Paylines and Ways Paylines and Ways
The two basic methods for counting winning combinations in slots. Paylines count only combinations on set lines, while ways count a win whenever matching symbols appear on adjacent reels in any row.
| English | Paylines and Ways |
|---|---|
| Classification | Game Features |
| Payline examples | 9 lines, 10 lines, 20 lines |
| Ways calculation | Multiply the number of rows on each reel |
| 5×3 ways | 243 |
| 6×4 ways | 4,096 |
| Megaways max | 117,649 (6 reels × up to 7 rows) |
| Related concepts | Win both ways, cluster pays, scatter pays |
Overview
Paylines and ways are the two basic methods slots use to count winning combinations. With paylines, you win when matching symbols line up from the left along a predefined line. With ways, you win when each adjacent reel has at least one matching symbol, regardless of line shape. Numbers like “20 lines,” “243 ways,” and “117,649 ways” in a game’s description are exactly this count.
There is also a short comparison of the two methods in Slot Basics. This article focuses on how those numbers are calculated and how wins are counted on a single screen.
How to Read Paylines
In a payline game, only the line shapes set by the provider count as wins. Even on a 5×3 grid, the number of lines differs by game, such as 9, 10, or 20. NetEnt’s Dead or Alive has 9 lines on a 5×3 grid, Starburst has 10 lines, and Jack and the Beanstalk and Pragmatic Play’s The Dog House have 20 lines.
- Fixed paylines: All lines are always active. Most online slots today work this way.
- Adjustable paylines: You can choose how many lines to activate, and combinations on deactivated lines don’t count as wins.
- Bet per line: Your total bet divided by the number of lines is the bet on each line, so a single line’s payout is usually written as “a multiple of the line bet.”
How Ways Are Calculated
In a ways game, multiplying the number of visible rows on each reel gives the maximum number of ways. On a grid with 5 reels and 3 rows, multiplying 3 five times gives 243.
| Grid size (reels × rows) | Calculation | Max ways | Example game |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 reels × 3 rows | 3×3×3×3×3 | 243 | Twin Spin |
| 5 reels × 4 rows | 4×4×4×4×4 | 1,024 | – |
| 5 reels × 5 rows | 5×5×5×5×5 | 3,125 | – |
| 6 reels × 4 rows | 4×4×4×4×4×4 | 4,096 | Jurassic Giants |
| 6 reels × up to 7 rows (variable) | 7×7×7×7×7×7 | 117,649 | Mystery Reels Megaways |
The setup in the last row, where reel height changes on every spin, is Megaways. On the same principle, Pragmatic Play’s Forever Split Megaways adds horizontal reels above and below to reach up to 72,030 ways, and Nolimit City’s xWays Hoarder splits symbols so the base 243 ways can grow to as many as 259,920.
Counting Wins on One Screen
In a ways game, the actual number of winning ways is not the “max ways” but the product of how many winning symbols appear on each reel. For example, on a 5×3 game, if there are 2 cherries on reel 1, 1 on reel 2, and 3 on reel 3, that is 2×1×3 = 6 ways, so the 3-of-a-kind cherry win is counted 6 times. If reel 4 has no cherry, the win stops there.
| Comparison | Paylines | Ways |
|---|---|---|
| Where wins can land | Only on set lines | Any row on adjacent reels |
| Multiple matching symbols on one reel | Only the one on the line matters | Wins are multiplied by the count |
| How the number is written | 9 lines, 20 lines, 50 lines | 243 ways, 4,096 ways, 117,649 ways |
Is a bigger number better?
A higher number of ways or lines doesn’t make the RTP higher. The bigger the number, the more often winning combinations land, but each combination is designed to pay less, so the number only tells you “what shape wins take.” For a game’s actual expected return, check the RTP, and for how uneven wins are, check the volatility.
