Paytable
A paytable is the in-game chart that shows how much each symbol combination pays and how the game's features work.
Definition
A paytable sets out the reward value of every winning combination, usually as a multiple of the bet (per line, per total stake, or in coins), together with the rules for special symbols such as wilds and scatters and how bonus features are triggered and paid. In slots it typically lists payouts for 3, 4, or 5 matching symbols; in table and specialty games it lists the odds attached to each bet type. Presented through an information screen reachable from the game interface, it is the authoritative, regulator-visible statement of a game's pay rules. Crucially, it documents the payout side only — it does not on its own reveal the game's return to player (RTP) or hit frequency, which also depend on how often each outcome occurs.
Worked example
A 20-line video slot is played at a £1.00 total stake, so each line is staked at £0.05. Its paytable lists five-of-a-kind of the top symbol at 40x the line bet and a low-value symbol at 5x, and it states that three scatters anywhere trigger 10 free spins. Landing five top symbols on one line therefore pays 40 × £0.05 = £2.00, while five low symbols pay 5 × £0.05 = £0.25. Whether a title quotes wins as a multiple of the line bet or of the total stake is stated on the paytable itself and differs between games — a frequent source of confusion when comparing titles.
Why it matters
The paytable lets a player see exactly what each symbol and feature is worth before staking, making it a core transparency tool — UK and other regulators require game rules and pay information to be readily accessible in-game. For designers and analysts it is the visible layer of the game math: it defines the reward side of the RTP equation and is the starting point for understanding how features contribute to overall return and volatility. Reading it correctly — especially telling apart per-line and per-stake quoting — is a basic but easily missed skill.
Related
Note: Stable concept, but presentation varies by game and jurisdiction: some paytables quote wins as multiples of the line bet, others as multiples of total stake or in coins, and the exact disclosures and layout required differ under regimes such as the UKGC and MGA. Note that a paytable shows pay values, not probabilities, so it does not by itself disclose RTP or hit frequency.