January was a banner month for NJ online casinos, with more than 130 slots added to the ranks.

Players should be very happy with the new offerings, particularly as they include a crop of the bingo/slot hybrid games called Slingo, as well as eight new scratch card games (a Keno/slot hybrid), five virtual sports betting games, along with some new and unique titles.

We’re seeing Golden Nugget continue to lead the pack with 487 total games on their site, include 437 slots, 14 blackjack games, 21 video poker games and 15 table games (primarily roulette and baccarat variations).

They also have the largest live dealer platform with blackjack (four tables), Casino Hold’em, roulette and baccarat.

So let’s take a look at the new games at New Jersey online casinos this month.

Golden Nugget

Golden Nugget online casino is still the overall leader in game total, although Resorts online casino is now offering the same number of slots, an impressive 437!

Along with the most blackjack (14) and the most table games (15), Golden Nugget is clearly the most well-rounded of the NJ online casinos, with an impressive 487 total games. They may even hit 500 in April at the rate they are going.

In January, they really ratcheted up their title selection with 26 slot additions. Half of these are regular slot titles, while nine are of the scratch card variety, and four are bingo/slot hybrids called Slingo.

• Slingo Extreme: This version brings a flaming fire element, lighting up the reels in flames as you Slingo through the grid. Each bet provides 11 spins with five bingo balls per spin. Mark off your grid and get five adjacent squares marked off, either horizontally, vertically or diagonally for a win.
• Slingo Reel Bonus: Rather than the five-reel bingo grid of most Slingo games, this version features five reels and 20 paylines. Wins are paid for three or more of a kind on a win line. Land a Wild and it not only substitutes for a symbol to create a win, but it multiplies that win (2x).
• Slingo Showdown: Here the goal is to collect poker hands. You’ll have nine deals of five cards each to mark off as many spaces on your grid as possible. If you manage to hit a poker hand during your deal, you win.
• Slingo Riches: This is a non-flammable version of Slingo Extreme.

Virgin

Only one slot title made its debut in January at Virgin NJ online casino: Guardians of Fire and Ice, featuring a superhero theme and vibrant colors. The game includes Raining Reels (aka Cascading Reels), Incredible Wilds, Wild Guardian, and a Free Spins Bonus Game.

Virgin is just one game shy of hitting 200, with 199 total games. They offer 177 slot options, six each of blackjack and video poker, and 10 table games.

Tropicana

January was a slow month at Tropicana, too, where we saw just one new game added to their stable as well (although they were full of promotions all month long).

That new game is Guardians of Fire & Ice. Tropicana currently has 203 total games: 178 slots, seven blackjack variations, eight video poker games, and 10 table games.

Betfair

We saw 16 new slots added in January to Betfair’s inventory, bringing their total slot offerings to 253.

While several of these are older titles (Prosperity Twin, Mata Hari, Royal Elephant), they did add three new scratch card games, as well as some new exciting titles with unique features, namely Steam Tower and Lock It Link Night Life.

Steam Tower, set in Victorian England, features a Steampunk façade and symbols. This slot has an eye-popping $500,000 max payout and an unusual bonus round. You’ll spin to win and climb the 16-story Steam Tower. Every Wild gets you one floor closer… and adds 2 spins. Every three floors your multiplier increases, and should you hit the top floor, you will get a bonus of 1,000 coins (x your line bet).

That’s some heavy metal.

888

888 Casino is sitting near the bottom of the pile with only 104 total games. However they did add a few new titles last month, bring their slot total to 98. You’ll now find popular standards such as Invaders from the Planet Moolah, Spartacus, Giant’s Gold and Lunaris at 888.

They’ve also added some tunes to their slot lineup with Elvis: The King Lives and KISS.

Elvis has an unusual reel setup with 11 total reels: two 2×2 reels on the left and a 3×6 on the right. It takes some getting used to, but you’ll be tapping your toes to the accompanying music as you play. (And don’t miss the opening reel that chronicles the legend’s life in pictures and music.)

If you want to rock-and-roll all night and party every day, then the KISS slot is your ticket. It’s definitely a bit more raucous and has a 5×4 reel set on the left and a 5×12 on the right, both of which work independently. With Transferring Wilds, you have a better chance to reach the bonus round, where you can really rock out.

Pala

Pala is another NJ online casino that sits mid-pack. They have 261 total games: 242 slots, five blackjack variations, eight video poker games, and six table games. Of their six new slot options, two are Slingo-branded games and there are four older titles:

• 88 Fortunes: An Asian-themed game with blaringly gold symbols and four jackpots.
• Epic Monopoly 2: This variation of the popular board game features two reels: a 5×4 on the left and Colossal 5×12 on the right. It also utilizes original tokens, like the battleship, shoe, race car, and top hat, and features Rich Uncle Pennybags.
• Lucky Tree: Also Asian-inspired, this slot has a Wild Coin Mystery Feature, Free Spins Bonus Round and a Pick Bonus.
• Cirque du Soleil Kooza: Enter the crazy world of Cirque with this fun slot, featuring the Trickster Free Games, Pick Bonus and Jackpot Wheel.

Caesars

January saw 16 new slot titles make their way onto Caesars online site, pushing its total game total to more than 400 (404 to be exact). They are now the fifth casino to break the 400 barrier (behind Golden Nugget, Resorts, Mohegan, and SugarHouse).

Currently with 363 slots, Caesars is venturing into the realm of atypical slots, adding one Slingo title, four scratch card titles, and five virtual sports betting games.

Virtual sports betting has cropped up at several NJ online casinos this month. Inspired Entertainment, already a leader in virtual sports betting games, has made Virtual Soccer, Virtual Horses, Virtual Greyhounds, Virtual Cars, and Virtual Motorcycles available for US players. Be sure to check them out.

Borgata

Borgata is sitting squarely in the middle of the pack with a total of 268 games. Right now they offer 249 slots, three blackjack, 12 video poker, and four table games.

While they had a slow December, they’ve amped things up in January, adding 13 titles to their site, including five scratch card offerings, including three new titles:

• Ghostbusters Spectral Search: Use your S.P.O.O.K. (Spectral Processing Optical Operation Kit) sensor to find the ghosts. Choose a room and then pick five spaces on that room’s 3×3 grid to reveal ghosts. Match two or more or catch Slimer to win a prize.
• Medieval Money Dragon’s Loot: You’ll get to use a catapult in this game, aiming at Castle Cash-a-Lot, which the wayward dragon has taken over. Each blow will reveal some of the king’s riches. Match enough of the same jewel or coin and you’ll add to your own treasure chest.
• Wheel of Fortune Winning Words: Three words appear and you have 12 tiles with various letters of the alphabet with which to complete those words. Match one or more words and spin the Multiplier Wheel to increase your take.

Mohegan

Mohegan, and sister site Resorts, are the challengers to the Golden Nugget crown. They ambitiously add new slot titles every single month, and January was no exception for Mohegan.

Fourteen new games made their debut, and much like several other NJ online casinos, they have added multiple scratch card games (eight), as well as five virtual sports betting games. The lone regular slot addition is Lock It Link Night Life.

Lock It Link Night Life takes you out for a luxurious night on the town. Symbols include yachts, champagne, sports cars, and a very debonair gentleman. Three scattered Bonus symbols awards you 5x your total bet and choice of features: Free Spins with a chance to win a multiplier up to 8x your bet and six spins or Lock It Feature, which awards three spins on an alternate reel and guarantees 3, 4, or 5 Heart symbols.

If you get the chance, opt for the Lock It Feature, where hearts lock during each spin and increase in value for some pretty spectacular wins.

Harrah’s

Harrah’s is holding steady at 85 total games, of which 80 are slots. The site has been a bit stagnant of late, with no new games in the last two months.

While they have a diverse lineup with games that will appeal to most everyone, they also are at the bottom of the pile when it comes to sheer numbers.

Resorts

Resorts is working to keep you engaged this winter while you are stuck indoors. In January they added 14 new slots offerings, including eight scratch card games, five virtual sports betting games, and Lock It Link It Night Life. That brings their total slot count to 437 and their total game count to 475.

Here’s a rundown on the virtual sports betting games:

• Virtual Soccer allows you to bet on two competing teams during each event. These quick — 30 second to 2 minute — matches include highlight reels and select clips from the staged match. Wager on Correct Score, Match Betting (who will win, lose draw), Total Goals, Over/Under 2.5 Goals, Halftime Score, First Team to Score and Last Team to Score.
• With Virtual Horses and Virtual Greyhounds, you may feel like you’re at the actual racetrack, complete with serious announcer, cheering fans and, in the case of the horses, thundering hooves. Twelve horses or six greyhounds make their way around the oval track, racing to the finish line. You can bet to Win, Place, Show, or go for the Exacta or Trifecta.
• Virtual Cars and Virtual Motorcycles make two laps around the track, complete with green infield, billboards, racing engines, and cheering fans. Bet to Win, Place, Show or, like with the horses and greyhounds, bet the Exacta or Trifecta.

BetMGM

BetMGM casino online edges just slightly ahead of Pala this month with a total of 263 games. They’re a bit light on blackjack (3) and table games (5), but offer a decent video poker selection (12) and slots (243).

They made seven slot additions during January, including several older titles (Venice Magic, King Kong, A Dragon’s Story, Shangri-La, and Egyptian Rise) as well as new releases Lock It Link Night Life and The Wild Life.

The Wild Life takes you out to the African savannah set amongst a blood-red sky. You’ll encounter zebra, rhinos, elephants, giraffes and lions, as well as Expanding Wilds. If you manage to make it to the Free Spins Bonus Game, those Expanding Wilds become Sticky Wilds and remain in place for the duration of your spins. Better yet, those free spins can be retriggered.

SugarHouse

SugarHouse crossed the 400-mark in January, thanks to its 15 new slot additions. They now have 408 slots, five blackjack, 15 video poker, and six table games, for a grand total of 408.

They too have added the same five virtual sports betting games, as well as several scratch card titles.

Two new titles stand out: Renegades and Golden Chief. Renegades features a quintet of women warriors: Raffaela Blaze, Harriet Hellstorm, Freya – Valkyrie of Valhalla, Valda Dragonslayer, and Ivy Sabreclaw. This slot has an unusual Mega Symbol feature, where two or three adjacent reels may lock and spin together creating a mega symbol, which can be as large as three reels high and three reels across.

Golden Chief is based on Native American symbolism, and includes regular Wilds, Expanding Chief Wilds and Heap Wilds. Should you get three or more Scatters and move to the bonus game, you will have three options: Cash Canyon, Totem Riches and Free Spin with Heaped Wilds. You may also encounter the Mystery Symbol Upgrade during regular or bonus play for some additional coins.