Heart of Rio Slot Review
Free demo, RTP, volatility and max win
8.0Value score · Very good · how it works
Heart of Rio review: Pragmatic Play's 2021 carnival slot with 25 paylines, Money and Collect symbols, respins and 8 free spins, at a 96.5% RTP.
- #774by RTP of 3,708 slots
- #918by value of 3,708 slots
- #38by value of 152 slots from 2021
Play Heart of Rio free: demo, no sign-up
Free play money from Pragmatic Play's official demo. 18+. No deposit and no account; a demo does not predict real results.
Basic information
| Software | Pragmatic Play |
|---|---|
| Release year | 2021 |
| RTP | 96.5% |
| Volatility | Not published |
| Max win | Not published |
| Hit frequency | Not published |
| Win system | Paylines |
| Features | Free spins, Respins, Paylines |
| Named in the rules | Free Spins, Money Symbol |
| Game type | Slot |
| Data verified | 2026-09-28 |
Source: Pragmatic Play game page; RTP database by toolsgambling.com (CC BY 4.0); image: Pragmatic Play promotional image from the official game page. How we collect data · Report a mistake
Heart of Rio review
Heart of Rio puts the carnival around a cash-collect mechanic. On the 25 paylines, ordinary symbol wins are only part of the picture. Money symbols carry values, collect symbols decide what happens to them, and respins keep the values on the screen while the rest of the grid is replayed. Pragmatic Play released it in 2021, and its numbers are tidy: the catalogue and the official rules agree on a 96.5% RTP.
The money and collect system
Money symbols appear on reels 1 to 4, and on each spin a Money symbol takes a random value from a set the game defines in advance. Collect symbols appear only on reel 5. A collect feature needs at least one Money symbol on the screen when a collect symbol lands on the last reel.
There are five types of collect symbol. The plain Collect adds up the values of all Money symbols visible and pays the total. The Extra Credit Collect is the second type listed in the rules, but our extract is cut off before it explains the remaining ones, so we only name what the rules text shows. The studio describes the group as symbols that make Money values expand or multiply.
Respin Collect
When the Respin Collect symbol lands, every Money symbol on the screen stays in place and all remaining cells respin to reveal a new result. When the respin ends, the values of all Money symbols on the screen are added together and paid.
Money Collect
If one or more Money symbols are visible and any collect symbol lands on reel 5, one of the collect features is awarded. The simplest, Collect, sums the visible Money values and pays them.
Wilds, bonus symbols and free spins
The wild appears on reels 2, 3, 4 and 5. It substitutes for every symbol except the bonus, the Money symbol and the collect symbols. The bonus symbol appears on reels 2, 3 and 4. Three of them trigger 8 free spins, and the rules also list a payout of 1x the total bet for that combination. A retrigger inside the round adds 8 more spins.
The studio says the free spins change how the cash symbols behave. Every Money and Collect symbol that lands during the round is brought back onto the grid as a giant Money symbol in an extra respin. Our extract does not explain how that giant symbol is valued, so the size of its effect is left open.
The numbers
The RTP is 96.5% in both the catalogue and the rules document, so there is only one version to know about. The house edge is 3.5%, which means about $35 lost per $1,000 wagered over a long run. In shorter terms, 100 spins at $0.20 cost about $0.70 on average, 100 spins at $1 cost $3.50, and 100 spins at $5, or $500 wagered, cost $17.50.
Neither a volatility label nor a max win is published for this game. The only top figure available is the studio's mention of prizes of up to 32x for the dancer symbols, which describes a symbol payout and not a cap on the game.
Other games from 2021
Heart of Rio has no sequels in the catalogue. Games with a similar return include Book of Vikings at 96.5% and a 5,500x maximum win, Bounty Gold at 96.5% and 5,000x, Day of Dead at 96.49% and 4,500x, and Dragon Kingdom - Eyes of Fire at 96.5% with 1,250x. All were released in 2021.
Pros
- Single, consistent 96.5% RTP in the catalogue and the rules
- Respin Collect keeps Money symbols in place while the rest of the grid replays
- Free spins retrigger for 8 more spins
- Free official demo available
Cons
- No max win or volatility rating is published
- The collect system has several symbol types, so it takes time to learn
- No bonus buy
Verdict
Heart of Rio is a Money-and-Collect slot with 25 paylines, a respin that holds cash symbols in place and a free spins round of 8 spins. The RTP is 96.5%, a 3.5% house edge, and neither volatility nor a maximum win is published, which makes it hard to size the swings in advance. Use the free demo to understand how the collect symbols interact, and treat any session as paid entertainment.
Sources: Pragmatic Play official game page; RTP, volatility and max win from the open Slot RTP Database.
Slots like Heart of Rio
Heart of Rio RTP
The data lists one RTP for Heart of Rio. Versions are not tracked for Pragmatic Play games, so other versions may exist; check the game's info screen.
- 96.5% $35 lost per $1,000
Cost of 100 spins
| Bet | Wagered | Average cost at 96.5% |
|---|---|---|
| $0.20 | $20 | $0.70 |
| $1 | $100 | $3.50 |
| $5 | $500 | $17.50 |
Averages computed from the published RTP; real sessions vary widely around them. RTP calculator
Heart of Rio max win, volatility & stats
- Value score
- 8.0 / 10
- Lost per $1,000 (average)
- $35
- Max win at $1 bet
- –
- Wins on average
- –
Percentiles compare this game with the 3,708 games in the catalogue. Max win: not published.
