Last updated: May 2026. A walkthrough written for Aussies who've heard about Gates of Olympus on TikTok and want to know what's actually going on before they deposit.
If you've never spun a pays-anywhere slot before, Gates of Olympus looks confusing for about 30 seconds — and then it clicks. There are no paylines to memorise, no bonus rounds with secret rules, no special button to learn. You bet, you spin, Zeus throws lightning, and either 8 matching symbols land somewhere on the grid or they don't. That's the whole game. The depth lives in the multiplier orbs, the tumble feature, and a couple of side-features (Ante Bet, Bonus Buy) that change the math.
This guide walks you through your first session in plain language.
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The board: a 6×5 grid (no paylines)
The play area is 6 columns wide by 5 rows tall — 30 symbol positions in total. Most pokies you've played have paylines (line up matching symbols left-to-right along defined paths). Gates of Olympus has none of that. Wins are formed when eight or more of the same symbol land anywhere on the grid, regardless of position. They don't have to touch each other. They don't have to be on adjacent reels. They just have to be there.
This is sometimes called "scatter pays" or (less accurately) "cluster pays". Pragmatic Play calls it "pays anywhere".
Setting your bet
The bet panel is at the bottom of the screen. Aussie players can stake from A$0.20 per spin up to A$125 per spin at the four casinos we feature. Your bet is your total stake — it doesn't get split across paylines (because there aren't any).
The recommended starting bet for a first session is around A$0.40 to A$1.00. The volatility is very high, so you want enough bankroll to survive the dry spells while you wait for the free spins trigger.
The first spin
Hit the spin button (or spacebar on desktop, big circle on mobile). Symbols cascade in, and one of three things happens:
- No 8-match landed — you lose the spin, board clears, ready for next.
- 8+ of one symbol landed — you win that symbol's payout. The winning symbols vanish, new ones tumble down to fill the gaps. The cycle repeats.
- 8+ of one symbol AND a multiplier orb landed in the same spin — your win is multiplied by the orb's value (2× to 500×).
That third case is where the game gets exciting. Multiplier orbs are golden winged spheres that Zeus rolls onto the grid randomly. If one lands during a winning spin, its value applies to the win.
Symbols — what pays what
You'll see four high-pay symbols and a stack of colored gems:
| Tier | Symbols |
|---|---|
| High-pay | Crown, Hourglass, Ring, Golden Cup |
| Low-pay | Red gem, Yellow gem, Green gem, Blue gem, Purple gem |
| Special | Zeus (scatter + highest pay), Multiplier orb |
The Zeus symbol pays the most when 8+ land, and four or more Zeus symbols also trigger the free spins round — Zeus does double duty.
Tumbles — how single spins chain into big wins
After every winning combination, the winning symbols disappear and new symbols fall in from above. If those new symbols also form an 8-match, you win again on the same spin. This can repeat 3, 4, 5, even 6 times in a single spin if luck is with you. One spin can deliver multiple wins — that's the whole point of the tumble mechanic.
In the base game, each tumble's multiplier is applied to that tumble's win only. In free spins, multipliers accumulate across the whole round (which is what makes the bonus so explosive).
Triggering free spins
Land four or more Zeus scatter symbols anywhere on the grid in a single spin. You'll be awarded 15 free spins and a brief animation will play. During the free spins:
- Every multiplier orb that lands stays in a running total for the round.
- That total multiplier applies to every win you collect in the round.
- If you land 3+ scatters during the bonus, you get 5 extra free spins.
Free spins are where players win the screenshots-worth-posting payouts. The bonus round delivers most of the game's RTP.
Two side-features you should know about
Ante Bet. Pay 25% extra per spin (so A$1.00 → A$1.25) and the chance of Zeus scatters appearing doubles. Most experienced players run with Ante Bet on — over enough spins, the extra trigger frequency more than pays for the uplift.
Bonus Buy. Pay 100× your current stake and you skip the base game entirely — straight into the 15 free spins. The RTP is the same 96.50%. This is what streamers do for content; it's an expensive feature for everyday play, so leave it alone unless you have the budget for it.
A sensible first session
If you have A$50 to spend and want to learn the game, here's a sample structure:
- Pick Vegasnova for the welcome bonus and the PayID-fast withdrawals.
- Set bet to A$0.40 per spin.
- Turn Ante Bet ON (A$0.50 effective stake).
- Plan for 100 spins — about A$50 at this stake.
- You'll likely hit the free spins trigger 1-3 times across that session.
- Cash out as soon as a bonus round delivers a result you're happy with.
That's a realistic first session. You won't always hit the free spins (very high volatility means dry sessions happen), so don't chase if your budget is gone.
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Quick FAQ
Do I need any skill? No — it's a pokie. Symbol positions are random. The only "decisions" are whether to use Ante Bet and Bonus Buy.
Is autoplay safe? Most casinos let you set autoplay with loss limits and single-win limits. Use them. Don't autoplay 1,000 spins blind.
Can I lose more than my bet? No — the maximum you can lose per spin is the stake you set. There's no side-bet or progressive cost that grows on you.
What if I close the game during free spins? Pragmatic Play saves the bonus state. Reopen the game and the round resumes.
Why are my wins small in the base game? The base game is variance-thin by design. The bulk of the 96.50% RTP is delivered in the free spins round.
About this guide
Written by the Australia editorial team after 200+ test spins across the four featured casinos. Game mechanics verified against the official Pragmatic Play product page. Last reviewed May 2026.
Gambling responsibly. Set deposit and loss limits before you spin. AU support: gamblinghelponline.org.au (24/7) · BetStop · 18+ only.
Further Reading
Related reading in this guide: