Who would have thought a balloon could be so entertaining? Well, Stake Casino certainly did!
Released in early 2025, this fun yet simple mini-game had me absolutely hooked.
So, join me as I explore the mechanics of this game and what makes it so addictive.
Presentation of the Pump Casino game
The aim of the game is to pump the balloon and cashout before it pops.
With every successful pump, the balloon inflates, and the multiplier grows. It’s as easy as that really.
Of course, the caveat is you never know when the balloon might decide to pop causing you to lose all that was wagered. Herein lies the dilemma!
Do you tempt fate and go for another try or do you count your blessings and cashout? It’s this tension and anticipation that makes Pump so addictive.
With four modes available (Easy, Medium, Hard & Expert), the difficulty setting plays a big role in this game. However, what these modes actually do is determine volatility, with each one affecting how often you win and how big the payouts can get.
To put this into perspective, in Easy mode, you have a 64% chance of reaching the 10th multiplier with a payout of 1.53x. In Expert mode, that same 10th multiplier jumps to an insane 164.72x but the odds of hitting it are 0.59%.
This game also has an absolutely insane multiplier of 3,203,384.80x that can only be accessed in Expert mode.
| Categories | Specifications |
| Provider | Stake Casino |
| Date of Release | 2025 |
| Min Bet | €0.01 |
| Max Bet | Currency Dependent |
| Max Multiplier | 3,203,384.80x |
| RTP | 98% |
| Volatility | Variable |
Which online casino can you play Pump at?
If you’re looking to play Pump, the game is exclusively available on Stake.
Let’s take a look behind the curtain of this online casino and see what makes them tick.
Stake Casino
Established in 2017, Stake has since grown into one of the most popular live casino and sports betting websites around.
Equipped with their gaming license from Curaçao, the online casino is also well known for creating their own mini-games like Limbo, Plinko, and now Pump, to name but a few.
Unfortunately, although Stake do run a lot of promotions, they do not offer any welcome bonuses that you can use in tandem with Pump. I can’t lie, this would have been a great added incentive to play the game.
However, that said, the game holds its own quite well without the need for a promotion alongside it.
| Categories | Specifications |
| License | Curaçao Gaming Control Board |
| Established | 2017 |
| Owner | Medium Rare N.V. |
| Gaming Library | +3,300 Games |
| Stake Originals | 20 (Including Pump) |
| Payment Methods | Cryptocurrencies and Fiat |
What are the characteristics of the Pump Casino game?
What I really loved about this game is how easy it is to pick up and how fast the rounds play out.
No overcomplicated gameplay or mechanics to be seen here. Although, there are a few things you should know about before diving in.
Let’s check them out!
RTP (Return to Player)
The RTP ratio is always the first thing I look up before trying a new game. It tells me so much with so little.
It lets me know what kind of returns I can expect over time and with a ratio of 98%, Pump offers one of the highest RTPs for a mini-game. To put it simply, for every €100 wagered, the game is expected to return around €98 in the long run.
Of course, this is just an average that was calculated over millions of plays over a long period of time.
Short-term results will always vary, sometimes you might get more, other times less. The point is you should never use RTP as an indicator for what will happen to you.
That’s why it’s always a good idea to weigh up the RTP alongside volatility. High RTP can mean strong returns over time, but volatility determines how often you might see those returns and how big they’ll be when and if they hit.
Features
Pump keeps things simple but despite this, there are a few standout features you should take note of.
Difficulty (Volatility): The fact that you can adjust the game’s volatility on the fly definitely adds an extra dimension to the game. In Easy mode, you might see frequent wins with smaller payouts, whereas Expert means wins are rarer, but the payouts will be much better.
Multiplier: If you hover your cursor over the row of multipliers above the balloon, something cool happens! It tells you precisely what the likelihood of reaching that multiplier is.
Auto Mode: This allows you to preset several functions including the bet amount, the number of games and even pumps per round. You can also set up a profit/loss limit.
Hot Keys: If you’re tired of using your mousepad or mouse, you can turn on the Hotkeys function which lets you control the game with the keyboard for a more intuitive and faster gaming experience.
User experience
Playing Pump was a total breeze. Its user-friendly design and straightforward mechanics make it a great choice for beginners and casual players.
But the simplicity of the game doesn’t take anything away from the excitement or fun, far from it.
The rounds were quick and the results instantaneous. Plus, its ridiculously high max multiplier added an extra thrill to the proceedings.
But what really set it apart for me was the sense of control it gives you compared to other games.
The choice to cashout or keep pumping means every decision feels more impactful and dynamic.
I thought the graphics were charming and basic, but these mini-games aren’t about the visuals anyway. With so little, the game did an excellent job in keeping me engaged.
How does the Pump Casino game play out?
The first thing you’ll notice is a red balloon with a 1x multiplier.
This is the game’s default setting which is set to Hard (highly volatile). Don’t worry as you can adjust the difficulty setting before you start.
Next, you’ll want to set your bet size before hitting the big green ‘Bet’ button to start. This will instigate a small animation where the balloon detaches itself from the pump and flies away before quickly being replaced by another.
The ‘Bet’ button will also be replaced by the ‘Pump’ and ‘Cashout’ button highlighted in green. Selecting ‘Pump’ will either cause the balloon to inflate or pop. Each successful pump will see the balloon get bigger and the multiplier increase.
If you cashout in time, you’ll secure your winnings and the round restarts. But if the balloon pops, you walk away with nothing, losing both your wager and any potential multipliers you could have claimed.
Can we play Pump Casino on mobile?
Absolutely, you can! The guys at Stake did a superb job in ensuring the game is fully compatible with mobile and tablet devices.
In fact, in many ways, its uncomplicated nature and intuitive design make Pump feel like it was meant for mobile play first.
Naturally, some features have been tweaked, but this has been done without compromising the experience.
For one thing, the mobile version includes pop-up overlays for some functions such as setting the difficulty and number of pumps per round.
All this means is that when you tap on these elements, they expand into a cleaner and larger menu, making it easier for you to tap and select your desired values without any accidental miss clicks.
Aside from this, all its little animations and core features remain untouched. So, Pump still runs seamlessly regardless of whether you’re on your desktop, laptop, smartphone or tablet device.
What are the best alternatives to Pump Casino?
If simplicity, convenience and the chance to grab some quick wins are what you’re after, then these games below are some great alternatives to Pump!
Here, you’ll find other Stake originals, but I also threw in a couple from a separate provider.
Hotline
- Provider: Spribe
- Min Bet: €0.10
- Max Bet: €100
- Max Multiplier: x1,056
- Volatility: Variable
- RTP: 97%
Starting off hot, this game produced by Spribe is all about predicting which item will land under the indicator when the round ends.
The base game features three types of objects placed in random order along a horizontal strip. These include red and black boxes (x2 multiplier) and the much rarer fire symbol (x32 multiplier).
Unlike Pump, the multipliers do not grow in value with each correct guess. In fact, the only way to increase them is by switching the toggle to ‘High risk mode’.
In this version of Hotline, the multipliers increase from x2 to x4 whereas the payout for a fire symbol goes up to x1,056.
The catch is that there are now two horizontal strips instead of one and to win, both the top and bottom objects must align with your prediction.
Although a lot more restrictive than Pump and with smaller payouts, the game’s fast wagering and quick outcomes keep things interesting.
Mines
- Provider: Stake Casino
- Min Bet: €0.01
- Max Bet: Currency dependent
- Max Multiplier: x37
- RTP: 99%
- Volatility: Variable
Following a 5×5 grid layout, Mines is a Stake original where you need to uncover the green diamonds hidden beneath the tiles.
Each time you successfully unveil a diamond, your multiplier increases. As with Pump, you can decide whether to cashout or keep going. But, if you hit a mine, you lose the round and the entire wager.
You can also get to decide how many mines you want hidden. Fewer mines mean safer bets with lower payouts.
If you choose the maximum number of mines (24), that leaves just one spot where a green diamond can be hidden. Guess this correctly and you’ll score a multiplier of just over x37!
It’s a fun game and there’s definitely some nostalgic value attached to this with its resemblance to Windows Minesweeper.
Dragon Tower
- Provider: Stake Casino
- Min Bet: €0.01
- Max Bet: Currency Dependent
- Max Multiplier: x256,901.12
- Volatility: Variable
- RTP: 98%
One of my favorite games by Stake, the aim of Dragon Tower is to climb the virtual tower by unveiling the hidden eggs.
Its grid format and hidden symbols bear resemblance to another Stake original game called Mines. However, there are some cool differences between them.
In Mines, you can select any tile on the grid at any time. However, Dragon Tower makes you choose from the next ascending row.
Guess correctly and you reach the next level in the tower while also increasing your multiplier. A wrong guess will make you lose all the money wagered in that round.
And just like Pump, it has four modes of difficulty which adjust the game’s volatility. The default Easy mode gives you 4 tiles per row with a 1 in 4 chance of picking the wrong one.
Master mode flips the odds with a 1 in 4 chance of guessing correctly, but of course, the multipliers and potential payouts are much higher!
Crash
- Provider: Stake Casino
- Min Bet: €0.01
- Max Bet: Currency Dependent
- Max Multiplier: x1,000,000
- Volatility: Variable
- RTP: 99%
You might call this a true crash game and I’m not just saying that because of its name.
As one of the most popular Stake original games out there, Crash challenges players to cashout before the multiplier crashes.
It’s all about holding your nerve. The longer you wait to cashout, the higher the multiplier climbs but bear in mind that this can crash at any moment. If it does so before you cashout, you lose everything and the round restarts.
In auto mode, you preset the game so that it cashes out once (or if) the multiplier goes above a certain threshold.
Plus, with its RTP set at 99%, Crash has one of the lowest house edges that casino games have to offer. And while its max multiplier of x1,000,000 isn’t quite as high as Pump’s, it’s still an incredibly significant potential payout.
This game is ideal for those players who like fast-paced and decision-based gaming.
Hilo
- Provider: Spribe
- Min Bet: €0.10
- Max Bet: €100
- Volatility: Variable
- RTP: 97%
Mini-games are all about keeping it simple and you can’t get much simpler than Hilo.
Produced by Spribe, the game presents you with a random card from a playing deck. Your aim is to predict whether the next card will be higher or lower.
Guess correctly and the round continues along with your potential winnings. However, get it wrong and the round restarts and you lose all that was wagered.
The multipliers vary depending on the card in front of you as well as how many you have guessed correctly.
If you are dealt with a Jack, the chances of getting a higher card are slim but possible – so the multiplier is also higher. On the other hand, predicting a lower card is safer meaning the multiplier is lower.
Much like Pump, this game gives you the power to cashout at any time to claim your winnings or to keep going and push for higher payouts!
What is the Pump Casino game really worth? My opinion
I’ve always loved a good mini-game, and Pump is up there with the very best. It offers just the right amount of simplicity, control and tension.
Whether it’s switching up the variance or choosing when to cashout, I really liked how much influence I had over the game.
It puts you firmly in the driving seat, making everything feel more interactive and dynamic. It’s far removed from just hitting a ‘spin’ button on some slot and hoping for the best.
Not that there is anything wrong with that, but Pump brings in a refreshing layer of decision-making that keeps things interesting.
Another standout feature is its transparency. Being able to view the hit ratio of each multiplier made the game feel fairer, while it also helped inform my decision-making.
Pair all this with the game’s clean design, insane max multiplier and easy mechanics, and well, that’s a winning combination!
FAQs
The RTP of Pump stands at 98%. This is considered above average for casino games.
Yes, you can try the Demo mode without betting any of your actual funds. Of course, this also means you can’t win any real money either.
For any Stake original, the minimum you can bet is €0.01 whereas the maximum varies depending on the currency being used. Figures also vary for cryptocurrencies.
While Pump is a game of chance, a common strategy employed by players is to play on Easy or Medium mode for more frequent but smaller wins before occasionally trying their luck in Hard or Expert mode.
