How Do The Lines On A Slot Machine Work?

Slots Machines have lines which are called pay lines. For example, a typical 3-reel slot game (classic) will have one pay line in the middle. More advanced slot machines will have anywhere from 15 to 100 pay lines. The most popular are the 5-reel slots that usually have 20 or 25 pay lines. But as the competition for slot games increase, so will the number of reels and pay lines. So how does a line on a slot machine work?

Winning Pay Lines

When 2 or more symbols appear on a pay line, this is called a winning combination. You will win whatever the symbol is worth as well as how much you wagered for that particular spin. So you have to be able to bet on all pay lines to have a shot at winning. Thus, if you bet on less than the maximum number of pay lines it would be a fruitless exercise. Imagine if you only bet on 5 lines and you got the jackpot symbol across the reels on different lines, you wouldn’t win a dime.

Pay Lines Come in Different Formats

The classic slots, as mentioned earlier, are straightforward. There is one line and one line only. For the more advanced slots, the pay lines can run across the reels in a horizontal, vertical, or diagonal pattern, much like Bingo. In fact, while most slot games will pay out for wins from left to right; there are almost an equal number of slot games that will pay out for wins from right to left as well.

Progressive Slots

When playing progressive slots, for example, you would have to not only bet the max but play ALL pay lines for a shot at the progressive jackpot. This information is always included in the Pay Table. Speaking of the Pay Table, it is here you will view all the different pay line combinations in addition to the odds, winning combinations, and other special features you will need to know about.