Gates of Olympus Review
Gates of Olympus is a Pragmatic Play slot with Zeus, a 6×5 grid and multipliers up to 500×. There are no paylines: 8 or more matching symbols anywhere on the screen pay.
About the game
This is one of the best-known Pragmatic Play slots, and a lot of later games copy its idea: symbols pay anywhere, wins tumble, and multipliers can drop on any spin.
The rules are simple. You spin, the game counts the symbols, and 8 or more of one kind is a win. The big wins mostly come from the multipliers and the free spins.
Gates of Olympus Features
Tumbles
After a win, the winning symbols disappear and new ones fall from the top. If they make another win, the same thing happens again, and this goes on until there are no more wins. You get paid for the whole chain at the end.
Multipliers
Zeus throws multiplier orbs onto the grid. They can land in the base game and in free spins, and each one is worth something between 2× and 500×. When the tumbles stop, the orbs are added together and the win from that spin is multiplied by the total.
Two things to keep in mind. The orbs are added, so 10× and 25× give you 35×, not 250×. And an orb on a spin without a win gives you nothing.
Free spins
4 or more Zeus scatters give you 15 free spins. The scatters also pay on their own: 3× your bet for 4, 5× for 5 and 100× for 6. If 3 or more scatters land during the round, you get 5 more spins.
In free spins the multiplier doesn't reset. Every orb that lands on a winning spin is added to a total multiplier, and that total is used on the win. So the longer the round goes, the bigger the multiplier can get.
Double Chance and Buy Free Spins
There are two buttons on the left. Double Chance to Win makes your bet 25% higher and doubles your chance to get free spins. Buy Free Spins takes you straight to the bonus for 100× your bet. You can't use both: when Double Chance is on, the buy is turned off.
Graphics
The grid stands between golden columns, with a Greek temple and a light sky behind it. Zeus stands on the right in white robes with a lightning bolt in his hand. The high symbols are a crown, an hourglass, a ring and a chalice, and the low ones are gems in five colours. The screen is bright and easy to read.
How to play
Choose your bet and press spin. The demo starts at 0.20; real casinos set their own limits. Turbo spin and autoplay are there if you want to play faster. To get to the bonus you need 4 scatters, or you can buy it.
Symbols and payouts
The crown pays the most: 50× your bet for 12 or more. The blue gem pays the least. Here is the full table from the pay table inside the game:
| Symbol | 8–9 | 10–11 | 12+ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crown | 10× | 25× | 50× |
| Hourglass | 2.5× | 10× | 25× |
| Ring | 2× | 5× | 15× |
| Chalice | 1.5× | 2× | 12× |
| Red gem | 1× | 1.5× | 10× |
| Purple gem | 0.8× | 1.2× | 8× |
| Yellow gem | 0.5× | 1× | 5× |
| Green gem | 0.4× | 0.9× | 4× |
| Blue gem | 0.25× | 0.75× | 2× |
Zeus is the scatter. He pays 3× for 4, 5× for 5 and 100× for 6.
RTP, volatility and max win
The RTP in the demo is 96.50%. It's the same with Double Chance and when you buy the bonus. Some casinos use a lower RTP, so check the info screen in the game before you play for money.
The max win is 5,000× your bet. If you reach it during free spins, the round ends straight away. Pragmatic Play says this happens about once in 697,000 rounds.
The game rules say high volatility, but the start screen of the demo shows a "medium volatility" badge. Looking at the payouts, we'd treat it as high: the small symbols pay very little, and most of the money comes from a few big wins.
Other versions
Gates of Olympus 1000 has the same rules, but orbs go up to 1,000× and the max win is 15,000×. Starlight Princess works exactly the same way with a different theme. Gates of Olympus Dice uses dice instead of gems.
Gates of Olympus Pros and Cons
Strengths
- Multipliers can land on any spin
- The free-spins multiplier only goes up
- Simple rules
- RTP doesn't change with Double Chance or the buy
Limitations
- An orb without a win pays nothing
- You can wait a long time for a good win
- Lower max win than the 1000 version
Our Verdict
We like Gates of Olympus because it's easy to understand and still exciting to play. The free spins are the best part, since the multiplier keeps growing until the end of the round.
It's not a game for small, steady wins. If that's what you want, Sweet Bonanza is calmer. If you want a bigger max win, try Gates of Olympus 1000.
Gates of Olympus FAQs
How do you win in Gates of Olympus?
You need 8 or more of the same symbol anywhere on the grid. There are no paylines.
How many free spins do you get?
15 for 4 or more scatters, and 5 more each time 3 or more scatters land during the round.
How do the multipliers work in free spins?
Every orb that lands on a winning spin is added to a total multiplier. The total doesn't reset until the round ends.
What is the biggest multiplier?
One orb can be worth up to 500×. In free spins the total can go higher because the orbs add up.
Is Gates of Olympus high or medium volatility?
The rules say high, the demo's start screen says medium. Based on the payouts, we'd treat it as high.
What is the RTP?
96.50% in the demo, also with Double Chance and the buy. Some casinos use lower settings.
What is the max win?
5,000× your bet.
Can you buy the free spins?
Yes, for 100× your bet, if the casino allows it. You can't buy while Double Chance is on.
