Paylines and ways to win
On a payline slot the game only checks fixed paths, the lines drawn in the paytable, starting from reel 1. Ways slots skip the lines. If your symbol shows up on reel 1, reel 2 and reel 3, in any row, that's a win. A 5x3 ways game has 243 of these paths.
How the ways count is worked out
Count it yourself on a 5x3 grid: three spots on reel 1, three more on the next reel and so on, and every combination of one spot per reel is a path. That's 243. Add a fourth row and you're at 1,024.
| Grid (reels x rows) | Ways | How it is reached |
|---|---|---|
| 5x3 | 243 | 3 x 3 x 3 x 3 x 3 |
| 5x4 | 1,024 | 4 x 4 x 4 x 4 x 4 |
| 5x5 | 3,125 | 5 x 5 x 5 x 5 x 5 |
| 6x4 | 4,096 | 4 x 4 x 4 x 4 x 4 x 4 |
| 6x5 | 15,625 | 5 x 5 x 5 x 5 x 5 x 5 |
| 6x7 | 117,649 | 7 x 7 x 7 x 7 x 7 x 7, the Megaways ceiling |
| Game | Studio | Grid | Pays by |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starburst | NetEnt | 5x3 | 10 paylines |
| Wanted Dead or a Wild | Hacksaw Gaming | 5 reels | 15 paylines |
| Bonanza | Big Time Gaming | 6 reels, changing height | Megaways, up to 117,649 |
| Le Bandit | Hacksaw Gaming | not stated on the page | Cluster pays |
Win type as printed on each studio page. Five reels for Wanted Dead or a Wild because the page mentions up to five DuelReels.
Lines against ways, simulated
More ways doesn't mean four times the hits of a 20-line game. Most three-reel paths are already covered by twenty well-placed lines, so going to 243 ways only lifts your hit rate with a given symbol by about a quarter.
| Symbol shows on a spot | 5 lines | 10 lines | 20 lines | 243 ways |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 in 10 | 0.49% | 0.91% | 1.58% | 1.99% |
| 1 in 8 | 0.94% | 1.72% | 2.89% | 3.60% |
| 1 in 6 | 2.21% | 3.87% | 6.16% | 7.47% |
Own simulation, script paylines_vs_ways_sim.py, 400,000 random grids per row (seed 612); the 243-ways column matches the exact formula (1 - (1 - q)^3)^3. Line shapes: 3 rows, 2 V shapes and 15 common zigzags. No wilds, every spot independent. Winning paths per spin on the 1 in 8 row: 0.053 on 243 ways, 0.039 on 20 lines.
Ways pull ahead on how many paths pay once a symbol connects. To stay near the same RTP, a ways game then pays less per path, so you see more small wins and fewer chunky line hits.
Reading the paytable
- Line diagram: numbered lines drawn on a mini grid. Wins usually count from reel 1 only.
- Pays both ways: some line games also pay from the rightmost reel. The rules say so if they do.
- Ways games: the paytable lists a value per symbol count, and a win is multiplied by the number of paths.
- One win per line: on a payline only the highest win counts. On ways every path pays separately.
- Older games with line choice: if you can switch lines off, the bet shrinks, and so does your share of hits.
Comparing two games? Skip the ways number. Open the rules of both, write down the RTP and the hit frequency if they're listed, and look at what three of the top symbol pays. A tiny number there means the bonus pays for nearly everything.
Not affiliated with NetEnt, Big Time Gaming, Hacksaw Gaming or any studio named here. Names belong to their owners.
Questions
Paylines or ways to win: how do they differ?
Paylines are fixed paths across the reels. Ways count a matching symbol on each neighbouring reel, starting with reel 1, whatever its row, so every possible path works like a line.
What does 243 ways to win mean?
Five reels with three rows each. One symbol per reel gives 3 x 3 x 3 x 3 x 3 = 243 possible paths, and all of them pay.
Are ways slots better than payline slots?
Not in return. In our simulation 243 ways hit about a quarter more often than 20 lines for the same symbol, but each path pays less, and the paytable fixes the RTP.
How many ways does a 5x4 slot have?
1,024, from 4 x 4 x 4 x 4 x 4. A 6x4 grid has 4,096.
Sources
- NetEnt: Starburst. 10 paylines, 5x3 Checked 12 November 2026
- Hacksaw Gaming: Wanted Dead or a Wild. Wintype: 15 Paylines Checked 12 November 2026
- Hacksaw Gaming: Le Bandit. Wintype: Cluster Pays Checked 12 November 2026
- Big Time Gaming: Bonanza. Megaways, up to 117,649 ways Checked 12 November 2026
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