Regular payline slots have been around since the first-ever slot machine. These are slots where matching symbols have to land on paylines to be considered a win. Players have been trying their luck on this kind of slot for 125 years. However, these days we have alternatives to classic payline slots.
The most popular of those alternatives are the deposit to play Megaways slots, which do not rely on specific paylines to pay out wins. Megaways slots are being produced at high rates and the demand is ever-increasing.
In this article, we compare the classic payline slots with Megaways slots.
Paylines slots
The classic format of slot games hasn’t lost its spark just yet. Payline slots are still very popular with players from all over the world. These games generally have a lot of perks and reasons to choose them.
Payline slots typically have 3, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25 or 40 paylines. Some slots will have “243 ways to win” or “1024 ways to win” which are considered to be the top amount for a payline slot.
The main advantage that payline slots have over Megaways is the higher hit rate. In other words, a standard, non-jackpot payline slot has less potential for massive wins than Megaways, but it compensates in scoring more frequent wins.
But that is not to say that payline slots cannot pay out massive amounts. We can sum up payline slots in a few pros and cons:
Pros:
- A higher hit rate on average;
- A very wide variety of games. Most of them come with very creative and exciting bonus features, side games and other novelties.
- Progressive jackpot slots are payline slots that offer the biggest winning potential. Wins going by the millions are paid out on a regular basis by progressive jackpot slots.
Cons:
- Player only bets on specific paylines which differ between games. A win on one game is not necessarily a win in another game.
- There are some awful payline slots as well as some fantastic ones. Choosing the correct game can become tricky, especially for beginners. The player should be able to keep themselves right as long as they don’t play low-RTP slots.
Megaways
Now, this type of slot turned the industry upside down when it was introduced in 2015. At the time, slots were losing popularity and the industry was gasping for something new and unseen before. The Australian slot developers Big Time Gaming introduced the Megaways system in 2015 which revolutionised the way slots can be played.
Megaways games have 6 reels and varying numbers of symbols on every reel (from 2 to 7). The more symbols, the more ways to win the player has.
The biggest advantage that Megaways slots have over standard payline slots is the potential for absolutely massive wins due to it’s maximum 117649 ways to win.
Here are the pros and cons for Megaways slots:
Pros:
- Huge winning potential with 117649 ways to win;
- Games typically come with standard bonus features, such as free spins, wilds, tumbling reels and multipliers.
- A unique game layout that offers a fresh look at slots.
Cons:
- The massive winning potential means you’ll sometimes have low-paying periods. Nothing extreme though, the game tends to stay enjoyable at all times!
- No progressive jackpots are currently offered with Megaways slots.
Conclusion
Both Megaways and standard payline slots have some great games in their respective arsenals. Payline slots can offer great options for those that like the classic way of playing slots or a completely modern take on feature-heavy slots. For those that like innovation, big wins and want to experience something new, Megaways could be the perfect choice.
Some people claim that the superior Megaways slots will eventually eliminate all the other types. We will see if that happens in the years to come. Until then, gamble responsibly and we wish you huge wins!
