At first I didn’t realize that my first experience playing a Megaways slot wasn’t broken. At the time I’d been playing hundreds of the “standard” 5 reel video slots with twenty-five or twenty-six pay lines (that’s what we normally call a standard slot), and then this game loaded up with a completely different layout. Each reel was a varying height, some much taller than others. And at the bottom of the screen was the win counter with the number of ways to win displayed, “15,625 ways to win,” which was a far cry from “46,656 ways to win” that had shown previously.
I double-checked the pay table twice, thinking that I had somehow missed it. I hadn’t. That’s how Megaways works, and once you catch on, it’s difficult to go back to a slot with a fixed number of pay lines without it feeling a little static in comparison. Megaways has become one of the defining characteristics of slots from the last ten years, and unless you’ve been browsing an online casino’s slot lobby, you’ve likely come across the term applied to dozens of titles – even if you’re not entirely sure what it means.
Where did the mechanic originate
Megaways was developed by Big Time Gaming (BTG), an Australian-based development company and first appeared in a game titled Dragon Born in early 2016. However, it was Bonanza, a slot with a very basic graphical design based upon mining themes released late in 2016, that really brought the mechanic to life in terms of how it played versus nearly every other slot available at the time. Big Time Gaming owns the patent on the mechanic which means other companies cannot directly replicate it in their own slots.
In order to allow other developers to create their own slots using the Megaways name and mechanism, Big Time Gaming licenses the technology to these companies. Therefore, you’ll see various Megaways versions offered by other game development companies like Pragmatic Play, Red Tiger and numerous others. All of these companies are paying BTG to use the underlying technology in their respective themed releases. The licensing model is somewhat unique for this industry, which normally sees mechanisms copied shortly after release. As such the Megaways name lends itself to having some level of respectability among players – players have learned to associate the Megaways name with a certain type of gaming experience rather than just another generic slot skin.
How the reels work and why the ways to win keep changing
Now let’s take a look at the fundamental mechanics of how this system works, simplified. Standard video slots operate on a fixed grid. For example, a 5 x 3 slot will have a fixed 5 reel grid with 3 rows and paylines will run horizontally across the grid in predetermined patterns or sometimes the developer may choose to define a fixed ways-to-win number, e.g., 243, which remains unchanged throughout the course of play. Megaways eliminates this rigid structure.
The number of symbols displayed on each reel is determined randomly at the beginning of each individual spin by what is known as the random reel modifier. Since each reel can potentially be any height (in our case 7 symbols or less) and each reel operates independently, the number of ways that winning symbols can align to form a winning pattern is likewise changed dynamically, spin-by-spin. Mathematically, the number of potential ways that can occur in a 6-reel Megaways game with each reel capable of displaying up to 7 symbols is calculated as follows: 7 * 7 * 7 * 7 * 7 * 7 = 117,649.
While this is the maximum potential ways-to-win number for any individual spin, it should be noted that any given spin will either produce the full 117,649 ways or significantly fewer (e.g., thousands or even mere hundreds). Players have absolutely no idea what they will be dealing with on any given spin until the reels are locked-in. Additionally, winning combinations are awarded by matching adjacent reels (starting from the leftmost reel and moving across) irrespective of which row(s) the symbols appear on within those reels.
Thusly, three identical symbols appearing on reels 1-3 (regardless of row location) qualify as a win across however many ways that particular combination of row heights will support. Consequently, the same three-symbol match can generate wildly different payouts depending upon how tall each reel rolls on that particular spin.
Cascading reels and multipliers that stack endlessly
In addition to the dynamic reel system, virtually all Megaways titles include some variation of cascading mechanic (some may refer to it as tumble or avalanche). After a winning combination is resolved and paid out, rather than resetting the entire board, only the winning combination disappears and new symbols fall from above to occupy the vacated spaces. Should this new configuration result in additional winning combinations, they too will resolve and receive payment. This process can repeat multiple times (sometimes three, four or more times) prior to the board settling on no further winning combinations remaining.
Many Megaways titles add a progressive multiplier to this process. Often beginning at 1x and increasing with each consecutive cascade (potentially exceeding 2x, 3x etc.) with some titles maxing out at 5x or greater during base game play and substantially greater during bonus rounds. Witnessing four or five consecutive cascades drive up a multiplier while simultaneously witnessing ways-to-win numbers increase beneath your feet truly represents the aspect of Megaways that draws players in – creating an unfolding series within a single spin instead of a single static outcome.
Bonus rounds/free spins – why multipliers get serious here
As mentioned earlier, free spins rounds in Megaways titles represent where the format shines brightest. Bonus rounds are commonly triggered via scatters (usually four or more scatters appearing anywhere on the reels). Once entered into a free spins round, many Megaways titles make permanent any multiplier generated from previous spins in the base game. Rather than resetting multipliers at 1x after each spin as they might in the base game, some Megaways titles will continue to accumulate multipliers throughout an entire free spins session.
With giant symbols added during bonus rounds (symbols that cover two or more reels vertically and/or horizontally), a single symbol can contribute greatly to multiple winning combinations when landed on. It is due to this compounded nature that Megaways bonus rounds earn themselves a reputation for delivering amongst the largest single-spin multipliers found in today’s modern online slots – sometimes into the thousands of times the player’s original bet – although those occurrences sit at an extremely low probability.
Volatility/RTP – What does it really mean for your bankroll?
Megaways titles are largely skewed towards high volatility. Due to both the dynamic reel system coupled with cascading multipliers, the mathematical model requires ample opportunity to fund those infrequent large wins – which usually results in less frequent payments during normal gameplay. RTP figures for Megaways titles lie within similar ranges as most modern video slots – between 94% and 96% – though vary by title and may be dependent upon provider-specific configurations (check each game’s pay table for specifics).
Day-to-day volatility matters more than RTP when considering Megaways titles. Sessions on high volatility Megaways titles may remain relatively quiet for extended periods (twenty or thirty spins or longer) without returning a payout that seems significant; this isn’t necessarily evidence of malfunctions – it’s simply fulfilling what high volatility promises to provide. The upside for enduring quiet stretches is potentially experiencing an exceptional cascade chain or bonus round multiplier accumulation. If you plan on entering into sessions with limited funds and expecting regular small payouts to sustain your session length, Megaways titles will ultimately frustrate you quicker than you would be frustrated with traditional slots or lower volatility video slots.
Why players continue to flock toward this format
One reason is clearly inherent unpredictability. Slots with good designs will eventually develop routines and establish familiarities after seeing pay tables and symbol values for dozens of spins. But Megaways defies establishing this routine due to literally altering the physical makeup of each spin — therefore, even after hundreds of hours playing a particular title — you’ll still encounter reels configured in unique combinations that you’ve never seen together before.
This sense of “this time what am I going to get?” provides immense value when explaining why people continually revisit Megaways specifically — separate from any theme or graphics provided in conjunction with each title. Another reason is pure escalation. Observing a cascade chain grow; observing the ways-to-win number fluctuate drastically between spins; viewing an accumulating multiplier in a bonus round reach levels no standard slot could achieve — these are fundamentally distinct forms of player engagement than repeatedly spinning on a fixed 25-line slot and viewing the same static grid with each spin. These experiences offer a theatrical quality that standard slots lack.
A checklist before committing real money
While there is considerable volatility and complexity associated with Megaways titles — it is worthwhile developing a quick checklist prior to investing real money into a new title:
- Verify that the maximum ways-to-win figure referenced in the title’s pay table accurately reflects what you will experience.
- Determine whether multipliers reset individually per spin or persist throughout subsequent cascades and specifically throughout free spins rounds.
- Check how many scatters are required to activate the bonus round and whether re-triggers are allowed.
- Note RTP and volatility ratings — do not assume that this title will follow those associated with other Megaways titles.
- Spend time testing free play modes watching how cascade sequences resolve — especially important when evaluating a complex mechanic like Megaways.
It is worth being honest about
There is nothing inherently superior about Megaways format versus traditional slot formats — merely that it offers an alternative type of betting proposition on your attention and patience. There is always a risk/reward element when playing slots — and in Megaways’ favor lies the potential reward of receiving an extraordinary cascade chain or generating substantial multipliers during bonus rounds — albeit this reward comes at the expense of potentially lengthy quiet-stretch sessions during base game play.
