For German players it sits alongside the book slots as a simple, feature-light option, but it works differently from Book of Ra: the expanding symbol lands in normal play, so there is no free-spins round to trigger. There are no cascading reels and no bonus buy, just 10 lines, the Joker cap and a classic Merkur gamble ladder. Players who like plain, fast slots without layered features will feel at home. The summary below sets out the core numbers before we walk through how each part works.
| Feature | Details |
| Provider | Merkur |
| Release date | December 2015 |
| RTP | 96.4% in the standard version (some casinos run around 94%) |
| Volatility | High |
| Max win | Around 10,000x the stake (varies by version) |
| Grid | 5×3 - 10 paylines |
| Min bet | €0.10 |
| Max bet | Up to €20 (€1 cap on German-licensed sites) |
| Wild | Jolly the Joker cap - expanding |
| Free Spins | No |
| Gamble | Yes - card and ladder |
| Bonus Buy | No |
| Mobile | Full support - iOS and Android (HTML5) |
How to play Jolly's Cap
Set your total stake with the coin value and bet controls under the reels. There are 10 paylines, and in the classic Merkur style you can adjust how many are active rather than always playing all 10. Press Spin for a single round. Wins pay left to right from reel 1, and only the highest win on each line counts, with three or more matching symbols needed for a payout.
On German-licensed sites the stake is capped at €1 per spin, autoplay is switched off and a minimum spin time applies under the current gambling treaty. Outside that framework the bet can run up to €20. The Joker cap is the symbol to watch - it is both the highest payer and the wild, and when it expands it can fill a whole reel.
Jolly's Cap rules
The paytable is short and classic: the Joker cap on top, a few themed symbols below it, and the card royals at the bottom. Values below show the shape of the table; exact figures can vary between casino builds, so check the in-game paytable before you play.
Symbols and payouts
| Symbol | Tier | 5 of a kind |
| Jolly the Joker (wild) | High (premium) | Top line payout |
| Themed high symbol | High | High payout |
| A / K | Mid | Mid royal payouts |
| Q / J / 10 | Low | Lower royal payouts |
- Wild - Jolly the Joker cap: substitutes for every other symbol and pays as the top symbol. When enough caps land, they expand to fill the reel and turn it into wilds, which is the game's main win mechanic.
- No separate scatter: Jolly's Cap has no scatter symbol and no free-spins trigger - the expanding wild does its work in the base game.
Jolly's Cap bonus features
Expanding Joker wild
The single feature that defines the game is the expanding Joker. When the cap lands and can form part of a win, it expands to cover the full reel, turning every position on that reel into a wild. Because those wilds then help complete lines across the rest of the board, a single expansion can pay several lines at once - and with the cap as the top-paying symbol, a screen of expanded caps is where the largest wins come from. It happens in normal play, so there is no round to trigger and no build-up; each spin can bring it.
Gamble feature
After any winning spin you can take the classic Merkur gamble. The card gamble asks you to guess whether a face-down card is red or black to double the win, while the ladder gamble moves a marker up and down a prize ladder that you stop to lock in a value. A wrong card guess loses the win. It is optional and can be skipped, and on some German-licensed sites the gamble may be disabled.
There are no free spins in Jolly's Cap. If you have played the newer Jolly's Cap Power Spins, that variant adds a power-spins mechanic when wins reach four times the stake, but the standard game reviewed here does not include it.
Jolly's Cap on mobile
Jolly's Cap is built in HTML5 and runs in the browser on both iOS and Android, with no separate download or native app required.
- We tested on an iPhone 14 in Safari and a Samsung S23 in Chrome, on standard German 4G and home broadband.
- The 5×3 grid holds its layout in portrait, with the bet and spin controls stacked below the reels for one-handed play.
- The expanding cap and both gamble modes work the same on a phone as on desktop, with the reel expansion clearly animated.
- Load times were short on both devices - the game is a light file - and the older cartoon artwork stays readable on a phone screen.
Our take
Jolly's Cap suits players who want a plain, fast Merkur slot with one clear mechanic and the familiar gamble ladder. Its strengths are the expanding Joker wild that can pay across the whole board, a simple 10-line layout, a fair 96.4% RTP in the standard version, and both card and ladder gamble for players who want to press a win.
The limits are clear. There are no free spins and no modern features, so the game leans entirely on the expanding wild landing in normal play, and long dry runs are common at high volatility. The RTP varies by casino, with some running a version near 94%, and the graphics show their 2015 age. The €1 stake cap and slower spin speed on German-licensed sites make the pace more deliberate. For players who want an uncomplicated classic, it holds up; anyone after free spins or layered bonuses should look at the book slots instead.
Jolly's Cap FAQ
Who makes Jolly's Cap?
Jolly's Cap is developed by Merkur and was released in December 2015. A newer variant, Jolly's Cap Power Spins, adds a power-spins feature not found in the standard game.
What is the RTP of Jolly's Cap?
The RTP is 96.4% in the standard version, but some casinos run a lower version around 94%. Check the figure in the game's paytable before you play.
Does Jolly's Cap have free spins?
No. Jolly's Cap has no free-spins round. Its main feature is the expanding Joker wild, which works in the base game rather than a separate bonus.
Can you buy the bonus in Jolly's Cap?
No. Jolly's Cap has no bonus buy. There is no feature round to purchase - the expanding wild simply lands during normal play.
What is the maximum win in Jolly's Cap?
The top win is around 10,000x your stake under the right conditions, reached when the Joker caps expand across the reels. The exact ceiling can vary between versions.
Is Jolly's Cap available on mobile?
Yes. The game is HTML5-based and runs in the browser on iOS and Android, with the expanding wild and gamble working the same as on desktop.
Where can you play Jolly's Cap?
Jolly's Cap is available at casinos serving German players, including German-licensed sites.
Player reviews of Jolly's Cap
- Lukas, Berlin (2026): "Old-school Merkur slot. The cap expanded on reels 2 and 3 at once and filled them with wilds - paid around x90 the stake. No free spins, it just happens on a normal spin."
- Anna, München (2026): "High volatility, so it can be quiet for a while. The €1 cap on the German licence keeps it slow, but the expanding cap is the same. Used the ladder gamble to bump a small win."
- Jonas, Hamburg (2026): "No frills at all - one wild, one gamble. When the caps line up across the board it pays properly, when they don't the session is flat. RTP was lower at one casino I tried, worth checking."
- Sophie, Frankfurt (2026): "Played on my iPhone and it loads fast. The graphics are dated but clear. Average session around x50. The card gamble is fun for doubling a small win, then I stop."
- Felix, Köln (2026): "If you want free spins this is not it. But as a quick classic it works, and the full-screen cap win is satisfying when it lands. The ladder gamble is a nice throwback."
- Marie, Stuttgart (2026): "Simple and honest. 10 lines, expanding wild, gamble. No bonus buy, nothing to trigger. Fair top RTP if the casino runs the full version - I saw a 94% one though, so check first."
