On this page
- What changed versus the 2021 original
- The spin sequence in five beats
- Orbs up to x1000, priced in rand
- Inside the bonus with a growing total
- Ante Bet, bonus buy and the 96.49% detail
- Which Olympus suits your budget
- Demo checklist and the legal note for South Africa
- Gates of Olympus 1000 demo for free
- Gates of Olympus: all versions compared
- Questions from South African readers
What changed versus the 2021 original
In 2024 Pragmatic Play brought out this edition as a straight upgrade of Gates of Olympus. Zeus, the grid, the symbol set, the tumbles and the free spins rules all come across unchanged. The edits are at the very top of the range:
| Item | 2021 original | 2024 edition |
|---|---|---|
| Highest orb | x500 | x1000 |
| Win cap | 5,000x | 15,000x |
| Return | 96.50% | 96.50%, or 96.49% when you buy the bonus |
| Ante Bet surcharge | 25% | 25% |
| Bonus buy price | 100x | 100x |
In day-to-day play the two feel almost the same, because low orbs and cheap gem wins fill most sessions in both. The gap opens only in the uncommon rounds where a heavy orb meets a strong chain, and then the higher cap lets the payout keep climbing. At R10 a bet, 15,000x works out to R150,000, against R50,000 in the original.
The spin sequence in five beats
- The 6x5 grid fills with thirty symbols.
- Any symbol showing eight or more times is a winner, regardless of where the copies landed. The scatter pays rule ignores rows, reels and neighbours.
- Paying symbols vanish, the survivors drop and new ones fill the gaps. The tumble loops until a refill brings no new win.
- Orbs that appear at any point in the chain stay on the grid.
- At the end, chain wins are totalled, orb values are summed and the chain total is multiplied by that sum.
The old condition still applies: orbs only pay on a chain containing a win. Even a x1000 orb on a losing spin is decoration and nothing more. There is no wild either, so every payout rests on raw symbol counts.
The symbol line-up is the familiar one: five gems as the cheaper tier, with the chalice, ring, hourglass and crown above them, and pays split into eight to nine, ten to eleven and twelve or more copies. Our page on the original lists those values in full. The 1000 edition's in-game paytable shows the figures for your build already converted to your current stake, so check it there rather than assuming.
Orbs up to x1000, priced in rand
Orb values are summed, not multiplied together; our multiplier guide sets out why that matters. With the wider range, the effect of one heavy orb becomes easy to see.
Spin at R10 and suppose eight rings pay R20. Two orbs fall during the chain, x15 and x6, for a combined x21. The chain pays R20 x 21 = R420. Now replace that x15 with a x1000. The sum is x1006 and the same R20 chain becomes R20,120. That one swap is the reason this edition exists. Keep perspective, though: the upper values are scarce, and in most sessions the orbs you meet will sit at the bottom of the scale.
Inside the bonus with a growing total
Four or more scatters open 15 free spins, and the scatters themselves pay 3x, 5x or 100x for four, five or six. At R2 a spin that is R6, R10 or R200 before the round starts. Three scatters during the bonus add another 5 spins.
Every orb collected on a winning chain feeds a total multiplier that survives until the final spin. That total is applied only when the winning chain picks up a fresh orb of its own; otherwise the win is paid flat. Here is a sample round at R2:
- Spin 2: the chain makes R8 and brings orbs of x12 and x3. Total x15, paying R120.
- Spin 5: the chain makes R5 with no orb, so the x15 is not used and you get R5.
- Spin 9: the chain makes R3 and a x50 orb lands. Total x65, paying R195.
- Spin 13: the chain makes R1.50 with a x10 orb. Total x75, paying R112.50.
Those four chains return R432.50 on top of the trigger payout. Swap one of those mid-sized orbs for a high one and the total can leap by hundreds in a single spin, which is how a round heads towards the 15,000x ceiling.
Ante Bet, bonus buy and the 96.49% detail
The Ante Bet lifts every stake by 25% and doubles the chance of a natural free spins trigger. A R10 spin costs R12.50 instead. Across 300 spins you spend R3,750 rather than R3,000, so ask whether twice the trigger rate is worth R750 to you.
The bonus buy takes you directly into free spins for 100x your bet, R1,000 at R10 or R200 at R2. The rules list its return at 96.49% versus 96.50% for normal play. The gap is tiny, but it shows the buy is a shortcut, not a discount. A bought round can easily pay back less than it cost.
Which Olympus suits your budget
Same return, same rules: the decision rests on how much you care about the far end of the payout range. The original stops at 5,000x, so its best rounds end earlier. The 1000 edition lets a lucky bonus run to 15,000x, which fits players chasing the rare standout rather than frequent small returns.
The base game rhythm is identical. If the first game drained your month-end budget too fast, this one will do the same before any bonus. Players who want fresh mechanics instead of larger numbers are better served by Super Scatter, with its instant scatter prizes, or by the 2500 version and its choice of bonus modes.
Demo checklist and the legal note for South Africa
South Africa's National Gambling Act of 2004 does not authorise online casino games; online, only sports betting with provincially licensed bookmakers is legal. We do not encourage breaking local law or using VPNs to get around blocks. The free demo runs on play credits, which makes it the sensible place to study this slot, and real-money gambling is for adults 18+ only.
- Read both return lines. The rules show 96.50% for normal spins and 96.49% for the buy at the default build.
- Note the stake limits. Minimum and maximum bets are printed in the rules and can vary by operator.
- Track orb values. Over a few hundred demo spins, write down what you see. The x1000 turns up far less often than the low values.
- Plan for swings. Pick a bet your budget can carry through a long session and set a stop point first.
Gates of Olympus: all versions compared
| Version | Released | Max win | RTP | Pays | Feature buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gates of Olympus | 2021 | 5,000x | 96.50% | Pays anywhere, 8 or more | 100x |
| Gates of Olympus 1000 (this page) | 2024 | 15,000x | 96.50% | Pays anywhere, 8 or more | 100x |
Where Gates of Olympus 1000 is offered
Questions from South African readers
How is Gates of Olympus 1000 different from the original?
The grid, symbols, tumbles and free spins rules are unchanged. The top orb grows from x500 to x1000 and the win cap rises from 5,000x to 15,000x, while the 96.50% return stays the same.
What RTP does Gates of Olympus 1000 have?
Normal play is listed at 96.50% and the bonus buy at 96.49%. Operators can run other builds, so open the rules screen and check the figures before you put rand in.
What is the top payout in rand?
Wins are capped at 15,000x your bet. At R2 per spin that is R30,000, and at R10 per spin it is R150,000. The original caps at 5,000x, so a third of that.
How do the x1000 orbs work?
Orbs from x2 to x1000 land during a tumble chain and are summed. The sum multiplies the chain win, so x15 plus x6 turns a R20 chain into R420. A chain without a win leaves every orb unpaid.
How many free spins does the bonus give?
Four or more scatters award 15 free spins and three scatters inside the round add 5 more. Orbs from winning chains build a total multiplier that stays until the round ends.
What does the bonus buy cost in rand?
The buy costs 100x your bet, so R200 at R2 or R1,000 at R10. Ante Bet is the cheaper option per spin: it adds 25% to each stake and doubles the chance of a natural trigger.
