When wins are triggered by landing identical symbols ANYWHERE on the reels regardless of their position, you have yourself a Scatter Pays slot. Forget Paylines and forget Clusters. These games kick out wins for fun and our slots writer, Dominic Field, is here to tell you his top 10 and why you should play them.

How Do Scatter Pays Slots Work?

Before we get stuck into the top 10, here is a quick explanation of how the Scatter Pays mechanic works.

Scatters Pays slots award prizes whenever enough symbols appear ANYWHERE on the reels, with no need to connect them in any way. This is unlike other slot types that require you to match symbols in a pre-defined line (Payline Slots) or on adjacent reels (Win Ways Slots) or in adjacent connecting positions (Cluster Pays Slots). 

Why do we like this? Here are a few good reasons:

• Easy to follow – You don’t need to be scanning the reels to see if the symbols fit the line. As long as there are enough anywhere on the reels, you’ve got yourself a win.
• Big scatter wins are more exciting – Because you are not restricted to lines you can win with many more symbols, sometimes 30 or more depending on the grid size.
• More chance of landing wins –  Prizes can appear out of nowhere. Even if the first few reels don’t offer much hope, you’ll always have a chance to win as the remaining symbols drop in.
• Feature-packed games – the Scatter Pays mechanic works really well with features like cascading wins and progressive multipliers adding to the thrill of chasing down wins.

So there you have it. Simple, fun and full of chances to win. What more could you want from a slot?!

The following table shows my favourite slots employing a Scatter Pay mechanism. They’re all great fun to play, but every title has its own unique plus points. Gorgeous graphics, stunning sounds and promising potential payouts; whatever you’re searching for, these slots are sure to appeal. I’ve created a mix of high and medium variance and a range of max payouts so there is something for everyone too. And .. (almost) all run at a solid RTP of at least 96%!

Now it’s time to take a deep dive into these thrilling games and learn more about why we love them so much.

Why We Love Bee Hive Bonanza

• Tons of fun with a great soundtrack and cute bees
• Lots of progressive multiplier levels in free spins
• Get 20 free spins for the bonus round
• Good RTP at 96.09%

Suitable For

• Those who like cheerful, summery games

About This Game

Released in September 2022, this highly volatile game from NetEnt has a most unusual theme. The RTP of 96.09% may be quite standard, but the concept of mediaeval bees most certainly is not! Here, players are transported back in time to a king’s court, where you’ll encounter a knight, a jester and a Robin Hood-lookalike. 

As you’ll discern from the name of the game, these characters are actually bees. The king bee’s head is found on a variety of coins, which serve as the game’s main symbols. Match six or more anywhere on the 5×5 grid to earn a prize. Winning tokens disappear, creating an avalanche of new ones, until no further combinations can be formed. 

The other bees offer multiples of your bet when appearing on the reels, but only if they land with a beehive symbol. Special multiplier and adder beehives can also drop onto the grid, for enhanced rewards. A fairly modest 5,000x is the maximum win, but it’s possible to spin up to £200 at a time.

Why We Love Sweet Bonanza

• Big 21,100x top win
• Lots of sugary treats on the paytable
• You can keep adding to your free spins
• Up to 100x random multipliers

Suitable For

• Those who want to chase down mammoth wins

About This Game

Pragmatic Play has done really well out of this highly volatile 6×5 slot. Not only was Sweet Bonanza an instant hit upon its release in June 2019. But a subsequent live casino game show based on the slot has also gone on to become immensely popular. The theme, as you can probably guess, is one of all things sugary. 

Expect to find candies, fruits and lollipops on the reels, with the latter serving as the game’s scatter. A minimum of four will kick off the bonus game, where ten free spins give you a shot at winning the 21,100x top prize. But additional lollipops earn you instant cash prizes, with a maximum of 100x up for grabs when landing six scatters.

Aside from the engaging bonus game, colourful theme and rewarding maximum potential win, the RTP of 96.48% is not exactly bad either. And another plus point that helps to explain the slot’s immense popularity is its suitability for all players. The minimum bet is just £0.20, with a maximum permitted wager of £100 keeping the high-rollers happy.

Why We Love Money Train 4

• Super volatile with a 150,000x max win
• Absolutely stunning production – the apex of the series
• So many modifiers it deifies belief!
• Part of one of the best slots franchises ever

Suitable For

• Money Train fanatics who want even bigger potential

About This Game

In September 2023, Relax Gaming dropped the fourth and final instalment of its massively popular Money Train series. This time, the gang is joined by an extra character – the Arms Dealer – who can trade bonus symbols for other features. There’s also a new respins feature that can trigger randomly. But of course, the fact that this game is a Scatter Paying slot is most interesting to us.

However, for all its new features, many elements of the earlier titles in the series have carried over. This is another highly volatile release, for instance, scoring the full 5/5 on the developer’s variance scale. It also boasts an incredible six-figure maximum win potential, improving from 100,000x to 150,000x. 

The action plays out on a 6×6 grid, set in a dystopian future with a distinct Terminator vibe. An RTP of 96.10% is pretty standard, but it’s the game’s many engaging features, particularly the Money Cart Bonus Round, which make the most appeal. Not to mention that staggering top prize.

Why We Love Tropical Bonanza

• Medium variance makes it a less volatile proposition
• Awesome beach bar and cocktail theme
• Filling cocktail glasses triggers free spins
• Fruit Multipliers and Happy Hour free shots boost wins

Suitable For

• Those who like to escape on their holidays whilst spinning slots!

About This Game

This 6×5 slot from iSoftBet whisks us off to a tropical paradise. Released in September 2022, the game brought an end to a long run of Hold & Win games produced by the British developer. This time, they tried something a little different, experimenting with the Scatter Pays mechanism.

The setting is a cabana-style bar, surrounded by palm trees. Our goal is to collect various mouth-watering fruits, including watermelon slices, coconuts and bananas, to mix up a delicious fruit shake. For every tumble, triggered when a winning combo of at least eight symbols is erased from the grid, your glass gains an extra shot. Fill it with six shots, or obtain three golden pineapples, to play the free spins bonus.

Overall, it’s a fairly well-balanced slot that should suit newcomers to this genre pretty well. The volatility is rated as medium, offering enough wins to keep you interested. While the betting limits of £0.20 to £20 support the feeling that it’s a game aimed at more casual players. The maximum payout of 5,887x is modest, but it feels extremely attainable.

Why We Love Scatter Monsters

• Quicky, comic-book horror design
• Another mid-variance slot for smoother win distribution
• Filling a soul meter releases modifiers – very cool!
• Multipliers of 100+ in free spins

Suitable For

• Those who like super-fun slots with lots of level-ups

About This Game

Quickspin takes us deep into the bowels of hell with Scatter Monsters, released in January 2023. Demonic creatures are positioned all around the slot’s 6×6 grid, watching the action unfold. The game’s symbols, coloured red, green and purple, are a collection of grotesque ghouls and vampiric monsters.

Match at least eight of these horrific-but-cartoonish souls to form a win. Not only will you secure a prize for doing so, but these symbols will disappear from the grid, resulting in a tumble. New symbols replace them from above, potentially forming further wins each time. 

As you continue to acquire souls, progress bars are filled to the left of the reels. Top these meters up completely to earn bonuses, including symbol upgrades and free spins. This medium volatility Scatter Pays slot has a solid RTP of 96.08% and a top potential payout of 1,493x. You can spin from as little as £0.20 per play, through to a maximum of £100.

Why We Love Ashoka

• Super-high 25,000x top win
• Progressive win multiplier grows with each win
• Exotic, budda-style theme
• Interesting gameplay unlocking Skulls to release free drops

Suitable For

• Those who like far mystical slots with high max wins

About This Game

In the 3rd century BCE, the Kingdom of Magadha was ruled by Ashoka the Great. This mighty Asian empire played a sizable role in the spread of Buddhism. Its greatest leader,  Ashoka, who is the star of this April 2023 release, is memorialised today on the Indian flag, through his 24-spoked wheel of progress and unity.

An unusual theme, then. But in truth, there’s nothing much normal about this ELK Studios game at all. First off, it’s a Scatter Pays slot that has a wild symbol. In fact, it has several, since the wild can appear as Big Wilds of 3×3 and even Charged Wilds, remaining on the reels for up to three wins.

A highly volatile game that plays out on a 6×8 reel layout, Ashoka also has an unusually low RTP of just 94.00%. However, there’s a maximum potential win of 25,000x and plenty of features that make this game worth playing. Watch out for avalanches, multipliers, super multipliers and an engaging free spins bonus.

Why We Love Candy Blitz

• Another super-sweet Scatter Pays game
• Super volatile for high risk fanatics
• Multiplier reel with values up to 500x
• Bright and colorful game grid

Suitable For

• Sweet Bonanza fans looking for another fix!

About This Game

If any developer loves a Candy Crush-inspired slot, it’s Pragmatic Play. This August 2023 release looks a lot like the beloved Sweet Bonanza at first glance, with its brightly-coloured candy symbols. There’s also a visual resemblance to another earlier release, Sugar Rush. Although that title doesn’t adopt the Scatter Pays format.

Candy Blitz plays out on a 6×5 grid with a decent enough RTP of 96.08%. The 10,000x maximum win potential isn’t as big as Sweet Bonanza, which is perhaps unexpected, since the volatility level is a little higher. However, the main point of difference between this title and Pragmatic Play’s all-time classic is the inclusion of a multiplier reel. 

With every play, the multiplier reel spins along with the six main reels. Possible values range from 1x right up to 500x. The bottom-most multiplier after a spin becomes active, increasing any prize earned accordingly. Tumbles can occur on the multiplier reel, as well as the main grid.

Why We Love Goat Getter

• Collecting Coin Pots to release wins is fun
• Mystery symbols add lots of jeopardy to the gameplay
• Level ups increase win multiplier up to max of 10x
• Nice 10,000x maximum win

Suitable For

• Scatter Pays fans who like original features and less volatility

About This Game

This fun slot by Push Gaming may not be the Greatest Of All Time, but it certainly does star a much more humble goat. Set in a mystical-looking forest, symbols on the reels include treasure chests in varying colours, crystals, hatching eggs and purple mushrooms. Match six of these anywhere on the reels to secure a payout.

Coin Pot symbols are important in this medium-high volatility title. They can appear bearing an instant cash prize value during the base game. Collect from six to 9 to earn multipliers, while the cash prizes activate if 10 or more land on screen. A bonus symbol may also appear on the 5×6 grid. This is the key to unlocking the free spins game and the potential top win of 10,000x. 

Landing at least three bonus scatters earns you a minimum of six spins, although higher amounts may be issued randomly. It’s during this bonus round that the goat symbol makes an appearance, gathering up Coin Pots on the reels and increasing a progression meter. The more goats you get, the higher it climbs, rewarding you with increased multipliers. 

Why We Love Wisdom of Athena

• Glammed up goddess Athena brings lighting strikes to the reels
• Progressive gameplay releases new rows with each cascade
• Multipliers of up to 500x can land on any reel
• Persistent global multiplier and re-triggers in free spins

Suitable For

• Ancient Greek slots fans who enjoy cascading wins and multipliers

About This Game

According to Ancient Greek mythology, Athena is the goddess of Wisdom. And it’s this particular deity who stars in this June 2023 release by Pragmatic Play. She stands to the right of the 6×6 grid observing the action, much like Zeus in Gates of Olympus by the same developer. 

In fact, there are many similarities to that title, not least its high-volatility nature and the equal maximum win of 5,000x. The RTP is a little lower, but still perfectly respectable, at 96.07%. But the overall look-and-feel of this slot just gives off the same vibes. Symbols on the reels include shields, helmets, scrolls and what appears to be a pot of incense. Match at least eight in a scatter to bank a prize.

Four diamond-shaped multiplier symbols can also appear, rewarding you at random with a boost of anything from 2x to 500x. What’s more, Athena herself acts as this slot’s scatter, awarding a cash prize of up to 100x for six and ten free spins for at least four.

Why We Love Starlight Princess 1,000

• Part of the popular Moon Princess series of games
• Very bright and colorful game
• Staggering 1,000x multipliers drop …. sometimes!
• A top win of 15,000x

Suitable For

• Moon Princess fans who want to meet their heroine again!

About This Game

Pragmatic Play has been remaking some of its classic titles in recent times, with a bunch of souped up extras thrown in. There aren’t 1,000 additional features in each game, but new slots in this series are distinguished by the addition of this number to the title. Starlight Princess 1,000 is one such example, released in October 2023.

The most obvious change from the initial version is the shift from an All Ways Pay to a Scatter Pays mechanism. Aside from that, the increased potential payout of 15,000x is certainly welcome, plus there’s a marginally higher maximum bet of £125. The RTP of 96.50% remains the same, along with the minimum stake of £0.20 and the high volatility level, ranked the full 5/5.

In terms of appearance and mechanics, it’s actually pretty similar to Wisdom of Athena. The main difference is that this slot stars an anime-style princess in her mystical cloud-based realm, rather than an Ancient Greek goddess.

I’ve given you 10 of my favourite Scatter Pays slots to choose from here with a variety of themes and maths models. And in fact, there are many more to choose from, wherever you decide to play. But how to pick one that is right for you? Here are a few tips to help you decide.

• Do you want high risk or low risk? – think about how risky you want your bets to be. High risk games are volatile with potentially huge rewards, but less chance of winning. For that, try a game like Money Train 4 But it you want less risk (offset by lower prize potential) go for something like Scatter Monsters.
• What themes do you like? – there is plenty of variety in my list. If you’re a sweet-toothed person pick one of the sugary games, but if you prefer cute animals, go for Bee Hive Bonanza. For quirky, try Goat Getter! And so on … 😊
• Features, Feature, Features – at the end of the day, it’s not just the Scatter Pays that drives the gameplay in these slots. There are multipliers, avalanches, expanding reels and many more. Make sure you pick a slot with features you enjoy.

You can read more about finding the right games for you in this article.

For many, slots with a Scatter Paying setup are much more fun to play than old-school payline games. With so many possible winning permutations, these games tend to create a lot of action. Especially as these slots usually include an avalanche mechanism, potentially leading to rewarding chain reactions. 

If you’re looking to get involved, you’ll find Scatter Pays slots at all of the top online casinos today. However, here are some trustworthy, hand-picked sites to help get you started.