The Dog House is a 5×3, 20-line slot from Pragmatic Play, released on 9 May 2019. Its formula is short: Wilds on the middle reels carry a x2 or x3 multiplier, several Wilds on one line add up, and in free spins every Wild sticks until the round ends. Default RTP is 96.51%, volatility is high, free spins arrive about once in 180 spins and the top win is 6,750× the bet. Seven years and several sequels later, the original is still the reference for this kind of game.
Last updated: 22 October 2026
The Dog House at a glance
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Provider | Pragmatic Play |
| Release date | 9 May 2019 |
| Grid | 5 reels × 3 rows, 20 fixed paylines |
| RTP | 96.51%; a 95.51% version also exists |
| Volatility | High |
| Hit frequency | 27.55%, a win roughly every 3.6 spins |
| Free spins frequency | About 1 in 180 spins |
| Max win | 6,750× the bet |
| Bet range | €0.20–€100 per spin (lower caps in Great Britain) |
| Bonus buy | None |
The 95.51% version is reported to be common at UK casinos. On €100 staked, the difference is €1 of average loss; the game’s information screen tells you which version you are playing, as described in our RTP versions guide.
Multiplier Wilds
The Wild is a kennel symbol that lands only on reels 2, 3 and 4. Every Wild comes with a random x2 or x3 multiplier, in the base game as well as in free spins. When more than one Wild sits on a winning line, the multipliers are added:
- one x3 Wild — the line pays ×3;
- a x2 and a x3 Wild — ×5;
- three x3 Wilds — ×9, the most one line can get.
Some databases describe the multipliers as multiplying each other. That cannot be right: multiplied, three x3 Wilds would give x27, while every source agrees the line maximum is x9. Added and multiplied Wild multipliers are compared in our multipliers guide.
Free spins and sticky Wilds
- Trigger: three paw-print Scatters on reels 1, 3 and 5. They also pay 5× the bet — one of the Scatter designs that both pay and trigger.
- Spin count: a 3×3 grid of squares opens, each showing 1, 2 or 3 spins. They are added up, so the round lasts 9 to 27 free spins.
- Sticky Wilds: every Wild that lands stays in place, with its multiplier, until the last spin.
- No retriggers: the count from the start is final.
That makes the round lopsided. Wilds that land early pay on every remaining spin; a short round in which the first Wilds arrive late can end with a small win. How this round compares with free spins in other games we review is shown in our free spins guide.
With a free-spins rate of about 1 in 180, the chance of no bonus in 200 spins is about 32.91% — roughly one session in three. Even after 300 spins it is still 18.88%.
Paytable
Payouts as multiples of the total bet, for 3, 4 and 5 symbols on a line (how to read a paytable):
| Symbol | 3 | 4 | 5 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Top dog | 2.5 | 7.5 | 37.5 |
| Shih Tzu | 1.75 | 5 | 25 |
| Pug | 1.25 | 3 | 15 |
| Dachshund | 1 | 2 | 10 |
| Collar | 0.6 | 1.25 | 7.5 |
| Bone | 0.4 | 1 | 5 |
| A, K | 0.25 | 0.5 | 2.5 |
| Q, J, 10 | 0.1 | 0.25 | 1.25 |
Five top dogs on a line with a x9 Wild combination would pay 337.5× — the 6,750× maximum needs several such lines at once, which is only realistic with a free-spins grid full of sticky Wilds. Why the published maximum is so rarely reached is explained in our max win guide.
The Dog House and Lobster House
Pragmatic Play reused the formula in 2025 for Lobster House:
| The Dog House | Lobster House | |
|---|---|---|
| RTP | 96.51% | 96.51% |
| Hit frequency | 27.55% | 28.65% |
| Free spins about 1 in | 180 | 112 |
| Wilds | x2 / x3 on reels 2–4, added, sticky in free spins; 9–27 free spins, no retrigger | |
| Bonus buy | None | 100× and 400× (Super Free Spins with x15 / x25 Wilds) |
| Max win | 6,750× | 4,000× |
The trade-off is clear: Lobster House gets to the bonus much more often and lets you buy it, while the original keeps a higher ceiling. Same RTP, same Wild rules.
The sequels
All five carry The Dog House name with a subtitle:
- Megaways (August 2020) — 117,649 ways, up to 12,305×;
- Multihold (February 2023) — 5×3, 20 lines, reported up to 9,000×;
- Dog or Alive (March 2024) — up to 10,000×;
- Muttley Crew (October 2024) — reported up to 7,500×;
- Royal Hunt (March 2025) — 96.50% RTP.
Pros and cons
Who should play it, and who should skip it
Good fit if you:
- like simple rules with one feature that carries the game;
- want a higher ceiling than Lobster House with the same mechanics;
- don’t mind waiting for a bonus you cannot buy.
Probably not for you if you:
- play short sessions — about one in three 200-spin sessions has no free spins;
- want retriggers or a round that can grow;
- prefer lower volatility — see our volatility guide for calmer options.