Slot Machine Paylines and Its Different Types
Paylines are the game’s foundational feature for those unfamiliar with playing slots online. Traditional fruit machines in brick-and-mortar casinos used a central pay line to reward players for landing or nudging matching symbols together. The makers of online slot games have just turned it up a level (or three) to crank up the intensity of your gameplay!
Slot Paylines: How Do They Play?
While you play, paylines are designed to remain in the background. They only become active when you get matching symbols on them in the same spin. Paylines are guidelines that dictate the specific sequence of symbols appearing on the reels to trigger a payout.
The pay lines arrangement, indicating the patterns or lines needed to line up and matching symbols, should be easily found in the pay table of your chosen online slot machine. The pay table is an excellent resource for knowing how many pay lines you may use on a slot machine.
Once you’ve determined the number of pay lines you want to use, you can alter them to your liking for slots with that feature.
These days, most slot machines favor fixed paylines; once you set your wager per spin, all of your paylines will always be active.
Various Types of Slot Machine Paylines
Slot machines differ primarily in the number of pay lines they offer. In 2023, there are more forms and sizes to choose from, so there’s more to look out for when symbols land on the reels.
Horizontal Paylines
In the world of online slots, horizontal pay lines are king. A horizontal pay line typically runs along each row, taking its cue from the pay lines found on vintage fruit machines, which sometimes featured just one pay line in the center of the reels. Five horizontal pay lines are standard on slot machines that use a 5×5 grid.
Vertical Gambling Lines
Sure, it’s not uncommon for specific online slots to feature pay lines that extend down a reel. The main objective is to line up three or more identical symbols vertically instead of horizontally on a reel.
Diagonal Paylines
Online slot machines allow pay lines to extend diagonally across the reel grid. Our starting point is the upper left corner of the reel grid, and our destination is the lower right corner.
Zigzag Paylines
When you play a slot machine with zigzag pay lines, the lines flow from left to right, making patterns like Vs. or Ws on the reels. You may see the specifics of the zigzag pay lines on your slot game’s pay table, which will display the shapes superimposed on the screen.
Last Remarks: How to Win More Money at Slot Machines
Playing with all available pay lines is the way to go to increase your chances of winning on your favorite slot machine. It’s often preferable to play fewer spins on all pay lines rather than more on half of the pay lines when playing slots.
Ensure the maximum number of active pay lines is required, not the amount you intend to stake per spin. The number of credits you bet is unaffected by the return to player percentage and overall volatility of the slot. But if you play with every pay line engaged, a winning combination is waiting to happen with every spin.