Otherwise known as scatter pays slots, pay anywhere slots do away with regular paylines and calculate wins based on the number of matching symbols located anywhere on the reels. Pragmatic Play is the studio widely recognised as the main innovator behind the mechanic, which has now become hugely popular with both players and other software providers.
Below, we'll explain how pay anywhere games work and give you numerous recommendations of titles that use it.
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Thousands of free slot games: Before we jump in to our in-depth guide on pay anywhere slots, let us tell you abut our free play demo page here at Casinoplusbonus. You can use it to find the scatter plays slots you want to try out, including those we recommend here, to play without risking real cash.
How do Pay Anywhere Slots Create Symbol Combinations?
The mechanic's name essentially explains how Pay Anywhere works in slot games. Rather than matching symbols having to land across a payline on successive reels, as in regular slots, they can land anywhere to create winning combinations. How many matching symbols required to complete a winning combination will depend on the specific title. It could be four, five, six or even more. An example is Pragmatic Play's award-winning Gates of Olympus, which requires eight or more matching symbols to land before winning combos are created and paid out.
The mechanic is probably the easiest of all others to understand, because there are no special rules. For instance, the first symbol does not have to appear on the first reel, as with payline slots, Megaways and Ways to Win titles. In fact, there is no pattern required at all. As long as the symbols are the same, they can be located in any position on any reel to contribute to a winning combination.
For example, you can land the following combination wins on Pay Anywhere slots:
- A 4-Symbol pay anywhere combination win could be the same symbols anywhere on reels two, four, five and six.
- A 5-Symbol pay anywhere combination win could be the same symbols anywhere on reels one, three, four, five and six.
- A 6-Symbol pay anywhere combination win could be the same symbols anywhere on reels one, two, three, four, five and six.
Something else we should point out is that the ‘Scatter Pays' mechanic is often accompanied by cascading reels ont he slots it is used in. That mechanic removes all winning combinations from the reels, so that more symbols can drop into the action. This can lead to more wins, more cascades and in short, more action on your spins.
Pay Anywhere Slot Machine Player Strategy
No strategy guarantees wins on any slot machine and that's the same for pay anywhere games. However, you can still make smart choices to manage the risk and extend your gaming sessions.
- Understand the minimum symbols required: Each Pay Anywhere slot has a set number of matching symbols needed to create a win. For example, Gates of Olympus requires eight symbols anywhere in view, while Sweet Bonanza only needs four. Always check the paytable before you start spinning so that you know how many are needed.
- Play the free demos first: Use our free demo page here at Casinoplusbonus to get a feel for the games before you risk real money. Play for a while so that you start to understand how cascading reels, multipliers and other bonus features affect payouts. Eventually, you'll get a better understanding of how the games work and what you can expect when playing for real.
- Know the RTP and volatility: The RTP is the percentage a slot gives back of all the money it has taken over a long period of time. Therefore, ahigher RTP generally means better long-term returns. As for volatility, this determines the size and frequency of the wins you get when playing. A higher volatility means you may go long stretches without a win, but when it comes, it will be bigger than average.
- Look for bonus options: Check our bonus lists for online casinos offering bonus cash or free spins. These will allow you to play pay anywhere slots with extra of free funds. Essentially, applying bonuses can extend playtime and give more chances to hit winning combos.
| Slot Type / Grid Size | Reel & Position Layout | RTP Range | Volatility / Variance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard Pay Anywhere | 5 Reels × 3 Positions (5×3) | 92% – 96% | Low to Medium |
| Feature-Rich Pay Anywhere | 6 Reels × 5 Positions (6×5) | 94% – 96.5% | Medium |
| High-Action Pay Anywhere | 6 Reels × 6 Positions (6×6) | 95% – 97% | High |
| Jackpot / Progressive Pay Anywhere | 6 Reels × 5 – 6 Positions (Varies) | 94% – 96% | Medium to High |
Comparison: Bonanza Megaways is a classic 117,649 ways slot with high variance and a 96% RTP, while some newer Megaways games offer slightly higher or lower RTPs. Therefore, the maximum number of Megaways doesn't always directly correlate with the RTP.
Test Pay Anywhere Slots Via Free Play Demos
If you're yet to play pay anywhere slots and are nervous about risking your hard-earned cash the first time you do, we have you covered. That's because via our Play for Free page and our hand-picked recommendations of pay anywhere slots below, you can test out the mechanics and some of the best releases without financial risk. All the games run on virtual credits, which means you'll not have to load up real cash to play while you're learning the ropes. Obviously, it also means you'll not win any real cash as those credits hold no real-world value.
Essentially, you can think of this section as your very own virtual practise lab that will let you test the pay anywhere mechanic. Simply pick the games that catch your eye, power them up and jump straight into the paytable. That is important as it will explain the symbol combinations you'll need to create wins and how much you'll receive for them. Always take note of the minimum number of matching symbols you'll need to create the combos.
Once you have nailed down the basics, the next natural step is to hit the spin button to witness the pay anywhere mechanic in action. As you try out the different slots, you'll notice that they're all different in terms of personality. Some will feel chaotic, especially if there are cascading reels, win multipliers and other bonus modifiers. Others may take a slower approach as you hope to spin in big wins. The only way to find out which of them matches your playing style is to try them out. The big plus is that there is no risk involved, so there's no pressure involved. If you lose, so what?
Gates of Olympus – a Multi-Award Winning Pay Anywhere Slot
One of the most popular pay anywhere slots of all time is Pragmatic Play's Gates of Olympus, a title that won Game of the Year at the 2021 EGR Operator Awards alongside several other iGaming industry awards. That might have been a few years ago now, back when the slot was first released, but to this day, it remains one of the most played titles at online casinos.
Follow up Gates of Olympus Slots: As you'll see if you search for Gates of Olympus on our Free Slots page, there's been quite a few follow up releases. Gates of Olympus 1000 offers bigger multiplier wins, while Gates of Olympus Super Scatter features special Super Scatter symbols that could create wins of up to 50,000x the stake.
Other Popular Pragmatic Play Pay Anywhere Slots
Pragmatic Play has released dozens of pay anywhere slots over the years, which is understandable considering how popular the likes of Gates of Olympus have become. Sweet Bonanza is one of the studio's earliest scatter pay slots and is played out across a 6×5 grid. It features a maximum win of 21,100x and exciting gameplay due to a cascading (tumble) reels mechanic and win multipliers that increase with every consecutive win on a single spin. As for Starlight Princess, there's more of the same. Multipliers, cascades and a free spins bonus are what will help you create the biggest payouts.
Pragmatic Play Software Provider: While many other developers have created pay anywhere slots, Pragmatic Play is the studio is the biggest innovator behind the mechanic. You can find our more about the studio and its long list of games on our Casinoplusbonus Pragmatic Play review.
Jackpot Slots With Pay Anywhere
While pay anywhere slots already have the potential to create big payouts, some could even deliver life-changing wins via progressive jackpots. These are jackpots, either local or pooled across a network, that grow with every spin. On many titles, these can continue building into the millions, meaning one lucky spin could turn you into an instant millionaire.
Learn More About Progressive Jackpot Slots: If the sound of life-changing wins sounds tempting, you definitely want to check out our dedicated progressive jackpot pages. In our Networked Progressive Jackpots and Stand-Alone Progressive Jackpots you'll find plenty of other top recommendations to play.
More Suggested Pay Anywhere Slots & Pokies To Try
The Pay Anywhere rabbit hole is one we suggest you go down, as there are so many great titles for you to check out. Below, you'll find a few of our personal favourites here at Casinoplusbonus, with each offering something different, whether that's bonus features, themes or volatility.
Pay Anywhere Slot and Pokie Bonus Deals
If you've been following us for some time, you'll know that we provide you with access to a large number of bonus offers you can claim at trusted online casinos. We cover a variety of different bonuses, most of which apply to slot games. You can grab free spins, sometimes on popular pay anywhere games or bonus cash that you can use on practically any slot you like.
Best Bonuses for Pay Anywhere Slots: Honestly, if you want to play scatter pays slots, we recommend claiming some of the offers on our no deposit bonus page. We partically recommend those bonuses offering bonus cash. You will not have to deposit any money and will receive free money you can use on your chosen pay anywhere game.
Are Pay Anywhere Slots For You?
Pay anywhere is not only a simple reel mechanic to understand due to there being no paylines or special combination rules to follow, but it is also one of the most entertaining. You'll see that for yourself when playing some of the above games via the demos we provide. When the mechanic is paired with cascading reels, in particular, is when you can really enjoy action-packed gameplay. A single spin could create a chain reaction of wins, with symbols disappearing, multipliers increasing and chaos ensuing all over the reels.
Most titles will also have a free spins bonus, some with extra perks like multipliers not resetting between spins or progressive features with milestones that deliver more spins or increase multiplier values.
That is why our free demo page could be the perfect resource for you, as there are so many different slots with different themes, mechanics and volatilities. You will not have to risk real money to check them all out to determine which are your favourites. On top of that, there are hours upon hours worth of entertainment to be had as you work your way through the countless scatter pays demos we have.
Eventually, you'll end up with a playlist of all your favourites that you might consider playing for real cash the next time you visit your preferred online casinos. You'll be able to load up your account and those slots knowing that you fully understand the games, their bonus features and the pay anywhere mechanic as a whole.
| Software Provider Demo Games | Licensing Certificates Held | Countries Available |
|---|---|---|
| Relax Gaming All Demo Slots | UKGC / MGA | UK, IE, CA, NZ, SA, IN |
| BGaming All Demo Slots | MGA | UK, IE, CA, NZ, SA, IN |
| Betsoft All Demo Slots | MGA | UK, IE, CA, NZ, SA, IN |
| Pragmatic Play All Demo Slots | UKGC / MGA / AGCO | UK, IE, CA, NZ, SA, IN |
| Red Tiger Megaways All Demo Slots | UKGC / MGA | UK, IE, CA, NZ, SA, IN |
Alternative reel mechanics: The beuaty of the slots gaming vertical is that there are so many other reel mechanics to enjoy. Some use paylines, others may cvalculate wins via clusters, and then there are Megaways games with dynamic reels. You can learn about each of those in our Slot Machine Reel Mechanics overview.
Pay Anywhere Slot Machine FAQ
How many matching symbols do I need to land to win payouts on pay anywhere slots?
That depends on the game you're playing. From our experience, most scatter pay slots will need at least four or five matching symbols, while others may require even more before a win is paid. Don't forget, these can be located anywhere on the reels, which is the plus point of the mechanic.
Can I play Pay Anywhere slots for free?
Absolutely. You can play demo versions of the games, either at the online casinos, on the websites of the slot developers or here at Casinoplusbonus. As you're already here, just click ‘Play for Free' at the top of this page to find free slots to play.
Do Pay Anywhere slots have better odds than standard payline slots?
Not as a rule, no. Every slot is different, so you will find pay anywhere games with a variety of odds, just like you would payline slots. One title could have a 96% return-to-player percentage while another could be 94%, 97% or something else.
Can I use casino bonus spins on Pay Anywhere slot machines?
Yes, but it depends on the game chosen for the free spins by the online casino you're playing at. Gates of Olympus is one title that casinos use for their bonuses and promotions due to how popular it is.
What bonus features do Pay Anywhere slots have?
Typically, you can expect to see the cascading reels mechanic on many pay anywhere slots, while multipliers, wild symbols and free spins are some of the other common features you'll come across.
Is the Pay Anywhere mechanic similar to Scatter Pays?
They are both the same mechanic and just different names for it. Some people prefer to call it Scatter Pays, while others stick to Pay Anywhere.
Who invented Pay Anywhere slots?
Pragmatic Play is often credited for the pay anywhere mechanic. The studio certainly boasts some of the earliest slots to use it. Even today, Pragmatic Play releases countless slots with the reel mechanic built in to the gameplay. BGaming, Relax Gaming, and NoLimit City are just some of the other studios known for developing pay anywhere slots.
