Should you play max lines?

Should you play max lines? The quick answer

A payline is a path across the reels on which matching symbols pay. Older and simpler video slots let you choose how many lines to activate, with each line costing one line bet. Your total bet is lines × line bet. The question is whether to switch on every line or save money by playing fewer.

For most players, the better approach is to keep all lines on and choose a small line bet. You pay for complete coverage of the reels, you see more winning spins, and you avoid the frustrating case where a winning combination lands on a line you switched off. Playing fewer lines doesn't improve the odds per pound; it just buys less of the game.

How paylines and line bets work

Take a 5-reel, 3-row slot with 20 paylines. Each line is a fixed shape: straight across the middle, across the top, a V, a zigzag and so on. When the reels stop, the game checks each active line, left to right, for matching symbols. Wins are paid as a multiple of the line bet for that line. Scatter symbols are usually different: they pay anywhere and are often multiplied by the total bet rather than the line bet.

Some of these let you change the number of lines and some don't; ‘up to 25 paylines’ on Fluffy Favourites shows a game where the count can vary. Starburst pays both ways, so its 10 lines cover more combinations than a left-to-right game. Games like Gates of Olympus have no lines at all. Always check the settings and the game help screen.

Max lines vs fewer lines: a worked example

Imagine a 20-line slot with a 96% RTP, where every line carries the same return. Compare three ways of playing 100 spins.

Read across the rows and the pattern is clear. The average cost is always 4% of the money staked; the number of lines doesn't change that. What changes is how the money is spread. The 20 lines × 2p row costs less than 10 lines × 5p, yet keeps every line active. That is why lowering the line bet is usually a better way to save money than switching lines off.

What you give up when you don't play max lines

• Wins on inactive lines aren't paid. Five matching symbols on a line you switched off pay nothing.
• Lower hit frequency. Fewer active lines means fewer spins with any line win, so sessions feel more streaky. See hit frequency.
• Higher volatility at the same total bet. Concentrating the same stake on fewer lines makes wins rarer but larger, raising the game's volatility for you.
• Feature or jackpot conditions. Some games set conditions on features or jackpots, so read the rules before reducing lines.

When playing fewer lines can make sense

There are a few situations where fewer lines is a reasonable choice. If the minimum line bet on a game is already as low as it goes and the total with all lines active is more than your budget allows, reducing lines is the only way to play at a lower total. On a classic single-line slot machine, the question doesn't arise. And if you are simply choosing a cheaper spin and accept fewer wins, that is a legitimate personal decision, as long as you understand you are not improving the odds.

Max lines on ways-to-win and Megaways slots

Many newer slots don't use paylines. 243 ways slots pay for matching symbols on adjacent reels from left to right, whatever row they're on, and Megaways slots change the number of ways on every spin. Scatter-pay games like Gates of Olympus pay for clusters or counts anywhere. On these games there are no lines to switch off, and you only choose the total bet. Our ways to win slot machines page explains each system.

Max lines and UK stake limits

The UK's online slot stake limits apply to the total stake per game cycle, not to each line. According to the Gambling Commission's stake limit guidance (opens in a new tab), that means £5 for players aged 25 and over (from 9 April 2025) and, following the government's £2 limit for under-25s (opens in a new tab), £2 for players aged 18 to 24 (from 21 May 2025). See our online slot stake limits page.

Actual line bet steps depend on the game, so the nearest available value may be lower.

How to set lines and stake on an online slot

1. Open the game's help screen and check whether lines are fixed or adjustable.
2. Read how scatters and features are paid (line bet or total bet).
3. Set all lines active if the game lets you choose.
4. Lower the line bet or coin value until the total bet suits your budget.
5. Check the total bet shown before the first spin; that is what you stake each time.

Our guide on how to play online slots covers the rest of the controls, and should you bet max tackles the related question of stake size.

Lines on pub fruit machines

Traditional UK fruit machines usually pay on a single central line, so the question of max lines rarely comes up in a pub. Some reel-based Category B and C games and online fruit-style slots offer several lines; Sizzling Hot Deluxe, for example, uses 5. The principle is the same: more lines cover more of the screen for more money, and your average cost is still a percentage of what you stake.

Where to play line slots with UK offers

PlayOJO's welcome offer is played on Big Bass Bonanza, a 10-payline slot. New UK customers at PlayOJO aged 18+ (excluding Northern Ireland) who deposit at least £10 get 80 free spins, each worth 10p, with winnings paid in cash and no wagering. Coral and Ladbrokes give 10p spins on selected games for £10 of slots play; see the boxes below. Terms apply and game availability changes. More offers are on our offers page, and more answers in the questions hub.

18+. Gambling should be entertainment that costs money, not a way to make it. Decide a budget before you play: plan a slot budget. Free, confidential help: National Gambling Helpline 0808 8020 133.