Thanksgiving Side Dish Rankings by Slot Machine Volatility

You’re standing in front of this year’s Thanksgiving buffet, plate in hand. It’s the highest-stakes decision of the day. Do you load up on the mashed potatoes and gravy? A guaranteed, belt-busting, low-risk payout. Or do you make room for your aunt’s “experimental” quinoa oyster stuffing that she saw on TikTok? A high-risk bet that could either be a life-changing jackpot or a total loser. What are you betting on?

I Ranked Every Thanksgiving Side Dish Like a Slot Machine (Volatility Edition)

I spent my college years waitressing in Atlantic City casinos. I watched people—bless their hearts—make this exact kind of choice every single night. I watched them weigh risk, reward, and gut feeling. The Thanksgiving buffet is just another casino floor. Your plate is your “buy-in.” Your stomach capacity is your bankroll. You aren’t just choosing food. You’re choosing your risk. You’re choosing your slot machine volatility.

So, as an expert in both casino psychology and holiday survival, here is my official Thanksgiving side dish ranking, volatility edition.

The Low-Volatility Grinds (The ‘Sure Bets’)

First, what is slot volatility? It’s risk. Low volatility slots pay out often, but in smaller, steadier amounts. They’re “grinder” games. They won’t make you a millionaire in one spin, but they’ll keep you playing (and happy) for hours. These are the dishes that form the foundation of your plate. They are predictable, reliable, and essential.

Dish 1: Mashed Potatoes & Gravy

Volatility: Rock Bottom Low.
RTP (Return to Tummy): 99%. This dish always pays out. It’s predictable, creamy, and deeply satisfying every single time. It’s the “Grind” slot of the table. You’re not here for a life-changing flavor jackpot; you’re here to keep your bankroll (your mood) stable and funded. This is, without question, the best Thanksgiving food.
Vegas Aces Slot Pairing: Starburst. It’s a classic for a reason. This is one of the most popular low volatility slots on the planet. It pays both ways, the wins are frequent, and it’s a colorful, reliable good time.

Dish 2: Basic Dinner Rolls (with Butter)

Volatility: Low.
RTP: 98%. A near-perfect payout. Its “bonus feature” is gravy-mopping. You are never, ever mad you bet on a dinner roll. It’s the utility player. It’s the base game win that keeps your balance topped off.
Vegas Aces Slot Pairing: Diamond Cherries. A simple, clean, 3-reel classic. No complicated bonus rounds, no confusing mechanics. Just clean, classic spins that do exactly what you expect. These are the instant play slots you go to for pure, simple action.

The Medium-Volatility Hits (The ‘Crowd Pleasers’)

These dishes are the heart of the Thanksgiving side dish ranking. They offer a solid mix of risk and reward. They have “bonus features” that can lead to a significant payout, but they aren’t a guaranteed win. The cook matters. This is where most players live, and it’s a great place to be for an online casino Thanksgiving.

Dish 1: Classic Sage Stuffing/Dressing

Volatility: Medium.
RTP: 85-95% (Highly cook-dependent). When this hits, it’s good. It’s the nostalgic, feature-rich game you come back to every year. But the risk is real. It can be too dry (a “dead spin”) or too mushy (a “teaser”). You’re making a moderate-risk bet for a solid, heartwarming payout.
Vegas Aces Slot Pairing: A Night With Cleo. It’s a well-known favorite at VegasAces.com. The base game is solid, but everyone knows you’re really here for the “Gamble” bonus feature—just like taking that second scoop.

Dish 2: Green Bean Casserole (with Fried Onions)

Volatility: Medium.
RTP: 90%. The fried onion “scatter symbols” pretty much guarantee a satisfying payout, even if the “base game” (the beans) is a little basic. You know what you’re getting, and what you’re getting is salty, crunchy, and good.
Vegas Aces Slot Pairing: Golden Buffalo. This is a massive crowd-pleaser known for its free spins feature (the fried onions!). You’re here for that one big, crunchy, satisfying hit. It’s one of the best mobile casino games for that “bonus round” energy.

The High-Volatility Gambles (The ‘Boom or Bust’)

Welcome to the high-limit room. High volatility slots are all about risk. You can go 50 spins with nothing… and then hit a 1,000x jackpot. These are the dishes that take up valuable plate-bankroll but promise a massive, life-changing reward. You’re risking it all.

Dish 1: Your Aunt’s “Experimental” Quinoa & Cranberry Stuffing

Volatility: Sky High.
RTP: Unknown. This is the progressive jackpot slot of the Thanksgiving side dishes. It could be a flavor explosion that changes your entire perception of the holiday… or it could be a total, flavorless bust that makes you instantly regret losing plate space. You’re betting on a complete unknown.
Vegas Aces Slot Pairing: Reels & Wheels XL. You’re ignoring the base game and betting everything on hitting that massive, multi-tiered jackpot wheel. Big risk, huge potential reward. These are the high RTP slots if they hit.

Dish 2: Oyster Stuffing / Ambrosia Jell-O Salad

Volatility: High.
RTP: 50/50 (You either love it or you hate it). This is the game for the old-timers who swear by it. It’s a high-risk bet on a forgotten, amazing flavor… or it’s just… weird marshmallows in lime Jell-O. It’s a binary choice.
Vegas Aces Slot Pairing: Mythic Wolf. It’s a bit of a cult classic. The theme is intense. You’re really just playing for that one rare, wild bonus round that the “experts” (your grandpa) told you about. You have to be willing to lose your buy-in to chase this dragon.

Conclusion: How to Build Your Plate

So, what’s your strategy? Are you a grinder, playing it safe with a plate of low-volatility mashed potatoes? Or are you a high-roller, betting it all on that weird quinoa?

My advice, from years on the floor: balance your portfolio. Get your guaranteed wins. Load up on the low-volatility grinders. But always, always save a little bankroll for one high-risk bet. You might just hit the jackpot.

While you’re waiting for that high-volatility dish to digest, you can build your actual bankroll. These are some of the most fun games to play on Thanksgiving. Find all these instant play slots and more at VegasAces.com.

Good luck at the table.