Le Pharaoh looks busy, but the underlying loop is straightforward once you separate the base game from the features stacked on top of it. This guide walks through the 6×5, 19-line grid, the base-game modifiers — Sticky Re-Drops, Golden Squares and multiplier Clovers — and how the Golden Riches coins feed into the bonus rounds. For what each feature pays and how the bonuses behave once triggered, pair this with the features page; for the maths, see RTP & volatility.
The grid and lines
Le Pharaoh plays on a grid of six reels and five rows, with 19 fixed paylines. Wins are formed in the classic way: matching symbols landing on adjacent reels along one of the 19 lines, reading from the leftmost reel rightward. You do not choose how many lines are active — all 19 are always in play — so the only decision before a spin is your stake.
That fixed-line structure is worth noting because it is what distinguishes Le Pharaoh from several of its siblings. Le Bandit and Le King pay in clusters, and Le Viking uses a 15,625 ways-to-win system, whereas Le Pharaoh sticks to defined paylines. The 6×5 frame gives the reels enough height for the stacked symbols and re-drops the game relies on.
The base-game modifiers
Most of what makes an ordinary Le Pharaoh spin interesting comes from three modifiers that can appear on the base reels:
- Golden Squares. Certain positions on the grid can land as Golden Squares, special tiles that can upgrade or reveal what sits on them. They are part of how a plain-looking board can turn into a paying one.
- Sticky Re-Drops. When the right symbols land, they can lock in place while the remaining positions spin again. Holding the promising symbols and re-dropping the rest gives the game extra chances to complete a win from a single spin.
- Multiplier Clovers. Clovers carry multiplier values that boost what you collect, adding upside to wins and to the coin collection that drives the bonuses.
These modifiers can fire on any base spin, which is what keeps the reels lively in between the bigger events. None of them changes the long-run 96.18% RTP; they are simply the texture of normal play.
Golden Riches and the coin collection
Running alongside the paylines is a separate layer: Golden Riches. Coins can land carrying values, and collecting them is what builds toward Le Pharaoh's Hold & Win bonuses. Think of it as a parallel track to the line wins — you can be collecting coins toward a bonus even on a spin that pays little or nothing on the lines themselves. This coin mechanic is one of the game's signatures and a big part of why the feature play feels rewarding when it lands.
Symbols and paytable
The symbol hierarchy is themed to Ancient Egypt. Smokey the raccoon is the top-paying symbol, followed by the pharaoh mask, Anubis and the scarab as the other premiums, then an ankh and the Eye of Horus, with the A-K-Q royals at the low end. A pyramid wild substitutes for paying symbols, while the Golden Riches coin and the scatter drive the features rather than paying lines on their own.
The bonus rounds
Le Pharaoh's headline events are its two Free-Spins modes and two Hold & Win modes — four distinct bonuses in one game. The Free-Spins modes carry the base-game modifiers into a dedicated round of spins, while the Hold & Win modes are built around the Golden Riches coins you have been collecting, locking coins in place and respinning to fill the grid. Having four separate bonuses is unusual, and it is the main reason the game offers so much variety: different triggers lead to different rounds with different ceilings. Exactly how each one plays out is covered on the features page.
A quick note on bonus buys: many Hacksaw slots let you pay to trigger a feature directly, but that option is down to the individual operator and jurisdiction, so it may or may not be available where you play.
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
How many paylines does Le Pharaoh have? It has 19 fixed paylines on a 6×5 grid. All lines are always active, so the only thing you set before a spin is your stake.
What are Sticky Re-Drops? A base-game modifier where certain symbols lock in place while the rest of the grid spins again, giving you extra chances to complete a win from a single spin. The features page covers it in more detail.
What is Golden Riches in Le Pharaoh? A coin-collection mechanic that runs alongside the paylines. Coins land carrying values, and collecting them builds toward the game's Hold & Win bonus rounds.
How many bonus rounds does Le Pharaoh have? Four — two Free-Spins modes and two Hold & Win modes. The Free-Spins rounds extend the base-game features over a set of spins, while the Hold & Win rounds are built around the Golden Riches coins.
Can I buy the bonus in Le Pharaoh? Sometimes. A bonus-buy option exists on many Hacksaw slots, but its availability depends on the operator and your jurisdiction, so it is not guaranteed everywhere.
Does Le Pharaoh use clusters or paylines? Paylines — 19 of them. That sets it apart from siblings like Le Bandit and Le King, which use Cluster Pays, and Le Viking, which uses 15,625 ways to win.