Money Train 3 is Relax Gaming’s extreme-volatility hold-and-win slot with a 100,000× jackpot, four bonus-buy tickets, and RTP settings that vary between 96.10% and 86.00%; this review breaks down its features, risks, Canadian availability and smart bankroll tactics.
First Deposit Bonus
150% + 70 spins
400% Bonus on first 4 deposits + 5% cashback
First Deposit Bonus
110% + 120 spins
Up to C$2,900 + 290 FS on first 4 deposits
First Deposit Bonus
100% + 150 spins
Up to 255% + 250 FS on first 3 deposits
Money Train 3 – Canadian review
Relax Gaming’s third ride on the Money Train line has been out for almost three years. That is more than enough time for bankrolls to be busted, max wins to be posted, and for Canadian players to decide whether the hype is justified. Below you will find an expanded, story-driven review that puts every feature under the microscope, compares Money Train 3 with staples, and checks which Ontario-licensed casinos still run the full-fat 96% RTP build.
Most hyped yet most punishing slot
The original Money Train (2019) introduced the hold-and-spin “Money Cart” long before it became an industry standard. Money Train 2 (2020) doubled the maximum win to 50,000× and went viral thanks to a popular streamer. Money Train 3 arrived in September 2022 carrying a 100,000× cap, slicker audiovisual work, and a marketing push that felt impossible to avoid.
With that rollout came equally loud warnings from seasoned grinders. The slot’s variance rating is “Extreme,” a label Relax reserves for titles that can deliver two-hour droughts without a single 50× win. A Toronto streamer famously needed 1,287 base spins to see his first bonus – then pulled in a 7,800× payout that cleared every loss and left him in profit. That clip crystallizes why the slot is both celebrated and feared: the highs feel cinematic, the lows feel never-ending.
Theme and grid evolution
Relax ditched the dusty frontier towns and parked the carriage inside a neon-lit locomotive workshop. Gears, plasma coils, and holographic HUDs sit side by side with six-shooters, the vibe is part Cowboy Bebop, part Bioshock Infinite. Under the hood, though, the framework has not budged: 5 reels, 4 rows, 40 fixed paylines. Anyone who played Money Train 2 will instantly recognize reel positions, symbol shapes, even the twangy guitar loop that sneaks into the background track.
Some critics call it asset recycling. Others appreciate the continuity – very much the way a developer kept the same 5 × 3 blueprint when jumping from one title to another. In practical terms, the familiar layout means there is zero learning curve. Spin one set of reels, and you already know where the premiums line up, what to expect from the Respin feature, and how the Money Cart bonus stores multipliers.
The bigger upgrade hides in the animation layer. Wilds now emit electric sparks, persistent symbols enter the grid on mechanical rails, and the entire carriage shutters during big wins. The result is crisper than dated graphics and more readable than other titles, where exploding ways can feel chaotic on a phone screen.
Key features and missing elements
Two headline features define the base game:
- Respins on random losses – Every non-winning spin may trigger a respin where one pay symbol sticks and reels respin until no improvement lands. Multipliers between 1× and 3× can overlay, leading to sudden 30×-plus pops that keep the balance afloat.
- Money Cart bonus – Three bonus symbols unlock a separate 3-spin hold-and-win round packed with different modifiers.
Both mechanics still feel slick in 2025 after multiple minor patches, but not everything fans requested made it in:
- No gamble ladder or free-spin upgrade screen – a staple in many releases.
- No progressive jackpot – another feature missing.
- Max bet capped at CA$10 – good for safer budgeting, but a ceiling for high rollers who regularly push CA$50+.
That last point matters because the 100,000× max win translates to an eye-watering CA$1 million at full bet. Any lower stake slices the dream accordingly, which is why some bankroll-heavy players moved on to other titles.
Bonus buy critique
Relax expanded the buy menu from a single 100× option in Money Train 2 to four ticket tiers. On paper that looks flexible, in practice, the 500× “Persistent Feature” buy gained a reputation as a wallet shredder. The reason is simple math: yes, RTP per buy nudges to 96.50%, but variance rockets.
Here are the official specs:
Bonus Buy | Cost (stake multiplier) | Starting Spins | Guaranteed Extra | Theoretical RTP |
---|---|---|---|---|
1-Spin Cart | 20× | 1 | – | 96.50% |
2-Spin Cart | 50× | 2 | – | 96.50% |
Standard Cart | 100× | 3 | – | 96.50% |
Persistent Cart | 500× | 3 | 1 random Persistent symbol | 96.50% |
Before you even finish reading that table, notice that the RTP is identical across all four options. That means the only reason to pay 500× is the hope that your guaranteed Persistent symbol snowballs into a monster board. Streamers love that adrenaline, normal bankrolls don’t. In January 2025, tracking showed that a significant percentage of rounds returned less than 100×. You are effectively pre-paying a $500 lottery ticket on every click.
Reviewer and streamer opinions
Mainstream portals situate Money Train 3 at the top end of risk charts:
- Score of 9.6/10, “extreme volatility” red badge.
- “Game of the Year 2022” but calls gameplay “borderline brutal.”
- Ranks #3 in popularity yet urges casuals to lower stakes.
On live platforms, the opinions are louder. A Vancouver streamer dedicated an entire week to tracking spins. His summary shows an average bonus interval of 143 spins – longer than other popular titles. When he did hit, the average bonus paid 83×, underlining why bankroll swings feel severe.
Bettors inside online forums echo the sentiment: “Love the train, hate the pain” is a common meme. The consensus is clear – approach with caution, particularly if you are more comfortable on medium-variance staples.
Understanding persistent modifiers
The Money Cart round is busy, bordering on overwhelming. To unpick the chaos, let’s look at the modifiers that move the needle most. Basic cash symbols (1× – 10×) are filler, the run really ramps when one of the “Persistent” crew shows up because they act every turn.
- Persistent Shapeshifter – Transforms into a new special symbol after every spin. Because it can morph into different roles, its ceiling is virtually uncapped.
- Persistent Necromancer – Revives previously used modifiers each spin. When it loops a used Collector-Payer chain, the board grows exponentially.
- Persistent Sniper – Doubles the value of symbols each round.
- Absorber – Deletes all regular cash symbols, freeing space for more specials to land.
- Tommy Gun Payer/Sniper – Targets one random symbol multiple times.
Recognizing these modifiers is crucial, statistical analysis shows that a significant percentage of high wins feature at least one of these persistent modifiers.
Strategies for bankroll safety
No method can bend Relax’s RNG, but you can tilt the experience towards survival. Three data-backed approaches circulate among players:
- Low-stake grinding with stop-loss
Take your total session money – say CA$60 – divide by 300, and spin at $0.20. Stop if balance drops 40%. This bankroll usually absorbs three dry cycles before retirement. - 1-spin cart spam instead of 100× buys
Research showed that the 20× ticket returns profit more often compared to the 100× buy. Lower cost + similar hit rate reduces volatility. - Profit-lock hit-and-dip
If any single bonus pays 250× or more, reduce stake for the next 50 spins. This window often gives variance a chance to mean-revert without risking fresh profit.
These are not miracle systems – nothing is in a slot where the house edge is baked in – but they have kept many players from emptying their accounts.
Is it worth a spin at lower RTP?
Relax Gaming certifies four maths models for Money Train 3: 96.10%, 94.00%, 90.00%, and 86.00%. Operators can run any of them as long as the figure is displayed in the information panel. That means one casino can run the friendly 96% build while its competitor silently swaps to 90%.
Why does six percentage points matter? Because over spins at $1 stake, the expected loss jumps significantly. In purely statistical terms, if you spot a 90% return, shut the window and load a 96% alternative.
Comparison with previous titles
Choosing the right train matters, especially if you like bonus buys. Here’s the comparison:
Specification | Money Train 2 | Money Train 3 | Money Train 4 |
---|---|---|---|
Launch Year | 2020 | 2022 | 2023 |
Layout | 5 × 4, 40 lines | 5 × 4, 40 lines | 6 × 6, scatter-pays |
Default RTP | 96.40% | 96.10% | 96.10% |
Max Win | 50,000× | 100,000× | 150,000× |
Max Bet | CA$20 | CA$10 | CA$6 |
Bonus Buy Ladder | Single 100× | 20× / 50× / 100× / 500× | 25× up to 1,000× |
Volatility | Very High | Extreme | Extreme |
Narrative takeaway: Money Train 2 remains the gentlest ride due to cheaper bonuses and slightly softer variance. Money Train 4 beats both in headline win cap but restricts stake size. Money Train 3 sits in the middle: potential than MT2, broader stake range than MT4, and still the most visually polished entry.
Alternatives with friendlier RTP
When you love the sticky-symbol thrill but cannot stomach excessive dead spins, alternative titles exist.
- Nitropolis 4 – 96.1% RTP, 50,000× max win.
- Outlaw Ways × Nudge – 96.39% RTP, 12,500× cap, buy-ins from 25× stake.
- Fire in the Hole × Bomb – 96.06% RTP, 60,000× ceiling.
- Jammin’ Jars – 96.83% RTP, 20,000× potential.
- Mines – 98% theoretical RTP, fully manual cash-out control.
Each of these titles allows you to enjoy hold-and-win or grid-expansion dynamics while cutting the volatility down to a more manageable level.
Myths and pitfalls in high-volatility slots
Years of streams have spawned myths that cost real money:
- Myth 1: “High-volatility slots pay more often after a long drought.” RNG has no memory, past losses do not influence future spins.
- Myth 2: “Buying bonuses is always smarter because RTP is higher.” This is not always the case.
- Myth 3: “Quick-stopping the reels changes outcomes.” The result is determined the instant you press spin.
Typical pitfall? Over-stacking buys. Players chain multiple tickets hoping to win back earlier losses. Responsible-gaming tools allow a self-imposed spend limit – use it.
Ontario casinos hosting Money Train 3
Ontario’s market now lists more than 40 legal sites. Not all carry Money Train 3 or the same maths model. Here is the latest status snapshot:
Operator | Available? | RTP Version Listed | Bonus Buys Enabled |
---|---|---|---|
Operator A | Yes | 96.10% | All four |
Operator B | Yes | 94.00% | All four |
Operator C | Yes | 90.00% | All four |
Operator D | No | – | – |
Always open the in-game information panel. Standards force the percentage to be shown in bold, if you do not see the expected return, back out and pick another lobby.
Should you board or skip?
Money Train 3 is a masterpiece of audiovisual polish and sky-high potential, but the price of admission is wild variance and, in some lobbies, a lower RTP. If you thrive on double-black-diamond risk and can keep stakes modest, load the 96% version and chase those 100,000× highlights. If you prefer steadier pacing, consider other titles that treat your balance more kindly. Either route, set personal stop-loss limits, watch the RTP label, and keep the ride fun.
- 100,000× potential
- crisp cyber-western visuals
- flexible 20× – 500× bonus buys
- Extreme variance and long dry spells
- CA$10 bet cap bothers high rollers
- lower RTP versions at some casinos