Megaways Slots Explained: The Complete Guide to How Megaways Works
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The word Megaways appears on hundreds of online slots, but most players spin without really knowing what it means — or why it changes everything about how a game pays. This guide explains the Megaways mechanic from the ground up: what it is, how it works, why it produces such extreme volatility, and how to use that knowledge to choose games that match your playing style.
What Is Megaways?
Megaways is a dynamic reel mechanic that changes the number of symbols on each reel with every single spin. Instead of a fixed grid — say, the standard 5×3 layout where each reel always shows exactly three symbols — a Megaways reel can show anywhere from two to seven symbols on any given spin. That randomness is the engine behind everything that makes Megaways distinctive.
The mechanic was invented and patented by Big Time Gaming (BTG), an Australian developer, and first appeared in Bonanza in 2016. It was a genuine structural innovation — not just a new theme or a new bonus round, but a fundamentally different way of calculating wins. The mechanic proved so popular that BTG began licensing it to other providers, which is why you now see Megaways games from Pragmatic Play, Red Tiger, Blueprint, and many others, all built on the same core engine.
If you have ever played a slot and noticed that the number of symbols on the reels seemed to change between spins, you were almost certainly playing a Megaways game.
How Megaways Works: Dynamic Reels Explained
To understand Megaways, it helps to first understand how a standard slot works.
In a traditional video slot, the grid is fixed. A 5×3 slot always has five reels, each showing exactly three symbols. The structure never changes. Paylines — or ways to win — are calculated based on that fixed layout.
Megaways breaks this entirely.
In a typical Megaways slot, there are six reels. On each spin, the game randomly assigns a height to each reel — between two and seven symbols. So reel one might show three symbols on this spin, reel two might show seven, reel three might show two, and so on. Every spin produces a completely different grid shape.
Wins are then calculated based on adjacent reels, not fixed paylines. A win is formed when matching symbols land on consecutive reels starting from the left, regardless of their vertical position. Because every symbol position on every reel is active, the number of possible winning combinations changes with every spin — and it can get very large.
A useful way to think about it: a standard 5×3 grid with 243 ways to win always has exactly 243 ways. A Megaways grid can have as few as a handful of ways on a spin where every reel shows only two symbols, and as many as 117,649 ways on a spin where all six reels show their maximum of seven symbols.
How Many Ways to Win Does Megaways Create? {#ways-to-win}
The headline number you will see on most Megaways slots is 117,649 ways to win. Here is where that figure comes from.
The number of ways to win on any given Megaways spin is calculated by multiplying the number of symbols on each reel together:
Ways to Win = Reel 1 symbols × Reel 2 symbols × Reel 3 symbols × Reel 4 symbols × Reel 5 symbols × Reel 6 symbols
If all six reels show their maximum of seven symbols:
7 × 7 × 7 × 7 × 7 × 7 = 117,649
If all six reels show their minimum of two symbols:
2 × 2 × 2 × 2 × 2 × 2 = 64
In practice, the actual number of ways to win fluctuates constantly across a typical session, somewhere between those two extremes. Most spins will not hit the full 117,649 — but the potential is always there, and spins with very high way counts create more opportunities for simultaneous winning combinations.
Some Megaways games also feature a horizontal reel — a strip of symbols running across the top of the grid that acts as a modifier, adding extra symbols to specific reels and pushing the ways count even higher on certain spins.
Megaways and Volatility: What to Expect
This is the most important practical point in the guide: Megaways slots are almost always high or very high volatility. Understanding why helps you manage your sessions much more effectively.
The dynamic reel system creates volatility in two compounding ways.
First, the number of ways to win swings dramatically from spin to spin. A spin with 64 ways is structurally very different from one with 117,649 ways. On a low-ways spin, few winning combinations are possible even if you land good symbols. On a high-ways spin, multiple wins can connect simultaneously. This variance in the grid itself — before any symbols even land — adds a layer of randomness that fixed-grid slots simply do not have.
Second, Megaways games are typically designed with cascading reels (also called tumbling or avalanche reels) and progressive multipliers in their bonus rounds. These features are specifically engineered to create huge swings: long sequences of small wins or nothing at all, followed by a cascade chain where a multiplier compounds every consecutive win. The result is that most Megaways bonus rounds either pay modestly or pay extremely well — there is not much middle ground.
What this means for you as a player:
Expect longer dry spells between significant wins in the base game compared to a medium-volatility slot.
Bankroll management matters more with Megaways. Lower your stake relative to your total balance to give yourself enough spins to reach the bonus features.
The bonus round is where the value lives. Most Megaways slots are designed so that the bulk of the RTP is concentrated in the free spins feature.
Do not judge a Megaways slot by its base game. A dull base game that rarely pays is normal and expected — it is the price you pay for the potential ceiling in the bonus.
If you are new to high-volatility slots or working with a limited bankroll, read our slot volatility guide before playing Megaways games for real money. The principles of stake sizing and session planning are especially relevant here.
Megaways vs. Other Win Structures
If you have read our reels and paylines guide, you will already be familiar with the main win structures. Here is how Megaways compares directly:
Megaways vs. Fixed Paylines (10–50 lines) Fixed payline slots have a set number of patterns on which wins can land. The structure is predictable and stable. Megaways has no fixed paylines — the win potential changes every spin. Megaways is significantly more volatile as a result.
Megaways vs. 243 Ways to Win A 243-ways slot always has exactly 243 winning combinations available. Megaways can produce far more (up to 117,649) or far fewer (as low as 64), depending on the spin. The 243-ways system is more consistent; Megaways is more extreme in both directions.
Megaways vs. Cluster Pays Cluster Pays wins are formed by groups of touching symbols on a grid — no reels or paylines. Megaways still uses reels; it just makes those reels dynamic. Both systems often use cascading wins, but the grid structure and win logic are fundamentally different.
Megaways vs. Scatter Pays Scatter Pay slots award wins for matching symbols landing anywhere on the screen, regardless of position or adjacency. Megaways still requires symbols to land on consecutive reels from left to right — it just has a much larger and more variable reel set to work with.
Common Megaways Features
While no two Megaways slots are identical, most share a set of features that have become strongly associated with the mechanic. Knowing what to expect before you play makes the game easier to follow.
Cascading Reels
After a winning combination lands, the winning symbols are removed and new symbols fall in to replace them. If the new symbols create another win, the process repeats — all within a single paid spin. This is the mechanic that enables multi-win chains and is central to how Megaways generates big payouts. For a full breakdown of how cascading works across different slot structures, see our avalanche and cascading reels guide.
Progressive Multipliers in Free Spins
The free spins bonus round in most Megaways slots features a multiplier that increases with every cascade. A starting multiplier of 1× climbs to 2×, then 3×, then higher with each consecutive win chain. This is the core mechanic behind the game's maximum win potential — a long cascade chain late in the bonus round, with a high multiplier already in place, is what produces the headline payouts.
Free Spins Trigger (Scatters)
Megaways games almost universally use scatter symbols to trigger the bonus round. Landing four or more scatters anywhere on the reels typically activates free spins. Some games also offer a bonus buy option, letting you pay a premium to enter the feature directly without waiting for the scatters to land.
Unlimited Win Multiplier
In many Megaways titles the free spins multiplier has no cap — it keeps climbing for as long as cascades continue. This is what makes the theoretical maximum wins on Megaways games so high. It also means the range of bonus round outcomes is enormous: the same feature can pay 20× your stake or 5,000× depending entirely on how the cascades run.
Reaction / Tumble Mechanics
Some providers use different terminology — "reactions," "tumbles," or "avalanches" — but they all describe the same cascading principle. If you see any of these words in the game info, the mechanic is the same.
Who Makes Megaways Slots?
Megaways was created by Big Time Gaming, and the original BTG titles remain some of the best-regarded in the format. However, BTG licenses the mechanic to other studios, which is why the Megaways name appears across games from many different providers.
Major studios that have produced Megaways titles include Pragmatic Play, Red Tiger, Blueprint Gaming, iSoftBet, and Relax Gaming, among others. The quality and design approach varies significantly between providers — the Megaways label tells you about the reel mechanic, not the overall quality of the game. Always check the RTP, volatility rating, and max win before playing, regardless of which provider made it.
How to Choose the Right Megaways Slot
Not all Megaways games are equally worth your time. Here is what to evaluate before committing real money:
RTP first. Megaways slots span a wide RTP range. Some licensed versions — where a third-party provider has built on the BTG engine — can carry lower RTPs than the originals. Always aim for 96% or above. Our RTP guide explains exactly why this number matters and how to find it in the paytable.
Max win potential vs. your bankroll. A Megaways slot with a 50,000× max win is not inherently better than one with a 10,000× max win — the higher ceiling usually means even more variance and longer waits between significant payouts. Match the max win ceiling to your risk tolerance, not your ambition.
Bonus buy availability. If you primarily want to experience the free spins feature, check whether the game offers a bonus buy. This lets you skip the base game entirely and enter the bonus directly, typically at 70–100× your stake. This is not always worth the cost — see our bonus buy guide for a full breakdown.
Try the demo first. Every Megaways slot on Chase the Scatter is available in demo mode. Use it to get a feel for the cascade rhythm, the base game pacing, and the free spins mechanic before playing for real money. Our free demo guide explains what you can and cannot learn from demo play.
Stake sizing. Because Megaways bonus rounds can go many spins before triggering, your stake should be low enough to give you at least 150–200 spins from your session budget. If your budget is €50, playing at €1 per spin on a high-volatility Megaways title is aggressive. €0.20–€0.40 gives you the runway to actually reach the feature.
Recommended Megaways Slots
All five slots below use the Megaways mechanic and are available with a free demo on Chase the Scatter. They're ordered by max win potential — starting with the highest ceiling and working down — so you can match the list to your risk tolerance at a glance.
RTP: 96.36% | Volatility: Very High | Max Win: 133,100x | Free Spins ✓ | Bonus Buy ✓
The BTG original — expanding reels feed directly into a Megapots Hold & Spin jackpot round, with reel heights carrying over between features. The highest max win ceiling in this list by a significant margin.
RTP: 97.00% | Volatility: Very High | Max Win: 5,000x | Free Spins ✓ | Bonus Buy ✓
The strongest RTP in this list at 97% — rare for a Very High volatility Megaways title. A good entry point if you want Megaways variance without sacrificing theoretical return.
RTP: 96.09% | Volatility: High | Max Win: 40,000x | Free Spins ✓ | Bonus Buy ✓
The standout max win in the licensed Pragmatic catalogue — 40,000x puts it in a different class to the other Pragmatic titles here. High rather than Very High volatility makes it slightly more manageable on the way to that ceiling.
RTP: 96.58% | Volatility: Very High | Max Win: 10,000x | Free Spins ✓ | Bonus Buy ✓
Best RTP of the Pragmatic Megaways titles combined with Very High volatility — a strong all-round package for players who want maximum variance without compromising on return.
RTP: 96.55% | Volatility: Very High | Max Win: 5,000x | Free Spins ✓ | Bonus Buy ✓
Very High volatility at a lower max win ceiling — a better fit for players who want Megaways volatility without the extreme swings of the 40,000x+ titles.
Understanding how Megaways works is the first step — but the mechanic only makes sense in context. For a complete picture of how it fits into the broader landscape of slot win structures, see our Reels and Paylines guide. If you are ready to play, start with the demo versions above — they are the best way to get a feel for the volatility rhythm before committing real money. And if you are still building your foundations, our How to Choose the Best Slots guide will help you put everything together.
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About the Author
CEO & Co-Founder at Chase the Scatter
Former professional tennis player turned casino industry expert with over 10 years of experience in iGaming. Previously an operator at NOVOMATIC and Stanleybet Group, Borna now leads Chase the Scatter, delivering honest, data-driven slot reviews and expert gambling guides backed by real industry knowledge.
