Paytable meaning

A paytable is the in-game screen that lists every winning symbol combination and what it pays, plus the rules for wilds, scatters and features. It's usually under an info, help or (i) button. Many games also show their RTP and max win there. See our how to play slots guide and RTP meaning.

It depends on the game, and the paytable says which. Older line-based slots often show multiples of the line bet; many newer and ways-to-win games use multiples of the total bet; some show coins. Many modern games update the figures in dollars at your current stake. See paylines meaning and denomination meaning.

Because the card odds are fixed, the pay table is what sets the return. Lowering one payout, such as for a full house, reduces the long-run return, so two Jacks or Better games can differ. Third-party data puts RTG video poker returns between about 97% and 99.5%, with best strategy. See full pay meaning and video poker strategy.

Open the game and look for an info, help, menu or (i) icon, usually near the spin button or in a corner. The paytable is often several pages long, covering symbols, special features and general rules. Read it before your first real-money spin. Our demo mode guide explains how to read paytables in practice play first, where casinos offer it.

Often, but not always. Many games state their return in the help or rules section. Some RTG slots are listed with an RTP range, so the figure in your casino's version may differ from catalog figures. If no RTP is shown, treat outside figures as unconfirmed. See payback meaning and how slot RTP works.

Some features change what pays, for example by adding multipliers, upgrading symbols or adding extra lines, as in RTG's Copy Cat Fortune, which catalogs list at 25 paylines rising to 50 in free spins. The help screen explains any change. See multiplier meaning and our Copy Cat Fortune review.

Compare the payouts line by line for the same game, starting with the middle hands such as the full house and flush, because those are the lines designers trim first. Two games with the same name and identical card odds can return different amounts if one row pays less. Look at the one-coin column so the numbers are comparable, then check whether the game states its return. A shorter payout on any row means a lower long-run return. Our video poker pay table entry and how to play video poker guide explain what each row means.

Many slot paytables state a maximum win, usually as a multiple of your total bet, and it's worth converting into dollars before you play. GamesHub lists a 40,000x max win for RTG's Jackpot Piñatas Deluxe, which would be $20,000 at a $0.50 spin or $40,000 at $1. That's the ceiling for one round, not a likely result, and most spins pay far less or nothing. If the paytable gives no figure, treat third-party max-win numbers as unconfirmed. Read the Jackpot Piñatas Deluxe review and our jackpot odds guide.

Paytable prizes change because many modern slots show payouts in dollars at your current stake rather than as fixed multiples. Raise a $1.00 spin to $2.00 and every prize on the screen doubles, while the multiples behind them stay the same. Older games may show fixed coin values instead, which don't move when you change the bet. Neither display changes the return; the RTP is the same at every stake on most online slots. If the screen confuses you, read the units line first. Our low stakes guide and bet max meaning entry show how stakes affect prizes.

Yes, a progressive slot's paytable or help screen normally explains how the jackpot is won, and it's the only place to confirm any qualifying bet. LCB reports that RTG's Megasaur pays 100% of the meter for five scatter volcanoes, 20% for four and 10% for three. Random-trigger jackpots work differently, so their paytable describes no winning symbol at all. Check whether the jackpot needs a minimum stake before you play. Our Megasaur slot review and progressive jackpot meaning entry go through the jackpot rules in more detail.

Go by the paytable inside the game you're playing, because that's the version the casino actually runs. Reviews and catalogs can be out of date, and some RTG slots are listed with an RTP range, so settings can differ between casinos. If a payout looks wrong, screenshot the paytable and the result, then contact support in writing quickly: SlotoCash's terms set a 14-day window for disputes and Silver Oak's terms set 3 days from the wager. Read how to file a casino complaint and our guide to how to read casino terms.

Deuces Wild shows a range of returns because casinos can run versions with different pay tables, and each version has its own long-run figure. GamesHub gives RTG's Deuces Wild a 97% to 99% range, which means a house edge of about 1% to 3% with best play. On 500 hands at $1, that's an average cost of roughly $5 on the best version and $15 on the weakest. Compare the pay table in your casino's version before you settle in. See our Deuces Wild game page and what is Deuces Wild for the hand rankings.

In West Virginia, online casinos are legal and licensed through the West Virginia Lottery Commission, so licensed sites run games under state oversight. State law allows up to five interactive wagering licenses. Offshore casinos sit outside that system, and no US state checks the paytables or game versions they offer, so you rely on the casino's own screens and any testing lab it names. The partners on this page are offshore and hold no West Virginia license. Read our West Virginia online casino guide and the guide to offshore vs state-licensed casinos.