Royal Reels Pokies Symbols and Paylines You Need to Know

How Royal Reels Pokies Are Built: Reels, Rows and the Paytable

If you have ever spun a game and wondered why a win landed (or didn't), you are not alone. Most royal reels pokies look simple on the surface: a grid of spinning icons, a spin button, and a balance ticking up or down. Underneath, every game follows a set of rules about which symbols pay, how many of them you need, and which paths across the reels count as a winning line. Once you understand those rules, the gameplay stops feeling random and starts making sense. You still can't control the outcome, but you can pick games that suit your budget and play style.

This guide covers the parts that matter most: the grid layout, the standard and special symbols, the different payline systems, how to read a paytable, and how volatility and RTP connect to all of it. We also cover practical points for Australian players, such as how the cashier works, what verification involves, and what to check before you accept any bonus.

The Grid: Reels and Rows

A "reel" is a vertical column of symbols. A "row" is a horizontal line across the grid. The classic video pokie layout is 5 reels by 3 rows, which gives 15 visible symbol positions per spin. You will also see:

• 3x3 classic grids – modelled on old pub machines, usually with 1 to 5 paylines and fruit, bar and 7 symbols.
• 5x4 and 6x4 grids – more positions, which usually means more paylines or a ways-to-win system.
• Variable-height reels – each reel can show a different number of symbols on each spin. The Megaways mechanic, for example, can reach tens of thousands of ways.
• Large grids such as 7x7 – common in cluster pays games, where lines don't apply at all.

The grid size doesn't make a game better or worse. It changes how often small wins land and how big the top wins can get. A small 3x3 grid with five lines often produces fewer, simpler wins. A 6-reel variable grid can produce long chains of wins but tends to be more volatile.

The Random Number Generator

Every spin result is decided by a random number generator (RNG) the moment you press spin. The animation of the reels is purely visual. The result is already fixed by the time the reels start to move. Each spin is independent, so a game is never "due" a win, and a hot or cold streak tells you nothing about the next spin. This matters when you think about symbols and paylines: they define how a result is paid, not how likely you are to get it on your next attempt.

Standard Symbols: Low-Pay and High-Pay Icons

Standard symbols are the regular icons that form most winning combinations. Almost every video pokie splits them into two groups: low-paying and high-paying.

Low-Paying Symbols

Low-pay symbols appear most often on the reels. In modern games they are usually playing card ranks (10, J, Q, K, A) or simple gems in different colours. In fruit-themed classics you will see cherries, lemons, oranges and plums doing the same job. They pay small amounts, often only a fraction of your stake for three of a kind, but they land often enough to keep your balance ticking along between larger hits.

Within the low tier there is usually a small ladder. The 10 and J might pay the least, with Q and K a little more, and the A paying the most of the card ranks. It is a small difference, but it adds up over hundreds of spins.

High-Paying Symbols

High-pay symbols are tied to the game's theme. In an Egyptian pokie they might be pharaohs, scarabs and golden masks. In an Australian outback title you might see kangaroos, crocodiles and campfires. These symbols appear less often but pay far more. Five of the top symbol on a line can pay anywhere from 10x to several hundred times your line bet, depending on the game.

The top standard symbol is often the one to watch. In many games it is also the symbol that expands, transforms or becomes "sticky" during free spins, which is where the headline wins tend to come from.

Symbol Group	Typical Icons	How Often They Land	Typical Payout Range (5 of a kind)
Low-pay	10, J, Q, K, A, coloured gems, fruit	Very often	0.5x – 5x line bet
Mid-pay	Minor theme icons (tools, animals, artefacts)	Moderately often	5x – 25x line bet
High-pay	Main characters, premium theme icons	Rarely	25x – 500x+ line bet

These ranges are general. The exact numbers for any title sit in its paytable, which we'll cover in detail further down.

Special Symbols: Wilds, Scatters, Bonus Icons and Multipliers

Special symbols are where a pokie gets its character. They trigger features, substitute for other icons, and multiply wins. Most royal reels pokies use at least one wild and one scatter, and many add extra feature symbols on top.

Wild Symbols

A wild substitutes for standard symbols to help complete a winning line. If you have four kangaroos and a wild on the same line, the wild usually counts as the fifth kangaroo. Wilds normally don't substitute for scatters or bonus symbols, and the paytable will confirm the exceptions. Common variations include:

• Expanding wilds – grow to fill the entire reel when they land, covering more paylines at once.
• Sticky wilds – stay in place for several spins, most often during a free spins round.
• Walking or moving wilds – move one reel left or right on each spin until they leave the grid.
• Stacked wilds – appear in groups on a single reel, often covering it completely.
• Multiplier wilds – substitute and also multiply any win they are part of, typically by 2x, 3x or more.
• Random wilds – added to the grid at random during the base game or a feature.

Scatter Symbols

Scatters pay or trigger features no matter where they land on the grid. They don't need to be on a payline. Three or more scatters usually trigger free spins, and many games pay a small cash amount for the scatters themselves on top of that. Some games need scatters on specific reels, such as reels 1, 3 and 5, so check the rules before you assume a near miss was close.

Bonus Symbols

Bonus symbols work a bit like scatters but trigger something other than free spins, such as a pick-and-win screen, a wheel spin, or a separate mini-game. In hold-and-win style pokies, very popular with Australian players, bonus symbols often carry cash values. Landing six or more locks them in place and starts a respin feature where each new bonus symbol resets the respin counter.

Multipliers and Collector Symbols

Multiplier symbols boost wins by a set factor. They may apply to a single line, to the total spin, or grow progressively during free spins. Collector symbols gather the cash values from other symbols on screen and add them together. These features are simple once you've seen them in action, but they are the main reason two games with similar paylines can feel so different to play.

Special Symbol	Main Job	Needs a Payline?	Common Feature Link
Wild	Substitutes for standard symbols	Yes (it completes lines)	Expanding, sticky, multiplier variations
Scatter	Triggers free spins, may pay directly	No	Free spins round
Bonus	Triggers a mini-game or respins	No	Pick-and-win, hold-and-win, wheel
Multiplier	Multiplies line or spin wins	Depends on the game	Free spins, cascades
Collector	Gathers values from other symbols	No	Cash-collect features

Paylines Explained: Fixed Lines, Adjustable Lines, Ways and Cluster Pays

A payline is the path a combination must follow to count as a win. This is the part that confuses many new players, because different games use very different systems. When browsing the game library, it pays to know which system a title uses before you set your stake.

Fixed Paylines

Fixed payline games have a set number of lines that are always active, such as 10, 20, 25 or 50. You can't switch any off. Your total bet is spread across every line. Lines can be straight across a row, V-shaped, zigzag, or follow more unusual patterns. Most games show the line patterns in the paytable, and many highlight the winning line when it lands.

Almost all line pokies pay left to right, starting from the leftmost reel. Three matching symbols on reels 2, 3 and 4 would not pay in most games, even if they sit on the same line, because the combination doesn't start on reel 1.

Adjustable Paylines

Some games, mostly older titles and classic-style pokies, let you choose how many lines to activate. Playing fewer lines lowers the cost per spin but also means a winning combination on an inactive line pays nothing. For most players, playing all lines at a lower coin value is the better way to get the full experience of the game, because features and scatter triggers are often designed with all lines active in mind.

Ways to Win (243, 1024 and More)

Ways-to-win games drop fixed lines altogether. Instead, any matching symbols on adjacent reels count, starting from the left. On a 5x3 grid there are 3 x 3 x 3 x 3 x 3 = 243 ways. On a 5x4 grid it's 4 to the power of 5, which is 1,024 ways. If you land two kangaroos on reel 1, one on reel 2 and two on reel 3, that's 2 x 1 x 2 = 4 winning ways for three of a kind.

Ways games tend to produce more frequent small wins than a 20-line game, because more combinations qualify. That doesn't automatically make them more generous overall. The pay values per symbol are usually adjusted to balance things out.

Megaways and Variable Reels

Megaways-style games change the number of symbols on each reel with every spin, typically between 2 and 7. The number of ways changes too, and can reach over 100,000 on a big spin. These games often include cascading reels, where winning symbols disappear and new ones drop in, allowing several wins from one paid spin.

Cluster Pays

Cluster games don't use lines or ways. Instead, you win by landing a group of matching symbols that touch horizontally or vertically, usually five or more. The winning cluster disappears, new symbols fall in, and the process repeats. The grid is often larger, such as 6x6 or 7x7, and multipliers frequently build as cascades continue.

Pay Anywhere (Scatter Pays)

Pay-anywhere games pay when you land a set number of matching symbols anywhere on the grid, often 8 or more. Position doesn't matter at all. These games are very high on visuals and usually lean heavily on multipliers and tumbling features for their big wins.

Pay System	How a Win Forms	Hit Frequency (general)	Best Suited To
Fixed paylines	Matching symbols on a set line, left to right	Low to medium	Players who like clear, traditional rules
Adjustable paylines	As above, only on active lines	Depends on lines chosen	Classic pokie fans on tight budgets
243 / 1024 ways	Matching symbols on adjacent reels from the left	Medium to high	Players who want frequent smaller wins
Megaways	Adjacent reels, variable reel height	Medium, with big swings	Players comfortable with high volatility
Cluster pays	Touching groups of matching symbols	Medium	Fans of cascades and building multipliers
Pay anywhere	Set count of matching symbols anywhere	Medium	Players chasing multiplier features

Reading the Paytable and Calculating Line Wins

The paytable is the most useful screen in any pokie, and most players never open it. It is usually behind an "i", "?" or menu icon near the spin button. On a phone or tablet it is often tucked into a side menu, but it works the same way on every device.

What the Paytable Tells You

• Symbol values – how much each symbol pays for 3, 4, 5 (or more) of a kind.
• Whether values are shown in coins, multipliers or cash – many games update the cash values to match your current stake.
• Payline patterns – a diagram of each line in fixed-line games.
• Special symbol rules – what the wild substitutes for, how many scatters trigger free spins, and any reel restrictions.
• Feature details – how free spins, respins, multipliers and bonus rounds work.
• RTP – the theoretical return to player, usually in the game rules section.
• Maximum win – the cap on what a single spin or feature can pay.
• Malfunction clause – a standard line stating that a malfunction voids all pays and plays.

A Worked Example: Fixed Lines

Say you play a 20-line game with a total bet of $1. That means each line costs $0.05. The paytable shows the top symbol pays 200x the line bet for five of a kind. Land five on an active line and you win 200 x $0.05 = $10. If a 2x multiplier wild is part of that combination, it becomes $20.

If you also land a second winning line on the same spin, say three Queens paying 5x, you add 5 x $0.05 = $0.25. Most line games pay only the highest win per line, but add wins together across different lines.

A Worked Example: Ways to Win

In ways games, the paytable often shows values against your total bet rather than per line. Suppose three of a mid-pay symbol pays 0.5x your total bet per way, and you land 4 ways at a $1 stake. You would receive 4 x $0.50 = $2. It's worth reading the small print, because some games display values per "way" based on a coin size instead.

Why Stake Size Changes the Picture

Multipliers in the paytable stay the same no matter what you bet. The cash amount scales with your stake. Doubling your bet doubles each win but also doubles each loss, so the game's maths doesn't change. What changes is how quickly your balance moves. If you want longer sessions, a lower stake is the most direct lever you have.

Volatility, RTP and How Symbols Shape Your Balance

Two games can use the same symbols and the same 20 lines yet behave in completely different ways. The reason usually comes down to two numbers: RTP and volatility.

Return to Player (RTP)

RTP is the percentage of total stakes a game is designed to return to players over a very large number of spins. A game with 96% RTP returns, in theory, $96 for every $100 wagered, across millions of spins and many players. It does not mean you'll get $96 back from a $100 session. Short-term results can swing wildly in either direction.

Some providers release the same game in several RTP versions. The paytable or rules screen will show which one is loaded, so it is worth checking before you play royal reels pokies you haven't tried before.

Volatility (Variance)

Volatility describes how wins are distributed:

• Low volatility – frequent small wins, rare big ones. Your balance tends to drift slowly.
• Medium volatility – a balance of regular small wins and occasional bigger features.
• High volatility – long stretches with little return, punctuated by occasional large wins, usually from features.

Symbol design reveals a lot about volatility. A big gap between low-pay and high-pay values, a very high maximum win, and a features-heavy paytable usually point to a high-volatility game. Flat symbol values, many ways to win and modest maximum wins usually point the other way.

Hit Frequency

Hit frequency is how often a spin returns any win at all. It's often quoted as a percentage or a ratio such as 1 in 4. Keep in mind that a "win" here may be smaller than your stake. A spin costing $1 that returns $0.40 still counts as a hit, even though your balance went down.

Feature of the Game	Usually Signals Low Volatility	Usually Signals High Volatility
Gap between low and high symbol pays	Small	Large
Maximum win	Under 1,000x stake	5,000x stake or more
Pay system	243/1024 ways, many lines	Megaways, pay anywhere with big multipliers
Where most value sits	Base game line wins	Free spins and bonus features
Typical session feel	Steady, slow balance movement	Big swings, long dry spells

Bonus Buys

Some games offer a "buy feature" option that lets you pay a fixed amount, often 50x to 100x your stake or more, to jump straight into free spins. The feature is where most of the value in a high-volatility game sits, but a bought feature can still return less than it cost. Treat bonus buys as a high-risk option and only use them with money you're genuinely prepared to lose. Note that bonus buys may also be restricted while you have an active bonus.

Playing Pokies at Royal Reels: Account, Cashier and Bonus Conditions

Knowing the symbols and paylines is one half of the picture. The other half is the site you play on. Australian players searching for royal reels pokies will usually come across two names: Royalreels23 and Royalreelscasino Au. Both present a pokies-heavy library, a welcome package and loyalty features, but the details can shift, so always confirm the current terms on the site before depositing.

A quick legal note: under Australia's Interactive Gambling Act, it is not legal for operators to offer online casino games such as pokies to people in Australia, and ACMA regularly blocks offshore sites. Sites that do accept Australians typically operate under an offshore licence, often from Curacao. Offshore licensing gives far fewer protections than a local regulator, so read the terms carefully and keep your spending within limits you're comfortable with.

Comparing the Two Brands

Area to Check	Royalreels23	Royalreelscasino Au
Main focus	Pokies library with classic, ways and hold-and-win titles	Pokies plus table games and live dealer content
Welcome offer style	Deposit match package spread across several deposits	Deposit match with free spins on selected pokies
Loyalty	VIP tiers with cashback and personal support at higher levels	Points-based program with tiered rewards
Licensing to confirm	Check footer for licence number (commonly Curacao)	Check footer for licence number (commonly Curacao)
Mobile play	Browser-based, works on most devices	Browser-based, works on most devices
What to verify before depositing	Wagering, max bet rule, withdrawal limits	Wagering, game weighting, withdrawal limits

Offers and features change regularly, so treat the table as a checklist of what to look for rather than a fixed description. You can check the latest details through the Royal Reels site before signing up.

The Cashier: Deposits and Withdrawals

The cashier is where you manage deposits and withdrawals. Typical options for Australian players include cards, e-wallets, bank transfer methods, prepaid vouchers and cryptocurrency. A few practical points:

• Use the same method both ways where possible. Many sites require withdrawals to go back to the deposit method first, as part of anti-money-laundering rules.
• Check minimum and maximum amounts. Minimum deposits are usually low, but withdrawal caps per day, week or month can affect large winnings.
• Expect a pending period. Withdrawals often sit in a pending state for a set time before processing. Speed then depends on the method, with e-wallets and crypto usually faster than bank transfers, which can take several business days.
• Watch for fees. Most casinos don't charge for deposits, but some methods or currency conversions carry costs.

Verification (KYC)

Before your first withdrawal, expect to complete identity verification. You'll usually upload a photo ID document (passport or driver's licence), a proof of address such as a recent utility bill or bank statement, and sometimes proof of payment method ownership. Doing this early, before you win, saves time later. A withdrawal can't move forward without it, and incomplete or blurry uploads are the most common cause of delays.

Bonus Conditions That Affect Pokies Play

Welcome bonuses, reload offers and free spins can extend your gameplay, but the terms have a direct link to how you play pokies:

• Wagering requirements – you must bet the bonus (or bonus plus deposit) a set number of times before bonus winnings become withdrawable. A 40x requirement on a $100 bonus means $4,000 in bets.
• Game weighting – pokies usually count 100% towards wagering, while table games often count far less or nothing. Some high-RTP or jackpot pokies may be excluded.
• Maximum bet rule – while a bonus is active there is typically a cap per spin, often around $5 to $7.50. Breaking it can void winnings.
• Time limits – bonuses usually expire within a set number of days, such as 7, 14 or 30.
• Maximum cashout – free spins winnings and no-deposit bonuses often have a cap on what you can withdraw.
• Feature buy restrictions – many terms ban bonus buys while wagering a bonus.

The headline figure of any package (for example, a large match percentage across several deposits) tells you less than the conditions attached to it. A smaller bonus with fair wagering is often worth more in practice than a big one you're unlikely to clear.

VIP Programs and Cashback

Loyalty schemes usually reward play with points that move you through VIP tiers. Higher tiers can bring cashback on net losses, higher withdrawal limits, faster processing, priority support and personalised offers. Cashback is worth reading carefully: check whether it's paid as real money or as bonus funds with wagering attached, and whether it's calculated weekly or monthly.

Choosing Pokies to Match Your Budget

Here's where your knowledge of symbols and paylines pays off. Before you commit real money to any title:

1. Open the paytable and check the gap between low and high symbol values.
2. Note the pay system: lines, ways, clusters or pay anywhere.
3. Find the RTP and maximum win in the rules.
4. Try the demo mode, if available, for 50 to 100 spins to get a feel for hit frequency.
5. Set a stake that gives you enough spins for the session you want. A common rule of thumb is a balance of at least 100 to 200 times your stake.

Low-volatility games with many ways suit smaller budgets and longer sessions. High-volatility games with big maximum wins suit players who accept that most sessions will end with nothing and only a few will hit a feature.

Staying in Control

Pokies are entertainment, not a way to make money. The house edge means that, over time, the casino keeps a share of every dollar wagered. Set deposit limits, loss limits and session time reminders in your account settings before you start. Take breaks, never chase losses, and don't play when you're stressed or have been drinking. If gambling stops feeling fun, free and confidential support is available 24/7 through Gambling Help Online (gamblinghelponline.org.au) or by calling 1800 858 858. You can also register with BetStop, Australia's national self-exclusion register, although it covers licensed local wagering providers rather than offshore casinos.

Understanding how symbols pay and how paylines work won't change the odds of any spin, but it will help you choose games that fit your budget, set sensible stakes and avoid surprises when a bonus or withdrawal comes up. Read the paytable, check the conditions, and treat every session as paid entertainment.