Shining Hot 40: the fruit machine with an extra row

Add a row to a fruit machine and the whole thing changes tempo. That is the idea behind Shining Hot 40, the middle child of Pragmatic Play’s Shining Hot range. The look is familiar: glowing reds, golden frames, plump fruit and a seven that outranks everything. What changes is the grid, which grows to five reels by four rows, and the number of fixed paylines, which climbs to 40.

Why the extra row matters

Four rows give each reel more room to line things up, and 40 lines criss-cross the screen in more directions. In practice, you see more small and medium wins arriving from several lines at once, and the screen tends to light up more often than in the 20-line game. The flip side is that your stake is spread across more lines, so a single winning line usually returns a smaller share of the bet. That is the trade-off to judge in the demo.

The star scatter

As elsewhere in the series, the star is the scatter. It pays when enough of them land anywhere, regardless of lines, and those payouts are often what lifts a quiet session. With the taller grid, there is simply more space for stars to drop in. Beyond that, the game keeps things simple: no story, no pick-me screens.

A practical Shining Hot 40 demo session

Start with the 1,000 virtual credits the demo gives you; no account or download is needed. Play 150 spins at about 40p a spin, then compare with a session of Shining Hot 20 at a similar stake if you have tried it. Note which one keeps your balance steadier and which one feels livelier. Many players find the 40-line version strikes the best balance in the series. On mobile, landscape mode gives the four rows more breathing space.

When you have settled on your favourite, the same Shining Hot 40 slot is available for real money at the casinos below.