REVIEW SUMMARY
Thunderbolt is a South African online casino that straddles the line separating old and fusty and new and responsive. Many elements of this site are welcoming and user-friendly; many are not. If you’re playing in-browser on your laptop, for instance, you’ll quickly tire of its scrolling banner that reads “…come back…play with us” the moment you navigate to a new browser tab.
If Thunderbolt’s scrolling browser display annoys you, as it certainly will, there is a workaround thankfully: pin the browser tab, as you can with Chrome, Firefox and Safari, and you’ll no longer be forced to read the rolling text.
As for the site itself, Thunderbolt is an attractive casino, one where players can delve into table games aplenty including roulette and blackjack, complemented by a load of slick looking video slots. There’s a 100% welcome bonus to get things started and a whole load of other bonuses to keep you coming back again and again.
PROMOTIONS
One thing Thunderbolt can’t be accused of scrimping on is its bonuses. There are all kinds of promotions and bonuses on the go, starting with the 100% first deposit match worth up to R2,500. Aside from deposits where there’s a bonus match involved, all deposits are eligible for 25% cashback. Simply contact the support team to claim back a quarter of the money you’ve lost.
Mobile players are offered a separate welcome bonus incidentally: a 100% match worth up to R2,000 plus another R100 free on top.
On Thursdays, the Big Thunder Bonus provides a 150% deposit match worth up to R2,500, which curiously means that the Thursday bonus is better than the one offered to new players. It’s the same on Mondays, when there’s a 180% deposit match available. Follow Thunderbolt’s Facebook page to be in with a chance of claiming free spins on slots meanwhile; every Friday it dispenses some sort of bonus in this manner via Facebook.
| TYPE | AMOUNT | MATCH | PLAYTHROUGH | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First Deposit | R2,500 T&C Apply | 100% | 30x | SIGN UP |
| Second Deposit | R2,500 T&C Apply | 125% | 30x | SIGN UP |
| Third Deposit | R2,500 T&C Apply | 150% | 30x | SIGN UP |
GAMES
For players determined to play online roulette at Thunderbolt, there are but two options to choose from: American Roulette and European Roulette. In fairness, these are the two obligatory titles that feature at most casinos, so it would be harsh to have a go at Thunderbolt for not including other options. It would be fair to say, though, that this isn’t a site which specialises in roulette.
Sure, you can play it here if you really want to, but with no live casino, two virtual games are all you’ll get. Oh, and European Roulette – that’s the version with just one zero unlike its American counterpart’s two – is the only title available on mobile. Curiously, the roulette games aren’t located in the table games category: you’ll find them instead under Specialty Games.
GAME TYPES
Thunderbolt Casino has a collection of 300 different 3-5-reel Real Series video slots, Roulette, Scratch Cards, Table Games, Video Poker and more. Unfortunately, the casino’s selection is not huge, and Roulette enthusiasts are limited between American and European Roulette, which is considered the casino’s speciality. There are no Live Dealer Games, and there is no sportsbook either, although, players can participate in slots tournaments.
SOFTWARE
Thunderbolt Online Casino is powered by the world-famous software provider, Realtime Gaming. Roulette players who don’t want casino data on their personal or work computers can conveniently and easily enjoy the casino without downloading any software as games are available in Instant Play. However, players will need Adobe Flash installed on their device. Those who prefer to download the casino still have the option to do so. The casino recommends the latter method for those who want to play from their personal PC or laptop.
SCREENSHOTS
BANKING
South African players can look forward to a decent selection of deposit and withdrawal options, all sent via encrypted channels for maximum security. Before any payout requests are honoured, you’ll need to submit proof of identification such as a driving licence scan plus proof of your residential address and photocopies of any credit cards you’ve used to fund your account.
In terms of deposit options, take your pick from Neteller, EcoPayz, EasyEFT, Visa, MasterCard, Skrill, SID and Bitcoin. The minimum deposit in most cases is R25.
CURRENCIES
Thunderbolt Casino features safe and fast banking methods for South African Rand and no other currency. The casino’s goal is to make players’ payments as easy as possible, along with being committed to keeping players’ personal and financial information private and secure. As a global e-commerce entity, the casino deals with multiple transactions, therefore, players are asked for verification documents. They must also fill in an authorisation form which they can download from the Banking page.
MOBILE
Players can enjoy Thunderbolt Casino from anything with an internet connection. You can enjoy an exciting game of Roulette from your phone or tablet. The mobile platform is quite nice and allows players to make deposits and withdrawals with a significant portion of the games on offer. Several touch versions of their games are accessible either by using the internet browser from the device or by scanning the casino’s QR code. A mobile app can also be downloaded free from the casino’s website. Additionally, there are some exclusive promotions that are not available on other platforms. Thunderbolt Casino is compatible with Android, Apple and Windows systems on mobile and tablet devices.
ANDROID
DESKTOP PC
IOS
MAC
MOBILE
TABLET
WINDOWS
JACKPOTS
Thunderbolt Casino has a handful of progressive jackpots on offer from the Realtime Gaming group. These are Megasaur which has a progressive jackpot of R9,803,737, Spirit of the Inca with a prize of R2,032,209, Aztec’s Millions, and Jackpot Cleopatra’s Gold. There are even a couple of Caribbean-themed table games like Caribbean Hold’em, with a prize of R786,437, Caribbean Stud Poker with a jackpot of R786,437, as well as the Let’em Ride game with a progressive jackpot of R134,651.
SECURITY
At Thunderbolt Online Casino, players can put their mind to rest, as their personal and financial information is protected. SSL encryption is used in all sensitive areas throughout the site, including the casino lobby, and the cashier and login pages. This highly reliable technology prevents anyone from being able to read private data. Furthermore, all of the casino’s games are regularly audited by specialists at the world’s top testing agency, TST, to ensure that they are fair and unbiased. The casino is licensed in Curacao.
VERDICT
Thunderbolt is a very capable site, one that should certainly appeal to South African players. It looks the business, with a distinctive theme and an attractive layout, and it works smoothly on mobile. While there’s the option to download the casino’s software to play, most players will prefer to game in-browser, not least if they’re accessing the site on mobile.
There are a few things that detract from the Thunderbolt playing experience, starting with the scrolling text that surfaces on the browser tab anytime you venture elsewhere on the web. Then there’s the welcome bonus which is confusing as it appears to be discernibly worse than the regular weekly bonuses. It’s not a crime for a casino to do so, but it’s a strange marketing decision to say the least.
From a roulette playing perspective, there’s a couple of games to choose from, but nothing much to shout about. Still, a few minor gripes aside, Thunderbolt acquits itself well.
