Fu Dao Le is a video slot machine created by Bally Technologies. It offers a number of features like 5 different progressives jackpots, free games bonus, and more. Its huge curved screen really immerses you in the game with its great graphics and audio.

When Red Envelopes scatter on the reels, players may pick all but one, with a prize behind each. So if there are five envelopes on the screen, you have four picks to boost your bankroll. Sky Dragons starts with a typical grid of five reels, each three symbols deep, but when dragons appear in the sky, they can expand the reels, with 5-by-7 as. Fu Dao Le slot machine is a bonus packed slot from Bally. This 5 reel, 243 ways slot features jackpots, massive wilds and free spins. Finally, the red envelope. Provided your slot machine sets on a regular casino slot machine stand with holes in the top and the holes are aligned with the slot machine, those coins which bypassed the hopper will go down the chute, through the hole in the bottom of the machine, through the hole in the top of the stand, and into the open area in the stand cabinet. The interesting story behind this special red envelope is that in Chinese culture, the red colour symbolises good luck and is believed to ward off evil spirits as well. Kalamba Games was inspired by this Chinese tradition to create the stunning Hong Bao slot, a colourful slot with plenty of gifts to be found on its five reels.

In this review we’ll go over the game’s basic mechanics and our take on the popular slot.

Game Mechanics

• Fu Dao Le has 5 reels of 3 symbols each. It’s an any-way pay game meaning there’s no “paylines” and 243 possible ways to win. Revealing symbols increase the chances of getting a lot of matching symbols.
• A green gong symbol appearing on reels 2-4 is wild, and getting 3 awards the free games bonus.
• Bet sizes range from 38 cents to a huge $8.88.

Free Games Bonus

Fu Dao Le’s free games bonus is triggered by getting 3 green gong symbols. 8 free games are awarded.

During the bonus the green gong symbol appears on all reels, but each gong that appears on reel 5 adds 1 additional free game.

Huge wins are possible in the bonus with the addition of 2x and 3x wilds on the center reel.

Red Envelope Progressive Jackpot

Above the slot is a screen showing the Red Envelope Jackpot value. Fu Dao Le awards the Red Envelope Jackpot when a special red envelope symbol appears on the first and last reel.

On some machines the red envelope jackpot is specific to the machine and other times it’s linked to other local machines. The jackpot seems to typically be in the $100-200 range.

Progressives

Fu Dao Le has 3 progressive levels: Mini, Minor, Major, and Maxi. All progressives are available at all bet levels, making it theoretically possible to win over $9k on the 38-cent minimum bet.

$908 Major Jackpot Win on Fu Dao Le on a 88-cent bet

Players win one of the progressives on random spins when the center reel’s purple expanding wild symbol lands. The likelihood of getting the progressive feature seems to be related to bet size.

The progressive feature is a picking game where players have to match 3 symbols to win that progressive. It’s worth nothing however that the progressive to be won is predetermined and the player has no influence on the jackpot awarded, so don’t feel bad about picking that Mini jackpot instead of the Maxi. It was meant to be…

Good Fortune has Arrived

Fu Dao Le has an exciting feature where on random spins, the screen will darken and say “Good Fortune has Arrived.” The game’s baby mascots also appear and let out a giggle, signaling something good is about to happen. That something good could be a bonus, big win, or progressive win.

Red Envelope Slot Machine

The “Good Fortune babies” also make random appearances during the free games bonus to give big wins.

Red Envelope Slot Machine Wins

Gameplay

Fu Dao Le is an incredibly fun slot to play. Its plentiful features give numerous chances to win in different ways. The “Good Fortune has Arrived” display is a nice touch that builds excitement and anticipation. Fu Dao Le also has some of the best bonus music ever created (this is not debatable).

Keep in mind Fu Dao Le is a fairly volatile machine and can be very tough. Its any-way pay mechanic allows full screens of symbol (so think 5-of-a-kind pays times 243, or 729 if you get the 3x wild during the bonus). Also, its multiple progressive jackpots are also available at any level. The chance of getting a $9k win on a 38-cent bet can make it a very lucrative game, but at the cost of holding onto a lot of money to feed those progressives.

Overall, Bally really created a wonderful slot with Fu Dao Le. Though its focus is obviously the Asian market, it has become extremely popular with virtually all gambling demographics and we recommend giving it a shot on your next casino visit if they offer it.

Be sure and rub those babies for good luck!

Have you had a big win on Fu Dao Le? Tell us about it in the comments!