Slots by Attributes
Online slots provide players with access to various worlds where everything is possible. They come in various shapes and sizes, and are packed with exciting features to spice up the action. This article is to present the most common attributes of these games, like slot reels, paylines, and RTP rates. We will explain what slot attributes are, along with the main types, and some useful examples. Check out the tips by the Slot Catalog team of experts that will help you select online slots by these mechanics and characteristics. For a dessert, we will sum things up and conclude why attributes matter for slot enthusiasts!
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What Are Slot Attributes?
Slot attributes are what you see and feel when you start an online slot game. Those are the grid layouts, payout engines, technical tools, and bonus features. These are the main parts of an online game that players use in their efforts to collect cash. There are different types of slot machine reels, paylines, ways to win, and RTP rates.
Slot mechanics determine the way reels spin and symbols appear on the grid. They also establish payout patterns and advanced cycles, like with the cascading reels, for example. Slot features can be technical tools, like Autoplay and Turbo Spin, or bonus rounds, multipliers, wild symbols, and many others. In this article, I’ll provide essential information about the main attributes of slot machines!
Types of Slot Attributes
If we stick to the thesis that attributes are the main elements of a game machine, then the types can be easily defined. These are the slot game reels, paylines, volatility levels, payout rates, and hit frequency. All the rest are either special features or sub-attributes, like bonus triggering rate. Here are the main parts of a slot mechanic:
Slot Machine Reels
The slot machine reels are the columns on a grid, and usually, they are between 3 and 6. Those are vertical reels with a different number of symbol positions, often defined as rows. The classic grids have a layout of 3x3, while the most modern slot matrices are 5x3 or 5x4. Advanced payout mechanics, like Pay Anywhere and Cluster Pays, require larger grids of 5x5, 6x5, 6x6, 7x7, etc.
Nowadays, the industry has the privilege to use magnificent new technology and craft payout engines of new generations. Megaways is a good example of that as it not only provides multiple winnings via cascades, but also more sophisticated layouts. In terms of reels, many Megaways slots have an extra reel, placed horizontally on top of the grid and bringing extra symbols by spinning from right to left.
Slot Machine Paylines
What are paylines on slot machines is probably one of the oldest questions newbies ask when they first encounter such a game. Well, those are the win lines that determine the payout patterns. For example, symbols must follow a line from left to right or vice versa to pay a reward according to the respective paytable.
The number usually depends on the size of the grid, and a suitable example is classic slots. The 3 reel slot machine paylines are usually 5, while games with 5x3 matrices can have 10, 15, 20, 25, and pretty much every number. There are two types of paylines - fixed lines and adjustable paylines.
As their names imply, the first type can’t be changed, while the second is configurable. Players can select how many lines to be active, and that also affects the coin value and bet size. I highly recommend always using the maximum number of paylines to achieve the best results and benefit from the slot’s full payout potential.
Slot Reels Explained
As I already mentioned, the slot game reels usually spin from left to right, except for the horizontal ones. The reel layout or slot grid determines the type of mechanic and the way you can collect payouts. Classic slots come with 3 or 5 reels and provide payouts for symbol combinations of 2, 3, or more, of the same kind. Modern slots are packed with special reel features, including ways to win, avalanches and cascades, both ways, cascades, and many others. Here are the most common slot reel layouts:
3 Reel Slot Machines
The 3 reel slot machine paylines usually pay for 3 symbols of a kind and are counted from the leftmost reel to the right. From my experience in the industry, I can say that the most widespread grid configuration is 3x3. This slot type often offers scatter symbols and wilds in addition to regularly-paying figures. The 3-reel slots boast fruits on the reels, have vintage-style designs, and minimalist, fast-paced gameplays. Here are some examples for you to check out:
- Cherry Red Retro Roller
- 9 Burning Dragons
- Big Win Cat Pawsperity
- 9 Lions
- Coin Strike 2: Hold and Win
5 Reel Slot Machines
Nowadays, the most widespread type of slot is with 5 reels, and players will find an abundance of themes, mechanics, and features. In the old days, the 5 reel slot machine paylines were usually between 10 and 100. However, today, you can find various types of machines with advanced payout engines and innovative features. Below, you can see several highly-rated 5-reel slots sorted by our in-house-built SlotRank:
7 Reel Slot Machines
Online slots with 7 reels are fewer compared to those with 3, 4, and 5 columns, but are usually connected to more advanced mechanics. The most common 7-reel grid layout is 7x7, and the payout system is usually Cluster Pays. These reels spin individually and are enhanced with cascading features, multipliers, and hot zones. Take a look at some really hot examples:
9 And More
Although the number of slot reels is only limited by game developers’ imagination, grids with more than 7 or 8 columns are very rare. Only a several providers have dared to provide such games to the public, and their success can’t be determined. Slots with 9 reels usually use unique and innovative cluster-pay mechanics, like Clusterbuster by Red Tiger. If you feel curious, here are a few titles to taste:
Slot Machine Paylines Explained
The slot machine paylines define how symbols have to be placed on the grid to activate and pay the respective rewards. Lines can work from left to right, right to left, or both ways. They can start from the leftmost or rightmost grid, from both, or any reel. These are the main and so-called classic payline patterns for the games with this payout system type. The number of active lines can affect the minimum bet, max bet, and the hit frequency.
Single Payline Slots
Classic slots often come with a single payline and a 3x3 layout. The grid is usually designed as a retro roller with fruits and other vintage gambling symbols, like sevens and bells. A combination of symbols landing in the middle of the roller usually activates the slot payline, and players get a reward. Below, you can find some highly-rated titles with this mechanic:
Multi Paylines Slots
The number of slot machine paylines can widely vary from 1 to 100, in most cases. Naturally, a greater number of lines requires more space, so usually slots with more than 20 paylines have grids of at least 5x4. Players can score wins on several of them on every spin, but only the highest win on every line is paid. Below, I offer to your attention 2 rarer combinations with several examples.
6 Paylines Online Slot Machines
Slot mechanics that generate 6 lines are not widespread, and only a limited number of game providers have them in their portfolios. This engine usually requires 3x3 or 3x4 playing matrices and functions from left to right. It will be very helpful if wild symbols are part of the mix. Here is a brief 6 paylines online slot machines list:
9 Paylines Online Slot Machines
Slots with 9 paylines are way more common and may come with various grid layouts. However, it is more likely to find this mechanic in games with 3x3 and 5x3 boards. The 9-line engine is considered one of the classic systems, along with 5 lines and 10 lines. Here is a short 9 paylines online slot machines list:
Both-way Paylines
Ever since the release of the legendary Starburst slot by NetEnt, paylines on slot machines have never been the same. The both-way mechanic works exactly as it sounds. Lines pay from left to right, but also vice versa and sometimes, there is no need for winning combinations to start from the leftmost or rightmost reel. The bothway slots have a solid advantage, and here are some excellent examples for you to try:
Megaways
There are slot paylines, but also there are more sophisticated payout systems, like Megaways. This engine and several others built over the years using the concept provide ways to win instead of lines. Megaways must start from the leftmost side of the grid and symbols of the same kind must land on adjacent reels.
They can be far from each other, but must be on successive columns to create a winning way, and they must be enough in numbers. Megaways comes with a dynamic grid consisting of 6 or more reels and a variable number of symbols on each one per spin. The classic mechanic provides up to 117,649 ways to win, but there are more advanced versions with up to a million.
- Piggy Riches Megaways
- White Rabbit
- Twin Spin Megaways
- Zombie School Megaways
- Gold Rush Frenzy Megaways
Tips for Choosing Slots Based on Attributes
Selecting the right slots to play is like choosing the most suitable online casino. It is crucial to find a title that has the correct attributes to secure a pleasant and potentially profitable game. Although technical indicators like RTP and volatility levels are more important, the number of slot machine paylines is crucial as well.
You can hardly collect many payouts with few lines, especially on a large grid. There is no recipe or rules for that, but I prefer games with at least 10 paylines if the board is larger than 3x3. On the other hand, players need to assess the slot’s volatility, and the medium is considered more player-friendly. It would be great if the payout rate is above 96%, too.
Slot paylines continue to be the first choice for many providers, despite the rush of advanced mechanics based on the ways-to-win systems. Players somehow prefer the old way, especially if they seek more classic bonus features, like free spins and progressive jackpot rewards. Ideally, you’ll pick a medium volatile slot with a high RTP rate, a balanced set of features, and a number of paylines according to your personal taste.
Why Slot Attributes Matter?
All in all, slot attributes matter because they determine the gameplay and often, the odds of success. There is no right and wrong when you pick a game, but every player needs to know the field and rules. Any number of slot reels and paylines can bring you the big win if the slot’s RNG algorithms decide that.
In my experience, I’ve collected more and bigger wins from classic slot machines with 3 reels and 5 lines than from titles with 100 paylines. In theory, Megaways and Cluster Pays should pay more, as they come with high RTPs and max wins. More lines or ways to win can contribute to the fun because of the more frequent hits, but you also need to make wise decisions to manage your bankroll well!
Slot Attributes FAQ
What is a slot attribute?
Most simply said, attributes are key elements of the game, like slot machine reels, rows, paylines, and features. They are the base of every online slot and determine the type of play.
What are the most important slot attributes?
Surely, the slot reels and win lines are the most critical elements of a game. Next, we can add RTPs, levels of volatility, technical tools, and bonus features.
How many reels online slot can have?
Online slots can have a minimum of 1 reel, but with very few exceptions, these games have at least 3. Their number also determines how many slot paylines will be available.
What is the best number of slot paylines?
There is no good or bad when it comes to the number of paylines. Machines with 5 lines can pay more than slots with 100 lines or thousands of ways to win.
What is Megaways?
Megaways is an innovative payout mechanic that can deliver thousands of ways to win. It usually comes along with at least 6 slot game reels and built-in features, like cascades and multipliers.
