The Different Payline Systems in Pokies

If you haven’t been paying attention to the pokies lately, you’d be surprised at how how much they’ve changed over the years. As online pokies gain popularity, their payline systems have evolved along side them. We now have two distinctly different payline systems when we spin the online pokies. While the central idea of spinning the reels to create winning patterns remains unchanged, the expansion of pokies into the online and video realms has allowed for a simplification of how we place our bets. Before choosing a game, it’s important to understand the differences between the two systems and the advantages of each.

Most people who’ve ever pulled the arm of a pokie should be familiar with their traditional payline structures. One bet gives you one line to make your winning pattern, with multiple bets opening up additional lines and increasing your odds of matching up the symbols on the reels. It’s a flexible system that allows for many different methods of play. The easiest way to play is to make one bet, meaning that you are relying on making your winning pattern on the center line. While this give you the lowest odds, it gives you the most spins. You can up the number of bets to whatever you feel most comfortable with.

Many people just place every bet they can, giving them the greatest odds of winning. This group of people, then, should fit right in to the new payline system many online pokies are using. In this system, you only make one bet. You can win this one bet by simply spinning the parts of a winning pattern on each reel, regardless of where they may be vertically. Simply put, you don’t have to make a line anymore; the winning symbols can be all over the place so long as they appear on each of the reels. This new system creates new opportunities to create winning patterns not possible with traditional payline systems.

Naturally, this evolution changes more than just how bets are paid out. One of the biggest reasons that pokies have maintained their popularity for so long is that they are a great and exciting way to pass the time. Because of this, placing one small bet at a time has been a very popular way to play. It offers lower odds of winning, but it keeps you at the pokey longer. Plus, the winnings can be pretty hefty should the reels fall in place for you. Because they offer so many chances to win, pokies using the newer payline system usually have a larger minimum bet than a traditional pokie. This means you’ll probably get less spins, which means fewer chances to hit that big jackpot.

Still, for newer players or for pokie veterans that bet as many lines as they can, this new system is brilliant. Simplifying the bets significantly lowers the barrier for entry, and one bet offers more chances to win than any number of bets using the old system.

The payline system is an important consideration when choosing your pokie. If you’re looking to pass the time with smaller bets or to employ a bit of strategy in your play, then a traditional system is probably right for you. If the thought of smaller, but more frequent wins sounds more exciting to you, then a game using the newer system will serve you well. Both systems have their particular strengths and weaknesses, and whichever one is right for you depends on what you’re looking for in a pokie.