Mermaid Riches rules and mirrored-reel guide

Mermaid Riches is PG Soft catalogue ID 102. The official file identifies version 1.0r939a, updated 8 July 2025. Its base layout rises from one row on reel one to five rows on reel five, producing 120 ways. Free spins mirror that geometry and strengthen the multiplier ladder.

The document reports 96.71% RTP, medium volatility and a 28.44% overall hit rate. The advertised maximum is 20,000x, while the highest exposure in one billion simulated spins was 3,513x.

Verified r939a specification

Field	Official value	Live check
Catalogue ID	102	Exact title
Layout	5 reels, 120 ways	Asymmetric reel heights
Reel model	Collapsing	Multiple stages per spin
RTP	96.71%	Active Help panel
Volatility	Medium	Supplier scale
Overall hit rate	28.44%	Model statistic
Advertised maximum	20,000x	Theoretical ceiling
Simulated exposure	3,513x	Billion-spin observation
EUR reference	€0.20–€20	Not an NZD limit

The checked file lists bet sizes 0.01, 0.05 and 0.1 across ten levels with base bet 20. Always read the final stake shown by the loaded client. Reference EUR values do not confirm local currency or operator limits.

Base reel geometry

The base game has one position on reel one, two on reel two, three on reel three, four on reel four and five on reel five. Ways begin at the left and continue across adjacent reels. A break on an intermediate reel ends that combination.

Winning symbols disappear and new pieces collapse into the layout. Every refresh belongs to the original paid spin. Because reel heights differ, a screenshot should include the full triangular field and not crop the outer positions.

Wild substitutes for ordinary symbols but not Scatter and appears on reels two through five. A Special Sticky Wild moves to a random position at the start of a spin and remains there until that spin ends.

Numbered sticky Wilds

Ordinary sticky Wilds can show 1, 2 or 3. The number is remaining winning uses. When a Wild participates with a counter of two or three, it stays for the next collapse and decreases by one. When it participates at one, it disappears in the following round.

The counter is not a multiplier. It measures durability, while the multiplier is displayed above the reels. Audit them in separate columns: position, counter before win, counter after win and active factor.

Base multiplier ladder

All wins in the first round use x1. A first-round win raises the second round to x2; another raises the third to x3; another raises the fourth and later rounds to x5. The sequence is therefore x1 → x2 → x3 → x5, not an unlimited progression.

Each stage win is multiplied by its current factor, then stage returns are added. Multiplying x1, x2, x3 and x5 together would not follow the settlement rule. History should show the final combined credit.

Mirrored free spins

Three Scatters award eight free spins, with two extra for every additional triggering Scatter. In the feature, the geometry is mirrored: five rows on reel one, four on reel two, three on reel three, two on reel four and one on reel five.

The feature multiplier ladder becomes x2, x4, x6 and x10. Free spins can retrigger. The layout reversal changes where combinations can branch, but does not guarantee more valuable symbols or a profitable feature.

PG Soft assigns 21.70 percentage points of RTP to free spins and 75.01 to the main game. These model components sum to 96.71%; they do not predict one trigger.

Hit-rate context

The overall hit rate is 28.44%, split into 27.97% main game and 0.48% feature. A hit may return less than the stake. Big Win, Mega Win and Super Mega Win frequencies are 1 in 226, 1 in 594 and 1 in 636, describing presentation labels rather than maximum-win probability.

Maximum evidence

The 20,000x advertised maximum is the theoretical model limit. The 3,513x figure is the largest exposure in PG Soft’s one-billion-spin simulation. A finite simulation remaining below the cap is not a contradiction.

Neither value confirms an operator payout ceiling or likely result. Currency examples are arithmetic only; the loaded rules and account terms control the actual transaction.

Mobile checks

PG Soft lists iOS, Android, HTML5, macOS and Windows with a 1080×2340 portrait reference. The triangular layout is naturally suited to portrait, but the smallest reel and Wild counters still need to remain legible.

Capture both the base and mirrored layout, the active ladder, total stake and final history entry. Do not infer missing reel positions from decorative symmetry.

Worked layout comparison

In the base game, the right side offers more symbol positions because the heights rise 1/2/3/4/5. In free spins, the left side carries the wider entry because the heights become 5/4/3/2/1. A ways win must still begin on reel one, so mirroring changes the number of possible starting positions as well as the visual balance of the field.

For an audit, draw five columns and enter the number of matching positions on each reel. Multiply consecutive counts from the left until the first zero. Repeat this for each paying symbol and compare the result with the history entry. A Wild can substitute where allowed, but Scatter cannot be treated as a regular match.

Separating two sticky mechanics

The Special Sticky Wild and numbered sticky Wilds have different lifecycles. The Special symbol moves to a random location at the beginning of a spin and stays until that spin ends. A numbered Wild persists between collapses according to its remaining-use counter. Calling both simply “sticky” hides the most important operational difference.

Create separate notes for the randomly placed Special Wild and every numbered Wild. Do not reduce the Special symbol using the numbered counter rule, and do not assume an ordinary numbered Wild survives after the paid spin or feature state permitted by Help.

Settlement example

Suppose the base spin has three winning stages with pre-factor returns of 1.2x, 0.9x and 0.5x. With factors x1, x2 and x3, the stage values are 1.2x, 1.8x and 1.5x, producing 4.5x in total. The next winning stage would use x5. Adding or multiplying ladder labels without the individual stage wins would not reproduce settlement.

Inside free spins, apply the documented x2/x4/x6/x10 ladder in the same stage-by-stage way. The stronger starting factor does not guarantee that a winning combination appears.

Evidence when the layout changes

Save one uncropped image immediately before the feature and another after the mirrored grid loads. Include the spin counter and current factor. This establishes that the change belongs to the feature rather than a responsive-layout effect on the phone.

If the browser resizes the symbols without changing row counts, do not describe that as a mathematical transformation. Reel geometry is defined by playable positions, not artwork dimensions. History and Help should agree on the feature state even when screen orientation changes.

The mirrored arrangement ends with the feature. Do not describe its expanded left side as saved progress for the next paid spin.

Availability limits

This page does not host a demo. Sponsored links do not prove Mermaid Riches is enabled at the destination. Supplier evidence confirms the game, not New Zealand or 22Bet availability, NZD support or account eligibility.

Verify those matters in an authenticated lobby. A public studio preview cannot authorise bypassing a regional restriction.

Reader fit

Mermaid Riches may suit readers who enjoy a visually clear change between base and feature layouts and finite multiplier ladders. It may be less suitable for someone who prefers fixed rows or a single settlement.

Sticky Wild counters can encourage continued play, but no future cascade is owed. Establish limits before launching and consult the responsible gambling guide for support.

Version checklist

Confirm ID 102, r939a, 120 ways, one-to-five base heights, collapsing reels, Special Sticky Wild, numbered Wilds 1–3, x1/x2/x3/x5 base factors, three-Scatter trigger, eight spins, mirrored five-to-one feature grid, x2/x4/x6/x10 feature factors, 96.71% RTP and medium volatility.

Use the PG Soft catalogue guide, editorial methodology and corrections policy for evidence handling.

FAQ

What RTP is documented?

Version r939a states 96.71%. The live Help panel remains the final check.

What do the Wild numbers mean?

They show remaining winning uses before that Wild destroys itself.

How does the bonus grid change?

It mirrors the base layout, running from five rows on reel one to one row on reel five.

How many free spins start?

Three Scatters award eight spins; each extra triggering Scatter adds two.

Is NZ availability confirmed?

No. Supplier documents cannot prove operator-level territorial access.

Sources

• PG Soft Mermaid Riches r939a PDF
• PG Soft official catalogue
• PG Soft catalogue methodology
• Corrections policy

How to verify the version you can actually open

A provider page proves that a title exists and describes the supplier's intended rules. It does not prove that a casino accepts players in New Zealand, that the title is enabled for a particular account, or that the highest published RTP is the version in the lobby. Treat availability, operator eligibility and product configuration as three separate checks.

Start with identity, then configuration

Open the game only through the authenticated casino lobby. The information or help panel should identify PG Soft, the exact title and the active mathematical return. Compare the reel or grid layout, paylines or cluster rules, named features and symbol behaviour with the official product material. Similar artwork or a matching title is not enough when the help file is missing or inconsistent.

When the supplier publishes several RTP values, report all of them as configurations. Do not assume the highest option is deployed. RTP is a theoretical long-run measure across a very large number of rounds; it is not a refund rate for one player and cannot predict the next result. Volatility is different: it describes how unevenly results are distributed on the provider's scale.

Read stake controls as money, not interface decoration

Provider sheets often quote a reference range in euros. That range does not establish New Zealand-dollar support or the limits in a specific account. Before a paid round, identify the total amount that will leave the balance. If the interface separates denomination, coins and lines, verify the combined total. If Extra Bet is active, calculate its full cost before pressing spin.

Feature-buy prices are multiples of the current bet, not promised returns. A 100x purchase at a $1 stake costs $100; at a $2 stake it costs $200. Availability can vary by market and some mathematical configurations may not support the control. If the live help does not explain the price, delivered feature and active RTP, leave the option unused.

Keep simulation figures in their proper scope

A game sheet may publish a maximum result observed in a large simulation. That is not automatically the contractual maximum payout and never describes a likely session. Preserve the provider's wording, sample size and configuration. Check the live rules for a binding cap and the operator terms for any separate payout limit. Do not turn an extreme result into a promotional headline.

Audit a disputed round

If an animation freezes or a connection drops, do not repeat the wager immediately. Reopen the game through the authenticated lobby and inspect round history. Record the time, total stake, balance movement and round identifier. The result can be settled by the gaming system even when the device never displays the final animation. Send evidence through verified operator support; never disclose a password, recovery phrase or one-time code.

Read the paytable as a calculation document

The paytable should explain what creates a win, which symbols substitute, where special symbols can land and how multiple awards combine. For line games, confirm direction and active paylines. For cluster games, confirm adjacency, minimum group size and the order of collection. For respins, identify what remains locked, what resets the counter and what ends the feature. A graphic effect can illustrate those rules but cannot replace them.

Separate addition from multiplication. Several prize values may be added before a multiplier applies, while reel-specific multipliers can sometimes multiply together only when each reel participates in the same win. Reconstruct one low-stake result from game history. If the arithmetic cannot be matched to the help file, stop and ask the operator rather than guessing.

Do not confuse hit frequency with a profitable round

Provider sheets can publish hit frequency or category probabilities. A hit simply means a round returned a qualifying amount; it can be smaller than the stake. “Big”, “Mega” or “Epic” thresholds are provider reporting categories, not promises. They are useful for comparing mathematical versions only when definitions and samples are the same.

Random outcomes do not become due after a long gap. A feature that appeared repeatedly in a demo or marketing clip has no obligation to repeat in a funded session. Previous rounds do not create a debt from the next random result.

Confirm market and device behaviour independently

A title can exist in the supplier catalogue while an operator disables it for a territory, currency, device or bonus. Language localisation is not evidence of legal availability. Confirm the operator's identity, accepted countries and current lobby separately from the provider review.

On mobile, verify that balance, total bet, feature state and help remain visible without overlap. On desktop, check that browser zoom does not hide a purchase control or change the apparent denomination. Mathematical configuration should not change merely because the screen changes; if the help shows another RTP, treat it as a different deployment and record it.

Keep a compact evidence record

For any fact used in a review, save the title, provider, official URL, document date when available, access date and exact territorial scope. For a live session, add the operator domain, Game ID, RTP, currency and a non-sensitive screenshot of the help panel. This makes later corrections possible when a supplier updates a sheet or an operator changes configuration.

Missing information should remain missing. Do not estimate an RTP from results, convert a euro reference range into an operator's NZD limit, or treat another casino's configuration as evidence. A transparent “not confirmed” is more useful than a precise-looking number without the correct source.

Use limits that survive the feature design

Collection meters, expanding grids, sticky symbols and near misses can make a session feel unfinished. Unless the rules explicitly preserve progress, the visible state has no value after the round or feature ends. Set a money limit and time limit before launch, count feature buys immediately, and stop at the limit even when a meter appears close to an upgrade.

No random game is an income plan. Do not borrow, use essential funds or raise the stake to recover a loss. If play stops feeling recreational, use timeout, deposit-limit or self-exclusion tools and consult the site's responsible gambling guide.