For those who are new to online slots, getting used to the vast variety of titles on offer can be overwhelming. While the differences between classic slots and video slots are quickly evident, the varying mechanisms with which wins are awarded can take some time to get used to. We’ve demystified the most common payout features in this guide, from fixed pay lines to Megaways titles.
Fixed and Selectable Paylines
From the very first land-based slots until today’s modern online slots, paylines remain the most common mechanism to award wins. Paylines refer to the predetermined combinations on reels where winning symbol combinations can land. In fixed pay line slots, all pay lines will be activated, and users will be required to bet on a per-spin basis.
Selectable pay lines, on the other hand, allow players to activate however many lines they want. This helps users to customize their betting strategy and often permits lower-stakes wagers. Payline slots will make up the majority of titles in the catalogs of legal options for online casino players in the USA, whether progressive jackpots or slots are playable with free spin bonuses.
Cluster Pays and 243 Ways to Win
These two options are interesting in that they eliminate pay lines. In Cluster Pays slots, wins are awarded when matching symbols form clusters along adjacent reels. Often, five or six symbols that are next to each other will trigger a cluster win. It’s common for winning clusters to disappear and trigger cascading reels, allowing another chance at wins without paying for a spin.
243 Ways to Win payout when matching symbols land left to right across adjacent reels. The symbols do not have to be next to each other to pay out, though usually, a minimum of three symbols are required to payout. The benefit of these slot types is that bettors do not have to bet according to pay lines.
Expanding Reels, Megaways, and Sticky Wins
Expanding Reels slots will see the size of reels randomly grow during spins. This keeps the layout dynamic, with each spin offering varying numbers of ways to win. While this can be exciting, it does mean that the return to player rate can vary with each spin.
Megaways slots are one of the most recent innovations in slot payout mechanisms. These games change the number of symbols that appear on each reel every span, which can offer up to 117,649 ways to win. Payouts are calculated according to matching symbols landing adjacently left-to-right rather than pay lines. Since Megaway slots launched in 2015, they have won several international gaming awards and many fans.
In Sticky Wins slots, symbols that form part of a winning spin remain locked in place as the reels are re-spun for no extra stake. As long as additional matching winning symbols land, payouts will accrue. The benefit of this is that there can be frequent opportunities to trigger re-spins without needing to invest more cash.
If ever in doubt, play slot demos before paying for them to ensure that there are no surprises when it comes to staking funds. Return to this guide to common slot payout mechanisms to inform an approach to which slots are the most appealing.
Please engage in online slot machine entertainment within the scope permitted by local laws.
