In this guide you will learn how each mechanic works, what sets it apart and which details to check before you play.
What are fixed-line pokies?
Fixed-line pokies use set paylines to decide wins. A payline is a path across the reels that connects positions where matching symbols can form a win. A classic pokie might have five reels and three rows, with paylines running straight across, diagonally or in zigzags, all shown in the game’s paytable.
When you spin, matching symbols must land along an active payline to pay. In most games, the combination has to start on the leftmost reel and continue across neighbouring reels, though the exact rules depend on the game.
How fixed paylines work
- Clear winning patterns: the paytable shows exactly where symbols must land.
- Steady reel layout: the number of reels and rows stays the same each spin.
- Fixed line setup: you generally can’t switch individual fixed lines on or off.
- Game-by-game rules: symbol values and payouts vary between titles.
Fixed-line games are often the easiest to follow if you like clear patterns. Just remember that symbols that look like they line up won’t pay unless they sit on an eligible payline.
What are Megaways pokies?
Megaways is a mechanic created by Big Time Gaming, a games studio founded in Sydney. It changes how many symbols appear on each reel every spin, so the number of ways to win changes from one spin to the next.
How Megaways works
In a typical Megaways game, matching symbols must land on neighbouring reels starting from the leftmost reel. They don’t need to follow a fixed payline. One spin might show three symbols on the first reel and six on the second; the next spin could be completely different. Because the layout changes, so does the number of possible combinations.
A six-reel Megaways game can offer up to 117,649 ways to win when every reel shows seven symbols (7 × 7 × 7 × 7 × 7 × 7). Most spins won’t reach that maximum.
- Changing reel heights: the number of visible symbols varies each spin.
- Ways to win: matches across neighbouring reels count, without set paylines.
- Cascading reels: many games remove winning symbols and drop in new ones, which can create more wins.
- Extra features: free spins, multipliers and other bonuses, depending on the game.
More ways to win doesn’t automatically mean bigger payouts or a better chance of coming out ahead.
What are cluster pays pokies?
Cluster pays games reward groups of matching symbols that touch each other, rather than symbols along a line. They often use a larger grid, such as 6×6 or 7×7. The grid size and the minimum cluster size depend on the game.
How cluster pays works
Picture a grid with several matching fruit symbols. If enough of them connect side by side or up and down, they form a winning cluster. Some games also count diagonal connections, but many don’t, so check the paytable.
Many cluster games use cascading or tumbling reels: winning symbols disappear and new ones fall into the gaps, which may create another cluster.
- No paylines: wins come from connected groups of symbols.
- Minimum cluster size: you need a set number of matching symbols touching, based on the game’s rules.
- Cascades: common, but not part of every cluster game.
- Changing outcomes: each new layout after a cascade can produce a different result.
Megaways vs cluster pays vs fixed lines
The key difference is how each mechanic decides what counts as a win.
| Feature | Fixed lines | Megaways | Cluster pays |
|---|---|---|---|
| How wins form | Matching symbols on an active payline | Matching symbols on neighbouring reels | Touching groups of matching symbols |
| Reel layout | Usually fixed | Symbols per reel change each spin | Usually a grid |
| Paylines | Yes | No set paylines | No paylines |
| Number of winning chances | Set by the number of lines | Changes with the reel layout | Set by grid and cluster rules |
| Cascading reels | Sometimes | Often | Common |
| What to check | Payline patterns | Reel layout and ways to win | Cluster size and connection rules |
Fixed lines may feel the most straightforward if you like set patterns. Megaways brings a changing reel layout, while cluster pays focuses on connected groups. These are descriptions of how the games work, not a ranking of which pays better.
What to check before you play
The paytable: qualifying combinations, payout values and special symbols.
Return to player (RTP): a theoretical long-term percentage of all money staked that a game pays back over a very large number of spins. It doesn’t predict your result in one session.
Volatility: how payouts tend to be spread, from smaller, more frequent wins to larger, rarer ones. Our guide to volatility and your bankroll explains this in detail.
Features: whether the game has cascades, multipliers or free spins. None of these are part of every Megaways, cluster or fixed-line game.
Australian law: gambling rules differ across states and territories, and federal law bans online casino-style services, including online pokies, from being offered to people in Australia. Check the ACMA’s guidance to make sure any service you use is lawful.
Set a spending limit before you play, never chase losses, and remember no pokie mechanic guarantees a win. Free, confidential support is available from Gambling Help Online on 1800 858 858.
Understand the mechanics before you play
Fixed-line pokies use set patterns, Megaways changes the number of ways to win as reel heights shift, and cluster pays relies on groups of touching symbols. Once you know the difference, paytables are easier to read and you can see which features a game really offers, without assuming a bigger grid or more ways means better results.
Read more in our pokies articles, see the pokies page, or contact the team at LEON with any questions.