Ways of the Qilin Review
PG Soft's Ways of the Qilin runs on a 6x6 dynamic grid that flexes between 576 and 46,656 ways to win depending on how symbols land — a mechanic that keeps the base game from feeling static. Released in July 2021, it sits in PG Soft's growing library of Asian-mythology titles and holds its own on the numbers: a 96.69% RTP puts it above the industry standard, and the 7,106x max win ceiling is meaningful for medium-volatility territory.
What separates this one from a generic cascade slot is the Wilds on the Way system, where certain symbols upgrade through stages before exploding into multiple wilds. Pair that with a free spins round that lets players bank a higher starting multiplier before the feature even begins, and there's genuine strategic texture here beyond just spinning and hoping for clusters.
Spindex has tracked 689 bets across our five crypto-casino sources over the last 30 days, with the biggest recent hit landing at 92x — modest, but consistent with medium-volatility behavior. Here's the full breakdown.
RTP, Volatility, and Max Win
At 96.69%, Ways of the Qilin's RTP sits noticeably above the typical online slot baseline of 95–96%. For PG Soft specifically, this is toward the upper end of their published RTPs, making it one of the more player-friendly configurations in the studio's catalog.
Volatility is rated medium, and the 33.67% hit frequency backs that up — roughly one in three spins returns something, which is high enough to sustain a session without constant dead spins. The 7,106x max win was recorded across one billion simulated spins according to PG Soft's datasheet, which is an honest disclosure but also a reminder that this ceiling is a mathematical boundary, not a realistic target. For context, PG Soft's higher-variance titles like Treasures of Aztec push past 10,000x; Ways of the Qilin's 7,106x ceiling is more conservative, which aligns with the medium classification.
Bets run from $0.20 to $20.00, keeping the stake range accessible without catering to high-roller volume. For players who want a slot where the RTP does meaningful work over a session rather than a lottery-style moonshot, the math profile here is appropriate.
How Ways of the Qilin Plays
The 6x6 grid doesn't operate with a fixed number of ways. Symbols on reels 2 through 5 can occupy between 2 and 4 positions, which dynamically adjusts the win-way count on every spin — anywhere from 576 to 46,656. Wins are formed by matching symbols landing on three or more adjacent reels starting from the leftmost reel, a cluster-pays structure rather than a traditional payline system.
The Avalanche mechanic removes winning symbols from the grid after each win, with remaining and new symbols dropping into the vacated spaces. This creates chain-win potential within a single spin, and there's no cap on how many cascades can occur — a sequence keeps running as long as new wins form.
The dynamic row count gives Ways of the Qilin a Megaways-adjacent feel without using the BTG license. The practical difference is that the row variation here is driven by specific symbol sizes rather than a random row-count generator, so the grid shifts feel tied to the action rather than purely random scaffolding.
Wilds on the Way and the Upgrade System
The standout mechanic in the base game is the Wilds on the Way system. Silver-framed symbols appear on reels 2 through 5, and landing a win that includes one of these converts it to a golden-framed symbol. If that golden symbol participates in a subsequent winning cascade, it converts again — this time into 2 to 4 wild symbols, with the count determined by the original size of the golden symbol.
This creates a compounding effect across cascade sequences. A single silver symbol can, through two winning steps, seed multiple wilds into the grid that then contribute to further wins. The mechanic rewards longer cascade chains rather than isolated big hits, which fits the medium-volatility profile well — the upside builds incrementally rather than arriving in one spike.
The practical implication for session play is that base-game wins occasionally escalate meaningfully when a silver symbol enters a cascade early. It's not a guaranteed multiplier, but it adds a layer of progression that pure cluster-pays grids often lack.
Free Spins Bonus Round
The bonus round triggers when four or more scatter symbols land within the same cascading sequence or on the same base-game spin. The default award is five free spins, with each scatter beyond the trigger threshold contributing additional spins (+1 to +3 per scatter) and potentially increasing the starting win multiplier above its default value of 1x.
The multiplier mechanic is the most interesting part of this feature. Whatever multiplier value is established at trigger — through scatter contributions — becomes the increment value for the entire round. A starting multiplier of 3x, for example, means each subsequent cascading win during free spins adds 3x to the running multiplier rather than 1x. Getting more scatters at trigger isn't just about extra spins; it accelerates the multiplier's growth rate for the whole feature.
During free spins, additional scatter symbols award +1 extra spin each. The bonus buy option (unavailable in the UK) lets players skip to the trigger for 75x their stake, landing four or more scatters on the following spin. For players in eligible jurisdictions, this bypasses the base-game wait but doesn't guarantee a high starting multiplier — that still depends on scatter count at trigger.
Spindex Live Tracked-Bet Data
Over the past 30 days, Spindex has logged 689 bets on Ways of the Qilin across our five crypto-casino data sources. That's a moderate volume — enough to draw meaningful signal, but not a title dominating the tracked charts right now. The biggest recent hit recorded was 92x, which is well within the expected range for medium-volatility play and reflects the kind of session-sustaining returns the math model is built around rather than outlier spikes.
The 92x top hit against a 7,106x theoretical ceiling tells a familiar story for medium-variance slots: most sessions cluster in the low-to-mid multiplier range, with the upper tail requiring extended play or bonus-round conditions that compound favorably. Ways of the Qilin isn't showing up in Spindex's high-volatility hot-slots feed, which is consistent — this is a grinder's slot, not a chaser's slot.
For players using Spindex to time sessions around activity trends, Ways of the Qilin is currently in steady-state traffic rather than a surge period. That's neither a red flag nor a strong buy signal — it's a stable title doing what its math model predicts.
Who Ways of the Qilin Is Best For
The medium volatility and 33.67% hit frequency make Ways of the Qilin a reasonable choice for players who want session longevity without sacrificing meaningful win potential entirely. The $0.20 minimum bet also keeps it accessible for lower-stakes play, while the $20 maximum is appropriate for mid-stakes recreational players.
The multiplier-building free spins round gives bonus hunters something to work toward, and the Wilds on the Way system adds enough base-game texture to keep the wait for the feature from feeling empty. Players who enjoy cascade mechanics specifically — and who are comfortable with the understanding that the 7,106x max win is a mathematical boundary rather than a frequent outcome — will find the gameplay loop satisfying.
High-volatility chasers looking for moonshot potential would be better served elsewhere in PG Soft's library. Ways of the Qilin is built for controlled variance, not for lottery-style swings.
Final Verdict
Ways of the Qilin is a competent, well-structured medium-volatility slot with a genuinely above-average RTP and a free spins mechanic that rewards players for paying attention to scatter count at trigger. The Wilds on the Way upgrade system is the most distinctive element — it's not revolutionary, but it gives the base game more progression than a straightforward cascade slot typically offers.
The Asian-mythology theme is the weakest link. It's a category PG Soft returns to frequently, and Ways of the Qilin doesn't do much visually or thematically to distinguish itself within it. That's a minor complaint when the math model is this clean, but it's worth noting for players who prioritize novelty.
For medium-volatility players specifically, the 96.69% RTP and 33.67% hit frequency make this one of the more defensible choices in PG Soft's 2021 output. It won't be anyone's most memorable session, but it's unlikely to be a regrettable one either.
- +96.69% RTP is above the industry average of 95–96%
- +Dynamic grid scales up to 46,656 ways to win
- +Wilds on the Way system adds meaningful base-game progression
- +Free spins multiplier increment is player-influenced at trigger
- +33.67% hit frequency supports session longevity
- +Bonus buy available in eligible jurisdictions (75x stake)
- -Asian-mythology theme is heavily saturated in PG Soft's catalog
- -7,106x max win recorded over one billion simulated spins — ceiling is theoretical
- -Bonus buy unavailable in the UK
- -$20 maximum bet limits high-roller appeal
- -Spindex live data shows modest recent hit ceiling of 92x
Best for
Ways of the Qilin delivers a mechanically solid medium-volatility package: a dynamic win-way grid, a multi-stage wild upgrade system, and a free spins round with a player-influenced multiplier. The 96.69% RTP is genuinely competitive. The Asian-mythology theme is well-worn, but the math model justifies a session regardless of the aesthetic.











