Find out how 243 payline slots work, how profitable they are and to what extent they are right for you. Slot games have come a long way in recent years, and manufacturers are constantly innovating in this area. The first slots had only one winning line (the central one), and later it was switched to three or five winning lines, to then reach 9, 15 or 30 lines. In recent years, games with 243 possible winning lines have become more and more fashionable, and in this article we will try to analyze as objectively as possible the tricks of this type.
How 243 payline slots work – differences from classic ones
You’re probably wondering how 243 paylines were arrived at, and the answer is extremely simple. Slots of this type use the “standard” format, with 5 reels and 3 rows, and a basic mathematical calculation shows us that 243 is the maximum number of winning lines for such a slot (3x3x3x3x3 = 243).
If for example the slot had only 3 reels and 3 rows, the maximum number of winning combinations would have been 27 (3x3x3).
Basically, 243 paylines means that the player gets a win every time he “catches” at least three identical symbols, from left to right, regardless of the position of the symbols on the three reels.
In contrast, in a “classic” slot where we have, say, only 9 paylines, you can catch the same symbol on the first three reels, but you will only get a win if the identical symbols are also “aligned” on one of the 9 variants WINNING
VIDEO SLOTS WITH 243 paylines: pros and cons
The biggest advantage of these slots is represented by the fact that they cover 100% of the winning variants, the percentage of winning spins being therefore higher. You can avoid such frustrating situations when you catch the same symbol on each of the five reels only to “discover” that only the first 3 positions are correctly aligned on a payline, or worse, only the first two and you won nothing.
In addition, in the case of slots with 243 winning lines, the WILD symbol becomes much more powerful for the simple reason that its appearance in any position can help you in several combinations (winning lines).
We can also take into account special functions, such as free spins. And in this case, the maximum number of winning variants is an important advantage, because we have a higher chance that each free spin will also bring a win, so we take full advantage of the bonus received.
Another advantage is represented by the staked amounts. In the case of classic slots, the total bet is determined by a certain amount bet on a winning line, multiplied by the number of winning lines played. For example, in the case of a slot with 30 winning lines, if the bet on one line is 0.1 lei, the total bet will be 3 lei. And winnings are generally awarded based on the bet on each line.
In the case of slots with 243 lines you are not obliged to bet a chip on each line, but we are talking about a total bet that generally starts from the bet on a line multiplied by 30. Thus, if we keep the example above, with a bet of 0.1 lei, a spin at the slot with 243 paylines will cost you 3 lei, only you will have extra “access” to 213 more winning variants compared to the slot with 30 paylines.
It’s hard to find downsides to classic slots, but they definitely exist. The most important derives precisely from one of the advantages: the ease with which you can get a winning line. The number of winning spins will be considerably higher on 243-line slots, but the player’s win (payout) is the same as that of other slots (generally varying between 91% and 98%), and the balance is basically made from the winnings .
In slots with 243 paylines you will catch lines with five identical symbols (five of a kind) much more often, but the win will be much smaller than one obtained for five identical symbols in a slot with 15 or 30 paylines. I earn.
Thus, you should know that slots with 243 paylines are not necessarily more profitable than slots with 3, 9 or 40 lines, but are an alternative to it and may suit you better if you prefer to play for periods longer, without necessarily waiting to strike overnight.