Merge Up is a BGaming cluster slot released on 26 October 2023. Winning clusters do not simply disappear: part of each cluster turns into the next, more valuable gem, so one win can feed the next. In free spins, the cells that win get sticky multipliers that double up to x128. RTP is a high 97.25%, volatility is very high, and the maximum win is 5,000× the bet, capped at €250,000.
Last updated: 22 October 2026. Merge Up 2 (October 2025) and Sugar Merge Up (March 2026) are compared further down.
Merge Up at a glance
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Provider | BGaming |
| Release date | 26 October 2023 |
| Grid and pays | 6×6; clusters of 4+ matching symbols touching horizontally or vertically |
| RTP | 97.25% |
| Volatility | Very high |
| Hit frequency | About 1 win in 3.04 spins (32.89%) |
| Free spins frequency | About 1 in 276 spins |
| Max win | 5,000× the bet, capped at €250,000 |
| Bet range | €0.20–€50 |
| Extras | Chance x2, Bonus Buy (100×) — not in the UK |
How Merge Up pays
The merge mechanic
A cluster of 4 or more matching gems pays. Some of its symbols then vanish, and the rest are upgraded to the gem of the next level. There are 8 gem levels; a winning cluster of the top gem turns into a Scatter, the ninth level. Scatters can also land on their own. How cluster pays differ from paylines is explained in our guide to pay systems.
Free spins with Cell Multipliers
4, 5 or 6 Scatters award 15, 18 or 20 free spins. Every cell that is part of a win gets marked with a x2 multiplier; each new win on a marked cell doubles it — x4, x8 and so on up to x128. The marks stay until the round ends. Extra Scatters during the round add spins.
Chance x2 and Bonus Buy
- Chance x2 raises the stake by about 25% and increases the chance of triggering free spins.
- Bonus Buy costs 100× the bet and starts free spins with at least 4 Scatters.
Only one of the two can be active at a time. Neither is offered at UK-licensed casinos.
At the €50 maximum bet, the 5,000× top win equals exactly the €250,000 cap. At lower bets the cap never comes into play.
Merge Up 2 and Sugar Merge Up
BGaming released Merge Up 2 on 28 October 2025. The merge idea stays; almost everything around it is bigger:
| Merge Up | Merge Up 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| RTP | 97.25% | 98% by default (BGaming’s sheet also lists 97%) |
| Volatility | Very high | Very high |
| Max win | 5,000× (€250,000 cap) | 10,000× (€250,000 cap) |
| Free spins trigger | 4 / 5 / 6 Scatters → 15 / 18 / 20 spins | 3 / 4 / 5 / 6+ Scatters → 12 / 15 / 20 / 30 spins; 3+ in the round add 5 |
| Cell Multipliers | Free spins only | Also in the base game (until the end of the spin) |
| Hit frequency | 1 in 3.04 (32.89%) | 1 in 3.40 (29.41%) |
| Free spins frequency | 1 in 276 | 1 in 409 |
| Bonus buys | 1 option (100×) | 3 options: standard, x2 on every cell, or 3–9 starting bombs |
The new piece in the sequel is the bomb: it forms from a top-level winning cluster, clears the 8 symbols around it, raises those cells’ multipliers by one step and then becomes a Scatter. Bets run from €0.25 to €25. Buy prices, the free-spins table and our verdict are in the Merge Up 2 review.
Sugar Merge Up (BGaming, 31 March 2026) is built on the Merge Up 2 engine with a candy theme: RTP 97%, very high volatility, a 10,000× top win, a bubblegum bomb and Booster modes.
Pros and cons
Who should play it, and who should skip it
Good fit if you:
- want a high RTP: 97.25%, above the 96% most slots are set to;
- like bonuses that build over the round instead of paying in one hit;
- prefer a lower top payout with better odds over 10,000× lottery tickets.
Probably not for you if you:
- need frequent bonuses — free spins come about once in 276 spins;
- want a bigger ceiling: the sequel goes up to 10,000×;
- prefer simple paylines, as in Lobster House.