Holiday reskins aren’t always worth unwrapping, but Gates of Olympus Xmas 1000 brings more than a Santa hat. Pragmatic Play has tripled the max win, doubled the multipliers, and cranked the volatility. It’s still a 6×5, scatter-pay tumble online slot, launched in December 2024. The look is cheerier, but the payout model remains unforgiving. RTP sits at 96.5%, with multipliers now climbing to a thunderous 1000x.
Gates of Olympus Xmas 1000 Slot Summary
| RTP | 96.5% |
| Volatility | High |
| Top Feature | Golden Gorilla multiplier Wilds |
| Free spins round | Yes |
Play Gates of Olympus Xmas 1000 Demo for Free
Try the demo before spending real money. It’s essential to get a feel for tumble pace, win distribution, and the multiplier system. Watch how often orbs drop, and how quickly (or not) free spins appear.
Game Overview
Pragmatic Play released this holiday spin-off in December 2024. It’s part of their expanding "1000" series. The game runs on a 6x5 grid with scatter pays - match 8+ of a symbol anywhere to win. RTP is 96.5%. Bet range on SA sites typically starts around R3.50 and scales up to R5,000+. Max win is set at 15,000x your bet.
Theme and Storyline
Santa-Zeus oversees Mount Olympus in a snowstorm. The vibe is less mythological epic, more festive novelty. But the mechanics are all business.
Graphics, Sounds, and Animations
The visuals are a lighthearted rework of the original with snow-frosted symbols, festive touches on gems, and a red-robed Zeus with lightning in hand. The audio remains serious: orchestral drama with added bells. The thunder FX when multipliers hit can be jarring but add to the excitement of the game.
Gameplay
From a player’s perspective, the base game is a series of rapid tumbles with mostly small wins. The real action begins when a multiplier orb drops, or in the bonus round, where a global multiplier builds spin by spin. It can be long dry spells, but the ceiling is sky-high.
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How to Play Gates of Olympus Xmas 1000
Form Wins: Land 8 or more matching symbols anywhere on the grid to trigger a payout. Adjacent positioning doesn’t matter.
Tumbles Trigger: Winning symbols disappear, and new symbols drop in, allowing for chained wins from a single spin.
Watch for Scatters: The Scatter symbol is Zeus dressed as Santa. Hitting 4 or more triggers the Free Spins bonus round.
No Wilds: There are no Wild symbols in this slot.
Multiplier Orbs: Special orbs with 2x to 1000x multipliers can appear on any spin. If part of a tumble sequence, their values are summed and applied to the total win.
Free Spins Mechanics: During Free Spins, every multiplier orb adds to a global multiplier that boosts all future wins in that round.
Ante Bet Option: Activate the Ante Bet by increasing your stake by 25%. This doubles your chance of landing the Free Spins feature.
Play Gates of Olympus Xmas 1000 at these Casinos
Gates of Olympus Xmas 1000 is found at major South African online casinos that carry Pragmatic Play games. Top SA-licensed sites like Hollywoodbets Casino, Betway South Africa and Supabets offer it, all accepting ZAR deposits and withdrawals.
Gates of Olympus Xmas 1000 Pros and Cons
- 15,000x Max Win
- Massive Multiplier Orbs
- Free Spins with Global Multiplier
- High volatility
- Base game payouts are small
Gates of Olympus Xmas 1000 Bonus Features
Free Spins Round
Trigger: unlock 15 Free Spins by landing 4 or more Scatters (Zeus symbols).
How it works: The round starts with 15 spins. Multiplier orbs (2x to 1000x) that land during tumbles are added to a growing global multiplier. This multiplier applies to all subsequent wins within the bonus round.
Why it matters: It’s the only path to reaching the 15,000x max win. The multiplier builds quickly if you catch a good tumble streak, especially with retriggers.
Ante Bet
Trigger: Manually toggle on the Ante Bet feature from the base game interface.
How it works: Increases your total bet by 25%. This boosts the odds of landing 4+ Scatters to trigger the Free Spins feature.
Why it matters: If you can’t buy the bonus, this is your best shot at entering Free Spins more frequently.
Bonus Buy
Trigger: Normally accessed by selecting the Buy Feature button (100x current bet).
How it works: Forces the game to drop 4+ Scatters on the next spin, granting instant access to the Free Spins round.
Why it matters: It offers direct entry to the bonus, skipping the grind. Unfortunately, this feature is disabled for SA players under local gaming laws.
Payouts & Volatility
This is a high-volatility slot (rated 5 out of 5 by Pragmatic) meaning long dry spells punctuated by occasional fireworks. RTP is 96.5% by default, but check your casino’s info panel for variations (some SA sites may offer lower versions).
Top symbol payouts (12+ symbols):
Crown: 50x
Hourglass: 25x
Ring: 15x
Chalice: 12x
Red Gem: 10x
Low-tier wins (e.g. 8 blue gems = 0.25x) often feel negligible without multipliers. That said, a 1000x orb can turn a weak hit into a memorable one. At R5 per spin, the top win clocks in at R75,000. Push that to R20 and it’s R300,000.
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Tips for Playing Gates of Olympus Xmas 1000
Stick to 0.5–1% of your bankroll per spin; variance is extreme.
Use the demo to learn symbol values and tumble pacing.
Don’t chase Free Spins - even with Ante Bet, they can take time.
Read the game rhythm - streaks happen; know when to walk away.
Take advantage of SA promos or deposit boosts where possible.
What is the RTP for Gates of Olympus Xmas 1000?
The default RTP is 96.5%, meaning the game returns about R96.50 per R100 over long-term play – though every session will vary significantly. Make sure to check the RTP at your chosen online casino.
More games like Gates of Olympus Xmas 1000
My Final Thoughts on Gates of Olympus Xmas 1000
I’d say Gates of Olympus Xmas 1000 is built for players who liked the previous Gates editions and don’t mind an even steeper risk/reward curve. The 15,000× cap and 1000× orbs are genuinely attractive, but most sessions will be about managing your bankroll while you wait for a bonus that actually connects. If you prefer frequent, steady hits there are friendlier Pragmatic titles; if you’re hunting that one big holiday story and can stomach dry spells, this is a sharp but entertaining option.
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Rudie Venter is a seasoned online casino games expert with 13 years of industry experience. Holding a degree in psychology, he combines academic insight with practical knowledge of casino game strategies. Rudie's talent lies in demystifying game mechanics, making them accessible and fun for everyone. On his time off, Rudie loves a good ol’ braai and watching the rugby with a naughty Klippies & Coke (in moderation, of course).
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