Some people say that all you have to do when you play slots online is press “spin” and hope for the best. Nothing could be further from the truth. While it’s correct to say that the outcomes are randomly determined when you spin the reels, there are still a number of decisions to make that may influence how your game turns out.
One of the basic concepts you need to understand when playing these popular online casino games is slot paylines, as well as the related ideas of variance and the risk-versus-reward ratio. If that sounds like a whole lot to think about, don’t worry, this blog unpacks some useful information and tips for playing online slots and understanding how the paylines work. Read on to equip yourself with the knowledge you need for a potentially more rewarding experience with online casino slots.
What Are Paylines on Slot Machines?
Paylines on slot machines are simply patterns on the reels. When symbols land in these patterns, they form winning combinations. If you’re playing for real money, that translates into cash payouts.
Knowing how to read slot machine lines isn’t a difficult skill to learn, but it can take some getting used to as you explore the different types of slots and the unique payline features they include.
It’s important to remember that you can only win payouts on the slot lines that you’ve placed a bet on. In other words, if the winning combination falls on a line that you didn’t activate, you won’t get anything for that combination. So, it’s important to select the lines you would like to bet on carefully. This is why players tend to stick to the general rule of thumb of activating all the paylines on every spin, especially when paying classic three-reel slots that have fewer paylines. This strategy can, however, become expensive very quickly if you’re playing one of the more modern online slot games, which can have up to 100 paylines or more.
The earliest mechanical slots, also known as fruit machines because of their fruity symbols, only had three reels and one payline. A good example of this would be Double Diamond, the classic three-reel cabinet slot with symbols representing diamonds, cherries, the lucky number 7, and colored “BAR” symbols. If you, for instance, land three diamonds in a row, you’ve completed the payline and won.
If you’d like to recreate that classic Vegas experience, complete with neon visuals and 16-bit sound effects, you can play Double Diamond in our online casino. It’s a good game for beginners trying to figure out how online slots work because all you have to think about is how much money to bet.
How Do Slot Machine Lines Work?
There’s no one answer to the question of how slot paylines work because they can differ depending on what type of slot game you’re playing. Most paylines will run from left to right, covering one position per reel, but they can also run vertically or diagonally across the reels. Some even have a zig-zag pattern.
Modern multi-line slots are also being designed with the new generation of gamblers in mind. So, developers are incorporating unique features, bonus rounds, and themes so that online casinos can attract and retain younger players.
Wild Symbols in Online Slots
Wild symbols in online slots are useful placeholders on your payline that can transform into any character to help create a winning combination. For example, if you spin the reel and your payline includes four identical symbols and a wild in a five-reel play, the wild seamlessly integrates to complete the winning set, aligning with the other four symbols.
There are also different types of wild symbols, including:
- Sticky Wild: These wild symbols will maintain their position for the next few spins.
- Stacked Wilds: Appear on top of one another on a single reel until they gradually occupy the entire reel.
- Expanding Wilds: These wilds share similarities with the stacked ones but have the unique ability to grow and cover the entire reel. So, unlike stacked wilds, which will only grow vertically, expanding wilds can extend horizontally as well to fill an entire row of symbols.
Scatter Symbols in Online Slots
Scatter symbols add an exciting twist to slot gameplay. Unlike regular wild symbols, scatters don’t need to line up on an active payline. They can appear anywhere on the reels, but there’s usually a minimum number of scatters that need to appear before the various bonuses are triggered. Scatters often unlock free spins, but they can also bring interactive bonus games, instant payouts, re-spins, or multipliers, enhancing the thrill of each spin.
Bonus Symbols in Online Slots
Bonus symbols are the key to unlocking extra rewards. Similar to scatters, they can activate bonus games with substantial payouts. The rules vary — some slots require them on active paylines, while others simply need them on the reels. Regardless, slot games that include bonus symbols can be extremely exciting, allowing players to take advantage of significant rewards and engaging bonus rounds.
Fixed Paylines on Slot Machines
Classic three-reelers appeal to nostalgia buffs, but these days, players tend to prefer their online casino slots to be a little more complicated — and that’s just what they’ve become. In fact, game developers see slot machine paylines as a primary focus area for innovation. Where a classic three-reel slot has only one way to win, today you see games with the Megaways™ slot mechanic that unlock up to 117,649 ways to win. It works with a reel modifier that randomly alters the height of the reels, allowing different numbers of symbols to appear at any one time. A good example in our online casino is Gonzo’s Quest Megaways.
What do slots with one payline have in common with Megaways slot paylines? The answer is that they’re both fixed. In other words, you can’t change the number of paylines to bet on, so you have to bet on every possible winning combination by default. And that’s how it is for most online slots these days.
Risk Versus Reward
What are the best online slots for you — slots that award frequent wins or slots that can potentially pay out big money? This is where the risk-versus-reward ratio comes in. In investment, it means how much money an investor can earn for every dollar they risk on an investment. The same logic applies to online slots. Let’s say you’re playing King Kong Fury, a great-looking slot with 50 fixed paylines. If you bet $1, you’re really betting 2 cents on every combination. That means you have to risk more money for a higher payout. If, on the other hand, you’re playing Starburst, you only have 10 fixed paylines to play with. That means you’re betting 10 cents on every combination, so any individual wins you make pay out more.
Adjustable Paylines on Slot Machines
Now it’s clear that the more active paylines there are, the more you have to risk to get a reward. But what if you could adjust the number of paylines on slot machines? As a matter of fact, in some games, you can. There are two advantages to this, depending on which way you look at it. First, if you reduce the number of paylines, you don’t need to bet as much money to play the game. That’s great for players on a low budget. You can spin, have fun, and maybe still win something at the end of it. Second, if you have a decent budget and are willing to take the risk, you could make more money from your spins.
Play Slots Online With Adjustable Paylines
Let’s put theory into practice. Say you bet $5 per spin on the Halloween Fortune slot, which has 20 adjustable paylines. If you activate five paylines and play two coins worth 50 cents each at once, you’ll make $1 for every win. Not bad. If you activate all 20, you can see that your chances of winning will increase, but the payouts will be smaller. If you like this idea, the White King slot has 40 adjustable paylines for you to play with.
Understanding the House Edge for Online Slot Machines
A different way of approaching the same issue is to apply the concept of variance. High volatility slots award bigger prizes but fewer wins, while low volatility slots give you more frequent wins but with lower payouts. To calculate how much a slot is likely to pay out on average, check out its RTP (return to player) percentage. If you bet $10 on a 96.1% RTP slot like Big Bucks Bandits, you can expect to win back $9.10 in the long run. It’s what’s known as the house edge. You might be interested to know that casino table games often have a better RTP than online casino slots, although they do demand a higher degree of skill.
Play Slots That Adjust to Your Style at Borgata Online
At the end of the day, it’s completely your choice what online slots you play. Sign up with us at Borgata Online to experiment with the best online slots and find out which ones best suit your style of play and budget. While you’re at it, feel free to try our broad range of other online casino games.