Resize the browser. At smaller sizes the pagination expands, making the hit area larger and flowing the content down, instead of a left/right list that will at some point break due to the number of items.
This list has an even number of items and divides nicely.
To avoid an orphan pagination tile, the first link is wider, though it could be the last or some middle link as well. Javascript decides if there is an odd or even number and puts a contextual class on that pagination unit.
In it's mobile state, there is additional text.