Slot games come in many shapes and sizes. There are thousands of themes to be explored. However, at the core of each slot game lies the most important factor - paylines (sometimes referred to as pay lines, winlines or win lines). Today, we will dive into the different varieties of paylines, where to look for them in each game and why they are important.
What Are Paylines? Slot games come in many shapes and sizes. There are thousands of themes to be explored. However, at the core of each slot game lies the most important factor - paylines (sometimes referred to as pay lines, winlines or win lines). Today, we will dive into the different varieties of paylines, where to look for them in each game and why they are important.
What are Paylines on Slot Machines?
“Paylines” are the order in which symbols must land to result in a payout. Traditionally, there was only a single horizontal payline on slot machines. You would need to match three matching symbols in that specific row to win. Today, there are a variety of different options. Let’s look at some of the most popular.
Payline Varieties
Nowadays, paylines aren't just horizontal. They can be found in a range of shapes and sizes. Each game is different, and some games let you decide the amount of paylines you want to include in your game by changing your settings. That means, by increasing the number of lines you are playing, you have more ways to win on a single spin. However, it will typically cost you more per spin for each line you add.
You usually need to land all matching symbols on a specific payline to win. However, “scatters” and “wilds” can be added to the winning combination in some games.
Megaways Paylines
With their revolutionary technology, giving players up to 117,649 ways to win, Megaways has been shaking up the slot game world since 2016. There are a variety of different games that have this fantastic feature weaved into them.
When you play a Megaways game, you never know how many symbols you will get on each reel. It could be anywhere from 1–7 and will vary.
If you’re really lucky, you can unlock 7 symbols on each reel.
Paylines That Are NOT Lines
Instead of the traditional lines mentioned above, these games will have "ways to win".
For example, “cluster pays” result in wins when a group of symbols land on the reels together. This specific style can result in progressive wins, which means, you can receive multiple wins from a single spin.
As the matching clusters disappear more symbols will fall in their place without you needing to use another spin.
Some slot games require no lines at all. Instead, you will just need winning symbols to fall onto your reels.
How to Find Out What Paylines Are Applicable in Your Game
Checking the paylines required to win is a must - and it is easy to do!
1: Simply head to the game you would like to play. In this example, we will be using Rainbow Riches Slingo .
2: Identify the game’s settings. In this example, it is a hamburger menu represented with 3 stacked lines. In other games you may see a “?” symbol or simply the word “settings” “help” or “info”.
3: Click to expand.
4: From the drop-down menu, you will need to select “help”. In some games, this step will not be necessary and you will be brought straight to step 5.
5: Typically, the symbols will be explained before the paylines are revealed. Simply scroll through the page or pages to identify this information.
If there is no payline information, this could be due to the control you have over the paylines you would like to play.
How to Adjust Variable Paylines
Games with variable paylines let you take control of how many lines you would like to have in a single spin. In this example, we are showing you how to do this using the game Shaman’s Dream .
1: Identify the button that explains how many lines are available. This is typically visible from where you spin.
2: Click the button and adjust according to the bet you would like to place. Remember that the bet is going to be multiplied by the number of lines in play for every spin.
In this example, 25 lines at 0.02p will cost 50p per spin.
3: Simply spin to play or take advantage of the game’s autoplay options where available.
Paylines Conclusion
Paylines come in many shapes and sizes and will differ from game to game. Remember to check the settings before placing your bet using the information above.
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