Say it pays 12 and you have two tables: 1-7, 1-6; they play hand for hand so 1 table doesn't slow play into the money. Neither table is dealt the next hand until the last hand is completed for both. Sometimes it will do this for very large MTT's when you have a break down such as...
1st
2nd
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10-15 (pays same)
16-25 (pays same)
26-35 (pays same)...
It will usually play hand for hand when it is at the point where the next bracket is to be paid. After it gets to 9th, it will go normal since there's no way to delay into the next pay level.