In the dynamic evolution of online slots, new and innovative ways are constantly being developed to make players win at brand new non GamStop casinos. Three of the most popular and exciting mechanisms that you will come across today are Cluster Pays, Win all Ways and Megaways. But what exactly do these terms mean and how do they differ from each other? Below, we will dive deeper into these unique winning mechanisms so that you know exactly what to expect and which one suits your playing style best.
How Do Paylines Work on Slots at Non GamStop Casinos?
Paylines are fixed patterns that run across the playing field of a slot machine. The way a payline runs shows you how symbols should land on it to yield a profit. You can find this information in the payout table of the online slot machine.
The Number of Paylines Affects Your Bet
Over the years, more and more paylines have been added to slot machines. This number can now vary from just 1 to as many as 100 per game. There are two options: you can determine the number of active paylines yourself, or this is determined for you.
When you can set them yourself, it has a direct effect on your bet. If you set the number of paylines down, your total bet is automatically reduced. When you can play a slot machine from €0.01 per spin, this is almost always due to the fact that you can participate with just 1 payline.
Most commonly, you need to form winning combinations from left to right within such a pattern. This means that an identical series of symbols must be on adjacent reels. Slots with paylines that can be formed from both left to right and right to left also occur.
Paylines Vs. Odds
It is important that you understand that the number of paylines does not determine the chance of winning at non GamStop casinos. It is not the case that the more paylines a slot machine has, the more interesting it is.
Often the opposite is the case. A game with few paylines usually pays out more per formed payline. If there are many active lines, then just one single symbol combination yields a lot less.
The Win All Ways Feature
The Win All Ways feature has one big difference compared to the standard paylines. This is that there are no fixed patterns in the game. Here the only goal is to land identical symbols from left to right on adjacent reels. The row on which the symbols land does not matter here.
The number of Ways to Win is based on the number of reels and rows that the slot machine consists of. If a certain game has 5 reels and 3 rows, then there are 3x3x3x3x3 = 243 Ways to Win. This is also the most common number, followed by 1,024. The larger the playing field, the larger the number of Ways to Win usually is.
This concept does make it a bit more difficult to determine your exact winnings per combination formed and your total bet using the payout table. Fortunately, prizes are paid out automatically. So you don’t have to perform any complicated calculations yourself. The only thing you have to determine is the amount you are playing with.
Immortal Romance, from Microgaming, is one of the most famous examples of an online slot machine featuring the Ways to Win feature.
Megaways
Megaways is a relatively new game mechanic based on the Ways to Win. It was Big Time Gaming who came up with this concept, and it quickly became a resounding success.
The innovative part is that a Megaways slot machine has a fixed number of reels, but the number of rows varies. Not only per game round, but even per reel. We usually see that this number varies from 3 to 7 rows. This also means that the total number of active symbols per spin can vary considerably. Every spin you will see exactly how many Megaways you are playing with next to the playing field.
It all started with Bonanza, a creation of Big Time Gaming. This was the first game to break through with the innovative Megaways system. This online slot from 2016 has a maximum of 117,649 different ways to win. This is a number that is still the most common for this type of slot today.
Megaways slots became a resounding success. That is why Big Time Gaming, which holds the patent on the concept, decided to start selling Megaways licenses. Soon, one big name after another in the online slot world followed, including Netent, Blueprint and Microgaming. Today, almost every renowned game developer has a Megaways license.
Game provider iSoftBet is an example of this. For this game provider, acquiring the license meant a breakthrough. The iSoftbet Megaways productions score very well with the general public. This is due to the many interesting features that it adds as standard.
Cluster Pays
The Cluster Pays feature makes playing online slots a completely different experience. The aim is to get as many of the same symbols in a group (cluster) as possible.
Often you will receive a prize if you have four or more of the same symbols in view that must touch each other completely on one side. Diagonals are therefore excluded.
If you form a cluster, in many cases an Avalanche-like construction follows. This means that the symbols within that winning group explode. The empty spaces are then filled by the above, during that same paid spin. You can also form multiple clusters per spin.
One of the very first released slots with Cluster Pays is Aloha! Cluster Pays, by Netent.
Which Slot Feature Is the Most?
Ultimately, it all comes down to personal taste. There is no feature that stands out. On the other hand, there is also no winning structure that we would definitely advise against. They all have their pros and cons.
If you are looking for something traditional, like a nostalgic fruit machine, then you cannot ignore the paylines. If you want something that is a bit more modern, then the Ways to Win will soon come into play. If you can not get enough of super innovative online slots, then the Megaways are highly recommended.