Slots are random - that's the whole point (random number generators keep everything fair and square). But when we dug into our 2025 data, some games had significantly higher total payouts than others. Not because they're just programmed to pay more (they're not), but because that's how the numbers stacked up last year.
We've looked at which online slot games paid out the most real money winnings last year. These aren't random picks or our personal favourites. These are the best payout slots that have genuinely been delivering the goods, backed by real player activity and real wins.
Think of this as your data-backed guide to what was getting spins last year.
Before we reveal the lineup, let's talk about what we're measuring here.
Total payout is the big one; how much these games have paid out to players throughout 2025. When a slot's handing out millions in wins, that's not an accident. It means players are spinning, winning, and playing again.
Then there are the features that keep things interesting: free spins, multipliers, and bonus rounds. The mechanics matter, but what else matters? Whether players are enjoying the experience enough. While some players look for the highest RTP slots to optimise their chances of winning, others prefer progressive jackpot slots for the potential of landing those big wins.
Ready to see which slots topped the charts last year?
These six games were the standout performers on our platform last year. The numbers speak for themselves.
Total Payouts: £5,478,033
Taking the top spot with over £5.4 million in total payouts, Fishin' Frenzy The Big Catch 2 isn't messing about. With 10 paylines and a max win of x200, this fishing-themed slot has reeled in serious returns.
The Free Spins round is where things get interesting. Land 3 or more Bonus symbols and every Fisherman turns wild, boosting your wins with each fish that appears. Collect 4 fishermen, and you'll unlock 5 extra spins plus upgraded fish values. Get enough fishermen on your reels, and all fish become worth 50x your bet. (Not too shabby.)
The Power Play feature strips things down to just fish, fishermen, and Bonus symbols - guaranteeing either cash wins or bonus prizes. Plus, that Can of Worms feature can multiply fish values by up to 5x. It's clever, it's engaging, and clearly, it pays.
Total Payouts: £4,165,027
Coming in second with £4.1 million in payouts, Double Bubble Triple Jackpot proves that sometimes classic slot gameplay just works.
This 5-reel slot comes with 20 fixed paylines and two standout features. The Bubble Line mechanic places symbols appearing in bubbles onto a separate line, with wins multiplied by the number of lines played - when you're playing all 20 lines, that multiplier jumps to x22.
Then there's the Bubble Popper Bonus. Land three Bonus symbols on reels 1, 3 and 5, and you'll be popping bubbles to reveal prizes. Oh, and there's a progressive jackpot in play too.
Total Payouts: £4,035,148
Big Bass Splash might have slightly lower total payouts than Double Bubble, but check how popular it was with our players
Big Bass Splash slot game was a hit with over 25,000 spinners!
This 10-payline slot (with bets from 10p) delivers up to 20 free spins when you land three or more Fish Scatter symbols. The Free Spins Modifiers are where it gets properly interesting: before your bonus starts, up to five random modifiers can trigger. More Fish Money symbols, additional Fisherman Wilds, better chances to win with Dynamites and Bazookas, starting from Level 2, or +2 extra spins. Each one changes how your bonus plays out.
During Free Spins, Fisherman Wild symbols collect all Fish Money values on the reels. Collect four Wilds, and you advance to the next level. The optional Jackpot Blast feature (just 10p per bet) gives you a shot at four progressive jackpots on every spin. Just over £4 million paid out last year tells you this fishing adventure is worth taking.
Total Payouts: £2,431,560
The original Double Bubble still held its own in 2025 with £2.4 million in payouts. There's something to be said for a slot that's stood the test of time.
This 20-payline slot offers a top payout of 20,000x your coin size if you land five Wild symbols on a payline. The Bubble Line Win works similarly to its Triple Jackpot sibling - symbols in bubbles create wins with an x22 multiplier when playing 20 lines.
Pop the Bubble Bonus triggers when three Bonus symbols appear on reels 1, 3 and 5. You'll choose one of three bubbles to pop and reveal a random coin multiplier. Clean gameplay, reliable mechanics, no gimmicks. Plus, the Jackpot Blast feature adds four progressive jackpots to the mix for an extra 10p per bet.
Total Payouts: £2,202,374
With £2.2 million in payouts, Secrets Of The Phoenix brought something different to the table last year. This 25-payline slot uses cascading reels; winning symbols disappear, and new ones drop down to fill the gaps.
The clever bit? Land four or more consecutive cascade wins, and you'll trigger the Free Spins Bonus. During cascades, if a win clears an entire vertical reel, it's replaced by a Stacked Wild for the next cascade, giving you a full reel of Wild symbols to work with and multiple chances of winning from a single spin.
The mystical phoenix theme sets it apart visually, and it clearly resonated. The 2025 payouts prove it's not just about looks; the cascading mechanics and Stacked Wilds deliver where it counts. Oh, and the Jackpot Blast feature is available here, too.
Total Payouts: £2,077,36
Rounding out our top six with just over £2 million in payouts, Golden Winner Grand Chance offers 10 paylines and a maximum win of x5,555. (That's a lot of fives.)
The Free Spins bonus features golden bells that build a multiplier trail to amplify your wins. Look out for the Grand Chance Cherry during Fortune Spins - it could reveal a prize pot worth 250x your stake. Bell announcements can appear randomly to boost rewards, keeping every spin fun.
Want more control? Fortune Bet increases your chances of triggering bonuses, while Bonus Buy gives you instant access to the action.
Now you've got the inside scoop from last year. Here's how to use it when you’re ready to start playing.
Match features to your style. Want multipliers? Both Double Bubble games deliver with that x22 Bubble Line. Prefer building bonuses through consecutive wins? Secrets Of The Phoenix is your slot. Like modifiers that shake up each bonus? Big Bass Splash has five of them.
Consider the payline setup. Fishin' Frenzy and Big Bass Splash run 10 paylines. The Double Bubble games use 20. Secrets Of The Phoenix plays across 25. Different setups suit different preferences.
Check out the progressive jackpot options. Double Bubble Triple Jackpot comes with its own progressive. Meanwhile, Double Bubble, Big Bass Splash, and Secrets Of The Phoenix all offer the optional Jackpot Blast feature for an extra 10p per bet, giving you four progressive jackpots on every spin.
Spin on the go. All these slots are available on the Virgin Games mobile casino app, so you can take your favourites with you wherever you are. Same games, same features, just more convenient.
Don't overthink it. Sometimes the slot that looks most interesting to you is the right choice, regardless of whether it topped the list or not. All six showed strong payout performance last year - you can't really go wrong.
The best slots to play based on 2025 payouts aren't playing around.
Whether you're looking for the top-performing Fishin' Frenzy The Big Catch 2, the bubble-popping mechanics of the Double Bubble games, the cascading action of Secrets Of The Phoenix, or the modifier-packed Free Spins in Big Bass Splash, you've got the details on what worked last year.
That said, these six are just the start - we've got plenty more slots to explore, plus a full lineup of online and live casino games if you fancy mixing things up.
Your next spin could be in the corner. Worth a look, wouldn't you say?
Ready to try the best payout slots for yourself? Explore our full collection of online slot machines at Virgin Games. Set your limits, find your favourite, and see what all the spin's about. Sign up now.
All offers mentioned correct at the time of writing but may be subject to change.