Pokies Paylines Explained: Lines, Ways and Line Bets
A payline is a fixed path across the reels on which matching symbols must land to pay. Most pokies pay from left to right, starting on reel 1, and need at least three matching symbols on consecutive reels. Your total stake is the line bet multiplied by the number of lines. Newer games often replace lines with ways to win, clusters or pay-anywhere rules, but line games remain the majority of classic and many modern titles.
This page is part of our online pokies guide. For grid-based systems, see cluster pays and Megaways.
How a Line Win Is Counted
- The game checks each active line separately.
- A line pays if the same symbol (or a wild substituting for it) lands on reels 1, 2 and 3, or more consecutive reels.
- Only the highest win per line is paid. Three cherries inside a five-cherry line pay as five, not as both.
- Wins on different lines are added together.
- Scatter wins are paid separately, usually as a multiple of the total bet, regardless of lines.
If reel 2 breaks the sequence, nothing on reels 3 to 5 counts for that line, even if three matching symbols sit there. Games that pay both ways, such as Starburst, also count sequences starting from reel 5 going left.
Line Bet vs Total Bet
Older games display a line bet and a number of lines; newer games display only the total bet. The arithmetic:
| Lines | Line bet | Total bet per spin | Line win of 10x line bet pays |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | A$0.10 | A$1.00 | A$1.00 |
| 20 | A$0.05 | A$1.00 | A$0.50 |
| 25 | A$0.01 | A$0.25 | A$0.10 |
| 40 | A$0.025 | A$1.00 | A$0.25 |
| 50 | A$0.02 | A$1.00 | A$0.20 |
The 25-line row matches an example from Queensland’s regulator: 1 cent on 25 lines costs 25 cents per spin, and at 20 spins a minute that is A$5 a minute or A$300 an hour (Business Queensland). Low line bets can look cheap but add up quickly.
Line Counts in Real Games
| Pokie | Grid | Win system | RTP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dead or Alive 2 | 5×3 | 9 fixed lines | 96.80% |
| Book of Dead | 5×3 | 10 lines, adjustable 1 to 10 | 96.21% |
| Starburst | 5×3 | 10 fixed lines, pays both ways | 96.08% |
| Wanted Dead or a Wild | 5×5 | 15 lines | up to 96.38% |
| Gonzo’s Quest | 5×3 | 20 fixed lines | 95.97% |
| Blood Suckers | 5×3 | 25 fixed lines | 98.00% |
| Elvis Frog in Vegas | 5×3 | 25 fixed lines | 95.3% |
| Money Train 2 | 5×4 | 40 fixed lines | 96.40% |
| Dragon’s Fire | 5×4 | 40 lines | 96.07% |
| Big Bamboo | 5×6 | 50 fixed lines | 96.13% |
The table shows there is no link between line count and RTP. Dead or Alive 2 has the fewest lines and one of the highest RTPs; the paytable is scaled to match.
Ways to Win
Ways games drop fixed patterns. Any matching symbols on adjacent reels from reel 1 pay, in any row:
| Grid | Ways | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 5×3 | 243 (3 to the power of 5) | Twin Spin, Narcos |
| 5×4 | 1,024 (4 to the power of 5) | Many modern line-free titles |
| 6×4 | 4,096 (4 to the power of 6) | Iron Bank, Beast Mode |
| 6 reels, 2 to 7 rows | up to 117,649 | Bonanza Megaways |
If a symbol appears twice on one reel, it doubles the number of ways for that combination. Two crowns on reel 1, one on reel 2 and two on reel 3 give 2 x 1 x 2 = 4 ways.
Should You Reduce the Number of Lines?
In the few games that still allow it, cutting lines saves money per spin but has trade-offs:
- Fewer winning patterns per spin, so more empty spins.
- Special features may only pay on active lines. In Book of Dead, the expanding symbol in free spins pays on the lines you played; with 1 line active, a full-screen expansion pays a fraction of its full-line value.
- Scatter prizes and feature triggers usually stay the same, but their payout is based on the total bet.
The cleaner way to spend less per spin is to keep all lines and lower the coin value or total bet.
Paylines and Volatility
Line count does not set volatility on its own, but games with few lines tend to have sparse base games. Dead or Alive 2 pays on 30% of spins with only 9 lines, but most of its value is in the sticky-wild free spins. Blood Suckers, with 25 lines, pays on 45% of spins and has a 900x cap. See volatility for how to read these figures.
Reading a Payline Diagram
The paytable screen numbers each line and draws its path. Lines 1 to 3 are usually the three straight rows; higher numbers are V shapes, zigzags and steps. When a win lands, most games highlight the line number, which you can match against the diagram to confirm the payout. Classic 3-reel games often have only 1 to 5 lines; see classic vs video pokies.
For the step from symbols to payouts in general, read how pokies work. For the studio behind several of the line games above, see NetEnt.
Frequently Asked Questions
A payline is a fixed pattern across the reels, usually running from the leftmost reel to the right. You win when matching symbols land on consecutive reels along an active line, starting from reel 1. The paytable shows every line’s pattern.
In games with adjustable lines, playing fewer lines cuts the cost per spin but also removes winning patterns, and special features such as Book of Dead’s expanding symbol only pay on active lines. Most modern pokies have fixed lines, so the choice no longer exists. If you want to spend less, lower the coin value instead of the number of lines.
On a 5×3 grid, a 243-ways game pays for matching symbols on adjacent reels in any row, starting from reel 1. The number comes from 3 x 3 x 3 x 3 x 3 = 243, every possible path through the grid.
No. More lines create more winning combinations, but the paytable values are scaled to the line count so the RTP stays the same. A 9-line game such as Dead or Alive 2 has a 96.80% RTP, higher than many 40 or 50 line games.
With many lines, a single small line win is a fraction of your total bet. On a 25-line game at A$0.25 per spin, a line win of 2x the line bet pays 2 cents.
Gambling is for adults 18+ and should stay within a budget you can afford to lose. Free, confidential support is available 24/7 from Gambling Help Online on 1800 858 858.