Pirots slot review

What is the Pirots slot?

Pirots is a pirate-parrot game from ELK Studios, a Stockholm studio founded in 2013 that holds a Gambling Commission licence (account 40844). It started a series: Pirots 2 and later sequels build on the same collecting idea.

Most slots pay when symbols line up. Pirots doesn't: there are no paylines or ways. Instead, four coloured birds move around the grid and collect gems that match their colour, and those collections are what pay. If that sounds unfamiliar, it's a good one to try in demo mode first, where the app offers it after age verification. Our slots hub lists other games by mechanic.

How the features work

Main feature: the parrots. Four parrots sit on the grid, each a different colour. They move across it, collecting any gems next to them that match their colour. ELK calls this collecting system CollectR, and it replaces paylines entirely.

Helpers on the grid. Wilds, upgrades, transforms, coins and bombs all appear and add to what the birds can collect. Every symbol the birds collect also goes towards a feature meter; the help screen explains what each stage of the meter does.

A growing grid. The board begins at 5 × 5, which is 25 positions, and can expand to 8 × 8, which is 64. A bigger grid gives the parrots more room and more gems to gather.

Free drops. Collecting three bonus symbols triggers five free drops. The important detail is what carries over: grid size, symbol collection and gem levels all stay as they were, so the bonus builds on itself. Collecting three more bonus symbols during the round adds extra drops.

Gem values, the meter's stages and what each helper symbol does in detail are explained in the game's help screen. Anything beyond the mechanics in published specifications is left to the game's own rules screen.

Pirots RTP: what 94% costs compared with 96%

The Pirots RTP is listed at 94%. That's lower than a lot of popular slots, which often sit around 96%, and the difference is bigger than it sounds.

Those figures use standard game maths: expected loss = amount staked × (100% − RTP). In other words, the same session on Pirots costs about 50% more on average than on a 96% game. The hourly row assumes the fastest pace UK rules allow, 1,440 spins at 2.5 seconds each; real play with animations is slower.

The Commission requires game rules and return information to be shown, under its rules on game descriptions and the likelihood of winning (opens in a new tab). Check the game's help screen to confirm the figure in your app, and see Wizard of Odds on slot RTP (opens in a new tab) for how return settings differ between versions.

Playing Pirots on a £20 budget

Medium–high volatility sits between steady and swingy: expect some quiet stretches, with bigger results mainly in free drops. Here's what £20 gives you:

1. Set a £20 deposit or loss limit in the app before you open the game.
2. Choose a stake: 10p gives 200 drops, 50p gives 40 and £1 gives 20.
3. Check the RTP line in the game's help screen so you know which version you're on.
4. Play, keeping an eye on the net spend display the app must show.
5. Stop when the £20 is gone, rather than depositing again to chase it.

On £20 of stakes at 94%, the expected loss is £1.20 whichever stake you choose. Lower stakes don't change that average, but they give the grid more chances to expand and the free drops more chances to appear. Our deposit limits guide explains the tool in more detail.

Pirots vs Pirots 2

The sequel keeps the birds but changes the board and the volatility:

Both share the same 94% RTP and 10,000x ceiling. If you want slightly calmer swings, the original's medium–high rating is the gentler choice; Pirots 2 is listed as high volatility.

Pirots on a phone or tablet

Pirots runs inside casino apps and mobile browsers on iPhone and Android. The early 5 × 5 board is easy to read, but at 8 × 8 there are 64 small cells with four birds moving across them, which is a lot on a phone.

A tablet gives the expanded grid more room; see our iPad casino apps page or the Android tablets guide. Our portrait games page explains how some studios design for upright play, though ELK hasn't published an orientation for this game that we can confirm.

UK rules on Pirots

Online slots in Great Britain are capped at £5 a spin for players aged 25 and over and £2 for those aged 18 to 24, as the Commission's stake limit guidance (opens in a new tab) explains. At those caps, the 10,000x maximum would be £50,000 and £20,000 respectively.

Slot design rules also apply: no autoplay, no spin faster than 2.5 seconds, no turbo or slam-stop, and no celebrating a return of your stake or less. Since a Gambling Commission warning in January 2020, feature buy-ins are not offered to British players, so free drops must be collected on the grid. Our game design rules page covers each one.

Other ELK Studios slots to compare

• Wild Toro: ELK's best-known series, 5 reels × 4 rows, 178 ways and a 96.4% RTP.
• Nitropolis: 6 reels × 4 rows with up to 85,155,840 ways and a 96.1% RTP.
• Cygnus: 6 reels growing to 8 rows, up to 262,144 ways, 96.1% RTP.

All three have higher listed RTPs than Pirots. If collecting mechanics appeal, ELK's own sequels are the closest match; for something else entirely, try our best slot apps list.

Where to play Pirots with a welcome offer

We can't confirm which partners carry Pirots, so check the app's game lobby before you sign up. All three offers are slot offers for new customers aged 18+, and terms apply.

PlayOJO gives 80 free spins on Big Bass Bonanza to new UK customers (not in Northern Ireland) who make a first deposit of at least £10. They're 10p spins, worth £8 in total, and winnings are cash with no wagering; use the designated offer link.

Coral Casino offers 100 free spins at 10p each on selected games when new players bet £10 on slots, between 1 October 2026 and 1 February 2027. Spins must be accepted within 48 hours and used within 7 days, with no wagering on winnings; Neteller, PayPal, Paysafe, Skrill, prepaid cards and some debit cards are excluded.

Ladbrokes gives 50 free spins a day for 10 days (500 maximum) after a £10 slots spend: 10p each, selected games, claimed before 23:59 daily, valid 7 days, no wagering. PayPal, Paysafe, Neteller, Skrill, Moneybookers and prepaid cards don't qualify.

18+. Every casino game has a built-in house edge, so over time you should expect to lose what you stake. Set a budget before you play and stop when it’s gone: safer gambling tools and support. Free, confidential help: National Gambling Helpline 0808 8020 133.