Best Megaways Slots
Big Time Gaming (BTG), now owned by Evolution, created the Megaways video-slot system. Providers that use the technology license it from BTG and pay royalties for access to its variable-reel design.
Popular Megaways Slot Games
A Short History of Megaways Slots
The Megaways format first appeared in 2016, when Big Time Gaming, now an online slot studio owned by Evolution, devised the mechanic. It has since grown into a widely recognised way to structure slot games.
Traditional-slot players faced an unfamiliar format when Big Time Gaming introduced the first Megaways title, Dragon Born. It featured reels that changed from spin to spin, high variance and as many as 117,649 possible ways to win.
The game initially drew a mixed response, as its highly volatile style was new to many players.
Big Time Gaming continued with the format and later released Bonanza Megaways, which became one of its best-known titles. Launched in 2016, it again offered up to 117,649 ways to win. Players could also encounter cascading reels, an extra horizontal reel and free spins with a progressive multiplier. Its maximum prize of 26,000x the total bet also helped draw attention to Bonanza Megaways.
To safeguard its design, the Australian studio trademarked the Megaways mechanic. It also made the system available for lease to other iGaming companies.
Providers including iSoftBet, Blueprint Gaming, Red Tiger Gaming, Pragmatic Play, BGaming and NetEnt have licensed BTG’s reel mechanic for their own Megaways releases.
More than 100 Megaways games have been released by a range of studios. Here are three examples:
- Fishin Frenzy Megaways (Reel Time Gaming)
- Genie Jackpots Megaways (Blueprint Gaming)
- Beetlejuice Megaways (Barcrest)
How Megaways Games Operate
Maximum ways to win vary between games: some list up to 15,625, others reach 248,832, and many offer up to 117,649. The total depends on the number of symbols available on each reel. A random reel modifier changes the reel layouts from spin to spin, which explains the “shapeshifting reels” nickname. Many games use six reels, though some include more.
The available Megaways count changes with each spin:
First, the mechanic randomises how many symbols show on every reel for a spin. A reel can display between 2 and 7 symbols, with no fixed pattern governing the outcome. The number of possible ways is calculated by multiplying the symbols across the reels. For example, consider a 6-reel game.
- When 6 reels each show 2 symbols, there are 12 symbols in total, producing the fewest Megaways.
- If 6 reels each display 7 symbols, the total is 42 symbols and the highest number of Megways is available.
- With 6 reels showing 2-6-4-2-4-7 symbols on reels 1-2-3-4-5-6 respectively, the layout has 25 symbols and an average number of Megaways.
The symbol count determines the number of available Megaways: more symbols create more possible ways, while fewer symbols create fewer.
Wins are formed across adjacent reels in Megaways slots:
A winning combination begins with a symbol on reel 1. Matching symbols must then appear on the next adjacent reels, moving from left to right. The examples below show the required sequence:
- For a 3-symbol win, one matching symbol appears on each of reels 1-2-3
- A 4-symbol sequence uses matching symbols across reels 1-2-3-4
- For 5 matching symbols, they must span reels 1-2-3-4-5
- A 6-symbol combination has matching symbols on reels 1-2-3-4-5-6
Unlike a conventional slot with fixed paylines, Megaways symbols may appear in any position on their reels; they do not have to follow a predetermined line.
Common Megaways Slot Features
Bonus rounds and other extras are another draw for people who enjoy Megaways slots. These are some features that appear in a number of games.
- Cascading Reels (Tumble Feature)
Cascading reels are often paired with the Megaways mechanic. Following a win, the winning symbols disappear and new ones fall into their spaces. Those replacements can form another winning combination during the same spin, sometimes producing a run of consecutive wins.
- Extra Reels (horizontal, above the reels)
Some games add a horizontal reel above or below their six main reels. It can raise the number of Megaways or introduce symbols that change play. Great Rhino Megaways by Pragmatic Play is one example of a title with this feature.
- Free Spins with Growing Multipliers
Free spins have featured in slot games for many years, including traditional fruit machines that predate Megaways. Scatter symbols commonly trigger the round. A game may require 3 or more scatters, depending on its rules, before awarding a set of free spins.
Some free-spin rounds add progressive multipliers. A cascading win can increase the multiplier, which may raise the value of a subsequent win. Certain games allow the multiplier to keep climbing without a stated cap.
- Mystery Symbols
Mystery Symbols are another option used by some developers. Blueprint Gaming, for example, has included them in its games. Several may land during one spin and then turn into the same randomly selected regular symbol.
- Bonus Buy Options
Bonus buys are restricted in some places; the source review states they are not allowed in the UK. Where a game offers this option, a player can pay extra to enter its main bonus round. The price can be substantial, with some bonus buys costing 200x or 300x the stake.
Our Top 5 Megaways Slot Picks
Big Time Gaming (BTG), now part of Evolution, developed the Megaways video-slot mechanic. Studios that use the technology license it from BTG and pay royalties for its variable-reel system.
Many developers have adopted the format, including Microgaming, NetEnt, Red Tiger, WMS, Pragmatic Play and Blueprint. The range of providers reflects how established BTG’s Megaways approach has become in slot development.
The following top 5 Megaways slots feature BTG’s signature shape-shifting reel technology.
Great Rhino Megaways (Pragmatic Play)
Set in the African savannah, Great Rhino Megaways features wildlife symbols including gorillas, crocodiles, pelicans, cheetahs and hyenas, alongside gold rhino coins. It offers up to 200,704 Megaways across 6 reels, with 1 horizontal reel above reels 2, 3, 4 and 5.
The review describes this as a high-variance slot. It lists a minimum RTP of 96.47%, a maximum RTP of 96.58% and a potential spin-bet multiplier of 20,000x in the free-spins round, where win multipliers are unlimited.
Buffalo Rising Megaways (Blueprint)
Buffalo Rising Megaways takes an animal theme, focusing on buffalo, which still roam wild in Africa. The game is available in 3 versions, each with 117,659 Megaways. The ‘All Action’ edition includes a way to buy into the bonus game; the ‘Standard’ edition has neither a ‘Feature Buy’ nor a ‘Jackpot’.
Each of the 3 editions includes wilds, mystery symbols, scatters and 4 free-spins bonus games. The listed maximum win is 10,000x the spin bet. The ‘Jackpot King’ edition also includes a chance at one of the game’s 3 progressive jackpots; its Deluxe Jackpot could make a winner an overnight millionaire.
Divine Fortune Megaways (NetEnt)
This follow-up to NetEnt’s Divine Fortune progressive jackpot slot does not carry a jackpot itself. The review notes that it retains the original’s graphics and moves the action to 6 reels with 117,649 Megaways.
Features include falling wilds that trigger re-spins, wild-on-wild combinations and free-spins wins. The review gives the game an RTP of 96.09% and describes its variance as medium.
Gonzo’s Quest Megaways (Red Tiger)
Red Tiger is part of NetEnt. The studio marked the partnership with Gonzo’s Quest Megaways, a follow-up to NetEnt’s original Gonzo’s Quest video slot. The source review favours the Megaways edition, which follows Aztec adventurer Gonzo into South America’s Amazon and lists a top prize of 20,000x the bet.
The game combines base-game Avalanches with multipliers, free spins, unbreakable wilds, free-fall symbols with multipliers up to 15x and an earthquake feature. The review lists 117,649 Megaways, an RTP of 95.77% and high variance.
The Dog House Megaways (Pragmatic Play)
The Dog House Megaways received a nomination for the 2020 EGR Game of the Year. Its dog theme may appeal to fans of canine characters. The game offers 117,649 Megaways and a maximum listed win of 12,000x the spin bet.
The source review lists a 96.55% RTP and describes the slot as high variance. Its ‘Bonus Buy’ menu offers Sticky Wilds Free Spins or Raining Wilds Free Spins. Those rounds can also be triggered by landing 3, 4, 5 or 6 scatters in view.
Megaways Slots: Frequently Asked Questions
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With 12+ years of experience in the iGaming industry, Evan specializes in reviewing online casinos, analyzing slot games, and evaluating player safety. Their expertise covers casino licensing, RTP, volatility, bonus conditions, and withdrawal policies. Through hands-on testing and independent research, Evan delivers transparent, fact-based reviews to help players better understand gambling platforms, their features, and potential risks.
