Our review of Smoking Gun cuts through the marketing and looks at what matters: how it plays and how it pays. Developed by Rival, Smoking Gun arrives with high variance and 96.17% RTP. It first went live in 2019 and still earns its place today. It's wrapped in polished, characterful visuals and plays out on 30 paylines across 5 reels. The maximum win sits at 300,000x, so there's serious upside on the table. So does it deliver? Let's get into it.
Written by Rachel Kim · Last updated: February 2026
At its core, Smoking Gun is a release produced by Rival, given an engaging visual treatment. It runs on a 5-reel grid running 30 paylines with a high volatility profile, and a return-to-player rate of 96.17%.
Where Smoking Gun 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. On balance, Smoking Gun is a dependable option worth a few spins in the demo first.
The RTP of 96.17% is right around the industry average of ~96%. This represents a fair return that's in line with what most modern slots offer.
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.
Smoking Gun 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
Smoking Gun by Rival is a solid offering that delivers good entertainment value. The 96.17% RTP combined with high volatility creates a well-balanced gaming experience.