Our review of Great Bear cuts through the marketing and looks at what matters: how it plays and how it pays. Developed by IGT, Great Bear arrives with high variance and an RTP of 95.14%. It first went live in 2020 and still earns its place today. Visually it's given an engaging visual treatment, with the action running on a 5-reel grid running 30 paylines. If everything lines up, Great Bear can pay up to 25,000,000x your bet. Here's how it stacks up.
Written by Daniel Chen · Last updated: March 2026
Great Bear comes to us from IGT, given an engaging visual treatment and powered by 30 paylines across 5 reels. The result is high variance paired with a published RTP of 95.14%.
Where Great Bear earns its keep is the feature set. Look out for scatter symbols that unlock free spins and extra bonus rounds. The high volatility means patience is rewarded — expect quiet spells broken by bigger hits. All told, it's a solid entry in the IGT catalogue.
At 95.14%, the RTP is slightly below the industry average of ~96%. While this is typical for many popular slots, players should be aware of the slightly lower theoretical return.
High volatility means longer gaps between wins, but when wins do land, they can be significantly larger. A bigger bankroll and patience are recommended for this type of slot.
About 1 in 3 spins results in a win. This is a moderate hit frequency that balances win frequency with payout size.
Great Bear features scatter symbols that can trigger free spins rounds. Landing the required number of scatter symbols anywhere on the reels activates the free spins feature, giving you extra chances to win without additional bets. During free spins, special modifiers may apply to boost your winning potential.
3.0 / 5 — Good
Great Bear by IGT is a solid offering that delivers good entertainment value. The 95.14% RTP combined with high volatility creates a well-balanced gaming experience.