A paytable is the in-game screen that lists what every winning combination pays, along with the rules for features such as wilds, scatters and bonus rounds. In a UK casino app it must be available before you stake anything, and learning to read it in pounds tells you what a game is built to reward.
The paytable lists prizes and feature rules; RTP is usually shown nearby in the help or rules screen.
Slot prizes are often quoted as multiples of stake, so they scale when you change your bet.
A paytable shows what a win pays, not how often it happens.
UK rules say payouts and game rules must be available before you commit to play, and they can’t change while the game is live.
Also called
Pay table, game info, game rules
Shows
Prizes per combination, feature rules, paylines or ways
Before play
Prize and payout information must be available (RTS 3D)
Can it change mid-game?
No, not while the game is available (RTS 7D)
Doesn’t show
How often each prize lands
Paytable definition
A paytable is the reference sheet built into a casino game. For a slot, it shows each symbol, how many matching symbols you need, and the prize for each combination. It also explains how lines or ways are counted and what the special symbols do.
Table games and video poker have paytables too, though they’re often shorter. Roulette’s is simply a list of bet types and the odds each pays. Whatever the game, the paytable is where the payout for every result is fixed in advance, which is why it sits next to RTP in our glossary of casino app terms.
What a slot paytable shows
Typical parts of a slot paytable
Part
What it tells you
Why it matters
Symbol prizes
The return for 3, 4, 5 or more matching symbols
Shows which symbols carry the value
Paylines or ways
Fixed lines, ways to win, or cluster rules
Decides which symbol positions count
Wilds
Which symbols a wild replaces
Standard wilds stand in for everything except scatters
Scatters
Prizes and feature triggers that ignore lines
Usually the route into free spins rounds
Feature rules
How bonus rounds, multipliers and collect symbols work
Explains where the bigger prizes come from
Max win and RTP
Prize cap and theoretical return, where listed
Helps you compare the cost of games
Some games split this across several screens: prizes first, then a rules page with the RTP and any maximum win. Games with cluster pays or Megaways explain how groups or variable reels are counted, since there are no fixed lines.
Reading paytable prizes in pounds
Many slots quote prizes as multiples of your total stake, while others show pound values that update as you change the bet. Either way, the arithmetic is simple. The figures below are a made-up example, not any real game.
Illustrative symbol prize of 20x stake at different bets
Stake per spin
Prize at 20x
Prize at 2x (low symbol)
10p
£2.00
£0.20
50p
£10.00
£1.00
£1
£20.00
£2.00
That 2x line is worth watching. At a 50p stake it returns £1, which is more than you staked, so the game may mark it as a win. If a prize returns your stake or less, UK rules say the game mustn’t celebrate it, so a 1x return shouldn’t arrive with win fanfare.
Ways-to-win games count matching symbols on adjacent reels rather than set lines. On a five-reel, three-row grid that gives 3 × 3 × 3 × 3 × 3 = 243 ways, and with four rows 4 to the power of 5 = 1,024 ways.
How to find the paytable in a casino app
Apps don’t share one layout, and the paytable lives inside the game rather than in the app’s menus. These steps work for most mobile slots.
Open the game but don’t place a bet yet.
Look for an information, help or menu icon in the game frame; an ‘i’ symbol or three lines are common.
Open the paytable or game rules and swipe through every page, including the feature rules.
Find the RTP and maximum win, often on the last rules page.
Change the stake and check whether the prize values update in pounds.
Turn the phone sideways if the text is cramped; our guide to landscape and portrait mode explains the trade-offs.
What a paytable won’t tell you
A paytable lists prizes, not probabilities. Two slots can show identical prizes for five top symbols while one lands them far less often. That hidden balance is what developers describe as volatility, and volatility labels aren’t set by any regulator, so one studio’s high may differ from another’s.
The RTP pulls prizes and probabilities together into one number. A 96% game returns £96 for every £100 staked over a very large number of spins, so the average cost of £100 of play is £4 whatever the paytable looks like. Wizard of Odds’ slots page (opens in a new tab) notes that the same title’s RTP can also vary between jurisdictions, which is another reason to read the figure inside your own app.
Paytables on roulette and video poker
On table games the paytable is the odds list. A single-number bet on single-zero roulette pays 35 to 1 against true odds of 36 to 1, which is where the 2.70% house edge comes from. An even-money bet on red pays 1 to 1 and carries the same edge. Our guide to roulette bets on a phone screen covers the full list.
In video poker, the paytable decides most of the house edge. Wizard of Odds puts full-pay Jacks or Better at 0.46%, which assumes the best version of that paytable and accurate play. Reduce the payout for a full house or a flush and the edge rises, even though the game looks the same.
UK paytable rules for casino apps
The Gambling Commission’s technical standards require game rules, and information on prizes and payouts or how they’re calculated, to be easily available before you commit to a bet. RTS 7 then says random numbers must be mapped to outcomes according to the prevailing probabilities and pay tables, and rules, payouts and probabilities can’t change while a game is available for play. The full text is in RTS 7 on random outcomes (opens in a new tab).
Two other rules shape what you see in a mobile slot. Stakes are capped at £5 per spin for players aged 25 and over and £2 for 18 to 24-year-olds, so the paytable’s pound values top out at those bets; see our slot stake limits page. And since 31 October 2021 slots can’t celebrate a return equal to or below the stake. More on the display duties is on our RTP information rules page.
Terms you’ll meet next to a paytable
Multiplier: a factor that increases a prize, such as 5x on a line win.
Free spins: a bonus round, usually triggered by scatter symbols.
Game cycle: one spin or round from stake to result.
Using paytables with partner spin offers
Spin offers fix your stake for you, usually at 10p a spin, so a quick look at the paytable shows what each spin can realistically return before you start. 18+ and terms apply to all three partner offers below, and all of them are for slots only.
Coral (new players, until 1 February 2027): bet £10+ on slots after a qualifying deposit for 100 free spins at 10p on selected games. Accept within 48 hours, use within 7 days, no wagering on winnings. PayPal, Skrill, Neteller, Paysafe, prepaid and certain debit cards are excluded.
Ladbrokes (new customers): spend £10+ on slots for 50 free spins a day over your first 10 days, up to 500 at 10p each. Claim each day’s spins before 23:59; they last 7 days with no wagering. PayPal, Skrill, Neteller, Moneybookers, Paysafe and prepaid card deposits don’t count.
PlayOJO (new UK customers, not Northern Ireland): a first deposit of at least £10 brings 80 free spins on Big Bass Bonanza at 10p, with no wagering and winnings paid as cash. Only through the designated offer link; it can’t be combined.
Coral and Ladbrokes share an operator, LC International Limited, so holding new accounts at both may not be possible. The paytable doesn’t change the house edge: over time, losses are the likely outcome.
Coral and Ladbrokes are both run by LC International Limited (Entain). If you already hold an account with one Entain brand, you may not be able to open another; check the terms first.
Significant terms: 18+. New players only. Offer runs 01/10/2026 to 01/02/2027. Deposit (certain types excluded) and bet £10+ on slot games to get 100 free spins (selected games, £0.10 each, 48 hrs to accept, valid 7 days). No wagering on free spin winnings. Deposits by Neteller, PayPal, Paysafe, Skrill, prepaid cards and certain debit cards do not qualify. Restrictions and T&Cs apply. GamCare.org.uk
Read our Coral app reviewLicence: LC International Limited, Gambling Commission account 54743. Offer checked 5 October 2026.
Time limitClaim daily for 10 days; each batch valid 7 days
Worked valueUp to 500 spins at £0.10 (up to £50 in spins)
Significant terms: 18+. New customers only, from 14/11/25 until further notice. Certain deposit methods excluded. Deposit and spend £10+ on slots for 50 free spins a day during the first 10 days after first deposit and registration (max 500, £0.10 each, selected games, claim before 23:59 each day, valid 7 days). No wagering. Prepaid cards, PayPal, Paysafe, Neteller, Skrill and Moneybookers deposits do not qualify. Restrictions and T&Cs apply. GamCare.org.uk
Read our Ladbrokes app reviewLicence: LC International Limited, Gambling Commission account 54743. Offer checked 5 October 2026.
Significant terms: 18+. New UK customers (excluding Northern Ireland). First deposit only. Minimum deposit £10. 80 free spins on Big Bass Bonanza, £0.10 each. No wagering requirements; winnings paid in cash. Cannot be used with any other offer. Only available to players who arrive through the designated offer link. Full T&Cs apply. GamCare.org.uk
Read our PlayOJO app reviewLicence: Skill On Net Limited, Gambling Commission account 39326. Offer checked 5 October 2026.
18+. Every casino game has a built-in house edge, so over time you should expect to lose what you stake. Set a budget before you play and stop when it’s gone: safer gambling tools and support. Free, confidential help: National Gambling Helpline 0808 8020 133.
Frequently asked questions
What is a paytable in a slot game?
A paytable is the screen inside a slot that lists every winning combination and what it pays. It also explains paylines or ways to win, wild and scatter symbols, and how bonus features work. Most include or link to the game rules, where the RTP and maximum win usually appear. Reading it before your first spin is the quickest way to understand a game; our slots on mobile guide shows where it fits.
Where is the paytable in a casino app?
It’s inside each game, not in the app’s main menu. Open the game without betting and look for an information, help or menu icon in the game frame, then swipe through the pages. Layouts vary by game studio, so the icon can sit in a corner or under a settings symbol. If you’re stuck, the operator’s live chat can help; our guide to live chat in casino apps covers getting through.
Does the paytable change when I change my stake?
The prize multiples stay the same, but the pound values scale with your bet. If a combination pays 20x your stake, it’s £2 at 10p and £20 at £1. Many games show pound amounts that update as you adjust the bet, while others show multiples only. The rules and payouts themselves can’t change while the game is live under UK standards. See our stake limits page for the maximum bet.
Does the paytable show the odds of winning?
No, a slot paytable shows what each win pays, not how often it lands. The odds sit inside the game’s maths and come through only in the RTP figure and, informally, the volatility label. That’s why two games with similar prizes can feel very different. The RTP is the number to compare for cost; our high RTP slot apps list explains how to use it sensibly.
Is the paytable the same on the app and the website?
Usually, yes: whether you open it on your phone or a laptop, you’re playing the studio’s one build of the game. What can differ is the RTP setting an operator chooses for a slot, since some games are supplied in more than one version, and that can change how often wins arrive. Always read the rules screen in the app you’re actually using. Our answer on whether app games match desktop covers this.
What does full pay mean on a video poker paytable?
Full pay describes the most generous standard paytable for a video poker game. For Jacks or Better, Wizard of Odds puts the house edge of the full-pay version at 0.46%, assuming accurate play. Versions that pay less for a full house or flush look identical but cost more over time. Check the paytable before you play; our video poker apps guide explains what to look for.
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