MGM Grand Gamble: Slot Overview

Anyone keeping up with the gambling world will likely have heard about MGM Resort’s purchase of casino game developer Push Gaming through LeoVegas, a headline-grabbing €150 million move. If that news passed you by, consider it today’s fun fact. One clear outcome of the deal is the LeoVegas exclusive MGM Grand Gamble—a large, green-heavy title that’s essentially a rework of Push Gaming’s panda favourite Big Bamboo. And as most players know, exclusives often lean on proven formulas, with successful games frequently being “re-skinned” into new themes. The downside is that it inevitably takes some of the thrill out of the release. No point pretending otherwise.

Still, in the base game you’re looking at what seems to be the MGM Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada—the green, angular building with the enormous golden lion out front, one of the Strip’s best-known sights. Once the free spins round is triggered, the action shifts indoors, inviting players to test their luck inside. It’s a far cry from the cartoon wilderness vibe of Big Bamboo, and Push Gaming has packed in plenty of glossy, high-end touches to place you right in what’s effectively a spiritual home of its new owners.

Beyond the major visual overhaul, there’s little else that seems to have changed from the original—if anything at all. Players get a highly volatile setup with an RTP of 96.13%, or 96.52% if the gamble feature is used. Stakes range from 10 c to $/€20 per spin, and the bonus buy menu includes four different options. The action plays out on a 5-reel, 6-row grid with 50 paylines available for forming wins.

With the theme switching from nature to casino, the lower symbols are pears, lemons, plums, and cherries, while the higher-value icons are horseshoes, bells, sevens, and dollar signs. Any 5 OAK win with a low symbol pays 0.4 times the bet regardless of which one it is, while 5 matching high pays award 12 to 150 times the bet. Wilds can appear on all five reels and are worth the same as the dollar sign, and they also substitute for any standard paying symbol.

MGM Grand Gamble: Slot Features

Big Bamboo came with a strong feature lineup, and Push Gaming has brought that same set back for MGM Grand Gamble. Players can expect Mystery MGM symbols, the Grand Gamble symbol and feature, the gamble feature, free spins, and free spins buys.

Mystery MGM Symbols

Mystery MGM symbols can land anywhere on the grid in both the base game and the bonus. When they show up, they reveal matching pay symbols, wilds, or Grand Gamble symbols.

Grand Gamble Feature

If a Mystery MGM symbol reveals a Grand Gamble symbol, the Grand Gamble feature is activated. Every spot displaying a Grand Gamble symbol spins individually, and can land the following:

• Instant Prize – a bet multiplier worth 1x to 5,000x the bet.
• Multiplier – multipliers of x2-x10, which increase instant prize symbols or collector symbol values. The multiplier is then removed to spin through the prizes again.
• Scatter symbols.
• Gamble Scatter symbols.
• Collector – collects the value of all other instant prize symbols or collector symbols in view. The collector remains in place throughout the Grand Gamble feature while empty positions spin.

Scatter symbols and gamble scatter symbols can appear naturally or be uncovered through the Grand Gamble symbol feature. In the base game and during free spins, scatters only land on reels 2, 3, and 4. While the Grand Gamble feature is running, scatters can land anywhere. In the base game, if scatters land on reels 2 and 3, a gamble scatter may then appear on reel 4. Gamble scatters spin to reveal:

• A blank space.
• 4 to 9 free spins.
• 7 to 9 free spins with 2 dots – a minimum of 7 free spins is awarded with 2 low-pay symbols converted to Mystery MGM symbols.
• 8 to 10 free spins with 4 dots – a minimum of 8 free spins is awarded with all 4 low pay symbols converted to Mystery MGM symbols.

Gamble Feature

When a gamble scatter grants one of the smaller free spins bonuses, players get the chance to gamble to move to a higher reward. Landing a winning spin on the gamble wheel moves you up, while a losing result means no prize is paid.

Free Spins

In free spins, any time scatter symbols land, they are collected beside the reels next to the low symbol conversion meters. Each symbol shows 4 dots, and completing all 4 dots converts a low symbol into Mystery MGM symbols on the reels. On top of that, converting the first symbol awards +4 extra free spins, the second and third conversions each add +3 more free spins, and the fourth conversion grants +2 free spins. Each conversion also awards a multiplier, which is applied to Instant Prizes and Collector symbols within the Grand Gamble feature during free spins. Free spins may also be awarded by the Grand Gamble scatter during the Grand Gamble feature, showing +1, +2, or +3.

Buy Feature

Select the star icon to purchase one of the four bonus options. The four available choices are:

• 99x the bet for 7-9 free spins with no converted symbols.
• 179x the bet for 7-9 free spins with 2 converted symbols.
• 608x the bet to 8-10 free spins with 4 converted symbols.
• 300x the bet for a random allocation of free spins and converted symbols.

MGM Grand Gamble: Slot Verdict

It’s easy to picture a conversation between MGM and Push about what kind of slot they wanted—no tiny 10k or 20k effort, something with real size. A Razor Shark clone? Not a chance—they wouldn’t want “infinite” win potential. So why not Big Bamboo? Swap out the pandas and warthogs for the iconic MGM lion and set a 50,000x top prize. They clearly went for it, because MGM Grand Gamble is the result. And to be fair, it’s a solid game—though it helps when the foundation is an already proven slot.

As far as reskins go, this one is executed smoothly. You get a slice of the famous MGM Hotel on your screen without needing to travel to Vegas or deal with the heat and crowds. That said, the overall presentation could have used a bit more originality. Where Big Bamboo benefited from memorable characters, this version comes across as more standard and less distinctive.

MGM Grand Gamble is a respectable adaptation, but it doesn’t quite establish its own personality or deliver anything meaningfully fresh for players who already know the creativity and appeal of Big Bamboo.