve heard a lot of complaints from players stating how basic the game really is. And while we have to admit it doesn’t have any prize coins or even the free spins bonus, it’s far from being simple. Here’s a quick overview of the main game features:
The first feature is the double symbols feature, and it leads to the game’s maximum win potential. The only symbols you’ll see on the grid are the Sevens and Bars, but there are also double, and even triple symbols.
So, a line of triple sevens pays three times more than a regular line hit of Sevens. There’s also the combined payouts feature which is a game-changer in some situations as it pays for combined symbols, although the payouts are a bit lower that way. For example, you can connect a full line of regular, double and Triple Bars.
While your payout would be lower than a full hit of Bars, it still lets you build up your balance and get some money back on losing spins. We also have to point out the convenience of having a two-symbol payout for premium symbols. For instance, Triple Sevens and Triple Bars pay for just two symbols on a line, so you don’t need to go for a full-line hit just to get a win.
The only thing that we consider to be a downside of this game is the lack of a proper free spins bonus round. However, it’s not intended to be your everyday video slot, but rather a fast-paced game with to-the-point gameplay. So, there’s nothing slowing you down and no complex features to waste your time on.
This makes the game perfect for beginners, but it also makes it a great choice for all those looking for a simple and straightforward session. You’ll just be hoping to hit a line of Sevens as premium symbols and to do it as many times as possible in your session.
However, you can discover something close to a bonus feature in this one, and it’s the «Blackout» feature. It happens when you land a Triple Seven symbol on the first reel. Now, remember the slow-motion feature that we’ve mentioned? Well, it occurs after that triple drop as you’re hoping to land a full line of triple symbols.
The second reel will be highlighted, followed by an intense sound of the reel dramatically spinning in slow motion as it gives you the chance to land a Blackout win. It can either be a red or a yellow hit of Sevens, and a third reel blazes up next if you land the triple drop on a second reel.
All that leads to a potential of a full line hit, and that pays the most in this game – x5,000 of your bet per line! There’s also a wild symbol that replaces all other symbols in winning combinations except for the red Triple Sevens. We know it sounds like a lot, but trust us, it’s a very simple feature. Sure, it helps if you play Red Hot Tamales slot for free first, just to learn the features before you move on with real money play.
IGT is among the providers with the best payouts in their games, and the same goes for the Red Hot Tamales slot. The payouts are even simplified since you won’t exactly have too many symbols to focus on here. It’s just important to differentiate between the single, double and triple symbols. All of them come with different payouts, so we’ve included a quick chart below to help you:
Please note that we’ve displayed the payouts in bet-per-line format, so the game’s max win isn’t x5,000 of your total bet as a whole. It’s still very admirable, to say the least for this slot type, and you can also earn a x10 payout for any Sevens or a x6 payout per line for any Bars.
This slot isn’t exactly the most volatile out there, and it’s to be expected, considering the mechanics. For a simple game without any bonus rounds, you can easily get a lower variance which is welcomed by most players, including our team.
After all, isn’t the whole appeal of playing fruit-style and classic casino games like this one in their quick payouts? We certainly think so, and if you agree, this one is a perfect game for you. The RTP is situated at 95.83%, which is slightly below average for this type of game.
However, lower volatility means you can expect a lot of lower hits throughout the game, which is great for keeping your bankroll at bay as you hunt for the Blackout win. There’s a demo version of the free Red Hot Tamales slot machine to play at FreeSlots99, so take a peek at that one if you wish to get the gist of the payouts and the return.
Just as the game lacks some bonus features, it also doesn’t have any jackpot options. As a provider, IGT usually has its own jackpot network, but it sadly doesn’t include this release. Still, you might be able to find a site that offers a progressive prize for playing this slot, and you can check our list of real money casinos for that.
As for the limits, the bet sizes usually also depend on the site where you’re playing the Red Hot Tamales slot, but it’s usually somewhere between $0.27 to $540. So, you can bet from just one cent per payline, which in our opinion is just fine for a low-limit slot.
Overall, we can definitely advise you to play Red Hot Tamales slot online if you’re looking for something unique and somewhat vintage or retro, whichever way you want to put it. It’s a perfect combination of modern symbol design and graphics in an ever-popular classic slot package. We’ll leave you to find out more as you play, but we feel like this one was yet another banger from IGT.
It’s no wonder it’s been so popular among land-based Vegas casinos, and now you’ve got the chance to play it online. Take a peek at the Red Hot Tamales slot for free here at FreeSlots99 before you set out to explore real money options!
Learn more about Red Hot Tamales Slot👇
👉 How to Win Playing Red Hot Tamales Slot Machine
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Rating by: Nashon Khamala
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Filip Gromovic is a senior slots reviewer here at FreeSlots99 with over five years of experience evaluating the latest drops in the world of iGaming.
Being a slot fan himself, Filip approaches slot ratings just the way we like it – professionally, but also from a player’s standpoint.
That enables him to give his unbiased take on the slot’s features, gameplay and design, while only recommending top-tier releases to our readers.
More info on Filip Gromovic
Having served FreeSlots99 for more than 5 years as a senior content editor and reviewer, Nashon Khamala has extensive knowledge in game slots and iGaming.
His membership in the Editorial Freelancers Association helps him deliver content that reaches both editorial excellence standards and an engaging information level.
By using his expertise in slots games combined with player-focused analysis, Nashon delivers a professional evaluation of slot features and player experiences in his reviews.
More info on Nashon Khamala
