What are slot paylines & how do they work

Slot machines have been played for decades at traditional houses, but they made the jump to online casinos in the 1990s. There are numerous themes to browse through, with visuals that are inspired by everything from Irish legends to fishing and horror stories. All you have to do is choose a bet, click the spin button, and see what happens! Whether you win or lose, the software takes care of it for you, and your winnings are banked automatically. The amount you can win depends on the slot machine’s paylines.

Most slots have three or more reels that spin. Each of the reels features a set of numbers or symbols. Digital slots can have anywhere between 20 and 256 different symbols on every spinning reel. By landing these symbols in a set order – for example, three of a kind – or by landing a specific symbol, you create a payline that results in a win. The paylines all have different values – some symbols or combinations are worth more than others, and some online slot machines even have paylines in odd shapes or formations, such as a zigzag.

How do slot machine paylines work?

Paylines can be located on any of the slot’s reels, and some games have variable paylines that can change. You can also alter the number of paylines you are playing with, and as a result, you get more freedom with the bets you place. Look for the betting line and decrease this to reduce the value of your bet and the number of lines in play. Other slots are known as fixed – this means that you’ll have to play every payline with every spin.

On any slot, you’ll see a grid that’s made up of various symbols. These are often linked to the theme of the game. This grid contains the vertical reels that start spinning when you hit the spin button. Matching up symbols from left to right is the most common version of what’s called a slot payline, or a pattern of symbols that indicates a win. All slots have different paylines and numbers of paylines. Today, one of the most common formations is between 25 and 30 paylines. Paylines are an important part of the game because they lead to features such as free spins, prizes and bonuses. Developers, therefore put a lot of thought into getting them just right.

Some slots have what’s known as all-ways paylines. These have more than 100 ways to get a winning formation, but the most common number is 243. On these all-ways reels, you can get a matching symbol on any reel, regardless of the placement. This makes it more likely to hit a combination that involves five matching symbols, because they just need to show up on the reel, rather than landing on the same payline.

Some slot games have a completely different dynamic called cluster pays. Cluster pays work in the same way as a payline, but instead of forming a line, the winning symbols have to form a cluster for the game to pay out. You might need to spin a cluster of three or five symbols to get a winning combination.

Slot machine paylines and ways to win

Although paylines have an influence on how much you can win and when, they are different from the feature known as ‘Ways to Win’. This feature is triggered when you are playing a slot and a winning combination lands with several matching symbols spread over adjoining reels. The symbols don’t have to follow the standard horizontal or vertical lineup, or any other combination for that matter. Depending on the game, it’s often enough that symbols just appear on the first of the three reels. However, multiple combinations can appear on adjacent reels and some also unlock bonus games or special features. These could be extra reels or rows that appear on the game’s grid that give you a higher chance of winning.

All of these additional ways to win can extend your play, and that’s why they are hugely popular with all kinds of players. However, Megaways slots have taken this idea and run with it. Many of these dynamic games have more than 250,000 ways to win. Rather than keeping the regular set of symbols on each reel for each spin, Megaways can change them up every time you click go. This also means that the number of ways to win changes with every spin.

What are paylines on a slot machine?

If you take away the animations, the bonus rounds, the staging and the free spins, there is only one thing that you would be left with on a video slot: the paylines. Virtually every slot has them and they make up the core part of the game. Of course, there will be a developer somewhere that chooses to make a game with no paylines, but these will always be the exception, rather than the rule.

In a traditional slot game, you need to match up the symbols on your grid from left to right, and there are still many slots that follow this format. However, you won’t need to match every position on a grid of 5x3 reels, because usually symbols landing on just the first three reels is enough to get a prize. For instance, five matching symbols on a grid of 5x3 reels could lead to a win, but if those five symbols are some of the highest value in the game, you could possibly win a jackpot.

Although left-to-right paylines are considered the norm, there are plenty of slots on which you can also line up your wins from right to left. This increases the number of possible paylines. Many right-to-left combinations are available as part of bonus rounds, so they might not be visible when you first start playing. Even so, they can be a useful feature, so it’s worth looking out for them.

Finding information on slot machine paylines

If you’re new to this kind of gaming, you’ll probably still have questions on the details of each title, and you may be wondering, what are paylines on a slot machine? All of these different slot paylines can seem confusing, but once you’ve clicked on a game, all the details will be presented clearly. Just look for the slot’s general information section to find what’s called the paytable. This will detail all the different ways to win through paylines and how much you can win from a specific spin. There’s a lot of information to take in but remember that you don’t need to memorise all of the combinations or amounts, because the slot will automatically register a win and add the right amount to your balance.

The amount you can win will differ depending on the number of paylines that are in use. Although some games allow you to pick and choose several paylines to work with, in practice it is best to go with as many as the game has available.

Games with fewer slot paylines

Single-slot games have one payline and one way to win. This will usually appear in a horizontal format across just three reels. These types of machines are considered classics by many players. They often look like the old-school fruit machines that you would find in a bar or land-based casino. The only aim in these slots is to match three symbols. If you are not yet ready for the numerous special features, visual effects and bonus games in a video slot, then choose one of these games to concentrate on the action.

Even with few paylines, games such as 20p Slot can provide several ways to win, and they can make it easier to keep track of your bets. There are lots of slots that have 10 paylines or fewer. Games such as Sunny Fruits Hold and Win are great if you want a little extra than a basic three-reeler but don’t like too many features in a slot. Fewer paylines allow you to keep track of what’s going on, where your bets are headed, and what symbols you need to keep an eye out for.