Football Rules Slot

If you’ve ever wondered what a Playtech slot looked like before they had some of their better ideas then Football Rules is probably the answer. If Football Legends (same developer) can be described as a “niche” online slot game, then Football Rules is positively for hardcore football (that’s soccer) fans. But let’s not be too harsh. Released in 2007, this slot is an old-timer, and its progressive jackpot goes some way towards making up for the arguably uninspiring graphics and animation.

Sports event and featured athletes

The theme of this game is football and that’s exactly what you get. The setting for the reels is mid-match with a green, football-pitch background and football-themed symbols, but the slot doesn’t feature a specific tournament or known players.

Symbols

An in-play photo of each footballer is his symbol. All are wearing their national team’s strip. The players alternate depending on the teams selected, as do the Free Games symbols. So if you pick Germany vs. Brazil, the Free Games symbols will be the national flags of those countries. When the same flag lands on reels 1 + 5, it waves and the Free Games round is launched.

• The referee – blows his whistle and shows you the red card
• The penalty kick goalie – dives to the left for a save
• The football – gets kicked

The special symbols are as follows:

• Wild – a goalie in a red shirt: he punches his white glove in the air in celebration
• Bonus symbol – a smiling, victorious player holding the World Cup trophy aloft
• Scatter – a large football stadium viewed from the air

Wagers and jackpots

Football Rules has 5 reels and 25 paylines. The betting range is from 0.01 to 1 in the relevant currency (when playing for real money).The maximum jackpot is 10,000 coins; this is yours when you land five Wilds in one spin. Five Scatters multiplies your total bet by 50.

Other Ways to Win

• Bonus round: triggered by the Bonus symbol landing on reels 1 and 5 in the same spin. The graphics definitely improve here. You’ll find yourself getting ready to take a penalty kick with a keeper limbering up in the nets and a cheering crowd behind him. Select which of the colorful lucky footballs you want to kick and where you want to aim by clicking the mouse. Then shoot! Your prize is a series of fast-paced free spins (up to 20) with a 10x multiplier.
• Dollar Ball Progressive Jackpot: this slot’s progressive works as a side game. You activate or disable it at any time by clicking the Enable button in the top right corner next to the Dollar Ball logo. You’ll be prompted to select five numbers manually or to let the game do it for you. Each time you spin, numbers will be drawn automatically. If one of these numbers matches one you’ve selected, you win a prize. Match all five and the huge (real-money) progressive jackpot is yours. Playing the reels and simultaneously competing for the progressive in real-money mode is a nice, exciting touch.

Music, audio and graphics

We’ve already said this game is a few years old and the graphics are not amazing, so we don’t have too much to add here. In terms of music and audio, you’ll hear a referee’s whistle and a trumpet fanfare when you hit a payline. The crowd also goes “ooohh” when the goalie symbol is activated and he saves the ball. This adds a degree of authenticity to a game in which the images are just a little bit flat.

The Last Word…

We’ve no doubt that some slots players will enjoy this game, but we think they’re probably those who are already very much into football. So we give Football Rules a 6 out 10 for that and the other reasons outlined above. For a more modern experience, try Top Trumps Football Stars, also by Playtech, for a game that taps into the football mania of World Cup season, and lures in even those who generally avoid the “beautiful game” all year round.