Last updated: May 2026. Rainbow Trigger behaviour observed across 300+ spins on all four featured AU casinos and cross-referenced against the official Hacksaw Gaming game card.
The Rainbow Trigger is the moment Le Bandit delivers. After a base-game spin where Golden Squares have stacked across multiple cascades, the Rainbow symbol lands and detonates every Golden Square on the grid simultaneously — coin values pay out, Clovers add to the collect counter, Pots of Gold reveal multi-cell pays, and the cumulative payout can transform a routine spin into a session highlight. This is the cinematic heart of the game, and understanding exactly how the trigger works is the difference between watching it happen and knowing what's actually being paid.
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What the Rainbow Trigger is
The Rainbow Trigger is activated when the Rainbow symbol lands anywhere on the 6×5 grid during a cluster-pays cascade. The Rainbow can appear on the initial spin or on any cascade step within that spin's chain. When it lands:
- The cascade pauses.
- A rainbow visual arcs across the grid, sweeping over every Golden Square.
- Every Golden Square on the grid reveals its hidden content simultaneously.
- The revealed values are paid out.
- The cascade continues (or ends, depending on whether new clusters formed).
The Rainbow Trigger is the only mechanism for collecting Golden Square contents in the base game. Without a Rainbow, Golden Squares stack visually but their stored value is forfeited at end of spin.
The mechanics step by step
Imagine the following base-game sequence on a A$1 bet:
Step 1. You spin. The grid lands with 6 Clovers in a connected cluster. Win pays out (~3× stake, A$3).
Step 2. Cluster vanishes. Symbols cascade. One Golden Square locks behind one of the cleared positions (stored value: 5× stake coin = A$5, hidden).
Step 3. New symbols enter. The cascaded grid contains a 5-Pots of Gold cluster. Pays out (~8× stake, A$8).
Step 4. Pots cluster vanishes. Cascade. Two more Golden Squares lock (stored values: Pot of Gold = A$30, Clover = small).
Step 5. Cascade refill. Rainbow symbol lands on one of the cells of the refill.
Step 6. Rainbow Trigger fires. The three Golden Squares reveal:
- 5× stake coin → A$5
- Pot of Gold → A$30 (plus multi-cell pay structure)
- Clover → A$2 (small per-Clover bonus)
Step 7. Total revealed: ~A$37 on top of the A$11 cluster pays already accumulated.
Step 8. Cascade continues. May form new clusters, may end.
Result: a base-game spin with A$48 total payout on a A$1 bet — 48× stake — driven primarily by the Rainbow Trigger detonating three Golden Squares at once.
Where the Rainbow Trigger excels
The trigger is more impactful when more Golden Squares are on the grid when it fires. A Rainbow on a grid with 1 Golden Square pays modestly; a Rainbow on a grid with 8 Golden Squares is potentially session-defining.
This creates a clear strategic mindset for base-game play: you want long cascade chains that build Golden Squares, with the Rainbow firing late in the chain when many Squares are locked.
In practice, you can't influence the timing of the Rainbow — it's RNG-determined. But you can recognise when a cascade chain is producing meaningful Golden Square accumulation and slow your spin pace to fully appreciate the result. Auto-spin "turbo" speeds skip the build-up animation.
Rainbow Trigger in free spins
Each of the three free-spins modes weights Rainbow Trigger frequency differently:
| Mode | Rainbow Trigger frequency | Golden Square density | Net effect |
|---|---|---|---|
| Luck of the Bandit | Medium | Medium | Balanced, regular detonations |
| All That Glitters Is Gold | Lower | High | Few but enormous detonations |
| Treasure at the End of the Rainbow | Higher | Lower | Frequent but smaller detonations |
This is the mathematical core of why the three modes feel different:
- Luck of the Bandit: Rainbow fires regularly, modest Golden Square stacks. Payouts cluster in the 20-200× range.
- All That Glitters Is Gold: Rainbow fires less often, but when it does, the Golden Square stack is huge. Many rounds end below 50×; the rounds that hit do so violently. This is where the 10,000× max-win path lives.
- Treasure at the End of the Rainbow: Rainbows fire most often, but each detonation reveals fewer Squares. Variance is feast-or-famine via Rainbow timing.
What a Rainbow Trigger pays
The payout depends entirely on the stored content of the Golden Squares present at trigger time. Approximate distributions across the reveals:
- Coin values ranging from 1× stake to 50× stake each (most reveals are 2-15× stake).
- Clovers — small individual reveals, but the Clover counter in some free-spins modes accumulates to grant a multiplier or extra spins at thresholds.
- Pots of Gold — high-tier reveals, 20-100× stake per Pot, with rare "mega Pot" reveals paying significantly more.
A typical mid-session Rainbow Trigger in base game with 3-5 Golden Squares pays 25-100× stake. A great one with 6+ Golden Squares and a high proportion of Pots can pay 200-800× stake. The all-time high-end events come from free-spins mode Rainbows on full grids.
Multiple Rainbows in one spin
The Rainbow symbol can appear more than once within a single spin's cascade chain — though it's rare.
Behaviour when it does:
- First Rainbow → all Golden Squares reveal → contents paid out → Squares cleared from the grid.
- Cascade continues. New cluster forms → new Golden Squares lock.
- Second Rainbow → reveals the new Golden Square set → pays out again.
Two Rainbow Triggers in one spin is the path to extraordinary base-game payouts. Three or more in one spin is extremely rare but theoretically possible. In free-spins modes (especially Treasure at the End of the Rainbow), multi-Rainbow spins are part of how the maximum payouts assemble.
What the Rainbow looks like
Visually: when the Rainbow symbol lands, a multi-colour arc draws across the grid from one corner to the opposite corner, sweeping over every Golden Square on its path. As the arc passes each Square, the Square "opens" and its contents fly out — coins, Clovers (with a "+1 Clover" counter increment), or Pots of Gold (with a satisfying spilling-coins animation). The total revealed value tallies up at the bottom of the screen.
On a busy grid with 6+ Squares, the animation lasts 3-5 seconds and is one of the most satisfying moments in any Hacksaw release.
The Rainbow Trigger and bankroll
Knowing the trigger exists and how it functions doesn't help you win — RNG determines when it fires — but it does help you size your bankroll appropriately.
Base-game Rainbow Trigger events occur in a meaningful subset of cascade chains. Roughly one in five base-game spins that produce a cascade chain of 3+ steps will see a Rainbow fire. This translates to a Rainbow event roughly every 30-60 spins at default RTP. Most are small (1-2 Golden Squares revealed); the impressive ones cluster in the 4+ Golden Square range.
So when you sit down to a Le Bandit session, expect:
- The first 20-30 spins to feel quiet.
- The first Rainbow Trigger somewhere in the 30-50 spin range, typically paying 5-25× stake.
- A bigger Rainbow event (50+ stake) every 200-400 spins on average.
- Free-spins triggers every ~250 spins, where Rainbow events are weighted much higher.
Bankroll accordingly. A A$50 bankroll at A$0.40 per spin gives you roughly 125 spins — enough to see 2-3 Rainbow events and possibly a free-spins trigger. That's a complete session.
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Quick FAQ
Can the Rainbow Trigger fire if there are no Golden Squares on the grid? Yes, but with no Squares to reveal it pays nothing. The Rainbow symbol lands; nothing meaningful happens; cascade continues.
Do all Golden Squares reveal at once? Yes — simultaneously when the Rainbow fires.
Does the Rainbow itself pay as a symbol? The Rainbow's function is the trigger. It doesn't form a cluster of its own.
Can the Rainbow appear on the initial spin (before any cascade)? Yes — but with no Golden Squares yet locked, it has no effect. The cascade then proceeds normally.
Is the Rainbow Trigger more common in free spins? Yes — particularly in Treasure at the End of the Rainbow mode where the symbol weighting is increased.
How many Golden Squares can the trigger reveal at once? Practically, the maximum we've observed is around 12 simultaneous Squares in free-spins-mode Rainbows. Theoretical max approaches the 30-cell grid limit but is vanishingly rare.
Is the Rainbow Trigger the same as a "wild reveal"? No — wilds substitute for symbols. The Rainbow Trigger is a mechanic-activator that reveals stored values.
About this guide
Rainbow Trigger frequency and behaviour observed across 300+ test spins at all four featured AU casinos in April-May 2026. Reveal payout ranges are approximate based on logged samples and Hacksaw's published paytable.
Gambling responsibly. Watching a Rainbow detonate is genuinely thrilling — and thrill is what keeps players in seats. Set deposit limits before you start. AU support: gamblinghelponline.org.au · BetStop · 18+ only.
Further Reading
Related reading in this guide: