Multi-Line and Single-Line Slots: What’s the Difference?

First, it’s necessary to explain what a payline is. When the symbols land on the reels, it’s not enough to collect several same examples next to each other to win (unless we are talking about clusters). That’s where paylines come into play. They are also called betways and they are certain combinations, which determine the places where symbols should land to let you win.

In some games, this number is regulated, so the more lines you activate (which increases your winning chances), the higher your bet is. When wins are provided on several lines, you collect each. But remember that only the highest win per line is paid. And now, let’s find out what these single-line and multi-line slots are!

Single-Line Slots

Hence the name, these slots have only 1 payline. And this makes your chances to win slightly lower. However, machines with this feature hardly ever have a big layout, so even 1 line is enough to put symbols in the necessary positions.

In these slots, nearly everything is simplified. The grid is usually 3x3 or even 3x1. Bonus games are usually absent. Even the design is plain and mainly contains gambling classic symbols, such as fruits or sevens.

But it’s also an advantage for some players as complicated mechanics may scare off newcomers or the fans of old-school gambling. If you are into simple rules, that’s what you need.

Here comes several examples of single-line slots:

• Lucky 7 (BetSoft)
• Game 2000 (Stakelogic)
• Big Wheel (Realistic)
• Double Diamond (IGT)
• 888 Tower (AllWaySpin)

As you can see, all of them are pretty simplified and have similar themes, though options like RTP and the bet range may be slightly different.

Multi-Line Slots

As their name suggests, these machines have more than 1 line, and mostly, it’s even more than 9 or even 243. Modern titles are equipped with a bunch of new concepts, which make the number of lines vary during the session, for example, Megaways.

In addition to a whole lot of lines, these games also feature a big number of other interesting things, which are outpacing bonuses. These bonuses are free spins, sticky symbols, free falls, expanding symbols, mini-games, and much more.

The themes are also diversified and in addition to common fruits on the grid, you will meet various mythology creatures, characters of popular movies, and symbols dedicated to various themes, such as Ancient Egypt, fairy tales, cartoons, sport, and more.

There are many variations of the number of lines, so we’ll highlight the basic categories you can choose from:

• 5-line slots – actually, these slots are also quite simple and are similar to single-line titles. Hot to Burn from Reel Kingdom is among them.
• 20-line slots – here, the number of lines is bigger, while the features are more advanced. For instance, Epic Crystal, Silver Seas, and House of Doom 2 The Crypt.
• 243-line slots – it’s another popular configuration, which is available on slots like Atlantis The Forgotten Kingdom.
• Megaways slots (up to 117,649 or more) – it’s another popular tendency, which is equipped in nearly all new slots. Examples of these titles are Cops and Robbers Megaways and Moriarty Megaways.

Keep in mind that some of these machines have a fixed number of lines. This means that they are determined by default and it doesn’t depend on your preferences. Yet, other machines have icons for players to modify this number for each new round.

Actually, the main difference is in the number of ways you can win. This doesn’t mean the single-line titles will make you lose. However, the more lines you activate, the more engaging the game is. Additionally, single-line titles are usually classic old games, where you won’t experience advanced features.

Some gambling guides may tell you that it’s a good idea to begin with a single-line title and opt for more advanced games after practicing for a while. So you can use this tip and use demo versions of all these slots as well. No risks and a better understanding of how each machine works.