Megaways slots have gained immense popularity among both casual and experienced slot players due to their potential for massive wins and engaging gameplay. They continue to be a staple in the online casino industry. These slots were created by Big Time Gaming and have since been licensed to various other game developers, resulting in a growing library of Megaways titles.
Megaways slots were first created by Big Time Gaming in 2015. The mechanism is now licensed out to other providers, who have created their own Megaways games.
In a standard slot game, the number of symbols appearing on the reels is the same every time you spin, but with Megaways slots, this number changes all the time. This results in more ways to win, with some slots having up to 117,649 ways on a single spin of the reels.
What are Megaways slots?
Here’s what makes Megaways slots unique:
- Variable Reel Structure: Megaways slots feature a dynamic reel layout where the number of symbols on each reel can change with every spin. This creates a varying number of ways to win on each spin, as opposed to traditional slots with fixed paylines.
- Cascading Reels: Many Megaways slots incorporate cascading or tumbling reels, where winning combinations disappear from the reels, and new symbols drop in to replace them. This can lead to multiple consecutive wins from a single spin.
- Enormous Ways to Win: The number of ways to win in a Megaways slot can be substantial, often reaching tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands. The exact number of ways to win varies from game to game but is prominently displayed in the slot’s interface.
- Special Symbols: Megaways slots typically include special symbols such as wilds, scatters, and bonus symbols. Wilds can substitute for other symbols to create winning combinations, while scatters and bonus symbols can trigger free spins or bonus features.
- Free Spins and Multipliers: Many Megaways slots have free spins rounds with increasing multipliers. During the free spins, each win increases the multiplier, potentially leading to significant payouts.
- High Volatility: Megaways slots are often characterized by high volatility, which means that while the payouts can be substantial, they may not occur as frequently as in lower volatility games. Players can experience both significant wins and periods of smaller or no wins.
- Popular Titles: Some popular Megaways slot titles include “Bonanza Megaways,” “Gonzo’s Quest Megaways,” and “Mega Moolah Megaways,” among others. Each of these games offers a unique theme and gameplay experience while utilizing the Megaways mechanics.
How to play Megaways slots
The gameplay of Megaways slots is similar to all other slot games. To get started, select the game, choose your bet amount, and use the “spin” button to play your first spin.
When you spin again, you’ll notice that the number of symbols landing on each of the reels changes, perhaps between two to seven on each reel. As is the case with other slots, you’ll usually need to match at least three of the same symbols on adjacent reels from left to right, and the changing number of symbols increases the number of ways you can achieve it.
Can you win real money on Megaways slots?
You can play for real money and stand a chance to win on Megaways games. Most Megaways slots have a Return to Player percentage of 96% or more, and Big Time Gaming’s White Rabbit has the highest, at 97.24%. There’s always a built-in house edge, so there’s never a guarantee of a win.
All Megaways games from reputable studios are built using Random Number Generator technology, which ensures game fairness and means that players can win real money, which the casino will pay out.
Best Megaways slot game themes and features
Like all slot games, Megaways come with a variety of themes. Animal themes are popular in games like Buffalo Rising and Raging Rhino, and games like Temple Tumble and Aztec Gold feature ancient civilizations. There are also branded Megaways games like Monopoly Megaways.
Megaways games can also come with special features similar to those on standard slot games. For example, some Megaways games have jackpots; most come with bonus rounds and wild symbols.
Which are the best Megaways slots?
Bonanza was the original Megaways game, and it remains popular today. This game is themed around a gold mine and has a number of special features, like cascading reels, an additional horizontal reel, and multipliers, along with the Megaways feature.
88 Fortunes Megaways adds a twist to the classic game. It’s themed around the ancient Far East and features 117,649 ways to win. There’s a free spins round that awards up to 15 rounds with a multiplier of up to 6x.
Pragmatic Play’s Big Bass Bonanza Megaways is part of the popular Big Bass series. It’s themed around fishing and comes with 46,656 ways to win, a high volatility level, and an RTP of 96.70%.