The Oil Barons

THE Oil Barons by BetSoft software developer, takes the action away from the usual fantasy and adventure settings and puts the focus on the oil industry. 

The game is built around drilling, valuable crude and competition between rival business figures. With a 5x5 reel layout, 15 paylines and a 12,500x maximum win, it has a fairly straightforward structure on paper, but the bonus system makes the gameplay considerably more involved.

The very high volatility also makes it a better match for players who are prepared for bigger fluctuations in results.

Theme and Symbols

The oil-business theme runs through both the presentation and the feature system of this online release. Drilling and crude oil form the central concept, while the rivalry between oil barons is reflected in mechanics such as the Duel symbols and the Contract Duel feature.

Three of the game's important symbols are Struck Oil, Duel and Gusher. Each has a specific role beyond its appearance on the reels, since landing enough of them can send the game into a different bonus sequence. This means the symbols are closely tied to the game's feature structure rather than simply being used to reinforce the setting.

The overall design follows the established THE Series format from Betsoft, while giving this particular release its own oil-industry identity.

Betting Options and Special Features

THE Oil Barons uses 5 reels, 5 rows and 15 paylines, with a Very High volatility rating. The top listed payout is 12,500x the bet, placing the game firmly in the higher-risk category.

The standard Wild can substitute for every symbol apart from Bonus and VS symbols, and it can land on any reel. Its role becomes particularly important once the different bonus rounds are activated.

The first feature is Struck Oil. Landing at least 3 Struck Oil symbols in the base game awards 10 Free Spins with Sticky Wilds. The Sticky Wild mechanic keeps those Wilds in place during the feature, giving them an ongoing role rather than treating them as ordinary symbols that disappear after a spin.

A different bonus starts with 3 or more Duel symbols. This activates Contract Duel, which awards 10 Free Spins and introduces frequent VS symbols. When a VS symbol appears, it expands across the whole reel and presents two Multipliers against each other. The winning Multiplier is then applied to that reel, which subsequently turns completely Wild.

The third feature, The Gusher, requires 3 or more Gusher symbols. Instead of going directly into a standard Free Spins round, it is split into two stages.

The opening stage consists of 3 Respins. Only Wilds and Multipliers can appear alongside non-paying symbols during this part. Whenever a Wild or Multiplier lands, the counter returns to 3 Respins, allowing the sequence to continue.

After the Respins finish, the second stage begins with 3 Free Spins. The Wilds and Multipliers collected during the first stage are randomly placed across the reels during each of these spins.

There is also a Buy Bonus option, allowing players to activate one of the three feature routes directly: Struck Oil, Contract Duel or The Gusher.

Conclusion

THE Oil Barons is built around a relatively simple 5x5 setup, but its three bonus paths give it considerably more variety than the basic reel configuration suggests. Struck Oil focuses on Sticky Wilds, Contract Duel combines competing Multipliers with reel-wide Wilds, while The Gusher uses a Respin stage followed by Free Spins.

The Very High volatility and 12,500x maximum win are important factors when considering the game's overall profile. Players who prefer a more consistent stream of smaller results may not find this setup particularly suitable. On the other hand, those who are comfortable with larger swings and prefer slots where the bonus mechanics can substantially change the reels have several different features to explore.

As another slot in Betsoft's portfolio, THE Oil Barons keeps the series format while giving it a distinct oil-industry setting and a feature system centered on Wilds, Multipliers and bonus-triggering symbols.