Outside of the slot reels and the rows, the paylines are the most important part of a slot game’s format; but what are paylines on slot machines? How do slot machine paylines impact the way a slot is played? In today’s article, as part of our ‘How to play slots’ series, we will be taking a deep dive into the world of slot paylines, covering everything from fixed paylines slots, variable payline slots, and multi-payline slots so that you can spin those reels with confidence.
Slots Paylines Explained
The paylines of slot machines are unique, much as no online slot player is the same. In a slot machine, paylines indicate the layout on the reels whereby, if matching symbols are landed across the layout; a payout can occur.
The very first slots had just one payline, with most retro and 3-reel slot machines having between 1 and 9 paylines. Classic modern video slots with a 5x3 reel configuration typically have between 10 and 25 paylines. Still, variants with more reels and different payline configurations can cater for hundreds or even thousands of paylines - though these are more commonly referred to as 'winning ways' or win ways due to their variable and unfixed patterns.
Recently, manufacturers of slot machines have even started doing away with the concept of paylines on slot machines entirely, designing games devoid of any paylines like those used in cluster and scatter pay games - but this is a conversation best left for another article!
While the outcomes of every spin are different, in slots which use paylines (not win ways), the pattern of the paylines is fixed. Even in the case of slots with unfixed lines - which we will cover later, it is a matter of a line being active or deactivated - its presence on the reels remains the same.
To achieve a payout, slots with paylines require players to match x amount of symbols across a payline typically starting from the leftmost reel. Unless the slot machine allows specifically, a combination cannot start on the second reel and move along the third and fourth. It has to be always in the leftmost point. Unless specifically mentioned, players will usually require 3 matching symbols for the base payout, with the highest payouts for matching 5.
While in traditional slot machines, paylines are linear in format, intending to increase the number of paylines offered modern slot machines have added more diversity in structure with zigzag, diagonal, and vertical paylines as well as other styles. These slots can allow for multiple payouts per spin because several active paylines operate simultaneously during a spin, meaning slots of this type are referred to as multiple payline games.
Fixed Payline Slots
Many games found at slot sites are defined as ‘fixed pay line’ slots. In these slots, the number of paylines is set in stone and remains the same for every spin. This has the benefit of making the game incredibly easy to set up; players just need to decide how much they would like to bet per spin, and then the slot will automatically evenly divide this wager across the paylines used. So, if your slot has 20 paylines, and you choose to wager 40p, your total bet will be divided into 2p per payline.
Fixed payline slots can be incredibly affordable, with minimum wagers typically ranging from 10-50p per spin. However, for a true penny slots experience, players should look to variable payline slots.
Variable Paylines Slots
More commonly referred to by punters as ‘unfixed pay line’ slots, variable payline slot games allow the player to pick how many paylines they would like to play with. Note, this is not the game as games such as those with expanding reels, where the number of paylines available change, as these work on a fixed payline system with the total wager divided equally across the paylines no matter their changing total.
Variable payline slots take a little longer to configure, as when setting their bet, players will need to set how many lines they would like active, as well as the coin denomination (how many coins to bet per active line per spin), and coin value (how much each coin is worth). For example, if a player decides to activate 10 paylines, with a coin denomination of $3, and a coin value of 1, each line will cost the player $3 (3x1), and for the 10 paylines, the total will be $30 per spin ($3x10). Before spinning the reels of a variable payline slot, players always need to check what the total bet per spin will be, to make sure this is within their budget. If they wish to play the game with all lines active and at the maximum cost, then they must click the ‘MAX BET’ button.
Variable payline slots are liked by players with small budgets, as many of these games allow for wagers from just 1p. However, though winning combinations may appear, players will only receive payouts and bonus feature activations on the lines the player has opted to activate. This can lead to some frustrating missed opportunities.
Difference between Paylines & Reels
The difference between reels and paylines can be difficult for slot novices to understand. Reels and rows are the body of slot machines. They form the overall structure, with ‘reels’ referring to the vertical columns which spin, and the rows are the horizontal spaces filled with symbols that line up when the reels stop.
Retro slots will have a 3-reel and 3-row format, while classic video slots will have a 5-reel, 3-row format. Megaways slots increase the reel count to 6, and cluster-pays slots often have a 5-reel, 5-row configuration. Even the smallest reel sets can result in thousands of possible combinations, due to the selection of symbols used in play.
If the reels and rows can be thought of as the body of the slot, then the paylines can be seen as the clothing. Paylines are the patterns that can constitute winning combinations. Most commonly, paylines comprise straight lines that are read from left (the first reel) to right (the last reel). In slots with larger reel sets, it can be common for multiple winning combinations to be achieved within a single spin. Some slots will only pay the highest winning combination while others have the potential to award multiple payouts per spin.
Final Thoughts
Slot paylines are an integral component of all slot machines whether real-world or online and knowing how paylines work is vital to choosing a slot which best suits your play style. Remember, while slots with lots of paylines or intriguing payline structures are exciting, be sure to always keep responsible gaming practices in mind; do not take excessive risks, never wager more than you can afford to lose; and when the fun stops, stop.
