Pragmatic Play · 2021 · Independent review
Gates of Olympus Slot Review: RTP, Multipliers and Free Demo
Our score: 8.3/10
Quick verdict: Gates of Olympus is a 6x5 pay-anywhere slot where tumbles and Zeus's multiplier orbs do all the work. The free spins collect multipliers into one running total, which is where the 5,000x cap comes within reach. It's very swingy: the bonus lands about once in 448 spins, so budget for long quiet stretches.
- RTP
- 96.50%Lower versions: 95.51% and 94.50%
- Volatility
- HighFree spins about 1 in 448 spins
- Max win
- 5,000x$1,000 at the $0.20 minimum bet
- Grid
- 6x5Pay anywhere: 8+ matching symbols
What's in this review
Where to play the Gates of Olympus slot
These casinos hold Curaçao licenses and don't accept players from the UK or the US. Before you sign up, check that the casino accepts players from your country and that gambling online is legal where you live. Then open the game's rules screen and confirm the RTP version: our RTP guide explains why it matters.
Not paid placements: we have no commercial partners. How we are funded. 18+.
1win
License Curaçao Gates of Olympus Being checked: we haven't confirmed the lobby yet Offshore casino. Not licensed in the UK or the US; check the license in the site footer and whether your country is accepted before you sign up.
Melbet
License Curaçao Gates of Olympus Being checked: we haven't confirmed the lobby yet Offshore casino. Not licensed in the UK or the US; check the license in the site footer before you sign up.
Stake
License Curaçao Gates of Olympus Being checked: we haven't confirmed the lobby yet Operator Medium Rare N.V. Crypto casino. Not available in the UK or the US; check whether it accepts players from your country.
What is Gates of Olympus?
Gates of Olympus is a Greek-mythology slot from Pragmatic Play, released on . Zeus stands beside a 6x5 grid of gems and golden relics, and there are no paylines at all: any 8 or more matching symbols anywhere on the screen pay. Winning symbols disappear, new ones fall in, and Zeus throws multiplier orbs worth 2x to 500x onto the reels.
That mix made it one of the defining slots of the 2020s. It won Game of the Year at the EGR Operator Awards in 2021 and Slot of the Year at the CasinoBeats Games Developer Awards in 2022. It also turned into a franchise: Pragmatic Play has since released 1000, Xmas, Super Scatter, 2500 and POP versions, plus a live roulette game built around it.
The original is still the simplest of them. One grid, one kind of multiplier and one bonus round with 15 free spins. There's no Wild symbol and no gamble feature. What you can add is an Ante Bet that makes the free spins more likely, or, outside the UK, a 100x bonus buy.
Gates of Olympus at a glance
| Provider | Pragmatic Play |
|---|---|
| Release date | |
| Grid | 6 reels × 5 rows |
| How wins pay | 8+ matching symbols anywhere; no paylines |
| RTP | 96.50% (also 95.51% and 94.50%) |
| RTP with Ante or buy | The same as the base game |
| Volatility | High in practice; the rules screen says Medium |
| Hit frequency | 28.82%, about 1 spin in 3.5 |
| Free spins | About 1 in 448 spins |
| Multipliers | 2x to 500x |
| Max win | 5,000x the bet |
| Bet range | From $0.20; the casino sets the maximum, often $100 |
| Ante Bet | Yes, +25% to the bet (25x bet multiplier instead of 20x) |
| Bonus buy | 100x, where allowed |
RTP, the multiplier range, the volatility label and the bet limits from the game's rules screen and Pragmatic Play's game page. Release date from the launch announcement. Hit and bonus frequency from OLBG, BigWinBoard and AskGamblers; Pragmatic Play doesn't print them on its page. Bet limits depend on the casino and the market: in the UK the cap is £5 per spin.
How to play Gates of Olympus
There's no skill involved: every spin is decided by the RNG, a random number generator that testing labs certify for licensed casinos. What you control is the bet, the optional Ante Bet and how long you play. The full walkthrough is on our how to play page.
Set your bet
The minimum is $0.20 per spin. The casino sets the maximum: $100 is common, and the version we checked allowed €300. In the UK the limit is £5, or £2 if you're 18 to 24. There are no lines to choose: every spin covers the whole grid.
Decide on the Ante Bet
Switching it on adds 25% to your bet and doubles the chance of free spins, according to the rules. While it's on, the bonus buy button is locked.
Land 8 or more
Any 8 or more matching symbols anywhere on the 30 positions pay. More symbols pay more: 8–9, 10–11 and 12 or more are the three tiers.
Watch the tumble
Winning symbols vanish and new ones drop in. The tumbling continues, and keeps paying, until no new win forms.
Collect the orbs
Multiplier orbs worth 2x to 500x can land on any spin. In the base game, their values are added together at the end of the tumbles and multiply the total win.
Land 4 Zeus scatters
Four or more scatters anywhere trigger 15 free spins. Inside the bonus, the multipliers go into a running total that never resets during the round.
Symbols and paytable
There are nine regular symbols: four golden relics and five gems. The crown is the top one: 12 or more crowns on the screen pay 50x your bet. The hourglass, ring and chalice follow, and the five gems fill the bottom of the table, from the red gem down to the blue one.
Because wins are counted across the whole grid, the paytable has three tiers instead of the usual 3, 4 and 5 of a kind. Eight or nine of a symbol pays the first tier, ten or eleven the second, and twelve or more the top one. Several different symbols can pay on the same spin, and every tumble adds its own wins.
Zeus: the scatter
The Zeus symbol is the scatter. It pays anywhere on the grid: 3x your bet for 4, 5x for 5 and 100x for 6. Four or more also trigger the free spins. There's no Wild in this game, so the scatter never substitutes for other symbols.
The in-game paytable shows pictures and dollar amounts, not names or multiples. At a €2 bet it lists the crown at €100, €50 and €20; divided by the bet, that's the 50x, 25x and 10x below. Every row matches, and so do the scatter pays: €6, €10 and €200 for 4, 5 and 6 scatters. The gem names are ours: red pentagon, purple triangle, yellow hexagon, green triangle and blue square.
| Symbol | 8–9 | 10–11 | 12+ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crown | 10x | 25x | 50x |
| Hourglass | 2.5x | 10x | 25x |
| Ring | 2x | 5x | 15x |
| Chalice | 1.5x | 2x | 12x |
| Red gem | 1x | 1.5x | 10x |
| Purple gem | 0.8x | 1.2x | 8x |
| Yellow gem | 0.5x | 1x | 5x |
| Green gem | 0.4x | 0.9x | 4x |
| Blue gem | 0.25x | 0.75x | 2x |
| Scatters | Pays | Also |
|---|---|---|
| 4 | 3x | 15 free spins |
| 5 | 5x | 15 free spins |
| 6 | 100x | 15 free spins |
At a $1 bet, 12 crowns pay $50 and 8 blue gems pay $0.25. Values read from the in-game paytable at a €2 bet and divided by the bet; they match OLBG, BigWinBoard, AskGamblers and ClashOfSlots.
Tumbles and multipliers in the base game
Every win in Gates of Olympus starts a tumble. The winning symbols are paid and removed, the symbols above drop down and new ones fall in from the top. If that creates another win, it's paid and the tumble continues. One spin can chain several wins together.
How the orbs add up
Multiplier orbs can land on any spin or tumble, in the base game and in the free spins. They stay on the screen until the tumbling ends. Then their values are added together, and the sum multiplies the total win of that spin. Two orbs of 5x and 8x make 13x, not 40x.
The orbs only count if the spin wins something. An orb that lands on a losing spin is just decoration. That's why big multiplier hits feel random: the orb and the win have to arrive together.
- 2x
- 3x
- 4x
- 5x
- 6x
- 8x
- 10x
- 12x
- 15x
- 20x
- 25x
- 50x
- 100x
- 250x
- 500x
All 15 values exactly as the game's rules list them, 6x included (some reviews leave it out). The orbs come in four colors: green, blue, purple and red. Pragmatic Play doesn't publish how often each value appears.
Worked example. You bet $1. Nine red gems pay 1x, so $1. They tumble away, and the new symbols make ten blue gems for another 0.75x. Meanwhile a 5x and an 8x orb landed. When the tumbling stops, the orbs add up to 13x, and the spin's total of 1.75x becomes 22.75x: $22.75.
Same spin with no orbs: $1.75. Same orbs with no win: $0.
Free spins and the total multiplier
Four or more Zeus scatters anywhere trigger 15 free spins. The scatter win is paid first: 3x, 5x or 100x your bet for 4, 5 or 6 scatters. You get 15 spins whatever the number of scatters.
The running total
This is where Gates of Olympus earns its reputation. In the free spins, multiplier orbs don't vanish after one spin. Whenever an orb lands on a winning spin, its value is added to a total multiplier, and that whole total multiplies the spin's win. The total keeps growing until the round ends.
Early orbs make later wins bigger. A 10x orb on spin 2 still counts on spin 14, as long as another orb shows up with a win. A winning spin with no orb pays its normal value. An orb that lands on a losing spin doesn't join the total.
Retriggers
Three or more scatters during the free spins add 5 more spins. There's no limit on retriggers, and the total multiplier carries over. The rules also note that special reels are in play during the round, so the symbol mix isn't the same as in the base game.
More on what to expect, and why the bonus can still pay very little, in our Gates of Olympus free spins guide.
Worked example. Bet $1. Spin 3 wins 2x and brings a 10x orb: the total is 10x, so the spin pays 20x. Spin 7 wins 1.5x with a 5x orb: the total grows to 15x and the spin pays 22.5x. Spin 9 wins 4x with no orb and pays 4x.
With the 3x for four scatters, that round returns 49.5x: $49.50. It's a decent bonus. Many rounds pay less than the 100x a bonus buy costs; a few pay hundreds or thousands of times the bet.
Ante Bet and bonus buy
Ante Bet: +25% for twice the scatters
The Ante Bet, which the panel calls "Double chance to win feature", raises your bet by 25%: a $1 spin costs $1.25. The rules describe it as a choice of bet multiplier. The standard setting is 20x; with 25x, more scatters are placed on the reels and the chance of triggering free spins naturally is doubled. Your wins are still based on the $1 base bet.
Is it worth it? It changes the rhythm, not the math in your favor. The rules screen gives the same RTP with and without the Ante Bet: 96.50% in the top version. You pay more for every spin to reach the bonus more often, and the long-run return stays the same. Treat it as a way to see the feature more often at a higher cost per spin.
Bonus buy: 100x
Where it's allowed, you can buy the 15 free spins outright for 100x your bet: $20 at $0.20 or $100 at $1. That's the cost of 100 base-game spins for a feature that lands about once in 448 spins on its own. The bought round is the same as a natural one, and the rules list the same 96.50% RTP for it. It can return 3x or 3,000x; the price doesn't buy a better result.
Bonus buys are switched off in the UK and the Netherlands, and you can't use them while the Ante Bet is on. If you try one, set the bet so that a 100x purchase is money you can afford to lose in full.
| Option | Cost | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Normal spin | $1.00 | Free spins about 1 in 448 |
| Ante Bet spin | $1.25 | About twice the chance of free spins |
| Bonus buy | $100 | 15 free spins straight away |
Prices as the game shows them: at a €2 bet the Ante panel reads €2.50 and the buy button €200. "Doubled" is the rules' own word; the exact free spins frequency isn't published.
Gates of Olympus RTP, volatility and max win
RTP: 96.50%, if your casino runs it
RTP (return to player) is the share of all money bet that a slot pays back over millions of spins. At 96.50%, every $100 wagered returns $96.50 in theory. Your own session can land far above or below that: RTP is a long-run average, not a forecast.
Gates of Olympus comes in three versions, and the casino picks one: 96.50%, 95.51% or 94.50%. The game looks identical in each. The gap between the top and bottom version is $2 per $100 wagered, or $20 over $1,000 of spins. To check yours, open the game's rules or info screen at the casino: it states the RTP of the version you're playing. In the 96.50% version, the rules give that same figure for the Ante Bet and the bonus buy. Our Gates of Olympus RTP guide shows where to find it.
Volatility: high, whatever the label says
Pragmatic Play launched the game as "a highly-volatile experience", and the volatility meter on the intro screen shows five lightning bolts out of five. The current rules screen, though, labels it Medium volatility. The numbers behave like a high-volatility slot. The hit frequency is 28.82%, so roughly two spins in seven pay something, and most of those wins are smaller than the bet. The free spins arrive about once in 448 spins on average. At $1 a spin, that's $448 wagered between bonuses on average, and gaps of 1,000 spins or more are normal. A win of 1,000x or more comes roughly once in 46,000 spins.
Max win: 5,000x
The Gates of Olympus max win is 5,000x your bet: $1,000 at $0.20, $5,000 at $1 and $500,000 at $100. The rules are explicit: if a round's total win reaches 5,000x, the round ends at once, the win is paid up to the cap and any remaining features, such as unplayed free spins, are forfeited. In the UK, with stakes capped at £5, the most you can win is £25,000, or £10,000 for players aged 18 to 24 at £2. Data sites estimate the odds of hitting the cap at about 1 in 700,000 spins. See how the 5,000x max win works.
| Version | Back per $100 wagered, in theory |
|---|---|
| 96.50% | $96.50 |
| 95.51% | $95.51 |
| 94.50% | $94.50 |
Bars start at 90% so the differences are visible. 96.50% from Pragmatic Play; the lower versions as listed by OLBG, AskGamblers and SlotCatalog. Some sites write 95.50% for the middle version; SlotCatalog's FAQ says 94.05%, which contradicts its own review.
BigWinBoard and AskGamblers give the odds of a 5,000x win as 1 in 697,350. OLBG and AboutSlots say 1 in 718,391. Neither cites Pragmatic Play, and the game's rules don't give odds either. Both figures say the same thing in practice: almost nobody hits the cap.
Gates of Olympus rules by country
Regulators change how the game behaves. Many pages still quote a $100 maximum bet and a $500,000 top win for the UK, but UK stake limits make that impossible today. Here's what changes where.
| Market | Bonus buy | Max bet | Other rules |
|---|---|---|---|
| UK | No | £5 per spin; £2 for ages 18–24 | No autoplay or turbo, at least 2.5 seconds per spin |
| Germany | Not offered in practice | €1; up to €3 or €5 for some players since July 2026 | At least 5 seconds per spin, no autoplay |
| Netherlands | No | Set by the casino | No autoplay |
| Ontario | Check the casino | Set by the casino | No autoplay, at least 2.5 seconds per spin; 19+ |
| Most other markets | Yes, 100x | Set by the casino, often $100 | Autoplay and quick spin where allowed |
Sources: UK Gambling Commission stake limits and game design rules; Germany's GGL; the Dutch KSA; Ontario's AGCO. In Germany the higher limits apply only at approved operators, to players aged 21+ under extra monitoring.
As of October 2026 we can't confirm Pragmatic Play games at any state-regulated US online casino. In September 2025 the company also stopped supplying US sweepstakes casinos. A "Gates of Olympus" on a US sweepstakes site after that date is very likely a copy, not the real game.
Play the Gates of Olympus demo
The Gates of Olympus demo is the full game with play money. We don't embed it here: the button takes you to our casino list, where you can open it in free-play mode. Pragmatic Play also offers a demo on its own website behind an 18+ check. In the UK, casinos must verify your age before any demo. Demos of the other Olympus games are on our free demos page.
Gates of Olympus demo
The same game and the same math, with play money. Open it in free-play mode at a casino from our list. 18+.
Play the free demo at a casinoWith free spins about once in 448 spins, a 200-spin demo session will often show none. That's normal, and it's worth seeing before you bet real money. Check the RTP in the demo's rules screen too: demos don't always run the 96.50% version.
Gates of Olympus on mobile
The game is built in HTML5 and runs in mobile browsers on iOS and Android, in portrait or landscape. On a phone the grid fills the screen in portrait mode, and the bet, spin and settings buttons move under the reels.
There's no official Gates of Olympus app from Pragmatic Play. Apps and APK files that claim to be one are not from the provider, so play in your browser or in a licensed casino's own app. More on our mobile page.
Is your Gates of Olympus genuine?
Gates of Olympus is one of the most copied slots online. In 2025 and 2026, fake versions turned up on scam sweepstakes sites, sometimes paying far more than 100% in play-money mode until players deposited. Copies like these can look right and still run any math the site wants.
The real game always loads from Pragmatic Play's own servers, shows the Pragmatic Play logo when it starts, and has a full rules screen with the RTP and the 5,000x cap. If the casino isn't licensed where you live, or the game's rules screen looks thin or wrong, don't play it.
- The rules screen shows an RTP of 96.50%, 95.51% or 94.50%.
- The max win is 5,000x, and the multipliers go up to 500x.
- The rules list the RTP for the Ante Bet and the buy too.
- Game history opens and lists your past rounds.
- The casino's license is in the regulator's public register.
Step-by-step version in our RTP guide.
Gates of Olympus and its sequels
Pragmatic Play has turned Zeus's grid into its biggest series. Most sequels keep the 6x5 pay-anywhere layout and change one thing: the multiplier ceiling, the scatters or the bonus modes. Roulette, POP, Dice and Pachi are covered on our Gates of Olympus games page.
- 2021Gates of Olympus5,000x · RTP 96.50% · orbs up to 500x
- 2023Gates of Olympus 100015,000x · RTP 96.50% · orbs up to 1,000x
- 2024Gates of Olympus Xmas 100015,000x · RTP 96.50% · the festive 1000
- 2025Gates of Olympus Super Scatter50,000x · RTP 96.50% · Super Scatter prizes
- 2026Gates of Olympus Roulette10,000x · live roulette with a Zeus bonus slot
- 2026Gates of Olympus POP25,000x · a casual 3x5 version
- 2026Gates of Olympus 250025,000x · orbs up to 2,500x, four bonus modes
Top RTP of each game where Pragmatic Play publishes it. Release years from Pragmatic Play's announcements and launch coverage.
Is the original still worth playing next to the sequels? Yes, if you want the cleanest version: one multiplier range, one bonus and a 5,000x cap you'll understand in a minute. The 1000 and Super Scatter versions raise the ceiling, but they also push the volatility further, which makes long dry runs even more likely.
- Myth
"There are hot hours when Zeus pays more."
FactThe RNG doesn't know what time it is. Each spin has the same odds at 3 a.m. and at 9 p.m., and no pattern of bets changes that.
- Myth
"After a long dry spell, the bonus is due."
FactEvery spin is independent. "1 in 448" is an average over millions of spins, and the game doesn't remember your last 1,000.
- Myth
"Buying the bonus is the smart way to play."
FactA bought round pays out like a natural one, from tiny to huge. You only change how fast you spend, and the buy is banned in some markets.
Pros and cons
What we like
- Simple rules: 8 of a kind anywhere, no paylines to track
- Tumbles and orbs give every spin a chance to build
- The running total multiplier makes the free spins tense to the last spin
- 96.50% top RTP, above the average for modern slots
- Wide bet range and a choice of Ante Bet or bonus buy where allowed
What we don't
- Free spins only about once in 448 spins: long dry spells are normal
- Most base-game wins are smaller than the bet
- The 5,000x cap is low next to the 1000 and Super Scatter sequels
- Lower RTP versions exist, and casinos don't always say which they run
- One of the most copied slots, so fake versions are a real risk
Slots similar to Gates of Olympus
These games share the pay-anywhere grid and the multipliers, or build on them. Each card says what carries over and what changes.
Gates of Olympus 1000
The same game with a higher ceiling: orbs go up to 1,000x and the max win to 15,000x. The RTP is the same 96.50%, so the extra potential comes with even more volatility.
Gates of Olympus Super Scatter
Adds Super Scatter symbols that pay up to 50,000x when they trigger the bonus, plus a 500x buy for Super Free Spins with a 10x minimum multiplier.
Starlight Princess
Pragmatic Play's anime twin of Gates of Olympus from 2021: the same 6x5 pay-anywhere grid, tumbles and orbs, with a princess in place of Zeus.
Sweet Bonanza
The candy slot that came first, in 2019. Pay-anywhere wins and tumbles too, but its multipliers only appear in the free spins and don't build a running total.
Our verdict: is Gates of Olympus worth playing?
Gates of Olympus: the original pay-anywhere multiplier slot, still the clearest of the series.
Gates of Olympus set the template for a whole generation of slots, and it holds up. The rules fit on one screen, any spin can turn into a tumbling chain, and the free spins have a real storyline: every orb on a winning spin raises the stakes for the rest of the round. At 96.50% it also has a good top RTP.
The weak points are just as clear. Most spins return little, the bonus takes about 448 spins on average, and many free spins rounds pay less than their 100x buy price. It suits players who like high volatility and set a firm budget. If you want a bigger ceiling, try Gates of Olympus 1000 or Super Scatter; if you want something calmer, this isn't the series for you.
| Bonus feature | 8.5/10 |
|---|---|
| Win potential | 8/10 |
| Gameplay | 8.5/10 |
| Design and sound | 8/10 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Gates of Olympus worth playing?
Yes, if you enjoy high volatility. The tumbles and the running multiplier in the free spins make it one of the most exciting slots of its kind. Play at a casino that runs the 96.50% version and set a budget: the free spins land only about once in 448 spins.
What is the Gates of Olympus RTP?
It's 96.50% in the standard version. Casinos can also choose 95.51% or 94.50%. The game's rules screen shows the version you're playing.
What is the max win on Gates of Olympus?
It's 5,000x your bet: $1,000 at $0.20 and $5,000 at $1. In the UK, where stakes are capped at £5, the most you can win is £25,000. The round ends as soon as the cap is reached.
How do the multipliers work?
Orbs worth 2x to 500x can land on any spin. In the base game, their values are added together at the end of the tumbles and multiply that spin's win. In the free spins, orbs on winning spins go into a total multiplier that keeps growing until the round ends.
How do you trigger the free spins?
Land 4 or more Zeus scatters anywhere on the grid. You get 15 free spins and an instant 3x, 5x or 100x for 4, 5 or 6 scatters. Three more scatters during the round add 5 spins.
Can you buy the bonus in Gates of Olympus?
Yes, in most markets: 15 free spins cost 100x your bet. The bonus buy isn't available in the UK or the Netherlands, and it's locked while the Ante Bet is on.
Can I play Gates of Olympus for free?
Yes. Many casinos let you open it in free-play mode with play money, and Pragmatic Play has a demo on its website. It's the same game and the same math. In the UK, casinos have to verify your age before any demo.
Is Gates of Olympus rigged?
No. Licensed casinos must run certified versions of the game, where an RNG decides every spin. The real risks are lower RTP versions and fake copies at unlicensed or sweepstakes sites, so play only at casinos licensed where you live.
How we checked the numbers
This Gates of Olympus review is written by the Gates of Olympus Guide team. We start from the official Pragmatic Play game page, which gives the 96.50% RTP, the 2x–500x multipliers and the 15 free spins. The release date comes from the launch coverage at InterGame. Pragmatic Play doesn't publish the paytable, the lower RTP versions or frequencies on its page. We read the paytable from the game and cross-checked the rest across independent reviews. They include OLBG, BigWinBoard, AskGamblers and SlotCatalog. Market rules come from the regulators, such as the UK Gambling Commission's stake limits.
Where sources disagree, we say so. Some call the grid "20 paylines" (there are none), list a Wild symbol (there isn't one), or claim multipliers only appear in the free spins (they land in the base game too). The screenshots on this page come from the game itself, taken in a euro session in October 2026, so the amounts are at a €2 bet. We used them to check the paytable, the 15 multiplier values, the RTP for each mode, the bet limits, the Ante and buy prices and the max-win rule. We haven't run a recorded test session, so there are no session results here, and we never invent them. An editor reviews each AI-assisted draft before it goes live: see our editorial policy and review method.
Play responsibly
Gates of Olympus's free spins arrive about once in 448 spins on average, so a whole session can pass without one. Gambling is entertainment that costs money, not a way to earn it.
- Decide on a budget before you start and stop when it's gone.
- Use deposit limits, time reminders and self-exclusion tools at your casino.
- Never chase losses, with a bonus buy or anything else.
GamCare (UK, 0808 8020 133) · 1-800-MY-RESET (US) · ConnexOntario (1-866-531-2600) · Gambling Therapy (worldwide).
More tools and advice on our responsible gambling page. 18+ only.