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3 Reel pokies

How many reels does your typical pokie have? Usually, the count is five, but if you got three reels, you are looking at a classic one. The so-called pokies can be told apart from the rest by this very characteristic.

These days, 3-reel slot games are not as common as they used to be (before 5-reel ones were introduced, that is). However, there is still a great choice of them across numerous online casinos. They are different in design, payouts you can expect, and even payline count. The most common setup is a grid of 3 lines and 3 rows, also known as 3x3.

Page contents

List of 3 reel pokies to try for free

Slot List

1spin4win
1spin4win
1x2gaming
1x2gaming
2by2
2by2
4theplayer
4theplayer
5men
5men
7mojos
7mojos
AceRun
AceRun
Ainsworth gaming
Ainsworth gaming
Air dice
Air dice
All41 studios
All41 studios
Amatic
Amatic
Amaya
Amaya
Ameba entertainment
Ameba entertainment
Amigo gaming
Amigo gaming
Amusnet
Amusnet
Apollo Games
Apollo Games
Apparat gaming
Apparat gaming
Arcadem
Arcadem
Aristocrat
Aristocrat
Armadillo studios
Armadillo studios
Arrows edge
Arrows edge
Ash gaming
Ash gaming
ATMOSFERA
ATMOSFERA
Atomic slot lab
Atomic slot lab
Aurum signature studio
Aurum signature studio
Avatarux
Avatarux
Aviatrix
Aviatrix
Azure gaming
Azure gaming
Baddingo
Baddingo
Bakoo
Bakoo
Bang bang games
Bang bang games
Barbara bang
Barbara bang
Barcrest
Barcrest
Bbgames
Bbgames
Bbin
Bbin
Begames
Begames
Belatra games
Belatra games
Bet2Tech
Bet2Tech
Betconstruct
Betconstruct
Beterlife
Beterlife
BetGamesTV
BetGamesTV
Betixon
Betixon
Betsoft
Betsoft
Betsolutions
Betsolutions
Bfgames
Bfgames
BGaming
BGaming
Big time gaming
Big time gaming
Black pudding games
Black pudding games
Bluberi
Bluberi
Blue Guru games
Blue Guru games
Bluebird Gaming
Bluebird Gaming
Blueprint gaming
Blueprint gaming
Boldplay
Boldplay
Boomerang studios
Boomerang studios
Booming games
Booming games
Boongo
Boongo
Bulletproof games
Bulletproof games
Caleta
Caleta
Capecod
Capecod
Casimi gaming
Casimi gaming
Casino technology
Casino technology
Cayetano gaming
Cayetano gaming
Champion studio
Champion studio
Concept gaming
Concept gaming
Crazy tooth studios
Crazy tooth studios
Creedroomz Live
Creedroomz Live
Cryptologic
Cryptologic
Ct interactive
Ct interactive
Design works gaming
Design works gaming
Dlv
Dlv
Dragon gaming
Dragon gaming
E gaming
E gaming
Eagaming
Eagaming
Egt interactive
Egt interactive
Ela games
Ela games
Elk studios
Elk studios
Elysium
Elysium
Endemol shine gaming
Endemol shine gaming
Endorphina
Endorphina
Esa gaming
Esa gaming
Espresso games
Espresso games
Eurasian gaming
Eurasian gaming
Evolution gaming
Evolution gaming
Evoplay
Evoplay
Expans studios
Expans studios
Eyecon
Eyecon
Fantasma
Fantasma
Fazi interactive
Fazi interactive
Felix gaming
Felix gaming
Foxium
Foxium
Fugaso
Fugaso
G Games
G Games
Gameart
Gameart
Gamebeat
Gamebeat
Gameburger studios
Gameburger studios
Games global
Games global
Games lab
Games lab
Gamevy
Gamevy
Gaming Realms
Gaming Realms
Gamomat
Gamomat
Gamzix
Gamzix
Genesis gaming
Genesis gaming
Golden Race
Golden Race
Golden Rock Studios
Golden Rock Studios
Groove
Groove
Habanero
Habanero
Hacksaw Gaming
Hacksaw Gaming
High 5 Games
High 5 Games
Holle Games
Holle Games
Hotrisgames
Hotrisgames
Igrosoft
Igrosoft
IGT
IGT
IGTech
IGTech
Interjuegos
Interjuegos
Iron dog studios
Iron dog studios
iSoftbet
iSoftbet
Jade Rabit Studio
Jade Rabit Studio
Jelly
Jelly
JFTW
JFTW
KA Gaming
KA Gaming
Kalamba
Kalamba
Kiron
Kiron
Konami Gaming
Konami Gaming
Livespins
Livespins
Lucky
Lucky
Lucky Streak
Lucky Streak
Mancala Gaming
Mancala Gaming
Mascot Gaming
Mascot Gaming
Merkur Gaming
Merkur Gaming
MGA Games
MGA Games
Microgaming
Microgaming
MrSlotty
MrSlotty
Neogames
Neogames
NetEnt
NetEnt
Netgame
Netgame
NetGaming
NetGaming
Nextgen
Nextgen
Nolimit City
Nolimit City
Northern Light Gaming
Northern Light Gaming
Novomatic
Novomatic
Nucleus Gaming
Nucleus Gaming
OnAir
OnAir
Only Play
Only Play
Peter & Sons
Peter & Sons
Platipus
Platipus
Play N Go
Play N Go
PlayPearls
PlayPearls
Playson
Playson
Playtech
Playtech
Pocket Games
Pocket Games
Popiplay
Popiplay
Popok Gaming
Popok Gaming
Pragmatic Play
Pragmatic Play
Push Gaming
Push Gaming
Quickspin
Quickspin
RabCat
RabCat
Real Dealer Studios
Real Dealer Studios
Realistic Games
Realistic Games
Realtime Gaming
Realtime Gaming
Red Tiger Gaming
Red Tiger Gaming
Redrake Gaming
Redrake Gaming
Reel Life Games
Reel Life Games
Reel Play
Reel Play
Reevo
Reevo
Reflex Gaming
Reflex Gaming
Relax Gaming
Relax Gaming
Revolver Gaming
Revolver Gaming
Ruby Play
Ruby Play
Salsa Technology
Salsa Technology
SG Digital
SG Digital
Skywind
Skywind
Slotmill
Slotmill
Smartsoft Gaming
Smartsoft Gaming
Spadegaming
Spadegaming
Spinmatic
Spinmatic
Spinomenal
Spinomenal
Spinthon
Spinthon
Spribe
Spribe
Stakelogic
Stakelogic
Stormcraft Studios
Stormcraft Studios
Swintt
Swintt
Switch Studios
Switch Studios
Thunderkick
Thunderkick
Tom Horn Gaming
Tom Horn Gaming
Triple Cherry
Triple Cherry
Triple Edge Studios
Triple Edge Studios
TrueLab Games
TrueLab Games
Turbo Games
Turbo Games
TVBet
TVBet
Vibra Gaming
Vibra Gaming
Vivo Gaming
Vivo Gaming
Wazdan
Wazdan
Yggdrasil
Yggdrasil
Zillion
Zillion
9 Coins
9 Coins
Wazdan
RTP: 96.1%
Go Bananza
Go Bananza
Booming games
RTP: 95.5%
Ugga Bugga
Ugga Bugga
Playtech
RTP: 99.1%
Gift Rush
Gift Rush
BGaming
RTP: 96.1%
Mega Joker
Mega Joker
NetEnt
RTP: 99.0%
It's a Joker
It's a Joker
Felix gaming
RTP: 97.0%
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Casinos with 3 reel pokies

DISCLAIMER: 18+ only
There are many risks involved when it comes to gambling. We advise our players to gamble responsibly and ONLY use the funds that you can afford to lose. Please remember that gambling is intended for entertainment purposes only and should not be considered as a way to solve your financial issues.

Reviews of the best 3-reel pokies

Golden Tiger

Golden Tiger

Golden Tiger is a classic Asian-themed pokie by iSoftBet. It’s got 3 reels and 5 paylines, a jackpot, a bonus round, as well as a multiplier boost. With the bonus triggered, you are in for a wheel to spin and a shot at winning a prize 1,000 times your stake. With medium variance and simple visuals, this 3-reel slot machine will still hit the right spot if you are a fan of classic games like that.

General info about Golden Tiger
Golden Tiger
RTP Release date Reels Lines Volatility Min. bet Max. bet Max. win Software
95,95% 2019 3 5 Medium 0.1 10 10,000x iSoftBet

3 Hit Pay

3 Hit Pay

3 Hit Pay by iSoftBet is a retro pokie with an RTP of a bit over 95%. While it carries no multipliers, substituting wilds, scatters, free spin, or the gamble feature, this 3-payline pokie is still a great opportunity to enjoy some old-fashioned gameplay. And the payouts really are worth it, too. Been missing those one-armed bandits? This one brings back the memories through its sevens, cherries, and bar symbols, with numerous payout options depending on the combinations landed.

General info about 3 Hit Play
3 Hit Play
RTP Release date Reels Lines Volatility Min. bet Max. bet Max. win Software
95,4% 2018 3 3 Medium 0.09 9 10,800x iSoftBet

Burning Stars Xmas edition

Burning Stars Xmas edition

Burning Stars Xmas edition by Wazdan is the kind of pokie you want to play even if you are not a huge fan of the classics. It's got quite juicy visuals (cherries, grapes, lemons, watermelon halves, plums), and modern gameplay. You've got autoplay for 10 to 1,000 games and can participate in competing for one of the four jackpots depending on the level of stake. All in all, it’s the perfect compromise between a modern look and the good old fruit machine classic.

General info about Burning Stars Xmas edition
Burning Stars Xmas edition
RTP Release date Reels Lines Volatility Min. bet Max. bet Max. win Software
96,12% 2021 3 3 Medium 0.1 10000 2,187x Wazdan

Absolute Ripper Reels

Absolute Ripper Reels

Absolute Ripper Reels by iSoftBet is a 2021 pokie with a decent RTP of 96%. You’ve got multipliers and free spins, and a classic 3-3 layout. With stakes ranging between 0.75 and 75, this pokie will be enjoyed by those into classic games of this sort with smaller or bigger budgets alike. The graphics are pretty basic, with the best-designed piece being the pokie's name appearing on the reels as a logo. Nevertheless, with its medium volatility and a maximum win of 400x, it may be a great option to consider.

General info about Absolute Ripper Reels
Absolute Ripper Reels
RTP Release date Reels Lines Volatility Min. bet Max. bet Max. win Software
96% 2021 3 3 Medium 0.75 75 400x iSoftBet

Gift Rush

Gift Rush

Gift Rush is a 3-reel pokie with 5 paylines by BGAMING. What sets it apart from many other classic games of this type is some extra attention paid to the visuals. You’ve got candy canes, mittens, Xmas tree stars, baubles, gingerbread men, and the like. The pokie itself conveys a really jolly atmosphere. Despite its modern maximum win of x499, it comes with medium volatility and an attractive RTP of 96%, making it a great game to try if you are only starting to get a better feel of the classic pokie scene.

General info about Gift Rush
Gift Rush
RTP Release date Reels Lines Volatility Min. bet Max. bet Max. win Software
96% 2022 3 5 Medium 0.1 300 499x BGaming

Play 3 reels slots for free - no download required

How about playing the best quality slots with 3 reels without going anywhere and signing up with a new casino? This is very much possible, courtesy of Smartpokies! All you need to do is pick the pokie to your liking among those reviewed by our expert team and get playing! Here is what you do step by step:

  • Find the pokie you like after checking out our review and table that gives all the basic information
  • Press PLAY FOR FREE (a button shown on the pokies preview when you hover over). *Pressing PLAY FOR REAL will get you redirected to the casino website where you can sign up, make a deposit and play.
  • Wait for the game to load and see what the fuss is all about.

How to win real money at 3 reel online pokies

With 5-reel pokies dominating the gambling industry, players still have a decent choice of classic 3-reel slots. These remain popular for a number of reasons. Such pokies always pay both ways while also being simple to master. That has to do with them missing, in many cases, all the fancy features like multipliers, scatters, wilds, and the like. Besides, you can find 3-reelers that come with jackpots, which certainly adds more fun to the game. So how do you go about winning while playing those?

  1. Mind the RTP

    If you have played pokies for a while now, you know RTP is one of the key parameters. Does the fact a pokie has 3 reels mean it will have great RTP or the kind that won't even turn your head? The truth is, the sheer number of reels does not affect the RTP of any given pokie. Therefore, rather than making a generic decision to play or not play such games, it helps to actually study the RTP of the given pokie. Some of them may be low while others may cross over the 97% threshold which makes the game very appealing.

  2. Consider the volatility

    As you probably know, high volatility means infrequent but large wins while low volatility means the opposite. Many assume 3-reelers come with low volatility and are simply incapable of producing wins that would be even mildly impressive. However, this is a mistake you should not be making. The fact is, 3-reel online slots often come with high or very high volatility. It has to do with the reel count being low, which means even as few as 3 symbols can render an immense win.

  3. Play for free

    Free play is the best way to evaluate any pokie for yourself without risking any money. When playing for free, you are under no obligation to switch to real money, but even after you run out of the amount you started with. Playing 3-reel pokies allows you to get a better feel of the game and check if certain strategies you try pan out. And don’t make the mistake of thinking playing for free is different from playing for real money in terms of outcomes. Random Number Generators are used either way, so every outcome you get and manage to analyze shapes up a better picture of the pokie you are dealing with.

    Over at Smartpokies, you can play any of the free 3 reel slots! It’s easy – just press Play for fun on the pokie preview and wait for the game to load. We do make it super easy for you to try the best games without any strings attached!

  4. Take advantage of casino bonuses

    Modern casinos are all about motivating players to make that first deposit. It makes sense that the first welcome bonus is the most generous, too. You can count on 100% of your deposit up to a certain amount – and that gives you double the budget you’d be playing with! It’s wise to double your bankroll just like that, especially since that does not take any extra effort on your part.

  5. Get familiar with the paytable

    All pokies got paytables, which break down all the wins you could score and the symbols it takes. It helps to know which symbols are more lucrative than others. Knowing this, you will be able to build your strategy and see if it’s working. Some of the features also require higher bets to be made, which will also give you a better idea of how to handle the gameplay.

  6. Keep to your budget

    Making a budget and sticking to it is always important. The budget needs to be set before you start playing for real money and should not change in short term. The best advice is the boring "only bet what you can afford to lose". It's true though. Sticking to the boring budget and not budging helps you manage your finances and afford to come back for more.

  7. Don’t chase after the elusive jackpots

    The bigger the jackpot – the more players are eager to get it, and the smaller your chances of accomplishing that dream. Smaller jackpots do tend to pay out more often, and you could easily get one if you are persistent, instead of losing all your money chasing after the huge jackpot everyone wants.

Try best 3 reel pokies for free

Dolly Casino Logo
Dolly Casino
Hot Offer
Editor's Rating

10.0/10

Deposit Requirements
Deposit required
Wagering Requirements
35x

You will have to wager bonus 35x times the bonus value to clear the bonus!

Minimum Deposit
30 AUD
Free spins
-
Has bonus worked for you?
User Feedback
Yes
5
No
4
ThePokies.net Logo
ThePokies.net
Hot Offer
For Existing Players
Editor's Rating

8.0/10

Deposit Requirements
Deposit required
Wagering Requirements
40x

You will have to wager bonus 40x times the bonus value to clear the bonus!

Minimum Deposit
$25
Free spins
-
Has bonus worked for you?
User Feedback
Yes
14
No
3
DISCLAIMER: 18+ only
There are many risks involved when it comes to gambling. We advise our players to gamble responsibly and ONLY use the funds that you can afford to lose. Please remember that gambling is intended for entertainment purposes only and should not be considered as a way to solve your financial issues.

Advantages of 3-reel pokies

So why do players love three-reel slots so much? Some companies make a point of releasing new ones from time to time. It seems to be more like a fashion statement by many players out there. But the reasons for their popularity must run deeper, so let's have a look at some of them below.

Great for new players

Classic slots, both those made years ago and modern releases, are great for newbies to get comfortable with. They boast the much-needed simplicity and spare the player the heavy weight of endless special features and bonuses. Your head does not get spinning as soon as you start studying the paytable and trying to learn all the rules and exceptions. Besides, modern features aren’t necessarily boosting your chances to win. Instead, they are there to add more visual thrill to the game without having any effect on how likely you are to win – more or in general.

Your budget will last longer

As mentioned before, many modern pokies with 5 reels and over boast an immense number of bonus features. Some of those take higher bets – as in you are supposed to bet on all active lines to score a win. 3-reel slot machines don’t come with all those twists and turns, instead offering three reels that will keep your budget going for longer than otherwise. If playing pokies is not just about the result for you but a process, you should appreciate that.

Sentimental value

This one is not just about remembering a specific pokie you used to play. It’s also about many modern 3D pokies that look like movies and TV shows these days. There is animation, crazy plotlines, and whatnot. Classic pokies spare you the torture of having to thrash through all that pizazz, allowing you to focus on what matters more

FAQ

What are 3 reel slots?

They are pokies that have 3 reels and typically few or no special features.

Are 3-reel slots the best?

It’s the classic example of tastes differing. Some players are into 3-reel slots for the reasons listed above while others prefer 5-reelers.

Are classic 3-reel pokies better than 5-reel ones?

Some players will argue vehemently that they are. Others may disagree, as these pokies can be quite different.