What Is a Paytable?

Every online slot game includes a paytable — a detailed information screen that explains the game's complete rules in one place. Think of it as the instruction manual for that specific slot. Before playing any game for the first time, spending two minutes reading the paytable will tell you everything you need to know about how it pays and what to look out for.

You'll usually find the paytable by clicking an "i" icon, a menu button, or a "?" symbol within the game interface.

Section 1: Symbol Values

The first section of any paytable shows all the symbols in the game and what each is worth. Values are typically shown as a multiplier of your bet (e.g., 5x, 10x, 50x your stake) for landing a certain number of that symbol on a payline.

What to look for:

  • High-value symbols: Usually themed symbols specific to the game. These pay more per combination.
  • Low-value symbols: Often card rank symbols (A, K, Q, J, 10). They appear more frequently but pay less.
  • The gap between high and low: A large gap means the game is more dependent on landing premium symbols for meaningful wins.

Section 2: Special Symbols

This section covers wilds, scatters, and any other special symbols. For each one, the paytable should explain:

  • What the symbol looks like.
  • What it does (e.g., "substitutes for all symbols except scatter").
  • Any special behaviour (e.g., expands, sticks, multiplies).
  • Whether it pays its own prizes in addition to its special function.

Section 3: Bonus Features

Modern slots often have multiple bonus features. The paytable will explain:

  • How to trigger each feature (e.g., "land 3 or more scatter symbols anywhere on the reels").
  • What happens during the feature (e.g., number of free spins, multiplier values, special wild behaviour).
  • Whether features can be retriggered during a bonus round.
  • Pick-me games or bonus rounds and how they work.

Section 4: Paylines or Win Mechanics

This section shows exactly how the game pays wins. For traditional payline slots, it displays every payline pattern. For Megaways or cluster pays games, it explains the alternative win mechanic. Key things to confirm:

  • Does it pay left-to-right only, or both directions?
  • How many symbols need to match for the smallest win?
  • Are paylines fixed, or can you select how many to activate?

Section 5: RTP and Volatility

Many paytables include the game's RTP percentage and sometimes a volatility rating. If they're listed here, take note of them — they're the most useful single pieces of information for understanding what to expect from the game.

A Quick Paytable Reading Checklist

  1. ✅ Identify the highest-paying symbol and its value.
  2. ✅ Confirm what the wild symbol does in this game.
  3. ✅ Find out how to trigger the free spins or main bonus.
  4. ✅ Check the win direction (left-to-right, both ways, cluster).
  5. ✅ Note the RTP if it's listed.
  6. ✅ Look for any maximum win cap (some games cap wins at a set multiplier).

Why Bother Reading the Paytable?

Skipping the paytable means playing blind. You might miss a bonus trigger because you didn't know what to land, or misunderstand why a spin didn't pay what you expected. Reading the paytable takes under two minutes and gives you a complete picture of the game you're about to play. It's one of the simplest habits that separates an informed player from an uninformed one.