Why BetSoft belongs in the classic category
On this portal we split studios into four categories and compare two brands in each. In the classic, land-based-rooted slots category, BetSoft faces Novomatic. At first glance it looks like an uneven pairing: an Austrian group with roots in bricks-and-mortar gaming halls versus a Maltese studio that built for the online world from day one.
What links them is the type of experience. Both brands rely on easy-to-read symbols, fruit, sevens and a pace that doesn't require studying long rule sheets. The difference only shows once you go looking for numbers.
And that is where the category splits in two.
Novomatic does not publish return figures for its online versions. BetSoft, by contrast, puts them straight on each game page, alongside volatility and a Hit Rate indicator. For a like-for-like comparison this matters: with one studio we can work with the manufacturer's figure, with the other only with what the info panel of a specific game shows.
BetSoft studio profile
| Item | BetSoft |
|---|---|
| Category on the portal | classic slots |
| Founded | 2006 |
| Headquarters | Valletta, Malta |
| Parent group | not stated |
| Signature features | Hold & Win, THE Series, 3D slots |
| What it publishes per game | RTP, volatility and Hit Rate |
| Sample game on the portal | Hot Lucky 7's |
| In the Dukat.bet provider list | yes (checked 8 Oct 2026) |
Source: official betsoft.com website, verified 8 Oct 2026; Dukat.bet provider list based on our own check on the same day.
We deliberately leave out a portfolio size figure. Studios change it with every release, and it plays little part in choosing a game. A studio appearing in the provider list also doesn't mean a particular title is in the lobby; you need to search for it directly.
Hold & Win, THE Series and 3D: how to recognise BetSoft
The studio has three hallmarks that keep recurring across its catalogue.
Hold & Win. A mechanic where special symbols lock in place on the grid once they land and the player gets a series of respins. Each new symbol usually resets the respin counter. Exact rules vary from title to title, so read them in the specific game.
THE Series. A named line of titles that BetSoft uses to group games with a similar build. For players it works as practical navigation: if one game from the series suits you, the others will feel familiar.
3D slots. Historically one of the things that set the studio apart, with animated characters and scenes instead of flat symbols. With classic themes this creates an odd contrast: retro symbols, modern presentation.
In the context of the category, that is an important note. BetSoft is not a pure retro school like Novoline (just three reels and fruit). It is classic play with modern extras, closer to simple machines in theme than in structure.
Hit Rate: the third number most studios leave out
Most studios list two figures per game: RTP and some expression of volatility. BetSoft adds a third, Hit Rate, meaning the share of spins that end in any win at all.
Take Hot Lucky 7's: the studio states a Hit Rate of 16.80%. Over the long run that works out at roughly one winning spin in six. It is not a promise for your session, just a statistical characteristic of the game.
What matters is what Hit Rate doesn't tell you. A win means any payout, including one smaller than the stake. A high Hit Rate therefore doesn't mean your balance grows, and a low one doesn't make a game a poor deal.
It becomes useful only alongside volatility. Medium-high volatility and a Hit Rate around 17% say more together: wins don't come often, and the weight of the return sits in bigger hits and the bonus phase.
For comparisons within the category, Hit Rate is a bonus indicator. Novomatic doesn't publish it, so a head-to-head on this point isn't possible, and that is precisely why we treat transparency as a separate criterion for classic slots.
Hot Lucky 7's: the studio's model game
| Game | Studio | RTP | Volatility | Grid | Max win | Release | Source / date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hot Lucky 7's | BetSoft | 95.84% | medium-high (Hit Rate 16.80%) | 5 reels, 1,024 ways | 10,102× | 25 May 2023 | betsoft.com, verified 8 Oct 2026 |
The title shows well how BetSoft combines a classic theme with a modern build. The symbols are retro: sevens, glow, hot colours. The grid is not: five reels and 1,024 ways to win instead of fixed lines.
The Wild comes with a 1x, 2x or 3x multiplier. When several Wilds meet in a win, their multipliers add up. In free spins the multipliers increase, and the game also offers Buy Feature for buying the bonus directly.
The 95.84% RTP is the manufacturer's figure. An operator may run a different version, so the number in the info panel of the launched game is what counts. A more detailed breakdown of the mechanics is on the Hot Lucky 7's page.
BetSoft and Novomatic: one category, two data policies
| Criterion | BetSoft | Novomatic |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 2006 | 1980 |
| Headquarters | Valletta, Malta | Gumpoldskirchen, Austria |
| Online distribution | the studio itself | Greentube (Vienna), in the group since 2010 |
| Public RTP | yes, per game | no, B2B clients only |
| Volatility | in words (e.g. medium-high) | scale 1–5 |
| Hit Rate | yes | not stated |
| Hallmark | Hold & Win, 3D | Novoline, Diamond Link, Win Ways™ |
Source: betsoft.com and greentube.com, verified 8 Oct 2026.
The table leads to a practical conclusion. With BetSoft you can compare values before you even launch a game; the manufacturer's page is enough. With Novomatic you only get to the RTP inside the game itself, through its rules.
This is not a verdict on game quality. It is a verdict on what can be checked in advance. A detailed look at the whole category and the other duels is in our category guide.
Four things to check before you spin
Even with a studio that publishes its data, a quick check inside the game itself is worth it:
- RTP in the info panel. Compare it with the manufacturer's figure. If they differ, the in-game number applies.
- Bonus phase rules. For Hold & Win titles, find out how many respins you get and what resets the counter.
- Buy Feature. If the game offers it, look at the purchase price relative to your stake, and whether the feature is enabled at that casino at all.
- Max win. For Hot Lucky 7's it is 10,102× the stake according to the manufacturer; for other titles you'll find the cap in the rules.
None of these figures brings an assured profit. They do help you avoid surprises when a game behaves differently from what you expected.
BetSoft and the Slots Bonus offer
For slot games, Dukat.bet runs the Slots Bonus – 500% up to 3,000 EUR + 15% Cashback offer. Check the conditions, how individual games count towards them and the validity period in the official bonus terms; we don't paraphrase them here so as not to spread outdated wording.
If you are comparing BetSoft with other studios, an overview of all eight brands by category is in our studio catalogue.