Megaways Slots Review & List of Casinos 2024
Megaways Slots Facts | |
---|---|
Brand: | Megaways™ |
Patent: | Innovative Megaways Slot Mechanic |
Special feature: | Up to 117,649 paylines |
Developer: | Big Time Gaming |
Developed: | 2015 |
Licensee: | eg. Red Tiger, Netent, Blueprint, Microgaming, Pragmatic Play |
First Megaways Slot: | Dragon Born (BTG) |
Best Megaways Slot: | Bonanza Megaways (BTG) |
Best Megaways Casino: | BitStarz |
Slots have come a long way since the days of the old school fruit machine in the bar. Because it's all software based, the sky's the limit when it comes to what online slots can be.
Video slots with more paylines quickly emerged, and then in 2015 there was a breakthrough: the Australian developer Big Time Gaming, aka BTG, came up with Megaways slot mechanic.
The Megaways mechanic, in case you haven't tried the game, will give you a win when you have matching symbols touching each other. There aren't any paylines. It also plays on a larger grid with 6 reels. The grid is expandable, which means the number of rows can vary between 2 and 7 in game.
When the grid is fully expanded, there are obviously more opportunities for you to form matching symbols, and what this means is that there is a chance of up to 117,649 wins on a spin, and some games might even have 200,704 ways to win.
The very first Megaways game, Dragon Born, was released in early 2016. In December 2016, Bonanza Megaways was born. The latter is practically of legendary status today and is a popular title at many slot sites.
As casino pros, we're going to give you the lowdown on Megaway slots in this article. We'll cover things like:
- The best Megaways slots along with the best sites to play them at
- How Megaways differ from regular slots, and how the mechanic works
- Pros and Cons to Megaways games
Table of Contents
- Best Megaways Slots 2024
- The Best Megaways Casinos 2024
- How does the Megaways Mechanic Work?
- Special features in Megaways Slot
- Are there Megaways Progressive Jackpots?
- What are the Odds in Megaways Slots?
- 1 Million Ways to Win with Gold Megaways
- Differences between Megaways and Conventional Slots
- Pros and Cons to Megaways Slots
- About Big Time Gaming
- Megaways Slots FAQ
- The Experts' Take on Megaway Slots
Best Megaways Slots 2024
The world has really caught on to the Megaways mechanic, and they're as hot as hot chocolate cupcakes. The concept has proved to be so popular that well known video slots like NetEnt's Gonzo's Quest, Blueprint Gaming's Ted slot and many, many more have partnered up with BTG to release Megaways versions of their games.
There's no shortage of choice here with at least 70 games available today. We've put together a list of the 5 Best Megaways slots. This is of course the opinion of our editorial team, but we always check what is popular with players too!
Megaways Slot | Provider | Min. / Max. Bet | Max. Win | RTP |
---|---|---|---|---|
Atlantis | Reel Play / Relax Gaming | $0.20 / $100 | 8,641x | 96.10% |
Bonanza | Big Time Gaming | $0.20 / $500 | 26,000x | 96.00 % |
Buffalo Rising | Blueprint Gaming | $0.10 / $10 | 10,000x | 96.50% |
Dragon Born | Big Time Gaming | $0.20 / $20 | 5,000x | 95.00% |
Extra Chilli | Big Time Gaming | $0.20 / $50 | 16,877x | 96.41% |
Fruit Shop | NetEnt | $0.20 / $100 | 10,000x | 96.06% |
Great Rhino | Pragmatic Play | $0.20 / $100 | 20,000x | 96.58% |
Madame Destiny | Pragmatic Play | $0.20 / $100 | 5,000x | 96.56% |
Monopoly | Big Time Gaming | $0.20 / $40 | 14,700x | 96.5 % |
The Dog House | Pragmatic Play | $0.20 / $100 | 12,200x | 96.55 % |
Our top 5 Megaways slot games
1. Bonanza Megaways
2. The Dog House Megaways
3. Madame Destiny Megaways
4. Monopoly Megaways
5. Buffalo Rising Megaways
The Best Megaways Casinos 2024
With these games' popularity, it's easy to find a slot site to play. Of course, having been around the scene a bit, we have our faves too. Below is our editors' list of the best casinos to play Megaways slots. As usual, you can expect awesome customer service and plenty of promotions.
Some of these sites even have a special tab for Megaways under their slots menu so you can see the full selection right away.
Casino | Bonus | License | Recommendation |
---|---|---|---|
$500 |
| 96%Highly Recommendedvisit Stake | |
$4,500+ 350 Free Spins |
| 95%Highly Recommendedvisit 24Casino | |
5 BTC / $1,000 + 200 Free Spins |
| 95%Highly Recommendedvisit Cloudbet Casino | |
$1,000 + 100 Free Spins |
| 94%Recommendedvisit Instaspin | |
Virtually unlimited |
| 94%Recommendedvisit BC.Game Casino | |
$1,500+ 400 Free Spins |
| 94%Recommendedvisit Spinoli | |
C$ 4500+ 300 Free Spins |
| 94%Recommendedvisit Let's Lucky | |
$5,000+ 150 Free Spins |
| 94%Recommendedvisit Bizzo Casino | |
$1,500 + 500 Free Spins |
| 94%Recommendedvisit PlayZilla | |
$10,000 + 450 Free Spins |
| 94%Recommendedvisit Lucky Circus |
How does the Megaways Mechanic Work?
Examples of paylines based on a classic Fruit slot. In the screenshot on the left side, the "traditional" payline is drawn across the middle of the reels. On the right are examples of paylines in more modern slots that can run not only horizontally or not only across the middle. The only important thing is the "direction" from left to right.
Now, when it comes to a Megaways game, there is a base of 6 reels. The rows are expandable, which means they can go from 2 to 7 during the game. Obviously, you could fit a lot more paylines in here, but the genius in the Megaways mechanic is that it does away with paylines completely. No more lines running across the grid.
But how do you win in a Megaways slot then, you might ask.
Well, this is exactly where the fun begins. You only need to have a minimum of 3 matching symbols touching each other to score. So that is literally your "way to win" and these winning combinations are sometimes called clusters because they can take on a myriad of forms because all they need is to touch another matching symbol horizontally or vertically. So for example, if you have 2 symbols in a reel, and 1 of them has another touching its side, then that's a winning cluster. When the grid is fully expanded, there can be up to 117,649 ways to win.
For example, in the diagram below, the red squares, which represent symbols, on the left are not touching each other, so there's no win. Meanwhile, in the diagram with green squares, you can see how the you have 2 winning clusters of green squares, each touching each other by sharing a vertical side.
Cascading Reels Built-in
In Megaways slots, winning clusters will disappear, and then the symbols sitting above them will fall down into their new place, making way for new symbols. This is what is called a Cascading Reels mechanic, which is sometimes also known as Tumbling Wins or Avalanche reels. No matter the name, it basically adds up to a free re-spin with every win.
It's obviously very different from regular slots, but in a way it can be simpler because let's face it: who remembers how those 25 or however many paylines run? In Megaways slots, the wins are much simpler to identify. Other than this, the game plays essentially the same, meaning:
- You can play Megaways slots for free in demo mode at the casinos listed on this page
- Real money can only be won when you play with real money deposits
- Bet size is adjustable to suit individual budgets and risk appetites.
- Each round begins when you press the spin button, unless you opt for the Auto Play function.
Special features in Megaways Slot
In addition to the 117, 649 ways to win and the Cascading Reels mechanic, Megaways slots have other awesome features, many of which you would expect from video slots:
1.) Wilds
Wilds are symbols that can replace any other symbol to give you a winning combination, so they definitely come in handy.
2.) Scatters
3.) Free Spins
All slot players love free spins and it's exactly what is advertised in the name. You get to have a real money spin for free. Free spins are the crux of every bonus round and sometimes they are re-triggerable, meaning that you can add more free spins to your bonus round in progress.
How to Get Free Spins in Megaways Slots
Some other slots have a so called, Ante Bet feature, which doubles your chances of getting into the bonus round. Your bet per spin will cost a bit more, although it's cheaper than Bonus Buy. On the other hand, it only doubles your chances to getting the free spins, while it's guaranteed with the Bonus Buy.
Of course, neither of these are a must. You can also play the good old fashioned way and enter the round through pure chance. However, depending on your luck, it may require a bit more patience, as on average, the scatters needed to unlock the free spins feature typically come together in around 100 spins.
Sometimes, slot sites and casinos such as the one listed on this page will also offer Megaways free spins as part of a featured promotion.
4.) Horizontal Reel
Sitting on top or on the bottom of the main game grid is a shorter row, called the Horizontal Reel. These can be part of your winning cluster and can add in bonus modifiers, like multipliers of different values.
5.) Bonus Buy
Aka Bonus Bet or Feature Buy, Bonus Buy lets you access bonus rounds directly by placing a higher bet up front.
Are there Megaways Progressive Jackpots?
Progressive jackpots are famous for their huge payouts. The reason why the payouts get so big is because the progressive games are networked across casinos so that a portion of every single player's bet goes into a communal jackpot. It can build up to a pretty massive amount before one lucky player wins it all in a spin.
Some Megaways jackpot games include:
- Bonanza Megapays
- The Great Pigsby Megapays
- Star Cluster Megapays
- Millionaire Megapays, aka Who wants to be a Millionaire Megapays
These Megapays games have 4 jackpots in game:
- Mini
- Midi
- Major
- Mega
They are all progressive jackpots, and where they differ is the minimum payout. For example, Mini starts at $100, where as Mega starts at $300,000. None of them have upper limits though. It just means that the smaller jackpots get ripe much sooner and therefore pay out more frequently.
How to win Megapays Jackpots
As with other progressive games, a part of every single spin from every single player playing the same game across different casinos contributes to the jackpots in the Megapays slots. The table below summarises how the four different jackpots in Megapays are built up, their minimum payout size, as well as the symbols needed to get a win.
Bonanza Megapays - Jackpot Rules Summary:
Jackpot | Deposit per spin | Minimum Jackpot | Payout at |
---|---|---|---|
Mini | 1.5% of the stake | $100 | 4-7 Megapays symbols |
Midi | 1.3% of the stake | $1,500 | 8-11 Megapays symbols |
Major | 1.2% of the stake | $20,000 | 12-14 Megapays symbols |
Mega | 1.1% of the stake | $300,000 | 15 or more Megapays symbols |
What are the Odds in Megaways Slots?
One of the most exciting things about Megaways is that there are a lot more winning possibilities than regular video slots. It's kind of obvious. The grid is much bigger, and you only need 3 matching symbols touching each other to win, instead of having to complete paylines across the 5 reels. In fact, one of their main selling points is that they have 117,649 ways to win in the game. Again, compared to regular slots that might have 25 paylines, this is clearly huge.
But where does the 117,649 in Megaways come from? Well, it's actually pretty simple math. Most of these games have 6 reels, and they can contain from 2 to 7 symbols each.
That means if each reel has 7 symbols:
7 x 7 x 7 x 7 x 7 x 7 (or 76 ) = 117,649
Conversely, if the reels contract to only contain 2 symbols each, then it's:
2 x 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 (or 26 ) = 64
So technically speaking, most Megaways slots have 64 to up to 117,649 ways to win.
We say "most" because some games like Madame Destiny Megaways can have up to 8 symbols in their 6 reels, coming to a massive total of 200,704 ways to win. Meanwhile, the White Rabbit Megaways slot has the most winning possibilities we know of, at a very impressive 248,832.
Similarly, RTP will vary with each Megaways slot. For example, White Rabbit Megaways has a 97.77% RTP but generally speaking, you're looking at good RTPs around 96%, which is what you get with most video slots nowadays.
1 Million Ways to Win with Gold Megaways
If hundreds of thousands of ways to win is not enough, then check out the Gold Megaways slot. The base game is the usual 6 reels with 117,649 ways to win, but when you enter the bonus round, the reels can have up to 10 symbols, making it a giant 1 million ways to win game.
Below are Gold Megaways slot specs summarized for you:
Ways to win (Base Game) | 117,649 |
Ways to win (Bonus Round) | 1,000,000 |
RTP | 96.42% |
Max Payout | 20,200x |
Volatility | High |
Min / Max Bet | $0.05 - $20 |
What's really cool about Gold Megaways is that you have the option to exchange your wins to unlock a bonus round of free spins. There are the usual wilds and multipliers too, of course.
Differences between Megaways and Conventional Slots
It's obvious. Megaways can be pretty different from your usual slots. Conventional slots use paylines, but Megaways just needs a cluster of matching symbols. Plus the grid on Megaways is just much bigger, and the reels will expand. We put it all together in the table below to sum all the differences for you.
Traditional Video Slots | Megaways | |
---|---|---|
Developer | No restrictions | Big Time Gaming (aka BTG); or licensed by BTG |
Basic principle | Fixed grid | Expanding reels |
Grid | Usually 3 rows 5 reels | 6 reels; each accommodates between 2 to 7 symbols |
How to win | Matching symbols on fixed paylines; some games may use Cluster Pays mechanic instead | No paylines. Matching symbols touching each other, similar to Cluster Pays |
No. of ways to win | Typically between 10 - 100 paylines; some may go up to 4,096 ways to win if not using paylines | Up to 117,649 ways to win when reels are fully expanded; some games may have even more. |
Features | Wilds, Multipliers, Cascades and more | Wilds, Multipliers, Cascades (Tumbling Wins), and more |
Free Spins | Yes | Yes |
Free play in demo mode | Yes | Yes |
Progressive jackpots | Yes | Only a few available |
RTP | Usually between 94 and 97% | Usually between 94 and 97% |
Volatility | Low to high | Medium to very high |
Pros and Cons to Megaways Slots
So you get that Megaways are different. But how do these differences translate into advantages in gameplay? As always, this depends on what kind of a player you are, but to help you make your choice, we put together the main pros and cons to Megaways slots.
- Significantly more ways to win
- Not limited to pre-determined paylines
- Tumbling win feature gives free re-spin
- More excitement from the unpredictable expanding reels
- Above average volatility can deliver big wins
- Max payout can be high at over 20,000x bet size in some games
- May be difficult to follow at first due to the visual difference
- Few progressive jackpot options
- No low volatility options
About Big Time Gaming
In 2021, Big Time Gaming was acquired by Evolution Gaming, the leading developer for live casino games. Nik Robinson remains CEO of BTG in this setup, and we're expecting more crazy casino innovations from this partnership in the near future.
Megaways Slots FAQ
- Are Megaways slots all from BTG?
- Are winnings higher in Megaways games?
- Where can I play Megaways slots for free?
- How many Megaways slots are there?
- Which Megaways Slots have the highest RTPs?
1.) Are Megaways slots all from BTG?
BTG developed the Megaways mechanic and makes many of these slots. The company also secured a patent for the mechanic, so that other developers interested in making Megaways games have to lease a licence from BTG. That's how you see many popular video slots like Fruit Shop and Gonzo's Quest from NetEnt, 88 Fortunes from Bally, and Genie Jackpots from Blueprint Gaming with Megaways versions.
To date, the following developers have released Megaways versions of their games:
Netent
Microgaming
Pragmatic Play
Bally Wulff
Blueprint Gaming
Fantasma Games
iSoftBet
Relax Gaming
Red Tiger
Stakelogic
Booming Games
2.) Are winnings higher in Megaways games?
Winnings will vary with each game, and it also depends on what you're comparing them to. In terms of max pay out, they are similar to regular video slots; but again, it will depend on which exact games are being compared. As any pro will tell you, video slots can easily have max payouts from 2,000x to well over 20,000x your bet size.
Megaways do tend to be in the high volatility range though. What this means is that payouts tend to be less frequent, but when they happen they tend to be bigger.
Back to FAQ3.) Where can I play Megaways slots for free?
You can play Megaways for free at all the casinos listed on this very page, and just about at any casino that hosts the game.
You could do it in demo mode, but as we always remind our readers: demo mode won't let you win real money and you should keep your eye on the ball. Once you get a feel for the game, don't be afraid to play with real money. With Megaways min bet at a mere $0.05, it's pretty low risk. The casinos on this page also have excellent welcome bonuses, giving you a leg up on the way.
Back to FAQ4.) How many Megaways slots are there?
Megaways coming out from Big Time Gaming exclusively total to 21 at the time of review. However, the absolute total is much higher at approximately 70 titles when you count the games made by other developers with the BTG Megaways licence.
Back to FAQ5.) Which Megaways Slots have the highest RTPs?
On average, Megaways slots have an RTP of 96.22%, which is in line with any respectable video slot. There are titles that go above the average, and if you're looking for games with the highest RTPs, then check these out.
The Megaways version | RTP | Provider |
---|---|---|
White Rabbit | 97.24 - 97.77% | Big Time Gaming |
Buffalo Rising ALL ACTION | 97.01% | Blueprint Gaming |
Gorilla Gold | 97% | Blueprint Gaming |
Slots O'Gold | 96.96% | Blueprint Gaming |
Queen of Riches | 96.9% | Big Time Gaming |
8 Golden Skulls of Holly Roger | 96.86% | Micrograming |
Primal | 96.76% | Blueprint Gaming |
King of Cats | 96.7-96.72% | Big Time Gaming |
The Experts' Take on Megaway Slots
They look very different and may take a few minutes before you get the hang of them, but once you do, Megaways are really awesome with their thousands of ways to win. Gone are the classic paylines, and all that's needed are touching symbols, making it really fun with a lot more winning potential than classic and video slots.
These are high energy games. With the reels expanding and contracting all the time to give you different winning possibilities, combined with the Tumbling Win, aka Avalanche, aka Cascading feature, the action is unpredictable and fast paced.
Volatility tends to be higher than average, so there may be some lulls before the pays coming in. They're really popular especially with high rollers looking to score big, but as always, we recommend that you check it out for yourself to see if the hype is real.