A Scatter is the symbol that does not need a payline. It counts wherever it lands, and in most slots it is the key to the bonus round. That is where the agreement ends: some Scatters must land on specific reels, some pay cash, some are built by other symbols, and in a few games the number of Scatters picks a different bonus altogether. Here is how Scatters work in the games we have reviewed.
Last updated: 22 October 2026
Scatters in the games we review
| Slot | Scatter needed | What it starts | Special rule |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lobster House | 3, on reels 1, 3 and 5 | 9–27 free spins | Scatter respin in the base game |
| The Dog House | 3, on reels 1, 3 and 5 | 9–27 free spins | Also pays 5× the bet |
| Bullets and Bounty | 3, 4 or 5 | Three different bonus rounds | 5 Scatters are the only way into the top round |
| Merge Up | 4, 5 or 6 | 15 / 18 / 20 free spins | A cluster of top gems turns into a Scatter |
| Merge Up 2 | 3, 4, 5 or 6+ | 12 / 15 / 20 / 30 free spins | A Bomb becomes a Scatter after it explodes |
| Victoria Wild | 3, 4 or 5 Temple Scatters | 8 / 10 / 12 free spins | Can also land inside the other free-spins round |
| Vikings Wild Feast | 3, 4, 5 or 6 tankards | Four tiers of a coin bonus | No free spins at all |
| Burning Wild | 3 or more stars | Nothing — a cash prize | Gold star pays up to 100× the bet |
Four ways a Scatter can work
1. Trigger on fixed reels
In Lobster House and The Dog House the Scatter can land only on reels 1, 3 and 5, so three is both the minimum and the maximum. That makes the bonus a single yes-or-no event: there is no bigger version for more Scatters. Lobster House adds a Scatter respin: when visible Scatters can drop one position without leaving the grid, their reels move down and the other reels spin again.
2. More Scatters, more spins
The Merge Up games and Victoria Wild use a ladder: each extra Scatter adds spins. Merge Up 2 also lowered the entry point from four Scatters to three. Scatters landing during the round add spins — the retrigger rules of every game are compared in our free spins guide.
3. More Scatters, a different bonus
Bullets and Bounty and Vikings Wild Feast go further: the Scatter count picks the round itself. In Bullets and Bounty three Scatters start True Grit, four start Four Shots to Freedom and five the Hidden Epic bonus, which cannot be bought. In Vikings Wild Feast three to six tankards pick one of four tiers with higher grid multipliers.
4. Scatters that only pay
Burning Wild keeps the oldest form: its two star Scatters pay cash wherever they land and start nothing else. The gold star pays 3×, 20× or 100× the bet for three, four or five; the violet star lands only on reels 1, 3 and 5 and pays 20× for three.
A “near miss” — two Scatters and a third just above or below the screen — means nothing for the next spin. Every spin is independent; the game is no closer to its bonus than before.
Scatters built by other symbols
In the Merge Up games a Scatter is not only a reel symbol but the top step of a ladder. In Merge Up a winning cluster of the eighth gem level turns into a Scatter. In Merge Up 2 a top-level cluster first becomes a Bomb, which clears the cells around it and then turns into a Scatter. A long chain of cascades in the base game can therefore build its own way into free spins — how those chains work is explained in our cascades guide.
Games with no Scatter
Super Fruits Wild, Mighty Hot Wilds, Better Wilds and the original Miss Cherry Fruits have no Scatter and no free spins. Their extras start from the Wild or from a win: Wild respins, or Inspired’s Hot Spins on wins of 4× the stake or more. Those mechanics are compared in our respins guide.