Ways to win
Ways to win is a slot pay system in which matching symbols pay when they land on adjacent reels from the left, in any row, rather than on fixed paylines. A 5-reel, 3-row ways slot has 243 ways to win because every combination of one position per reel counts: 3 × 3 × 3 × 3 × 3.
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Key takeaways
- Total ways = symbols per reel multiplied together: 3 × 3 × 3 × 3 × 3 = 243.
- Symbols must be on adjacent reels starting from reel one, but they can be in any row.
- Two matching symbols on one reel double the ways that combination pays.
- More ways does not mean a higher RTP; payouts are scaled to match.
- Also called
- All ways, all-ways pays
- Rule
- Adjacent reels from the left, any row
- Formula
- Multiply the rows on each reel
- Common counts
- 243, 576, 720, 1,024, 4,096
- Variable versions
- Megaways, xWays, expanding reels
What ways to win means
On a payline slot, a winning combination has to sit on one of a fixed list of paths. A ways to win slot drops the list. Instead, it asks a simpler question for each symbol: does it appear somewhere on reel one, somewhere on reel two, somewhere on reel three, and so on? If it appears on at least three adjacent reels starting from the left, it pays, regardless of which row each one is in.
The number on the game’s splash screen, such as 243 ways, is the total count of different paths a combination could take across the reels. It is not a list the game checks one by one; it is the result of a multiplication, and once you know it you can work out any ways figure in your head. For a side-by-side look at both systems, see paylines vs ways to win.
The ways to win formula, with real layouts
Multiply the number of visible positions on each reel. Five reels of three rows: 3 × 3 × 3 × 3 × 3 = 243. Five reels of four rows: 4 × 4 × 4 × 4 × 4 = 1,024. Six reels of four rows: 4 to the power of 6 = 4,096. Reels of different heights work the same way, which is how odd-looking numbers like 576 and 720 appear.
| Layout | Sum | Ways | Example slot |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 reels × 3 rows | 3×3×3×3×3 | 243 | Thunderstruck II, Narcos |
| Rows 3-4-4-4-3 | 3×4×4×4×3 | 576 | Ankh of Anubis |
| Rows 3-4-5-4-3 | 3×4×5×4×3 | 720 | Siberian Storm, paying both ways |
| 5 reels × 4 rows | 4×4×4×4×4 | 1,024 | Stick ’Em |
| 6 reels × 4 rows | 4×4×4×4×4×4 | 4,096 | Buffalo King |
| 6 reels × 5 rows | 5×5×5×5×5×5 | 15,625 | Le Viking |
| 6 reels × 6 rows | 6×6×6×6×6×6 | 46,656 | Hellcatraz |
The table also explains why ways counts climb so steeply. Adding one row to every reel of a five-reel game takes it from 243 to 1,024; adding a sixth reel of four rows takes it to 4,096. That rapid growth is the idea Megaways slots exploit by changing reel heights on every spin.
Counting a ways win: a worked example
Say a buffalo symbol pays 1x total bet for three of a kind on a 243-ways game, and you are betting £1. After a spin, reel one shows two buffaloes, reel two shows one buffalo, reel three shows three buffaloes, and reel four shows none.
- Check the run: buffaloes appear on reels one, two and three, then stop. That is three of a kind.
- Multiply the matching symbols on each reel in the run: 2 × 1 × 3 = 6.
- That gives 6 separate ways for the three-of-a-kind combination.
- Multiply by the paytable value: 6 × 1x × £1 = £6.
- Add any other symbols’ ways wins and scatter pays from the same spin.
Had reel four shown one buffalo, the win would become a four-of-a-kind on 6 ways, paid at the higher four-symbol rate. Had reel two shown none, nothing would pay at all, even with five buffaloes on reels one and three, because the reels must be adjacent. Wild symbols often substitute on any reel except the first, and a stacked symbol filling a whole reel multiplies the ways dramatically.
Do more ways mean better odds?
More ways mean more combinations are possible, so a ways game usually hits more often than a line game of the same size. It does not mean you win more over time. Studios scale the paytable values so the RTP lands where they want it; on many ways games individual symbol pays are small fractions of the total bet. Ways games sit in the same broad RTP range as line games.
Ways slots do tend to produce lots of small returns, many of them below the stake, so the hit frequency can flatter the experience. Judge them as you would any slot: by RTP, volatility and max win. The 243 ways slots page collects games built on the classic layout.
Expanding and variable ways to win
- Expanding reels in features. Phoenix Sun grows from 243 to 7,776 ways as extra rows unlock, and Vikings by NetEnt moves to 78,125 ways in its Raid Spins.
- Megaways. Each reel shows a random number of symbols on every spin, so the ways count changes constantly, up to 117,649 on the classic six-reel version.
- xWays and infinity reels. Mystery symbols or extra reels add ways mid-spin; see infinity reels.
- Both-ways pays. Some games, such as Siberian Storm, count combinations from the left and from the right.
Terms related to ways to win
Closest relatives are paylines, the older fixed-path system, and cluster pays, which ignores reels altogether. For a full mechanical breakdown with screenshots, read how Megaways works, since it builds directly on the ways formula.
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Frequently asked questions
What does 243 ways to win mean?
It means the slot has 5 reels with 3 visible rows each, and any matching symbols on adjacent reels from the left pay, whatever row they land in. Multiplying the rows gives 3 × 3 × 3 × 3 × 3 = 243 possible paths across the reels. You do not choose or pay for each way; your total bet covers all of them. Games such as Thunderstruck II, Narcos and Twin Spin use this layout. Browse our 243 ways slots page for more examples.
Are ways to win slots better than payline slots?
Not in value terms. Ways slots usually hit more often because so many combinations count, but studios scale symbol payouts down to keep the RTP on target, so the long-run cost is similar. The real difference is feel: ways games tend to produce frequent small returns, while line games can have bigger gaps between wins. Choose on RTP, volatility and features rather than the pay system. Our guide to paylines vs ways to win compares the two in detail.
Do symbols have to be next to each other in a ways slot?
They must be on adjacent reels, but not in adjacent rows. A ways win needs the symbol on reel one, then reel two, then reel three, and so on without a gap; any row on each reel is fine. A symbol on reels one, two and four, but missing from three, pays only for the first two reels, which is usually nothing. Some games also pay from right to left, and the rules will say so. Our slot symbols explained guide shows how wilds fill gaps.
How do you calculate ways to win?
Multiply the number of visible positions on each reel. A 5-reel, 4-row game has 4 × 4 × 4 × 4 × 4 = 1,024 ways; a 6-reel, 4-row game has 4,096; uneven layouts such as 3-4-5-4-3 rows give 720. To value a single win, multiply the count of matching symbols on each reel in the run and then multiply by the paytable figure. Two symbols on reel one and three on reel two make 6 ways for that combination. Our how to read a slot paytable guide covers the paytable side.
Is Megaways the same as ways to win?
Megaways is a branded version of ways to win in which the number of symbols on each reel changes randomly on every spin, so the total ways change too. The counting rule is identical: adjacent reels from the left, any position. On the classic six-reel Megaways layout, each reel shows 2 to 7 symbols, giving anything from 64 to 117,649 ways. Big Time Gaming created the mechanic and licenses it to other studios. Read our Megaways entry for the details.
Why does my ways win show only one line?
Because the animation usually highlights one example path, while the payout combines every path that formed the same combination. If two matching symbols sit on reel one and two on reel two, there are four separate ways for that win, and the total reflects all four. Check the win breakdown or game history for the exact figure. If the amount still looks wrong, note the round ID and contact support. Our guide on checking your slot game history explains where to find round details.