Where Megaways Came From
Megaways is a patented mechanic developed by Australian-founded studio Big Time Gaming. The success of its game Bonanza Megaways helped turn Megaways into an industry-wide trend.
Big Time Gaming licenses the Megaways mechanic and name to other developers, which is why Megaways games are now made by many different studios. Big Time Gaming was founded in Sydney in 2011 and was acquired by Evolution in 2021.
How Megaways Reels Work
A traditional pokie has a fixed grid, such as five reels with three symbols on each. Every spin shows the same number of positions.
In a Megaways game, each reel can show a different number of symbols on every spin. In the standard format, there are six main reels, and each reel can show between two and seven symbols. Bigger symbols take up more space, so a reel with large symbols shows fewer of them, and a reel with small symbols shows more.
Many Megaways games also have an extra horizontal reel above some of the main reels. This adds one more symbol position to each of those reels and is included when counting the ways to win.
How the Number of Ways Is Calculated
Megaways games use a ways to win system rather than fixed paylines. A win is formed by landing matching symbols on adjacent reels, starting from the leftmost reel. The symbols can be in any position on each reel.
To find the number of ways on a spin, multiply the number of symbols showing on each reel.
Example: If six reels show 3, 5, 7, 4, 6 and 2 symbols, the spin has:
3 × 5 × 7 × 4 × 6 × 2 = 5,040 ways to win
If every one of the six reels shows the maximum of seven symbols, the spin has:
7 × 7 × 7 × 7 × 7 × 7 = 117,649 ways to win
The number of ways is usually shown on screen during each spin. Some Megaways games use different layouts, so their minimum and maximum ways can differ.
How Wins Are Counted
If more than one matching symbol lands on a reel, each one creates a separate way. For example, if two matching symbols land on reel one, three on reel two and one on reel three, that is 2 × 3 × 1 = 6 winning ways for that symbol across three reels. Each way pays the amount shown in the paytable, which is usually a small fraction of the stake, so many ways can still add up to a modest win.
More Ways Does Not Mean Better Odds
A large number of ways sounds impressive, but it does not make a game more generous. Your stake is spread across all of the ways in play, and each individual way pays a small amount. A game's overall return is still set by its RTP, and every spin is decided by a random number generator.
The changing number of ways is mainly a way to create variety: some spins have few ways and rarely pay, while others have many ways and more chances to connect symbols.
Features Commonly Found in Megaways Games
Megaways is often combined with other mechanics. Common examples include:
- Cascading reels: winning symbols disappear and new ones drop into place, which can create several wins from one spin and change the reel heights again.
- Multipliers: many Megaways free spins rounds include a multiplier that increases with each cascade or win.
- Free spins: usually triggered by scatter symbols, sometimes with extra spins for additional scatters.
- Wild symbols: often appearing on the horizontal reel to substitute for other symbols.
- Bonus buy features: some Megaways games allow players to pay to enter the bonus round directly, where permitted.
Megaways and Volatility
Most Megaways games are medium to high volatility. Because the number of ways varies so much, results can swing widely from spin to spin. A large part of a typical Megaways game's return is concentrated in its bonus round, where multipliers and cascades combine to create the biggest wins.
In practice, that means long runs of small or no wins are common, followed by occasional larger payouts. Our Slot Volatility Explained guide explains what this means for your budget. Volatility can still differ between Megaways games, so check the rating published by the developer.
Megaways vs Other Slot Formats
- Paylines: fixed lines across a fixed grid. The number of lines usually stays the same on every spin.
- Fixed ways to win: a fixed grid where matching symbols on adjacent reels pay in any position, such as 243 ways on a five-by-three grid. The number of ways never changes.
- Megaways: the grid changes shape every spin, so the number of ways changes too.
- Cluster pays: wins are formed by groups of touching symbols anywhere on the grid, not reel by reel.
Playing Megaways Games Responsibly
The changing reels and rising multipliers in Megaways games are designed to be exciting, and the fast pace can make it easy to lose track of spending. Set a budget and a time limit before you start, and treat any big win as a bonus rather than something to chase.
Our guides on setting gambling limits and recognising gambling harm explain practical steps, and Gambling Help Online offers free, confidential support 24/7 on 1800 858 858.