On a 16-row board at medium risk, the ball lands in the centre slot 19.64% of the time and pays 0.45×. Each outer slot pays 35.75× and is hit 1 in 65,536 drops. The board returns 98% on average.
Classic payout tables
8 rows
Slot
Chance
Low
Medium
High
0
0.391%
2.32×
19.69×
50.45×
1
3.12%
1.51×
4.10×
6.73×
2
10.94%
1.16×
0.98×
0.34×
3
21.88%
1.04×
0.66×
0.17×
4
27.34%
0.58×
0.25×
0.07×
5
21.88%
1.04×
0.66×
0.17×
6
10.94%
1.16×
0.98×
0.34×
7
3.12%
1.51×
4.10×
6.73×
8
0.391%
2.32×
19.69×
50.45×
12 rows
Slot
Chance
Low
Medium
High
0
0.0244%
2.60×
34.15×
207.41×
1
0.293%
1.69×
7.11×
27.65×
2
1.61%
1.43×
2.85×
5.53×
3
5.37%
1.30×
1.71×
1.38×
4
12.08%
1.17×
1.14×
0.69×
5
19.34%
0.91×
0.71×
0.41×
6
22.56%
0.65×
0.43×
0.28×
7
19.34%
0.91×
0.71×
0.41×
8
12.08%
1.17×
1.14×
0.69×
9
5.37%
1.30×
1.71×
1.38×
10
1.61%
1.43×
2.85×
5.53×
11
0.293%
1.69×
7.11×
27.65×
12
0.0244%
2.60×
34.15×
207.41×
16 rows
Slot
Chance
Low
Medium
High
0
0.00153%
2.57×
35.75×
270.05×
1
0.0244%
1.67×
7.45×
36.01×
2
0.183%
1.67×
7.45×
36.01×
3
0.854%
1.41×
2.98×
7.20×
4
2.78%
1.29×
1.79×
1.80×
5
6.67%
1.16×
1.19×
0.90×
6
12.22%
1.16×
1.19×
0.90×
7
17.46%
0.90×
0.74×
0.54×
8
19.64%
0.64×
0.45×
0.36×
9
17.46%
0.90×
0.74×
0.54×
10
12.22%
1.16×
1.19×
0.90×
11
6.67%
1.16×
1.19×
0.90×
12
2.78%
1.29×
1.79×
1.80×
13
0.854%
1.41×
2.98×
7.20×
14
0.183%
1.67×
7.45×
36.01×
15
0.0244%
1.67×
7.45×
36.01×
16
0.00153%
2.57×
35.75×
270.05×
How this is calculated
Every row of pegs sends the ball left or right with equal odds, so on an n-row board the chance of landing in slot k (counting from 0 on the left) is C(n, k) ÷ 2ⁿ. The centre slots are common and the edges are rare.
Each risk level starts from fixed relative weights for the slots, then scales them so that Σ chance × payout is exactly 98%. Gates and Vortex reshape the table and are rescaled to the same 98%.
The honest partThe house edge (2%) applies to every bet. No strategy or setting changes the expected loss: rows, risk and mode only change how often you win and how much. Anything can happen in a short session; over many bets the edge takes its share. Set a budget before you play. Responsible play
Questions
Which Plinko risk level is best?
None of them: every rows, risk and mode combination returns 98%. Higher risk moves value from the centre to the rare edge slots, so results swing more.
How often does the ball reach the edge of a 16-row board?
In Classic mode each outer slot needs the ball to bounce the same way 16 times in a row: 1 ÷ 2¹⁶, or 1 in 65,536 drops. Either edge is 1 in 32,768.