5 reel slots are the standard format for online slots: five reels side by side, usually three rows high, paying for three, four or five matching symbols from left to right. Starburst, Book of Dead, Fishin’ Frenzy and Big Bass Bonanza all use it, yet their maths could hardly be more different, so the layout tells you how a game reads rather than how it will treat your balance.
Five reels allow a pay ladder for three, four and five of a kind, which three-reel games cannot offer.
The most common window is 5 × 3, with 10, 20 or 25 paylines or 243 ways.
Variants include 5 × 4, 5 × 5 and diamond shapes such as 3-4-5-4-3.
Same layout, very different maths: Starburst is low volatility with a 500x cap; Dead or Alive 2 is high with 111,111x.
Always read the paytable to see whether prizes are shown per line or per total stake.
Most common grid
5 reels × 3 rows
Typical lines
10, 20 or 25
Ways on 5 × 3
243
Starburst RTP
96.09%
Blood Suckers RTP
98.00%
What 5 reel slots are and why they became standard
A 5 reel slot has five vertical reels, and wins are counted from the leftmost reel to the right. Three rows is the norm, giving 15 visible symbols. When slots moved from mechanical reels to video screens in the 1990s, designers were no longer limited by physical reel strips, and five reels gave them room for more lines, more combinations and bonus features that needed space to work.
Today, the overwhelming majority of online slots in the UK use five reels or more. The 3 reel slots that preceded them survive as a retro niche, and six-reel formats such as Megaways sit at the other end. Five reels remain the default because they balance clarity with variety.
The 3, 4 and 5 of a kind ladder
Five reels create a ladder of prizes. A symbol might pay when three land on a line, more for four and much more for five. Two premium symbols are sometimes allowed to pay on just two reels. That ladder is what makes five-reel games feel different from three-reel ones, where a line either completes or it does not.
Here is a worked example. Take a 10-line game at 50p a spin, so 5p a line. Suppose the top symbol pays 10x, 50x and 500x the line bet for three, four and five. Three on a line pay 50p, four pay £2.50 and five pay £25. The jump from four to five is the important one: five of a kind on a single line is rare, and it accounts for a large part of a game’s top-end return.
Paylines and ways on five reels
Five-reel games either use a fixed set of paylines or count every left-to-right combination as a way. Ways are worked out by multiplying the rows on each reel.
System
How it is counted
Example
10 lines
Ten fixed patterns
Book of Dead, Big Bass Bonanza
20 lines
Twenty fixed patterns
Rainbow Riches, Gonzo’s Quest
25 lines
Twenty-five fixed patterns
Blood Suckers, Wolf Gold
243 ways
3 × 3 × 3 × 3 × 3
Immortal Romance, Thunderstruck II
1,024 ways
4 × 4 × 4 × 4 × 4
Stick ’Em (5 × 4)
3,125 ways
5 × 5 × 5 × 5 × 5
Possible on a full 5 × 5 ways grid
Neither system pays more on its own; the paytable is scaled to suit. Ways games produce more frequent small wins, while line games can concentrate more value in specific patterns. The FAQ below compares the two in more detail.
Five reels, different shapes
Not every five-reel game is a 5 × 3 rectangle. Taller grids add rows; diamond shapes vary the height reel by reel.
Layout
Example
Win system
RTP
5 × 3
Starburst
10 lines, pay both ways
96.09%
5 × 4
Razor Shark
20 lines
96.70%
5 × 4
Money Train 2
40 lines
96.40%
5 × 5
Wanted Dead or a Wild
15 lines
96.38%
3-4-5-4-3
Siberian Storm
720 ways, both directions
Varies by version (92.52%–96%)
3-4-5-4-3
Jumanji
36 lines
96.33%
3-4-4-4-3
Ankh of Anubis
576 ways
96.2%
How features use the five reels
Many five-reel designs put special symbols on particular reels to control how often features land. A common pattern places scatter symbols on reels 1, 3 and 5 only, so three are needed on exactly those reels to start free spins. Another keeps wilds to the middle three reels, which stops them from forming five-of-a-kind on their own.
Starburst lands expanding wilds on reels 2, 3 and 4. Each one fills its reel, stays in place and awards a respin, and the game pays in both directions.
Book of Dead picks a special symbol before free spins; during the round it expands to cover its whole reel when enough appear, paying across all ten lines.
Fishin’ Frenzy puts cash values on fish symbols during free spins, collected by a fisherman wild.
Our expanding wild slots page looks at the most common reel-filling feature in more detail.
Best-known 5 reel slots compared
These five-reel games are among the most played in the UK. Figures come from each developer’s published information; casinos may run a lower RTP version, so check the help screen.
Starburst and Dead or Alive 2 both use a 5 × 3 grid and fewer than a dozen lines, yet they sit at opposite ends of the volatility scale. Starburst pays small wins often, with a 500x cap. Dead or Alive 2 can go a long time without paying much, but its cap is 111,111x.
In pounds: 200 spins at 50p is £100 staked on either game. At roughly 96% to 97% RTP, the long-run expected cost is about £3 to £4 in both cases. On Starburst, most 200-spin sessions will finish fairly close to that. On Dead or Alive 2, many will finish well short, because the return depends on its free spins round with sticky wilds, and a few will finish far ahead. Our volatility guide explains why.
3 reel, 5 reel and 6 reel slots compared
3 reels
5 reels
6 reels and Megaways
Typical grid
3 × 3
5 × 3
6 × 4 or variable
Typical win system
1 to 9 lines
10 to 25 lines or 243 ways
4,096 ways up to 117,649 or more
Pay ladder
Three of a kind only
3, 4 and 5 of a kind
Up to 6 of a kind
Bonus features
Few
Most feature types
Often cascades and multipliers
Example
Fire Joker
Book of Dead
Bonanza Megaways
How to choose a 5 reel slot for your budget
Decide how long you want a session to last and how much it should cost at most.
Pick a volatility level: low for longer sessions on a small budget, high only if you accept long dry spells.
Open the help screen and confirm the RTP this casino is running.
Read the paytable to see what three, four and five of a kind pay on the top symbols.
Check how free spins trigger and what happens during them.
Set a stake that gives you at least 100 to 200 spins from your session budget.
Our guide to best slots for beginners suggests low-volatility five-reel games that suit a first session.
UK rules on 5 reel slots
All online slots in Great Britain follow the same design rules, whatever the reel count. Each spin must take at least 2.5 seconds, autoplay and turbo are not allowed, and wins smaller than your stake cannot be celebrated as wins. Stakes are capped at £5 a spin for players aged 25 and over and £2 for 18 to 24. Bonus buys are not offered. Our UK slot rules page sets out each one.
Where to play 5 reel slots
Our five partner casinos are UKGC-licensed with thousands of games, most of them five-reel. PlayOJO gives new UK customers 80 spins on Big Bass Bonanza, a 5 × 3, 10-line game, at 10p each after a first deposit of £10 or more; winnings are paid in cash with no wagering (18+, excludes Northern Ireland, T&Cs apply).
PlayOJO’s 80 spins are on Big Bass Bonanza, a classic 5 × 3, 10-line game (18+, £10 first deposit, 10p spins, no wagering, T&Cs apply). Coral and Ladbrokes spins are 10p each on selected slots in their terms.
Coral and Ladbrokes are both run by LC International Limited (Entain). If you already hold an account with one Entain brand, you may not be able to open a new account with another; check the terms before signing up.
Significant terms: 18+. New UK customers (excluding Northern Ireland). First deposit only. Minimum deposit £10. 80 free spins on Big Bass Bonanza, £0.10 each. No wagering requirements; winnings paid in cash. Cannot be used with any other offer. Only available to players who arrive through the designated offer link. Full T&Cs apply. GamCare.org.uk
Read the PlayOJO reviewLicence: Skill On Net Limited, UKGC account 39326. Offer checked 5 October 2026.
Significant terms: 18+. New players only. Offer runs 01/10/2026 to 01/02/2027. Deposit (certain types excluded) and bet £10+ on slot games to get 100 free spins (selected games, £0.10 each, 48 hrs to accept, valid 7 days). No wagering on free spin winnings. Deposits by Neteller, PayPal, Paysafe, Skrill, prepaid cards and certain debit cards do not qualify. Restrictions and T&Cs apply. GamCare.org.uk
Read the Coral reviewLicence: LC International Limited, UKGC account 54743. Offer checked 5 October 2026.
Significant terms: 18+. New customers only, from 14/11/25 until further notice. Certain deposit methods excluded. Deposit and spend £10+ on slots for 50 free spins a day during the first 10 days after first deposit and registration (max 500, £0.10 each, selected games, claim before 23:59 each day, valid 7 days). No wagering. Prepaid cards, PayPal, Paysafe, Neteller, Skrill and Moneybookers deposits do not qualify. Restrictions and T&Cs apply. GamCare.org.uk
Read the Ladbrokes reviewLicence: LC International Limited, UKGC account 54743. Offer checked 5 October 2026.
18+. Gambling should be entertainment that costs money, not a way to make it. Set a deposit limit before you play: how to set limits. Free, confidential help: National Gambling Helpline 0808 8020 133.
Frequently asked questions
What is a 5 reel slot?
A 5 reel slot is a game with five vertical reels, usually three rows high, where wins are counted from left to right. It is the standard format for online slots and allows prizes for three, four or five matching symbols. Five-reel games use either fixed paylines, commonly 10, 20 or 25, or a ways system such as 243 ways. Starburst, Book of Dead and Fishin’ Frenzy are well-known examples. Our how slots work guide explains the basics.
Are 5 reel slots better than 3 reel slots?
Neither is better; they suit different tastes. Five-reel slots offer more paylines, a three-four-five of a kind prize ladder and richer bonus features, with higher maximum wins on many games. Three-reel slots are simpler and quicker to understand, with a classic look. Return to player depends on each game’s maths, not its reel count, so compare RTP and volatility rather than layout. Our 3 reel slots page explains that format in detail.
How many paylines does a 5 reel slot have?
It varies. Many classic five-reel games have 10, 20 or 25 fixed paylines: Book of Dead has 10, Rainbow Riches 20 and Blood Suckers 25. Others drop lines entirely and use ways, counting every left-to-right combination; a 5 × 3 grid gives 243 ways. Taller grids allow more lines or ways, such as 40 lines on Money Train 2’s 5 × 4 layout. The paytable shows the patterns. Our paylines vs ways guide compares the two systems.
What is the highest RTP 5 reel slot?
Among the five-reel slots we cover, Blood Suckers has the highest published RTP at 98.00%, followed by Big Bad Wolf at 97.34% and Halloween Fortune at 97.06% in its top version. Casinos can run lower versions of many games, so the figure in the help screen at your casino is the one that counts. A high RTP improves the long-run average but does not change the fact that each spin is random. Our high RTP slots page ranks more games by return.
Why do some 5 reel slots only have scatters on reels 1, 3 and 5?
Placing scatters on reels 1, 3 and 5 is a design choice that controls how often free spins trigger. With three specific reels, the developer can set the trigger frequency precisely, and players can see clearly when a feature is close. It also stops scatters from crowding the middle reels, where wilds often sit. The paytable or help screen shows which reels each special symbol can land on. Our scatter symbol entry explains how scatters pay and trigger.
Is a 5 reel slot with 243 ways better than one with paylines?
Not necessarily. A 243 ways game pays for matching symbols on adjacent reels in any row, so wins come more often, but each one is usually smaller. A payline game pays only on set patterns and can put more value into each line win. The RTP and volatility, shown in the help screen, matter more than the win system. Immortal Romance uses 243 ways with a 96.86% RTP; Book of Dead uses 10 lines at 96.21%. Our 243 ways slots page explains the system.
Which 5 reel slot is best for beginners?
Low-volatility five-reel slots with simple features are usually the easiest start. Starburst is a common choice: a 5 × 3 grid, 10 lines paying both ways, a 96.09% RTP and expanding wilds as its only feature, so wins come frequently and the rules are quick to learn. Its 500x cap rules out very large prizes, but a modest budget lasts. Try the demo after age verification and set a budget first. Our Starburst review covers the game in detail.
What does 5 × 3 mean on a slot?
5 × 3 describes the visible grid: five reels across and three rows down, showing 15 symbols per spin. It is the most common layout for online slots. Other layouts include 5 × 4 and 5 × 5, which add rows, and diamond shapes such as 3-4-5-4-3, where each reel has a different height. The layout affects how many lines or ways a game can use, but not its RTP. Our slot symbols explained guide covers what appears on the grid.
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