Cluster pays — matching groups instead of lines
Symbols here do not need to sit on a line to pay. Five, six or ten identical symbols touching each other form a cluster, and the cluster is what pays — which is why the grid is usually six by five or larger.
What counts as a cluster
A group of identical symbols touching; the minimum size varies by title.
Find the group
Identical symbols touching — vertically or horizontally — form a cluster.
The minimum size
Five, six or more depending on the title; the number is in the paytable.
Tumbling
Winning symbols leave, new ones drop from above, and a fresh cluster pays again.
Winning symbols leave, new ones drop in
A single spin can pay several times in a row.
A larger grid
Six by five or seven by seven — clusters need room, so the grid is bigger than in a lines game.
Several pays per spin
Tumbling continues while new clusters keep forming, so a single spin can run for a while.
Rising multipliers
Many titles raise a multiplier with each successive tumble — which is where the mechanic is at its most entertaining.
Questions about cluster pays
Do diagonal symbols count in a cluster
Usually not — most titles count only symbols touching horizontally or vertically. The rule is stated in the paytable.
How many times can a tumble repeat
For as long as new clusters keep forming. When none does, the spin ends; there is normally no fixed limit.
Is cluster play harder than a lines game
The rules are simpler, if anything — there are no lines to keep track of. The eye just needs a little time, and a demo settles that in a minute.
To see a cluster title
The lilbet catalogue keeps the cluster and tumble titles together, and a demo shows the mechanic in a minute.
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