Scudamore’s Super Stakes (NetEnt): Introduction

NetEnt’s range of branded slots tends to be a mixed bag. There are a handful of solid releases, including the recently launched Vikings slot, but many others have fallen short. On the presentation side, NetEnt usually delivers. Their games are often among the most polished and technically impressive casino titles you’ll find. From a maths perspective, though, games like Jumanji, Planet of the Apes and Emoji Planet have generally felt underwhelming.

To keep growing its branded lineup, the studio has teamed up with eight-time Champion Jockey Peter Scudamore for its first sports branded slot. Using Scudamore’s image rights, the slot features authentic racing content alongside themed gameplay elements. That’s great news for horse racing followers and equestrian sport fans, while everyone else is mainly hoping it plays well and can deliver some worthwhile wins.

In Scudamore’s Super Stakes you’re taken to the race tracks to soak up the atmosphere of a big racing day without leaving home. Available on all devices and playable from 0.10 to 100 Eur per spin, this 5-reel, 20-payline NetEnt slot includes random wilds and two standout mechanics: the Bet Slip feature, which uses a bet multiplier concept, and Peter’s Classic Cup feature, played on a separate reel setup with the chance to win up to 5000x.

To be frank, Scudamore’s Super Stakes isn’t the most striking-looking slot NetEnt has produced. Still, it’s not bad by any means, and some players may genuinely enjoy the style. It’s simply that, given what NetEnt’s designers can achieve, expectations naturally run higher.

As you’d expect, green dominates the palette, with a horse racing track as the background. It does convey the racing vibe and the surrounding spectacle, but as a slot game it comes across as a little plain, for want of a better description.

Checking the paytable, you’ll see 8 standard symbols, made up of low-paying A, K, Q and J royals plus 4 jockey-and-horse symbols. The red-clad jockey on the white Cremello is the top payer, awarding 12.5 times the stake for 5 across a full payline. The wild, showing Peter Scudamore, replaces all symbols except the scatter and the Bet Slip symbol.

Scudamore’s Super Stakes (NetEnt): Features

This slot offers 3 features you can take advantage of. First up is the random wild feature, which may activate at random on any spin. When it hits, it adds 2 to 5 wild symbols placed randomly across the reels.

You also get the Bet Slip feature. During the base game, players can choose to buy a bet slip. You’ll be asked to select a symbol to collect within a fixed number of spins. There are 4 “bets” available:

• Collect 11 wilds or scatter symbols in 10 spins – pays 5.85x
• Collect 23 red, purple or green jockeys in 20 spins – pays 16.4x
• Collect 46 blue jockey or A and K royals in 40 spins – pays 75x
• Collect 92 Q or J royals in 80 spins – pays 1242x

The game tracks how often your chosen symbol appears, and if you hit the required number within the selected spin limit, you receive a cash reward calculated as a multiplier value times your bet value.

The headline attraction in Scudamore’s Super Stakes is the Peter’s Classic Cup feature. It starts when the trophy scatter lands on reels 1, 3 and 5, switching play to a larger reel configuration with 5 reels, 4 rows and 32 paylines. Before it begins, you must choose 1 of 4 horses to race for you, each tied to a different risk and volatility profile.

• Divine Fortune: Red A symbols + red jersey (5000x potential)
• Berry Max: Purple K symbols + purple jersey (500x potential)
• Gonzo’s Quest – Green Q symbols + green jersey (100x potential)
• Tin Foil Hat – Blue J symbols + blue jersey (50x potential)

After you’ve made your pick, the race begins and the free spins play out. All 4 horses appear on the track, and each time you land a winning combination, your horse advances 1 position. The first horse to move forward 4 spots wins the trophy and the feature ends. It’s easy to see why many players will chase the 5000x option, but remember it’s also the highest-volatility choice with a lower chance of taking the race. On the other hand, Tin Foil Hat (a nod to players convinced slots are rigged) is the low-risk selection with a very strong likelihood of winning.

Scudamore’s Super Stakes (NetEnt): Conclusion

If horse racing and gambling are your thing, Scudamore’s Super Stakes is an obvious pick. And even if they aren’t, it’s still a title that deserves a look. The idea is distinctive, and NetEnt does a good job of translating the feel of horse racing into a slot format. The upside isn’t bad either. Although most of the win potential sits in the Classic Cup feature, the base game still offers a respectable 500x top prize. The Bet Slip feature adds extra tension too, with a huge 1242x potential.

Ideally, we’d have preferred a slightly different spread of payouts in the free spin feature, because the leap from 500x to 5000x is massive. As a result, it can come across as more of an all-or-nothing proposition. 50x or even 100x feels completely underwhelming and wouldn’t create any real excitement on any race track anywhere.

Overall, though, it’s a decent slot with an uncommon angle and fairly strong potential. We may be flogging a dead horse, but with our stake on Divine Fortune, there should be plenty of thrilling races ahead.