The Purpose And Function Of The Online Slot Payline

There is little doubt that online slots are some of the most fascinating creations known to man. Helping make them thrilling to the limit is the presence of the online slot payline. These paylines are the jagged lines that show up on the reels and their presence is indispensable to the proper functioning of online slots everywhere.

With that being the case, we thought it would be an excellent idea to put together an article on how online slot payline works. This will serve to boost understanding of the principles of online slots, and might even make them more enjoyable to play.

how the slot payline function works

The Purpose And Function Of The Online Slot Payline

The essence of online slot payline is as simple as can be. Take games like online slots with reels and icons, depending on the exact place the reel comes to a stop and the icons that are on the screen, might or might not result in the formation of a winning combo.

So, exactly how does an online slot know which icon combination deserves a payout and which do not? Well, that is the task of the online slot payline.

These paylines can be described as an onscreen pattern that is read to determine if a winning combo was formed or not. Usually, online slot paylines start from the left and end at the right. Some paylines are as straight as can be, while others zig-zag across the reels.

The results of the paylines are predetermined and will forever be so. Each slot game features a fixed number of paylines, which follow a specific pattern.

For a winning combo to be formed, players are normally tasked with landing a certain number of icons on any payline. Winning patterns on the payline must begin at the most leftward reel and terminate at the most rightward reel.

Back in the days, the slot machines of the period had just three reels and a single payline. Slots of these days, in contrast, have from 1 to 50 paylines, with a few slots even having above 50 paylines.

A rule of thumb is that more the paylines featured in an online slot, the easier wins can be formed. And that is why most online slot players prefer slots with the biggest number of paylines.

However, playing with the maximum number of available paylines can be expensive. With that being the case, some slots feature a flexible number of paylines, so that players can make use of as much paylines as they feel a need for.

Online Slot Payline, Coins and Bet Level

Worth taking into consideration is how many coins are staked per payline, and how much these are worth. Doing this is essential for proper bankroll management.

As already mentioned, each activated online slot payline costs money, which will eat away the bankroll. Players have to pay with in-game coins for using the paylines, with these coins having a preset value. It is, of course, possible to dictate how much coins are used per payline and their value.

As an example, if folks wager a coin on a payline, the value of this coin must be multiplied by the number of paylines in use. Doing this makes it possible for folks to know exactly how much it costs to get the reels spinning.

Let’s say a slot has 25 paylines and players wager a coin on each payline that is worth $0.01. For the cost per spin, all that is needed is to multiply the total number of paylines and the coin value. In this case, this will be 25 x $0.01= $0.25.

However, should multiple coins be used, that too must be taken into consideration. Thus, in the example listed above, players can decide to bet two coins per payline. This will result in a cost per spin of 25x2x$0.01 = $0.50. Also, for each additional coin that is added to the payline, the payout ratio is boosted. And that is a good reason for betting as much as possible per payline.

Alternatives to the Online Slot Payline

The online gambling industry is known for being very innovative. As such, it is no surprise to know that the payline structure in an increasing number of online slots is being replaced by a new method of enabling winning combos. This is the X-Ways to Win system and it is getting really popular.

In this system, the traditional online slot payline structure is eliminated. A much more flexible means of forming winning combos are then made available. Rather than winning icons being obliged to follow a set pattern, the X-Ways to Win system merely demands that identical icons be landed on an adjacent reel, beginning from the most leftwards and disregarding the actual arrangement of the reels. So as long as gameplay icons are featured on the neighbouring reels a win can be recorded.

More and more of slots with such a system are being released, like the vampire-themed Immortal Romance slot and the adventure-themed The Dark Knight Rises slot.

Conclusion

Online slot payline is a vital ingredient of online slots that enable the formation of winning combos. The form and structure of these can vary and understanding their proper function will result in an enhanced gaming experience.