On this page
- Top line win
- 5 prospectors: 1,000 × bet per line
- Scatter
- Dynamite: 5 = 50, 4 = 10, 3 = 2 × total bet
- Pays from 2 of a kind
- Prospector and MINE
- Lines
- 1 to 25
- Direction
- Left to right from the leftmost reel; Dynamite pays anywhere
- Source
- Aristocrat help file, online version 2.3.4
The full paytable
Line wins are multiplied by your bet per line; Dynamite scatter wins are multiplied by your total bet [2]. The numbers below come from the help file of the online version [1].
| Symbol | 5 on a line | 4 | 3 | 2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dynamite (scatter, pays anywhere, × total bet) | 50 | 10 | 2 | — |
| Prospector | 1,000 | 200 | 100 | 4 |
| MINE | 500 | 150 | 80 | 2 |
| Covered wagon | 300 | 100 | 50 | — |
| Pick and shovel | 300 | 100 | 50 | — |
| A | 150 | 80 | 40 | — |
| K | 125 | 70 | 30 | — |
| Q | 100 | 50 | 20 | — |
| J | 100 | 40 | 10 | — |
Two things stand out. The prospector and MINE pay from two of a kind, every other symbol needs three. And the gap from four prospectors (200) to five (1,000) is the biggest jump in the table: most of the prospector’s value sits in that fifth reel.
How wins are counted
The help file sets the rules in plain words [2]:
- “All wins begin with leftmost reel and pay left to right on consecutive reels, except scattered DYNAMITE which pays any.”
- “Highest win only on each line.” If a line holds both three prospectors and something smaller, you’re paid the prospectors.
- “Wins on different paylines are added.”
- “Scatter wins are added to line wins.”
- “All wins occur on selected lines except scattered DYNAMITE.” A prospector run on a line you didn’t play pays nothing.
- “Malfunction voids all pays and plays.”
What the numbers mean in dollars
The table is in multiples, so the dollars depend on your bet per line. Here are the prospector and the Dynamite scatter worked out at three bet sizes with all 25 lines played. These are worked examples, not the bets any particular machine offers:
| Bet per line | Total bet (25 lines) | 5 prospectors | 5 Dynamite |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1c | 25c | $10 | $12.50 |
| 10c | $2.50 | $100 | $125 |
| $1 | $25 | $1,000 | $1,250 |
A $25 spin is above the $5 limit that applies to pokies in pubs and clubs in Victoria, Queensland, Tasmania and the Northern Territory, so on a club floor you’ll meet the smaller rows. Where the machine still stands covers each state.
The gold symbols in the feature
During the free games, one to three of the symbols above can turn gold. “GOLD SYMBOLS are WILD and substitute for all symbols except scattered DYNAMITE” [2]. Gold versions exist of the prospector, the wagon, MINE, the pick and shovel and the four card symbols; how many you get depends on the character you pick. The whole feature is on the free spins feature page.
Where the paytable doesn’t reach
The help file gives the paytable and rules but no return-to-player figure. What is and isn’t published about the game’s return is on the RTP guide.
Questions people ask
What is the highest paying symbol in Where's the Gold?
How much do Dynamite scatters pay?
Do wins pay both ways?
Is the paytable the same on a club machine?
Sources
- Where's the Gold online version, help file and paytable (© Aristocrat Technologies Australia 2014), NYX game server, checked 28 September 2026
- Where's the Gold online version, rules text (language file), NYX game server, checked 28 September 2026
Keep digging
- Free spins featureThree Dynamite start the Where's the Gold feature: pick a character for up to 10 free games and up to 3 gold wilds.
- RTP and volatilityAristocrat listed Where's the Gold at a 94% to 97% return, medium volatility.
- Where's the Gold pokiesThree Dynamite start the pick; five prospectors pay 1,000× the line bet.