3-Reel vs. 5-Reel Online Slots
In 2024, South Africans can choose between hundreds of online slots of all flavours.
From classic 3-reel slot machines to more modern-style, animated 5-reel games, if a slot style has been invented, chances are your favourite Internet casino has it.
But what are the main differences between these two popular styles of slot machines, and which are the best to play? Let's take a look at how 3-reel and 5-reel slots square off.
Classic 3-Reel Slots
'Classic' online slot machines hark back to an age of Las Vegas and the early fruit machines. They normally closely follow the appearance and gameplay of those simple machines too: 3 reels, minimal paylines, and old-school symbols like fruit, BAR icons and the famous red 7.
So simple are these 3-reel games that you will normally find the pay table (the list of pay-outs for various winning combinations) listed on the game screen itself.
Lower Coins and Max. Bets
Coin bets are usually lower too to cater for more casual gamblers. Remember, though, that the number of paylines featured will be lower due to the lower number of rows. One payline is normal, but you will also find 3-reel slots with up to 27 paylines to cover all combos.
Simple Gameplay
What's good about 3-reel slots is that with no Wilds, Scatters or bonus features, as well as less space taken up by reels, they work well on mobile phones and tablets. Classic 3-reel games are perfect, therefore, for the new burgeoning mobile gaming market. Why Choose 3-Reel Slots?
Why Choose 3-Reel Slots?
- Simple gameplay
- Lower maximum betting
- Classic themes
- Fun, retro gameplay
- Good for mobile phones
5-Reel Slots Online
While 3-reel slots offer quick, cheap thrills, won't dent your bankroll (unless you keep failing to hit winners), and have a great retro feel, what if you're after more features?
That's where 5-reel slot machines come in.
5-reel slot machines feature (obviously) five reels, usually over three rows (but sometimes four or five) and this allows for many more paylines.
And if a slot pays out on winning combinations right-to-left as well as left-to-right, you can potentially play hundreds of paylines.
Bonus Features
With 5-reel slot machines you will normally find better graphics and animation in-game than the classic 3-reel games, plus exciting bonus features which can be triggered by landing Scatter symbols on the reels.
Free spins, expanding Wilds, or Instant Win bonuses: these are all features you won't find in a 3-reel game.
Progressive Jackpots
And if you're comfortable with betting bigger on the 20, 30 or 50 paylines available at most 5-reel slots, you will often find generous progressive jackpots on offer.
Progressive jackpots are made up of portions of every player's bet. They can then be triggered by lining up a certain combination of symbols or hitting a special bonus round.
Progressive jackpots have reached huge amounts in the past. Last year, the world record was broken for an online slot machines progressive jackpot when a player won €17,000,000 on Mega Fortune for a relatively small outlay.
Why Choose 5-Reel Slots?
- Cover more paylines
- Great themes and gameplay
- Wilds and Scatters
- Generous bonus rounds
- Progressive jackpots in some games
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