Multi-payline online slots: how they work and why they dominate modern casino games

The earliest slot machines had a single payline, and even when they upgraded, they typically added just 1 or 2 more lines. That changed with the introduction of video slot games. Multi-payline slots became the norm, and today, online slots can offer 100,000+ paylines.

So, how do these multi-payline online slots compare to their simpler counterparts? 

What are slot machine paylines?

Slot machine paylines are lines that connect one side of the grid to the other. Players must land symbol matches on these lines to get a payout, and they can land multiple payouts by landing winning combinations on multiple paylines.

The complexity and size of the paylines can vary from slot to slot. For example, Hot Coins Fortune 10 has just 10 paylines, adopting a more classic approach to payline creation. Very Lucky 1024, on the other hand, has 1,024 paylines. However, both have high RTPs (97.2%), high maximum payouts, and various combinations of symbols to attract players.

What makes multi-payline slots unique?

A multi-payline slot adds more variety and allows for a wider combination of symbols without altering the RTP. It also gives players more to look out for, as they’re not simply zeroing in on the middle line and can land payouts across the grid.

What’s more, the promise of a high payline count seems to attract players, especially when it’s used in combination with a mechanism like Megaways, Cascading Reels, or the Hold and Win feature seen in slots like Lucky Foxilian Hold and Win and Lucky Band Hold and Win.

Multi-payline slot games deliver more dynamic experiences during the base game, offering various feature triggers for free spins and bonus games, and they can incorporate symbols like wilds and scatters. Modern players are also very familiar with the format, but if they have thus far only experienced single payline slots, they can be encouraged to play a multi-payline slot for free before switching to real-money play.

How do multi-payline slots differ from single-payline slots?

Although modern classic casino slot games often use multiple paylines, they traditionally had a single payline running across the middle of a 3x1 or 3x3 grid. Multi-payline online slots use larger grids and can run paylines across all horizontals and diagonals, as well as zigzag patterns.

Rather than watching specific paylines, players often look out for a combination of symbols across the first few reels, knowing that if the combination is there, it may be on an active payline. 

Slots with single vs. multiple paylines may use a similar RNG and even offer a similar RTP, but the gameplay experience can differ greatly. Modern players tend to want more dynamic experiences, ones with various bonuses and unique mechanics, and creating such a slot requires a strong, multi-payline foundation.

The mechanics and gameplay behind multi-payline online slots

If a higher number of paylines is just the foundation, what else goes into creating multi-line slot machine games? Well, each developer has its own approach and will add its own stamp on these games in the form of unique structures, layouts, themes, and more. However, the developer will typically consider the following elements:

Configurations and winning combinations

The first step is to consider the slot grid configuration—how will the slot look and play? Large grids can accommodate more paylines, but developers can also use systems such as 243 ways to win or win-both-ways to cram more paylines into a smaller space. 

For example, Booming Spins 243 contains a massive 243 paylines on an otherwise traditional 5x3 layout, while Mega Cash’n Fruits ups the ante with 1,024 paylines on a 5x3 grid.

They can use variable paylines or fixed paylines, while also reducing the number of symbols required for winning combinations or incorporating scatter pays and pay anywhere mechanics, whereby winning symbols don’t need to land in specific paylines.

Either way, the paylines and grid layout are integral to the slot experience. The game may include free spins, Hold and Win features, fixed jackpots, and progressive jackpots, but everything starts with the grid and its paylines.

RNGs, RTPs, and other important metrics

Online slots use random number generators (RNGs) to determine the outcome of every spin. The RNG decides where symbols are placed on the grid, and it does this irrespective of the active paylines. Whether it’s a single payline slot or a multi-payline slot, it will use RNG to determine the outcome of every spin.

As for the return to player or “RTP”, it represents the average amount returned to players. Developers calculate RTPs over millions of simulated spins to balance out the effects of short losing/winning streaks, so it doesn’t mean that players will always get the same return. However, it gives those players a simple way to measure which slots are more and less likely to pay during the average session.

Developers can also adjust win sizes and jackpots in both single payline and multi-payline online slots. Typically, multi-payline slots have more symbols, more features, and thus more scope for big payout possibilities. But a slot doesn’t necessarily need a high payline count to offer a high max win.

Wagering and payline selection

Slot developers will then consider the bet sizing, taking into account the complexity and size of the paylines. For example, multi-payline slots can use either variable or fixed paylines.

In a fixed payline slot, the stake is calculated on a per-spin basis. If it has 20 paylines, every wager covers all 20 paylines, and those lines are active on every spin.

In a variable payline slot, the player can choose how many paylines to activate. These slots are not as common as they once were, as they can complicate things for players. If a winning combination lands on an inactive payline, the player won’t receive a payout. The same is true for progressive jackpots, fixed jackpots, and bonus feature triggers—they may not be active if the player doesn’t select all paylines.

Dynamic, clean gameplay

Whether the slot has fixed or variable paylines, and whether it uses complex mechanics or not, the developer will consider the player experience. There’s no point in creating an action-packed slot if it confuses everyone and no one can understand where the payouts are coming from.

So, when calculating basic metrics like the RNG and RTP and considering maximum payouts, paylines, and feature selection, slot developers will always play-test the game to ensure it is playable and enjoyable.

The many different types of multi-payline slots

Multi-payline online slots come in various forms, as there are many ways that developers can increase and vary the paylines. With win-both-ways slots, they create lines that run from right to left and left to right simultaneously, effectively doubling the usual number of paylines without increasing the grid size.

Slots that offer “243 ways to win” like Classic Chilli Plus work by creating winning positions from every possible combination. 

Payline types compared

See the table below for a list of payline mechanics and the unique ways they deliver payouts to players:

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Common features and mechanics in multi-payline online slots

Multi-payline slots use various features, mechanics, and modifiers to expand their gameplay and give players a more varied and dynamic experience. Features include:

• Wilds: Common in both small- and big-payline slots, wild symbols substitute for other game symbols, typically excluding special symbols like scatters and multipliers.
• Scatters: In slots with bonus rounds, scatters will often trigger the feature. Without bonus rounds, these symbols return a fixed payout. They can land anywhere and don’t need to appear on a specific payline, known as “scatter pays”.
• Free spins: A feature that gives players a number of free spins, often on a second screen that includes modifiers like wilds and multipliers. More scatters can add more free spins during the feature, but players can also add spins with “+” symbols, as in Mystery Coin 243.
• Bonus rounds: Bonus rounds can include everything from Hold and Win, like Lucky Legion Hold and Win, to 3D features where players click to reveal payouts.
• Multipliers: These symbols boost payouts when they are included as part of a winning combination.
• Progressive jackpots: A progressive jackpot increases with every qualifying wager and then triggers according to set rules. 

Why multiple paylines are so common in modern online slot games

Single payline slots are a rare find these days, and that’s because most players prefer bigger and more dynamic titles. Multi-payline online slots deliver more engaging gameplay, a wider array of features, and more complex game design.

For casino operators, multi-payline slots offer greater player retention rates by varying the gameplay experience. Players may be more likely to engage for longer periods if every spin provides something different, whether it’s a win on a new payline or a feature trigger.

Players also expect complexity and a selection of slot themes. They’ve played many big-payline slots, and they’ve spun their fair share of Megaways titles. They expect similarly dynamic experiences from all the slots they play, and as slot developers focus on player data and trends, they are ready to provide those experiences.

Single payline slots are very limited in scope. They leave little room for complex features and mechanics, and that’s why it’s far more common to see multi-payline slots in the current iGaming space.

1spin4win’s selection of multi-payline online slots

1spin4win creates all the types of online slots that modern players seek, including a wide selection of multi-payline online slots. These games make full use of multi-payline systems, incorporating various grid sizes and gaming mechanics alongside features such as free spins and Hold and Win rounds. Examples of multi-payline online slots from 1spin4win include:

• Mystery Coin 27: A 3x3, retro-inspired slot game that crams 27 paylines into the compact grid and still makes room for a maximum payout up to 2,000x.
• Golden Joker Plus: A Joker-themed classic slot with 5 reels, 243 paylines, and a 97.2% RTP. It also includes a free spins round that kicks off with 5 free spins.
• Burning Spins 243: Players can land winning combinations on 243 paylines in this vibrant slot, while also aiming for a 2,000x maximum payout and unlocking a bonus game with 3 or more coin symbols.
• Lucky Hercules Hold and Win: An epic slot based on ancient Greek myth, this multi-payline slot includes the titular Hold and Win feature alongside 243 paylines, 2 fixed jackpots, and a 1,300x maximum payout.

How casino operators can benefit from integrating multi-payline slots

If multi-payline games are what players want to play, casinos need to be prepared by offering a varied catalog of these games. In our experience, multi-payline slots attract larger player numbers and increase engagement. By varying the gameplay options, they may also help with player retention, while also providing more opportunities for monetization and promotional events.

Modern casinos often work with various developers to diversify their selection of multi-payline slots, ensuring that all player tastes are covered. As long as they act with players’ best interests in mind and consider responsible gambling practices at every turn, that diversification can make a massive difference in the modern online casino environment.

Conclusion: Multi-payline games and their mechanics

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Multi-payline games have become the de facto standard for online slots. They have overtaken the single payline slots that filled arcades and casinos in decades gone by. Players expect them, and developers are hard at work creating the next big payline features and mechanics.

At 1spin4win, we offer a wide selection of multi-payline titles, and by spanning many themes, features, and mechanics, we’re able to appeal to a broad selection of players and ensure we have the games that players want to play and casinos want to host. We tend to lean more toward tried-and-tested classic slot themes, but incorporate proven payline mechanics and modern bonus features to align these games with the demands of modern casino players.

FAQs

What are multi-payline slots?

A multi-payline online slot game is simply a slot machine that has multiple paylines, as opposed to a single payline.

Is there a maximum number of paylines for online slots?

Technically, developers are limited by the size of the grid, but there are ways to expand upon this, as seen in win-both-ways slots and Megaways slots.

Are big-payline slots better?

For some players, perhaps, but it’s all subjective. Some players prefer a smaller number of paylines, while others focus more on the features and theme.

Does a higher payline count equate to a better RTP?

Not necessarily, as the paylines don’t directly impact a game’s RTP. It’s a similar story with other metrics, and you can find varying payline counts on both high- and low-volatility slots, for instance.

How do fixed paylines differ from variable ones?

Fixed paylines remain the same regardless of how the player chooses to play. Variable paylines can be changed by the player.

What features can players expect to unlock in slots with multiple paylines?

It depends on the slot, but players can expect features such as free spins, Hold and Win rounds, and progressive jackpot games.

How do slots with 243 “ways to win” work?

They work by creating win ways from reel positions. If there are three matching symbols on the first three reels, for instance, these games will typically award a payout.