Slot machines have always been the simplest games at land-based casinos. Since they were first introduced, they have worked the same way for decades: players insert a coin, spin the reels, and wait for matching symbols to appear on all three reels. The development of online casinos and digital games, however, has given gaming studios the opportunity to create new and innovative slots, adding more reels and paylines to conventional slot mechanics.
One of the latest and most entertaining enhancements to modern video slots is the so-called “all ways win” payout system. Also known as “win ways” or “243 lines” slots, these games replace traditional paylines with an entirely new concept: every possible combination of three or more identical symbols starting from the leftmost reel results in a win. This is a noticeable improvement over the way slots have traditionally paid out. The new system eliminates one of the most frustrating problems players encounter: landing symbols that do not fit a game’s exact paylines.
How All Ways Win Slots Work
1Paylines in Conventional Slots
The paylines in conventional video slots evolved from the earliest slot machines, which had three reels and a single row of symbols across the center. This horizontal row became known as a payline, and over the years game developers added more reels and lines to give players additional chances to win, provided players were willing to pay for them. Machines paid only when three or more matching symbols appeared on one of these lines, starting from the leftmost reel.
Classic online slots typically have 1, 3, 5, or 9 paylines, while more advanced titles, often called video slots, offer 10, 15, 25, or even more fixed or adjustable paylines. In these games, players can activate as many lines as they like, but their total bet is multiplied by the number of paylines chosen. If they seek more chances to win and activate 25 lines, a $0.02 bet per payline becomes $0.50, the cost of that round.
Moreover, payouts are determined by the wager placed on each line. Using the same example, if we bet $0.02 on a 25-line game and land a 12-coin win on one payline, we collect $0.24 (12 coins x $0.02 per line). As you can see, the more paylines we play with, the more we pay and the more we can win.
2Combinations on Consecutive Reels
The ways-to-win concept is quite different. All ways win slots have no predetermined paylines; instead, they pay for every possible combination of three or more identical symbols that land on consecutive reels. The combination must start on the leftmost reel, but the specific row positions are irrelevant. Let us compare the two systems.
In a conventional three-reel slot with three rows of symbols on each reel, there are three paylines: the horizontal line across the center and the two diagonals. If the same game uses a ways-to-win system, the situation changes dramatically. The number of possible winning combinations becomes 3x3x3, or 27, which is significantly more than the paylines in the standard version.
Another key aspect is the cost of each spin. Because there are no selectable paylines and the number of combinations is large, the game charges a flat rate for every round. This rate varies by title, but players can usually adjust the coin denomination and the bet level. In this way, they cover all 27 ways to win without placing an individual wager on each one.
Popular All Ways Win Formats
243 Ways to Win
1,024 Ways to Win
3,125 Ways to Win
Typically, all ways win slots feature the phrase 243 Ways in their titles. In fact, most video slots of this type offer exactly that many ways to win. But why 243? Let us go back to the classic 3-reel slots. As we have established, they have 27 ways to win (3x3x3). If a game has only 2 reels, the possible combinations are 9 (3×3). In a 4-reel slot with 3 positions on each reel, there will be 3x3x3x3, or 81, possible ways. As you can see, the math is simple.
However, most video slots today use a 5×3 reel structure, meaning 5 reels with 3 rows of symbols on each. Following the same pattern, we can calculate the number of possible ways to win: 3x3x3x3x3, which equals 243. In 243 ways to win slots, players are not required to bet on all 243 ways, which could be expensive. Instead, they can choose among several bet levels with a fixed rate per round, usually between $0.10 and $0.50.
If we expand this to a 6-reel slot with 3 rows, we will have 3x3x3x3x3x3 or 729 ways to win. Such games are rare, but they do exist, providing players with even more chances to hit a winning combination. There are also a handful of 720 ways to win games available right now, but they do not come with the standard reel grid. The reels have a rhombus shape, and when we calculate the number of possible ways to win, we use the equation 3*4*5*4*3, which equals 720.
View more...Another very popular format for all ways win slots is the 1,024-way layout. It appears in video slots with 5 reels and 4 rows of symbols, a structure that has become popular with many game developers in recent years. The number 1,024 results from calculating all possible combinations in such games: 4x4x4x4x4.
As you can imagine, playing a slot with this setup gives you even more opportunities to win, and the 1,024 possible combinations suggest you can land fairly frequent payouts. Another variation is the 6-reel slot with 4 rows of symbols on each reel, where the all ways win system provides a massive 4,096 ways to win.
View more...Although most video slots come with 5 reels, each featuring 3 or 4 symbol positions, there are also rare games with 5 rows on each of the 5 reels. This unusual reel structure forms a square with 25 visible symbols. In titles of this type, there are 3,125 ways to win (5*5*5*5*5), paired with an uncommon layout. All of this makes playing 5×5 all ways win slots a truly exciting and memorable experience.
View more...How to Play All Ways Win Slots
1Adjust Your Bet
In terms of rules and gameplay, all ways win slots are not very different from games with standard paylines. What players should pay close attention to, however, is the cost of each round. Since there are no actual lines to bet on, the wager is spread across all 243, 1,024, or more ways to win. In other words, the cost of each round is fixed, and players can only change the coin denomination.
Some games also allow players to adjust the so-called “bet level,” which is basically the number of coins multiplied by the predetermined cost per round. Correctly sizing your bet is crucial to avoid overspending on a single spin. These slots can be costly, often requiring minimum bets of $0.50 or more.
2Volatility
Another important factor to consider before playing an all ways win slot is its volatility. These games usually have low to medium volatility, meaning they deliver frequent but smaller prizes compared to slots with conventional paylines. This is not true for every title, so players should always review the paytables.
In low-variance or low-volatility slots, payouts are typically lower even for four- or five-symbol combinations. Consider two similar games from the same provider: the first has 30 paylines, while the second offers 243 ways to win. The mechanics and visuals are almost identical, yet the top payout in the standard game is 1,000 coins, whereas it is only 150 coins in the ways-to-win version. As a rule, these games are not highly volatile, and real-life returns do not deviate much from their theoretical RTP percentages.
3Expected Returns
The expected returns from these slots are neither exceptionally high nor lower than those of regular video slots. The RTP (return to player) is roughly the same as in games with standard paylines. In most all ways win slots, players will hit winning combinations quite frequently, although these wins are not usually very large. For many players, winning more often is preferable to chasing a single big payout after dozens of losing rounds.
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Find the answers of questions people asked so far:
Is it better to stick to all-ways-win slots with fewer ways or opt for Megaways slots?
The potential return of a slot is not determined solely by the number of ways to win, so we cannot say that a higher count automatically leads to a better average return. Instead, compare each game’s RTP, volatility, and hit frequency. Looking at these factors together will help you decide which variation may pay more. Keep in mind that many all-ways-win slots have low to medium volatility, meaning wins occur fairly often but payouts are usually modest. That is not a fixed rule for every all-ways-win slot, so review all relevant factors before wagering real money.
Do all ways win slots pay more than regular payline slots?
Not necessarily. Although all-ways-win slots seem to offer more chances to win than regular payline games, other built-in factors often make their overall returns similar. The symbol set, for example, heavily influences a slot’s payout percentage. If an all-ways-win game includes many low-paying symbols, landing high-paying combinations becomes harder. To gauge a slot’s potential return, consider much more than the number of paylines or ways to win.