What paylines are, how ways to win and cluster pays differ, and how to work out what a spin really costs.
A payline is a line across the reels that decides which symbols count as a win. If the right matching symbols land along an active payline, the game pays according to its paytable.
In most games, wins are counted from the leftmost reel to the right, and the matching symbols must sit on neighbouring reels with no gap. Some games also pay from right to left, and the game's information screen always says which applies.
Older and classic-style pokies use a set number of lines, from a single line to 100 or more. How they work depends on the game:
Always check the total bet shown on screen, not only the line bet, so you know what each spin really costs.
Many modern pokies have no fixed lines at all. They use other systems to decide wins:
| System | How a win is formed |
|---|---|
| Paylines | Matching symbols on a set line, usually from the left, on adjacent reels |
| Ways to win | Matching symbols on adjacent reels from the left, in any row. A 5-reel, 3-row game has 243 ways (3 × 3 × 3 × 3 × 3) and a 5-reel, 4-row game has 1,024. |
| Megaways | Reels change height every spin, so the number of ways changes too, up to 117,649 in the best-known versions |
| Cluster pays | Groups of the same symbol touching each other, with the group size needed set by the game |
For the special symbols and bonus rounds that often sit on top of these systems, see our Pokies Beginner Guide.
Not by themselves. More lines usually mean more ways for a win to appear, but you are also betting on more lines, so each spin costs more. The game's stated RTP applies to the total amount you wager across all lines.
Look for the help, info or paytable section. It shows the line patterns or explains the ways system.
Confirm whether wins pay from the left only or in both directions, and how many matching symbols are needed.
Work out the cost of one spin with all active lines or ways, before you press spin.
Wilds, scatters and bonus rounds follow their own rules and are explained in the same screen.
This guide is general information only and is intended for readers aged 18 and over. It is not legal advice.