Ante Bet and Super Spins Explained
An ante bet is an optional surcharge on every spin that raises the chance of triggering free spins, for example 25% extra for twice the chance on Gates of Olympus. Super spins go further: a fixed high price per spin, such as 20x or 250x, in return for a guaranteed multiplier or wild on every spin.
PaylinePilot editorial team · Updated September 2026
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What an ante bet is
Pragmatic Play added the ante bet so players can tune how often the bonus arrives. You flip a switch next to the stake, the price of each spin goes up by a fixed factor, and the game adds more scatters to the reels. The label varies: Gates of Olympus calls it Ante Bet, the original Sweet Bonanza calls it double chance. The idea is the same. You are not buying the bonus; you are paying more per spin to wait less.
The costs across the hub
| Slot | Option | Cost | Effect |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gates of Olympus, 1000 | Ante Bet | +25% | 2× free-spin chance |
| Gates of Olympus Super Scatter | Ante Bet | +50% | 2× chance |
| Gates of Olympus 2500 | Ante Bet 1 | ×1.25 | 2× chance |
| Gates of Olympus 2500 | Ante Bet 2 | ×2.75 | 8× chance |
| Gates of Olympus 2500 | Ante Bet 3 | ×5.5 | 8× chance, wheel picks only Super FS 1, FS 2 or Super FS 2 |
| Sweet Bonanza | Double chance | +25% | 2× chance, bonus buy disabled |
| Sweet Bonanza 1000, Super Scatter | Ante Bet | +25% | 2× chance |
| Sweet Bonanza 2500 | Ante Bet 1 | ×2.5 | About 8× chance |
| Sweet Bonanza 2500 | Ante Bet 2 | ×12 | 10× chance, every bonus bomb at least x20 |
| The Dog House Megaways 1000 | Ante Bet | ×3 | 10× chance |
Big Bass Bonanza 1000 also offers a higher-stake button that raises the chance of triggering the bonus; its exact cost is shown in the game.
Worked example of the trade
At a 1.00 base stake on Gates of Olympus, 100 spins normally cost 100.00. With the ante on, the same 100 spins cost 125.00. On the original Sweet Bonanza the minimum stake rises from 0.20 to 0.25 and the maximum from 100 to 125.
To see what that buys, take an illustrative trigger rate of one bonus per 200 spins without the ante. Waiting for one bonus then costs about 200 × 1.00 = 200.00. With the ante doubling the chance, one bonus arrives every 100 spins on average, costing 100 × 1.25 = 125.00. That looks like a bargain, but it is not free value. The game's maths is rebalanced so that the overall RTP stays close to the standard figure: Sweet Bonanza 1000 lists 96.53% normally and 96.5% with Ante Bet. What you really change is the rhythm, with more of your money going into bonus rounds and less into base-game hits.
Super spins
Super spins are the next step up. Instead of raising the trigger chance, they charge a large fixed price per spin and guarantee a feature on every one of them. Free spins cannot trigger during super spins in any of these games.
- Gates of Olympus 2500: Super Spin 1 costs 20x per spin with at least one orb every spin; Super Spin 2 costs 250x with at least one orb of x25 or more.
- Sweet Bonanza 2500: Super Spin 1 costs 20x with at least one bomb every spin; Super Spin 2 costs 250x with at least one bomb of x25 or more.
- The Dog House Megaways 1000: Super Spin 1 costs 20x with at least two wilds; Super Spin 2 costs 500x with at least three wilds, one of them x25 or more.
Worked example at a 0.20 stake: Super Spin 1 costs 4.00 per spin, so 25 super spins cost 100.00. Super Spin 2 on Gates of Olympus 2500 costs 50.00 per spin. A guaranteed x25 orb only matters if the tumble sequence on that spin wins, so many super spins still return far less than their price.
Multi-tier antes in practice
The newest editions stack several ante levels, and the price climbs much faster than the first 25%. Here is what one spin costs at a 0.40 base stake on Gates of Olympus 2500, and what 100 spins add up to:
| Mode | Per spin | 100 spins | What you get |
|---|---|---|---|
| No ante | 0.40 | 40.00 | Standard trigger chance |
| Ante Bet 1 | 0.50 | 50.00 | 2× chance |
| Ante Bet 2 | 1.10 | 110.00 | 8× chance |
| Ante Bet 3 | 2.20 | 220.00 | 8× chance and a better wheel |
Ante Bet 3 costs twice as much as Ante Bet 2 for the same trigger boost. The extra money pays for the wheel: it can no longer land on the plain Free Spins 1 mode, only on Super Free Spins 1, Free Spins 2 or Super Free Spins 2. On Sweet Bonanza 2500 the same logic applies at a 0.20 stake: Ante Bet 1 costs 0.50 per spin and Ante Bet 2 costs 2.40, the second one guaranteeing bombs of at least x20 in the bonus. On The Dog House Megaways 1000, a 0.20 spin becomes 0.60.
The higher tiers can quietly multiply a session's spending. If you normally play 300 spins at 0.40, that is 120.00. The same 300 spins on Ante Bet 3 cost 660.00.
How this differs from a bonus buy
A bonus buy skips the wait for one fixed price. The ante spreads a smaller surcharge over every spin and keeps the wait, only shorter. Super spins sit in between: no bonus round at all, but a base game upgraded with guaranteed multipliers or wilds. Sweet Bonanza's double chance and the bonus buy cannot be combined; the buy button is disabled while the option is on.
Common misconceptions
- "Twice the chance means twice the winnings." The RTP barely moves. You pay more per spin for a more frequent bonus, not a bigger one.
- "The ante only changes the bonus." It also raises the cost of every base-game spin, so your balance drains faster between triggers.
- "Super spins are a shortcut to the top win." They guarantee a feature, not a win. The price per spin is steep.
- "A higher ante tier is a smarter bet." Every tier is priced by the game's maths. None of them beats the slot.
Practical takeaways
- Read the ante options in the game rules, including any separate RTP line.
- Recalculate your session budget with the surcharge: +25% means 100.00 buys 80 spins instead of 100 at 1.00.
- Try each tier in a free demo before using it with real money.
Frequently asked questions
What is an ante bet in slots?
An optional surcharge on every spin that adds more scatters and raises the chance of triggering free spins. On Gates of Olympus it costs 25% extra for twice the chance. The game rules list the exact terms.
Is the ante bet worth it?
It changes the rhythm, not the average. Sweet Bonanza 1000 lists 96.53% RTP normally and 96.5% with Ante Bet, so you pay about the same edge while more of your spending goes toward bonus rounds.
What are super spins?
A premium mode with a fixed high price per spin and a guaranteed feature. On Gates of Olympus 2500, Super Spin 1 costs 20x with at least one orb per spin; Super Spin 2 costs 250x with an orb of x25 or more.
Can free spins trigger during super spins?
No. In Gates of Olympus 2500, Sweet Bonanza 2500 and The Dog House Megaways 1000, free spins cannot trigger while super spins are active.
Can I use the ante and the bonus buy together?
On the original Sweet Bonanza, no: double chance disables the bonus buy. On other games, check the rules screen, which explains how the options interact.
How much does The Dog House Megaways 1000 ante cost?
It triples the bet and gives ten times the bonus chance. Super Spin 1 there costs 20x with at least two wilds, and Super Spin 2 costs 500x with at least three wilds, one of them x25 or higher.
