How Cluster Pays Works
A cluster pays game shows a grid of symbols, such as six by six, seven by seven or eight by eight. After each spin, the game looks for groups of the same symbol that are connected to each other.
- Symbols must touch. Each symbol in a cluster must sit next to at least one other matching symbol.
- Connections are usually horizontal or vertical. In most games, diagonal connections do not count.
- A minimum size applies. Many games need at least five matching symbols to form a winning cluster, although the minimum varies.
- Position on the grid does not matter. A cluster can form anywhere: top, bottom, middle or across the edges.
A Simple Example
On a seven-by-seven grid, six red sweets land in an L-shape, all connected by their sides. That forms one cluster of six. Elsewhere on the grid, two separate groups of three blue sweets are not connected to each other, so neither forms a win.
How Clusters Are Paid
The paytable lists what each symbol pays for different cluster sizes. Values usually rise as clusters get larger, and are often grouped into size bands, such as 5 to 6 symbols, 7 to 8 symbols and so on, up to a top prize for the largest clusters.
If several separate clusters form on the same spin, each one is paid. As with other games, high-value symbols pay more for the same cluster size than low-value symbols.
Cascades and Cluster Pays
Almost all cluster pays games use cascading reels. After a win, the symbols in the winning cluster disappear, and new symbols drop in from above. If they form a new cluster, that win is paid too, and the process repeats until no new cluster forms.
This means a single paid spin can produce a chain of wins. It also means that many cluster games tie their features to cascades, such as multipliers or meters that build with each removed symbol.
Features Common in Cluster Games
Multiplier Spots
Some cluster games mark the positions where winning symbols exploded. If another win happens on the same spot, a multiplier is added there, and it can grow each time. In Sugar Rush, for example, a multiplier spot doubles each time another symbol explodes on it, up to a maximum of 128x.
Wilds That Join Clusters
Wild symbols in cluster games can join any adjacent cluster, and sometimes connect two separate groups into one larger cluster.
Symbol Transformations and Removal
Some features transform symbols into the same type to create larger clusters, or remove a particular symbol from the grid entirely.
Free Spins
Free spins are usually triggered by scatter symbols landing anywhere on the grid. In cluster games, multipliers or multiplier spots often carry over between free spins, which is where the largest wins usually come from. See Free Spins Explained.
Cluster Pays vs Other Win Systems
- Paylines: symbols must land in set patterns across the reels, usually from left to right.
- Ways to win: matching symbols must land on adjacent reels from left to right, in any row.
- Megaways: a ways system where reel heights change each spin.
- Cluster pays: matching symbols must touch each other, anywhere on the grid.
- Pay anywhere (scatter pays): a set number of matching symbols anywhere on the grid wins, even if they do not touch, as in games such as Sweet Bonanza and Gates of Olympus.
Cluster pays and pay anywhere games look similar, because both use grids and cascades. The difference is whether the matching symbols need to be connected.
Cluster Pays, RTP and Volatility
Like any win system, cluster pays is simply a way of distributing a game's RTP. It does not make a game more or less generous on its own.
Many cluster games produce frequent small wins from minimum-size clusters, but their biggest payouts usually depend on long cascade chains and growing multipliers, which are rare. Depending on the game's design, this can make cluster games highly volatile. Sugar Rush, for example, is rated high volatility.
Common Misconceptions About Cluster Pays
"Big clusters are building up, so a win is coming."
No. Each spin is independent and decided by the random number generator. The grid does not build towards anything between paid spins, unless a game's rules specifically say a feature carries over.
"Cluster games pay more often, so they are better."
Frequent small wins do not mean a game is more generous. Many cluster wins pay less than the stake, and the game's overall return is set by its RTP.
Playing Responsibly
Cluster games are fast and colourful, with cascades and animations that can make sessions fly by. Watch your balance rather than the number of wins, and set a budget and time limit before you play. Our guides on setting gambling limits and recognising gambling harm explain practical steps, and Gambling Help Online offers free, confidential support 24/7 on 1800 858 858.