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βœ“ Activates automatically after clicking through
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4.4/5
βœ“ Licensed online casino
βœ“ Czech customer support
βœ“ Quick withdrawals
Evaluation
4.0/5
βœ“ Licensed online casino
βœ“ Czech customer support
βœ“ Quick withdrawals
Evaluation
4.0/5
βœ“ Licensed online casino
βœ“ Czech customer support
βœ“ Quick withdrawals
Evaluation
4.0/5
βœ“ Licensed online casino
βœ“ Czech customer support
βœ“ Quick withdrawals
Evaluation
4.0/5
βœ“ Licensed online casino
βœ“ Czech customer support
βœ“ Quick withdrawals
Evaluation
4.0/5
βœ“ Licensed online casino
βœ“ Czech customer support
βœ“ Quick withdrawals
Evaluation
4.0/5
βœ“ Licensed online casino
βœ“ Czech customer support
βœ“ Quick withdrawals
Evaluation
4.0/5
βœ“ Licensed online casino
βœ“ Czech customer support
βœ“ Quick withdrawals
Evaluation
4.0/5
βœ“ Licensed online casino
βœ“ Czech customer support
βœ“ Quick withdrawals
Evaluation
4.0/5
βœ“ Licensed online casino
βœ“ Czech customer support
βœ“ Quick withdrawals
Evaluation
4.0/5
βœ“ Licensed online casino
βœ“ Czech customer support
βœ“ Quick withdrawals
Evaluation
4.0/5
βœ“ Licensed online casino
βœ“ Czech customer support
βœ“ Quick withdrawals
Evaluation
4.0/5
βœ“ Licensed online casino
βœ“ Czech customer support
βœ“ Quick withdrawals
Evaluation
4.0/5
βœ“ Best offer for August 2026
βœ“ Verified by our team
βœ“ Activates automatically after clicking through
Evaluation
3.5/5
βœ“ Best offer for August 2026
βœ“ Verified by our team
βœ“ Activates automatically after clicking through
Evaluation
3.5/5
βœ“ Best offer for August 2026
βœ“ Verified by our team
βœ“ Activates automatically after clicking through
Evaluation
3.4/5

Open a new slot in a licensed Ireland casino, press "Play" and the € will disappear from the budget in a few minutes without you seeing where the error occurred. The most common reason isn't bad luck β€” it's the fact that you started the game without reading the pay table. The paytable is no ordinary symbol price list. It's a complete game plan: how much each symbol pays for 3, 4 or 5 matches, how the bonus feature is triggered, what the wild symbol does, where the game has a maximum win and what betting step is reasonable in it. An experienced player opens the table before the first spin and knows in a minute if the game is suitable for him or if he will blow his budget in no time.

This guide will guide you step by step through all parts of the pay table as you will find it in Ireland licensed casinos for games from Kajot, SYNOT TIP Games, Apollo Games, Pragmatic Play, Play'n GO, NetEnt or BGaming. If some terms are new to you, open them in parallel online casino glossary β€” you will find all terms in it with a short explanation. If you want to understand the numbers around the machines even more deeply, the guide will also serve you well RTP and volatility of the slot .

Where in the game you open the pay table

The button to open the pay table is in different places in different games. Most often, this is one of these icons in the upper or lower corner of the screen:

Game maker Typical location Icon/description
Kajot, SYNOT TIP Games, Apollo Games Lower left corner Circled capital "i" or "Info"
Pragmatic Play Upper right corner Three horizontal bars ("hamburger" menu), then "Pay Table" or "Rules"
Play'n GO Lower right corner Gear β†’ "Paytable"
NetEnt Upper right corner Three dots β†’ "Info" or "Help"
BGaming, Endorphina Lower right corner Question mark "?" or "Info"
Wazdan, Tom Horn Upper left corner Three dashes or "Menu"
Casimi Lower right corner "Info" or "i"

On mobile phones, the buttons are smaller and sometimes combined under a single "burger" in the corner. One trick helps here: the first time you start the game, tap all corners of the screen with your finger β€” the pay table will almost always open. If you open the game and don't see a button anywhere, try hovering the mouse over the top or bottom edge β€” the buttons sometimes hide after a few seconds. In the classic 81-line games from Kajot and SYNOT TIP Games, the table is stored in a series of several consecutive screens β€” you scroll left and right.

Why open the pay table before the first spin

With a weekly net income of around €1, few people can afford to burn € in 15 minutes on a game they don't know. This is the main reason to open the paytable before clicking "Play". In 60 seconds, the table will give you five concrete answers:

  • How often does the game pay me? You can see this from the ratio of the value of the lowest to the highest symbol.
  • What is the highest win I can realistically expect? You are looking for "Max Win" or "Maximum Win".
  • How much money do I need for a reasonable session? Multiplier of bet Γ— 200 β€” 500.
  • What are the chances of getting into the bonus game? From the number of scattered symbols needed.
  • Does the game have anything that could be a trap for me? "Buy" button, "min. Bet for jackpot" condition, win cap.

Without these five answers, you really have no idea what you're getting yourself into. The game entices you with its visuals and sounds, but after half an hour you find out that the € budget was enough for 80 spins and no bonus came. This is exactly the situation described in the article cognitive distortions in gaming β€” the player remembers one paid bonus, but forgets the 50 empty spins before it. The paytable is the only thing that tells you how many empty spins to expect before the first spin.

What does the pay table consist of?

Whether you're playing a fruity 81-line slot or a modern Megaways slot, the paytable includes these parts. Some are on the first screen, others need to be scrolled through. If any of these sections are missing from the game, be careful β€” it may be an incomplete or unlicensed version of the game.

  1. Symbol price list β€” the value of each symbol when 3, 4 or 5 matches on a payline.
  2. Special symbols β€” wild, scatter, bonus, "mystery" or other unique symbol.
  3. Way of winning β€” winning lines, winning paths or win clusters.
  4. Bonus feature β€” trigger condition, number of free spins , possible multiplier, retrigger.
  5. Buying bonus β€” price, return, sometimes two or three different types of bonus to choose from.
  6. Betting parameters β€” minimum and maximum bet, coin value, bet level.
  7. Maximum win β€” win ceiling in multiples of the bet, sometimes in crowns.
  8. RTP and volatility β€” return to player in percentage, sometimes with a volatility rating (1 β€” 5).
  9. Rules and Notes β€” the fine print on what makes a wild, how a win is calculated for the same symbol on two lines, jackpot conditions.
  10. Game version and manufacturer β€” manufacturer name, game version, date of last modification.

The most often ignored part is the last one β€” the rules and notes in fine print. This is where sentences such as "The bonus cannot be purchased for a bet below €" or "The highest jackpot is only available for a bet of €1 or more" are hidden here. Feel free to read these rules a second time β€” you can't catch up in a turbulent, fast-paced game.

Symbol values: low, medium and high

The symbols in the machine are divided into three groups according to the winnings they give when 3, 4 or 5 matches on a payline. This split isn't just cosmetic β€” it's the fastest indicator of the game's volatility:

  • Low paying symbols β€” most often playing cards (10, J, Q, K, A) or fruit (cherry, lemon, plum). Pays €2.50 - €5 for 5 matches. They fall often, keeping the budget alive.
  • Medium-paying symbols β€” thematic symbols of the game (animals, characters, objects). Pays 5 β€” 50 x bet on 5 matches. They make up most of the "solid" winnings you'll feel in your wallet.
  • High paying symbols β€” the main symbols of the game (key hero, gem, casino symbol). Pays 50 β€” 1000 x bet on 5 matches. They rarely drop, but carry the majority of the game's total win.

The ratio between the highest and the lowest symbol is a quick indicator of volatility. If the highest symbol pays 50x and the lowest 1x, the ratio is 50 β€” low to medium volatility. If the highest pays 500x and the lowest 0.5x, the ratio is 1000 β€” a highly volatile slot with long streaks. When choosing a game, check this ratio before the first spin. An in-depth analysis of volatility and practical advice on how to choose a budget according to it are in the article slot machine volatility semi-pathetic .

Practical note: Payout values ​​in the table are presented as a multiple of the bet (for example "5 Γ— A= 100"), where "100" means 100 coins at the selected coin value. With a coin value of 0.€1 and a bet of 25 coins per line, the win is 100 coins= €1. If you want to see real crowns, always look for the "Current bet" switch in the table β€” some games will display values ​​directly in crowns according to your set bet. This pays off extremely well with Kajot's fruit machines, where it's easy to mess up with the coins and the bet.

Wild symbol: slot joker and its variants

The wild symbol works like a joker in cards β€” it substitutes for any regular symbol to help create a winning combination. It has its own line on the paytable explaining exactly what it does, as not every wild symbol is the same. The most common variants:

Wild symbol type How it works Example game
Classic wild Substitutes for all regular symbols except scatter and bonus Joker 81, Multi 5
Stretched wild After impact, it spreads over the entire cylinder, often changing its appearance Book of Ra Deluxe, Book of Secrets 6
Sticky wild It will remain on the reel for a few spins or until the end of the bonus game Sticky Bandits, most slots with locked symbols
Accumulating wild On repeated impact, the multiplier increases (Γ—2, Γ—3, Γ—5...) Wild Toro, Gigantoonz
Wandering wild After each rotation, it moves one position to the left or right Jack and the Beanstalk, Vikings Unleashed
Multiplying wild Multiplies the winnings entered (most often Γ—2, Γ—3) Mystery Joker 6000, Wild Worlds
Random wild It will randomly appear in 1 β€” 5 positions before spinning "Mystery symbol" game by Pragmatic Play

In the paytable, always look for a sentence like "Wild does not replace Scatter or Bonus" β€” this is important because some players expect 4 wilds + 1 scatter to trigger a bonus. No. A clear number of scatter symbols is required for the bonus feature. The second sentence to watch out for: "The wild pays as the highest symbol" or "The wild has its own win 5 Γ— 100 Γ—" β€” that is, 5 wilds on a line give a separate win, often the highest in the game. In the 81-line classics from SYNOT TIP Games and Apollo Games, 5 wilds on a line equals the highest win in the entire game β€” sometimes up to 1,000x the bet.

An in-depth description of individual variants of the wild symbol and their effect on the course of the game is in the article slot machine winning patterns . If you are interested in specific slots with locked wilds, read on slots with locked symbols . Complete overview, what Wild, Scatter and Multiplier do and how much they actually pay out , you will find slot symbols in a separate guide.

Scatter symbol and bonus symbol

The scattered symbol (English Scatter) differs from others in that it ignores paylines. It doesn't matter which position it lands on β€” it counts toward the total on the screen. Most often triggered by:

  • Free Spins β€” typically 8 β€” 20 free spins of 3 scattered across the screen, sometimes with their own wilds or win multiplier.
  • Bonus mini-game β€” chest selection wheel, symbol selection, wheel of fortune spin.
  • Own win β€” some games add a win even for the appearance of scatters (for example, 3 scatters= 5 x bet, 5 scatters= 100 x bet).

The bonus symbol is separate from the scatter in some games. The scatter then triggers the free spins, while the bonus triggers a bonus mini-game. You will always find them separately in the pay table with their own icon and their own description of the activation conditions. For a classic 5-reel slot, the typical condition is 3 symbols anywhere on the screen. In Megaways games, it can be 4 or even 6 symbols because the number of reels is higher.

Astute observation: If a game requires 5 scatters per bonus (instead of the usual 3), this is almost always a sign of very high volatility β€” you'll get the bonus once every 400-600 spins on average. A game with a condition of 3 scatters triggers the bonus on average once every 100 β€” 150 spins. This is information that anyone planning a € budget should know β€” with a strict bonus trigger condition, the € budget simply may not be enough for you to see the bonus at least once.

Paylines, paylines and win clusters

The winning mechanics are defined in one of three ways in the paytable:

Winning line

Classic approach. The game has a fixed number of lines β€” most commonly 9, 10, 20, 25, 40 or 81. A win is made when matching symbols fill a specific line from left to right from the first reel. In such a case, the pay table contains an image with line numbering, most often 1 β€” 25 or 1 β€” 81. In classic fruit machines from Kajot and SYNOT TIP Games, the number of lines is 5, 10, 20 or 81 β€” always fixed, you cannot change it. In newer games from Pragmatic Play and Play'n GO, you can set the number of active lines manually β€” but in practice, we do not recommend this, because by reducing the number of lines, you reduce the probability of winning and the overall game mathematics deteriorates.

Winning ways

A more modern approach. The game ignores the specific position β€” it is enough that the same symbol appears on each reel at least once, sequentially from left to right. Most common numbers: 243 ways (3 symbols x 5 reels= 3 on the fifth), 720 ways, 1024 ways (4 on the fifth) or 3125 (5 on the fifth). With the Megaways mechanic, the number of ways changes with each spin (the number of symbols on the reel is variable, typically 2 β€” 7), so there can be from 64 to 117,649 ways to win.

Clusters of wins

Latest approach. A win is made when the same symbol appears in a group of 5 or more pieces that touch with an edge (horizontally or vertically). Typical example: Aloha! Cluster Pays by NetEnt, Reactoonz by Play'n GO, Honey Rush by Play'n GO. The paytable in such a case shows the win for a cluster of 5 β€” 6 symbols, 7 β€” 9 symbols, 10 β€” 14 symbols, 15+ symbols. These games most often also use a cascade β€” winning symbols disappear after a win and are replaced by new ones from above, which can start a chain reaction.

Mechanics Typical number of combinations Plus Minus
Line 9 β€” 81 Clear rules, easy to understand Winning only from left to right since the first war
Roads 243 β€” 3,125 More combinations, more frequent minor interventions The bet is paid for the number of ways, not the lines
Megaways 64 β€” 117,649 High potential, dynamism Very high volatility
Clusters Variable Chain reactions, cascades Rules less intuitive

A detailed analysis of Megaways mechanics is in a separate article Megaways slots: how they work and how they are different .

Bet level and coin value

Many players think that betting is a simple thing β€” you pick an amount and play. In fact, most online slots divide the bet into two independent parameters:

  • Coin value β€” the basic unit, most often 0.€1, 0.€2, 1.€1 or 2.€2.
  • Bet level β€” the number of coins you bet on a payline. Typically 1 β€” 10.

The total bet is equal to: coin value x bet level x number of active lines. With a coin value of 0.€1, a bet level of 10 and 25 lines, the total bet is 62.€2. For the same game with a bet level of 1 and a coin value of 0.€1, the bet is only 6.€1.

Why does this make sense? A higher bet level for the same number of lines does not increase the probability of winning, it only increases the value of the win proportionally. However, some games unlock extra features at a higher level (entry to the bonus game with a higher multiplier, access to the progressive jackpot) β€” this should be checked in the pay table. Tipsport and Fortuna often simplify this layer and only show the total bet, while Kajot and SYNOT TIP Games give both layers separately.

Bet trap: In Kajot's fruity 81-line games, with two independent clicks ("+" for coins and "+" for bet level), you can increase the bet from € to € 4 β€” tenfold β€” without being noticed. At fast revs, the difference between € and € 4 is a matter of one wrong crank. Always check the "Total Bet" in the bottom left or right corner of the game before your first spin. Practical instructions on how to manage this problem can be found in the article online casino budget management .

RTP and return within the paytable

RTP (Return To Player) is a number that tells how much percentage of all money wagered the game pays back to players on a long-term average. The game with an RTP of 96% pays out roughly €40 out of a million crowns placed bets back to the players and €2 is kept by the casino. You can find the RTP paytable in the "Rules", "Game info" or "Game info" section. Ireland's licensed operator is required to publish the RTP β€” if the game doesn't list it, it's not playing.

Attention β€” RTP is not the whole truth. Two games with the same RTP can look completely different:

  • With an RTP of 96% and low volatility, the game pays out small wins often (on average every 3-4 spins).
  • With an RTP of 96% and high volatility, the game pays out big wins infrequently (every 8-12 spins on average).

In one game, your € budget is enough for 200 spins with small profits and losses, in the other, for the same 200 spins, you can lose everything and see no bonus. Details on how to read the real Ireland slot numbers are in the article real RTP Ireland slots .

RTP games Evaluation Who suits
90 β€” 94% Below average Just for sheer fun in the short term
94 β€” 96% Average for Ireland slots Standard, most games
96 β€” 97% Good Recommended standard for regular play
97 β€” 99% Very well Choose these when you have a choice
Above 99% Exceptional, almost no slots ZejmΓ©na video poker a vybranΓ© stolovΓ© hry

For the same game, the operator may have a different version of RTP enabled. Some Czech operators use lower versions (for example 92% instead of 96%) to improve their margins. The RTP in the pay table is always specific to your version of the game β€” don't trust comparisons from foreign websites, because there may be a completely different number. A complete look at how RTP and volatility work together is in the guide RTP and volatility of the slot .

Maximum win and jackpot: a ceiling that the game will not allow you to exceed

An Ireland licensed operator is required to publish a maximum win cap. In the paytable, you will find it as the phrase "Max Win: 5,000 Γ— bet" or "Max Win: 10,000 Γ—". Upon reaching this ceiling, the game will automatically terminate active features (free spins, cascades, multipliers) and pay out exactly the ceiling. This is important for two reasons:

  1. Planning a bet. With a bet of € and a maximum of 5000x, the theoretical maximum win is €2. If you are looking for a game where you can potentially win €5, you need to bet at least €1 and look for a game with a maximum of at least 5000x.
  2. Identifying volatility. A game with a maximum of 250 β€” 500 Γ— is almost always low volatility (classic fruit). With a maximum of 2,000 β€” 5,000x, the game is medium to highly volatile. The 10,000x max game and above (most megaways slots , hits from Pragmatic Play) is very highly volatile with long streaks without a win.
Maximum game win Likely volatility Game type
100 β€” 500x Very low Classic fruit slots, 3-reel games
500 β€” 1500Γ— Low to medium Modern fruit machines, simple 5-reel games
1500 β€” 5000Γ— Medium to high Themed 5-reel bonus games, Book of...
5,000 β€” 10,000 Γ— High High volatility games from Pragmatic Play, NetEnt, Apollo Games
10,000 β€” 50,000 Γ— Very high Megaways slots, Money Train, Reactoonz
Jackpot (variable) Very high Apollo Games Progressive Jackpots, Mega Moolah

Jackpot and progressive jackpot in the pay table

In addition, some games have a fixed jackpot or a progressive jackpot β€” a win that is added on top of the regular paytable. You can recognize it in the pay table by the word "Jackpot", "Progressive Jackpot" or a multi-level counter (Mini, Minor, Major, Mega or Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum). With progressive jackpots, the game gradually collects small amounts from each bet of all players and adds them to the jackpot. If it falls, one player wins the entire deck.

Note the condition β€” some progressive jackpots require a minimum bet or all active lines. If you play below this limit, the game will not pay you the jackpot, even if the symbols fall as they should. Always read the rule in the fine print next to the jackpot. A detailed breakdown of how progressive jackpots differ from fixed jackpots and which Ireland games have them can be found in the article casino jackpot vs progressive jackpot . You can also be inspired by the overview Top 10 Jackpot Winners .

Buying a bonus: cost, value and risk

Buying a bonus (English Buy feature or Bonus buy) is a newer function where you can directly activate the bonus game for a fixed amount without waiting for symbols to be scattered. The price is most often 50 β€” 100 x the current bet. Example: with a bet of € 1, it costs € to buy a bonus (a typical center for hits from Pragmatic Play).

In the pay table, you can recognize the purchase of a bonus by the small icon "BUY" or "Buy Feature" next to the image of the scattered symbol, or via a separate button in the main game screen. When you open the game, it will show you the price, the return of the purchased bonus (often 95 β€” 97.5%) and sometimes the expected average hit.

Bonus purchase math: At a price of € and a return of 96%, the expected value of the win is € β€” that's a mathematical loss of €3 per activation. Buying a bonus is not a "quick win trick". It's just an acceleration of the bonus game you paid for. Out of 10 purchases, you get €1 on average from €1 deposited. Some purchases get you €, others €2, but the average is roughly equal to the return of the game. With a limited budget, it makes more sense to play classic and wait for the bonus.

A detailed analysis of the mechanics and when buying a bonus really pays off (rarely β€” especially for specific tournament events) is in the article buying a bonus in slots: when it pays off and when it's a trap .

Special mechanics that the paytable describes

In addition to the basic symbols, the paytable also describes special game mechanics. You will most often encounter the following:

  • Multiplier β€” multiplies the winnings by a fixed or random number (x2, x3, x5, x10). In the bonus game, it is often 3 Γ— β€” 50 Γ—.
  • Expanded symbol β€” expands to the entire reel when hit, sometimes with its own multiplier. Typical of the Book of Ra and Book of Secrets game variants.
  • Sticky symbol β€” stays in place for a few spins or until the bonus ends. Most often with the "Hold and Win" mechanic.
  • Hold and Win β€” after landing 6 or more coins, a mini-game with 3 β€” 5 spins starts, where the coins stay in their places and new coins replenish them. Details in the article slots with locked symbols .
  • Cascading reels β€” winning symbols disappear after a win and are replaced by new ones from above. The chain reaction can continue as long as new wins are falling.
  • Respin β€” respin one or more reels without a new bet. It is most often triggered when 2 symbols are scattered β€” the game gives one free spin in the hope of a third.
  • Avalanche (avalanche, tumble) β€” a variant of the cascade, where symbols "fall" from above like an avalanche. Functionally the same, marketing a different word.
  • Mystery symbol (mystery symbol) β€” randomly turns into any regular symbol before spinning. It helps to create winning lines where otherwise there would be no winnings.
  • Risk game (gamble, card) β€” with each win, you can guess the color or symbol of the card and double or lose the winnings. Typical of classic fruit slots from Kajot, SYNOT TIP Games and Apollo Games.

If you are interested in specific machines with these mechanics, read on Apollo Games slot machines or Casimi slot machines . A complete overview of game manufacturers available in Ireland licensed casinos is in the article online casino game providers .

Differences between game manufacturers

Each game manufacturer has its own paytable style. These differences will help you find your way around faster and know where to look for what. It saves time when switching from one brand to another.

Manufacturer A typical table style What to watch out for
Cabin Classic fruit, simple table in one window, values ​​in coins The ability to mix up the bet level and coin value β€” it's easy to make a mistake
SYNOT TIP Games Similar to Kayot, often several screens with rules Bonus rules on the second screen, use the arrows to scroll
Apollo Games Detailed tables, clear distribution of symbols, often progressive jackpot Jackpot condition β€” the highest level is unlocked with a higher bet
Pragmatic Play Modern style, several screens with symbols, bonus and rules Buying a bonus always in a separate window β€” watch out for the price of 75 β€” 100 x bet
Play'n GO Very detailed, especially with the Book of... games The spread symbol in the free spins is chosen at random β€” a clever section in the table
NetEnt Clear, often with an animated description Completely different rules for Cluster Pays games β€” don't confuse them with lines
BGaming, Endorphina Moderately detailed, often "card" contests Risk game can eliminate winning β€” if in doubt, confirm "Collect"
Wazdan Often allows a choice of volatility (Low, Standard, High) When choosing "High", both the volatility and the maximum win increase β€” a risk for a smaller budget

If you're choosing a game based on what type of player it suits, use the guide online casino selection by player type . It will help you narrow down your choices based on your budget, play style and expected session length.

Common mistakes when reading the pay table

Even if you open the table, you can make a few classic mistakes in it. Let's look at the most common ones β€” if you avoid them, you will save yourself unnecessary losses:

  1. You are looking for the value in crowns, the game shows it in coins. The price list is in coins at the selected coin value. With a coin value of 0.€1 and a win of "100 coins" it is €1, not €4. Always switch the display in the game or remember: bet multiples Γ— your total bet= real crowns.
  2. You assume wild will replace everything. No. Wild only replaces regular symbols, not scatter and bonus. This means that 4 wilds + 1 scatter will never trigger the bonus β€” you need 3 clean scatters for that.
  3. You ignore the maximum win. For a highly volatile game with a maximum of 5000x and a bet of €, the cap is €1. Even if you have the luck of a lifetime, the game won't pay you any more β€” the features will be turned off after the cap is reached. If you want to win €5, you need a bet of at least €1.
  4. You don't feel the difference between 25 lines and 25 paths. 25 lines= solid left-to-right paths through specific positions. 25 ways= symbols can be anywhere on the reel. For the same bet, it gives a completely different number of combinations and a completely different frequency of wins.
  5. You bet at the maximum level "because of the bonus". In most games, a higher bet level doesn't trigger the bonus faster β€” it just increases the cost per spin. Thanks to this, you will burn your € budget in 50 spins instead of 250 spins. Check the fine print to see if the progressive jackpot is an exception.
  6. You believe that buying a bonus is a "shortcut to winning". No. From 10 purchases, you get an average of 95% of the deposited amount. For 10 purchases of € that's €1 deposited, €1 back β€” a loss of €40.
  7. You are playing without reading the "Rules" section. There are exceptions and notes in the rules that change the whole meaning of the game β€” for example "The highest level of the jackpot is unlocked with a bet of € 1 or more" or "The bonus cannot be bought with a bet of less than €".

Many of these mistakes stem from myths that circulate around slot machines. A detailed analysis of which of these myths are nonsense and which have a grain of truth is in the article myths about slot machines .

Three real step-by-step examples

To see how the paytable reads in practice, let's look at three different game types β€” a classic fruit slot, a modern themed slot and a Megaways game. For each, I will show you what you should see from the table in the first minute.

Example 1: Joker 81 (classic fruit slot, Apollo Games)

  • Highest symbol: Star β€” 200 x bet on 5 matches on a line.
  • Lowest symbol: Cherry β€” 5 x bet on 5 matches.
  • Ratio: 40 β€” low volatility, frequent small wins.
  • Line: 81 fixed, does not change.
  • Wild: Joker, replaces all symbols, alone gives the highest win of 500 x bet.
  • Scattered/Bonus: None. The game does not have a bonus feature, it is a pure base game.
  • Max win: 500 x bet (over wild).
  • Risk game: Yes, card (black/red).
  • Conclusion: Suitable for a smaller budget (500 β€” €), calm game, no long streaks without winning.

Example 2: Book of Secrets 6 (themed 5-reel slot, SYNOT TIP Games)

  • Highest symbol: Researcher β€” 500 x bet on 5 matches.
  • Lowest symbol: Card 10 β€” 0.2 x bet.
  • Ratio: 2,500 β€” high volatility.
  • Lines: 10 activated on all 6 reels.
  • Wild + Scattered in One: The Book. 3 books will trigger the bonus and they are also wild.
  • Bonus: 10 free spins with a scatter symbol chosen at random before the bonus.
  • Max win: 5000 x bet.
  • Bonus purchase: Yes, 100 x bet.
  • Conclusion: Requires a budget of 3,750 β€” € for a decent session, with a smaller budget there is a risk of burning before the bonus.

Example 3: The Dog House Megaways (Megaways game, Pragmatic Play)

  • Highest symbol: Dog β€” 50 x bet on 6 matches.
  • Lowest symbol: Card 9 β€” 0.5 x bet.
  • Ratio: 100 (a side at first glance, but...).
  • Mechanics: Megaways, 64 β€” 117,649 paths, cascades.
  • Bonus: 12 β€” 17 free spins with persistent multiplier (x2 β€” x11).
  • Max win: 12,305 x bet.
  • Bonus purchase: Yes, 100 x bet.
  • Conclusion: Very high volatility (despite the ratio of 100). A maximum of 12,305 x bet pulls it into the top category. Only suitable for a budget of € and more.

Can you see the difference? With Joker 81, you know in half a minute that the game is calm and €20 is enough for it. With Book of Secrets 6 you can see that it is a fun but predatory game and you need to prepare € minimum. With The Dog House Megaways, note that a symbol ratio of 100 would lead you to be classified as a quiet game β€” that's why the second indicator, the maximum win, is also important. This shows that the game is actually highly volatile. Practical tips for keeping a gaming budget are in the article online casino game log .

A 60-second routine that anyone can do

If you don't feel like reading the entire paytable, here's a quick procedure that will tell you in a minute if the game makes sense:

  1. Step 1 (10 seconds) β€” Ratio of highest to lowest symbol. Open the table and compare the highest value (5 matches of the strongest symbol) with the lowest (5 matches of the weakest). Ratio up to 50= low volatility, 50 β€” 200= medium, 200+= high.
  2. Step 2 (10 seconds) β€” Maximum win. Look for the phrase "Max Win" or "Maximum Win". Ceiling 500 β€” 1,500 Γ—= calm game, 2,000 β€” 5,000 Γ—= medium, 10,000 Γ— and more= very nervous game.
  3. Step 3 (15 seconds) β€” Bonus feature. How many scattered symbols are needed for a bonus? Three anywhere? Four? Five? The more, the harder it is to access the bonus β€” typically high volatility.
  4. Step 4 (10 seconds) β€” Wild symbol. Classic, stretched, sticky or multiplying? The sticky and multiplying wilds in the bonus greatly increase the potential of the maximum.
  5. Step 5 (5 seconds) β€” Bonus purchase yes or no? If there is a "Buy" button in the game, verify the price β€” 50x or 100x the bet. It doesn't make sense for a budget up to €.
  6. Step 6 (10 seconds) β€” Bet step. What is the minimum bet? 2,€ 2, 6,€ 1, €? Multiply it by 200 β€” 500x for a reasonable budget (200x for low volatility, 500x for high volatility).

Example of a 60 second decision: U Book of Secrets 6 by SYNOT TIP Games has the strongest symbol 500x payout for 5 matches, weakest 0.2x. A ratio of 2,500= high volatility. Maximum 5000 Γ—= high volatility confirmed. Bonus= 3 Scattered which is standard. Wild= stretched with its own value. Bonus purchase= yes, 100 x bet. With a € bet, a budget of around € (500 x bet) is required. Conclusion: a good game if you have enough budget ready for it and want to see a stretched bonus. At the smaller one budget, better choose a quieter game.

Checklist before the first turn

Print it out, stick it next to your monitor or memorize it. Go through the list before each new game β€” it takes a minute and saves you money:

  • βœ… I have the pay table open and I can see it in its entirety
  • βœ… I know the value of the highest and lowest symbol
  • βœ… I know if the game has 9, 25, 81 lines or ways (243, 1024, Megaways)
  • βœ… I know what the wild symbol does β€” it only replaces the regular, not the scatter
  • βœ… I know the condition for starting the bonus β€” how many scattered and where
  • βœ… I know the maximum win of the game in multiples of the bet
  • βœ… I have recalculated total bet (coin value x level x line)
  • βœ… I have a budget of at least 200 Γ— bets for a calm game, 500 Γ— for a predatory one
  • βœ… I know if the game has a jackpot and what are the conditions for unlocking it
  • βœ… I know if it has a Buy button and how much it costs to use it

Useful resources on amis-theatre-firmin-gemier.org:

❓ Frequently asked questions about the pay table of the machine

Slot machines

Real RTP of slots Back to articles
Author: Robert McKenzie