Planned Session Versus Random Outcome
Clusters can clear and refill without ever landing three scatters, and no schedule tells you when the round will come. Each spin is independent, so a long dry run and a quick trigger are equally possible. A 96.48 or 96.52 version governs the long-run return across thousands of spins, not the balance of one evening in front of the reels.
Two return versions are used, and the higher one sits close to the lower, so the difference is small per spin and visible only over a very long run. Which one a site runs is stated inside the game rules panel, not on the lobby tile, so the figures shown here are the two versions with no ranking between them.
Reaching x10,000 means every refill, multiplier and collected prize lining up in one round. At the top bet here that ceiling is A$2,400,000 on paper, while most rounds close far below it. Treat the figure as the edge of what the game can pay, never as something a session moves toward.