Four categories, four different questions
Live roulette, a 5×5 grid slot, a three-reel machine and a crash round with a plane have only one thing in common: they run in an online casino. Each category answers a different question: how much time you want to give the game, how quickly you want the result and how much information the studio gives you at all.
That last point tends to be underrated. In each category studios publish different data, and in some almost none. Live studios don't list RTP on their websites; you only find it in the rules of a specific game. Novomatic, via Greentube, doesn't publicly show RTP for online versions at all; it is available to B2B clients only. Hacksaw Gaming, by contrast, publishes the full ladder of RTP versions and volatility on a 1–5 scale.
Which leads to a simple rule.
Always compare two studios within one category, where the criteria at least partly overlap. Compare Hacksaw with Ezugi and you are really comparing two different experiences, not two studios.
Decision table: from what you want to a category
The table below is a shortcut. Start in the left column with what you want from a game, and the right column shows which figure to check before your first bet.
| I want… | Category | Studio duel | What to look at |
|---|---|---|---|
| to play with a dealer and see a real table | Live casino | Evolution vs Ezugi | RTP in the game rules, table limits, bet types |
| bonus features, multipliers, choice of risk | Modern video slots | Hacksaw Gaming vs PG Soft | RTP version in the info panel, volatility, max win |
| a simple machine without lots of features | Classic slots | Novomatic vs BetSoft | whether the info panel shows RTP, number of lines, volatility scale |
| short rounds and to decide on cash-out myself | Crash / instant | SmartSoft Gaming vs Galaxsys | RTP range and its setting, auto cash-out |
| to play on my phone in portrait | Modern slots (PG Soft) | – | screen orientation, button readability |
Source of categories and data: official studio websites, verified 8 Oct 2026.
One caveat: the table is about studios, not about what is currently running in a given casino's lobby. Case in point: on 8 Oct 2026 Dukat.bet listed Ezugi but not its parent brand Evolution. Always check the current state directly in the lobby.
Modern and classic slots: two slot paths
Both types are machines driven by a random number generator, but their logic differs. A modern slot is built on features: bonus rounds, cascades, Wilds with multipliers, often an option to buy the bonus. Classic slots draw on simplicity: a few lines, familiar symbols, uninterrupted spinning.
The difference shows in the data studios publish, too.
| Criterion | Hacksaw Gaming | PG Soft | Novomatic (Greentube) | BetSoft |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Category | modern | modern | classic | classic |
| Sample game | Densho | Mahjong Ways 2 | Ultra Hot deluxe | Hot Lucky 7's |
| Sample RTP | 96.40% (also 94.38 / 92.33 / 88.34%) | 96.95% | not public | 95.84% |
| Volatility | 4/5 | medium | 4 (scale 1–5) | medium-high |
| Format | 5×4, 10 lines | 5×4 + extra row | 3 reels, 5 lines | 5 reels, 1,024 ways |
| Max win | 10,000× | 100,000× | not stated | 10,102× |
| Special data point | RTP version ladder | portrait play | RTP for B2B only | Hit Rate 16.80% |
Source: hacksawgaming.com, pgsoft.com, greentube.com, betsoft.com, verified 8 Oct 2026.
Within modern slots, comparison can be fairly precise: both studios state RTP and max win. With Hacksaw, though, note that the same title exists in several RTP versions; the figure on the studio's site is the upper limit, not automatically what the operator runs. The game's info panel decides.
In the classic category things are uneven. BetSoft publishes RTP, volatility and Hit Rate (how often a round ends in some win). Novomatic doesn't publish online RTP, so with Ultra Hot deluxe you compare only volatility and rules. If RTP is your deciding criterion, BetSoft gives you more to go on; Novomatic offers a familiar style from land-based halls instead. Details are in the Novomatic and Greentube profile.
Live table and crash round: the difference is pace
Live casino and crash games are sometimes lumped together as ‘non-slot games’. In practice they are opposites.
Live roulette has a fixed rhythm: betting time, the spin, the result. A round takes longer, and there is room to think between rounds. For Ultimate Roulette by Ezugi the studio states a max win of 2,000× and an RTP of 97.30% on base bets; for Red Door Roulette by Evolution the RTP is 97.30% for all bets except Straight Up, where it is 97.09%. You won't find these numbers on the studios' sites; they are in the game rules and independent overviews.
Crash works the other way round. A round lasts seconds, and the outcome hinges on your own cash-out click. JetX by SmartSoft Gaming has an RTP of 96.2–98.9% depending on configuration (highest at the lowest cash-out), Ninja Crash by Galaxsys 97.17–98%. A range instead of one figure means the final value depends on the settings and on how you play.
A short round doesn't mean lower risk. At a fast pace, half an hour holds far more rounds than at a live table, and with them more bets. For both duels in detail, see Evolution vs Ezugi and SmartSoft vs Galaxsys.
A three-step approach
- Choose a category by time and pace. A longer session with a dealer, features and bonus rounds, a simple machine, or rounds lasting seconds.
- Compare two studios within it. Find out what each publishes: some give RTP, volatility and Hit Rate, others only the rules.
- Check the specific game at the operator. RTP is the manufacturer's figure; a casino may run a different version, so the game's info panel has the final say.
Illustrative example (not Dukat.bet parameters): a player with a 50 EUR budget for the evening and a 0.50 EUR stake has 100 spins on a slot. In a crash game with rounds of a few seconds, the same sum can go much faster if they bet every round. Pace matters as much as RTP.
If you mostly play on a phone, see also our mobile notes by category: a live stream, a 5×5 grid and a cash-out button make different demands on the screen.
Slot categories and the Slots Bonus
For both modern and classic slots, Dukat.bet has the Slots Bonus – 500% up to 3,000 EUR + 15% Cashback offer. Which games and studios count towards it, the wagering conditions and deadlines, check in the official bonus terms. The bonus doesn't change a game's RTP or volatility and means no assured profit.