Paylines, 243 ways and Megaways are three ways a slot decides what counts as a win: fixed patterns, matching symbols on adjacent reels, or a way count that changes with every spin. Knowing which one a game uses tells you what a win really is.
Paylines and false wins
Paylines are the patterns along which symbols must line up to win. They can run straight, diagonally or in a zigzag. Many games let players choose how many lines to bet on, while others have fixed lines, and a line that was not bet on pays nothing.
PlaySmart warns about false wins: a payout that is smaller than the total bet across all lines. The game celebrates a win, but your balance has gone down.
243 ways to win
In 243-ways slots there are no fixed lines. Three or more matching symbols anywhere on adjacent reels, starting from the leftmost reel, count as a win.
The number comes from the grid. On a 5 by 3 grid, each of the five reels has three positions, so there are 3 to the power of 5, or 243, possible ways. On a 5 by 4 grid it is 4 to the power of 5, which is 1,024. Microgaming is generally considered the pioneer of this format.
Megaways
Big Time Gaming's Bonanza, released in December 2016, introduced the patented MEGAWAYS system. The number of symbols on each reel changes from spin to spin, so the number of ways changes too, up to 117,649 per spin. That figure is 7 to the power of 6: six reels with up to seven symbols each. Winning symbols disappear and new ones cascade into their place.
For players, the practical point is the same across all three: read the paytable, compare any win with your total bet, and remember that more lines or ways do not change the house edge.
Gambling is for adults (19+ in most provinces, 18+ in Alberta, Manitoba and Quebec) and costs money; free, confidential help is available from ConnexOntario on 1-866-531-2600 or your provincial helpline.
