What Are Megaways Slots? How They Work, With Examples

Megaways is a name you will see on many slot pages. It sounds like a promise, but it is only a way of building a game. This guide explains what the mechanic does, how the "ways to win" are counted, and what it does not change. It is education only. It is not advice to play.

What Megaways means

Megaways is a slot mechanic created by the studio Big Time Gaming. Racing Post, a UK media outlet, reports that after the mechanic proved popular, Big Time Gaming licensed it to other studios. That is why you now see Megaways games from many different makers.

In a normal slot, every reel shows the same number of symbols on every spin. In a Megaways slot, the number of symbols on each reel changes from spin to spin. Racing Post says most Megaways games have six reels and that each reel shows between 2 and 7 symbols per spin (with a few games reaching 8).

Because the reel heights change, the number of possible winning paths changes as well. That is where the name comes from.

How "ways to win" are counted

Many modern slots do not use fixed pay lines. They use "ways to win". A win is made when matching symbols land on neighbouring reels, starting from the first reel. The number of ways is found by multiplying the number of symbols showing on each reel.

A worked example

Say a spin shows this many symbols on the six reels: 3, 5, 4, 6, 2 and 7.

• 3 x 5 = 15
• 15 x 4 = 60
• 60 x 6 = 360
• 360 x 2 = 720
• 720 x 7 = 5,040

That spin has 5,040 ways to win.

Now the best case. If all six reels show 7 symbols, the sum is 7 x 7 x 7 x 7 x 7 x 7 = 117,649. Racing Post gives this as the usual maximum. It also says a few games go beyond it, with some above 200,000 ways and one title at up to 1,000,000.

The number is only a count of possible paths. It does not tell you how likely a win is, and it does not tell you how much a win pays.

Cascades and multipliers

Many Megaways games use a "cascade" (some call it a "reaction" or "tumble"). Racing Post describes it like this: the symbols that form a win are discarded and new ones are added. That can give several wins from one paid spin.

The same source says many Megaways games add win multipliers that grow, mystery symbols and bonus features. The details differ from game to game. Read the rules screen of the game you open, because we cannot say how any one game sets its multipliers.

Cascades make a spin feel long. They do not change the fact that you paid for one spin.

Why results swing so much

Racing Post describes the volatility of these slots as high, in the sense that wins can be less frequent but potentially larger. High volatility is a matter of pattern, not average. Our guide RTP vs volatility explained has the full idea.

What this means in practice:

• Long quiet stretches with small or no returns are normal.
• A few spins can pay much more than the stake, and most spins pay nothing or little.
• Two sessions on the same game can feel completely different.

RTP and what it tells you

RTP means return to player. eCOGRA, an industry testing agency, describes it as the percentage of wagered money that a game will pay back to players over time. It also says RTP is an average achieved over a significant number of plays and not each time the game is played.

Racing Post advises looking for an RTP of roughly 95 to 97 percent on Megaways slots. Treat that as a rough guide to what is typical, not a rule.

An RTP of 96 percent means that, over a very long run, the game keeps about 4 of every 100 staked. That 4 percent is the house edge.

What RTP does not do:

• It does not say what you will get in one session.
• It does not mean a win is "due" after a losing run.
• It does not say how often wins arrive. That is volatility.

More ways does not mean more wins

This is the most common mix-up. A big "ways" number sounds like better odds. It is not.

• The studio designs the whole game so that its long-run return matches its RTP. A game with 117,649 ways and a game with 10 pay lines can have the same RTP.
• The number of ways does not change the long-run return by itself. The studio sets the prize sizes so that the whole game matches its RTP.
• A higher maximum number of ways does not lower the house edge.
• The number of ways changes every spin. A spin with few ways is not "unlucky" in any special sense, and a spin with many ways is not "due" to pay.

So treat "up to 117,649 ways" as a description of the layout, not as a measure of your chances.

Check the game info screen

Before you play, open the information or rules screen inside the game. eCOGRA says the theoretical RTP is the one shown in the player-facing rules. Look for:

• The exact RTP number. 96.5 and 94 are not the same, and the gap grows with every spin.
• The maximum number of ways.
• How cascades and multipliers work in that game.
• The maximum win and the stake range.

Some industry sources say that studios can offer the same game with more than one RTP setting. We could not confirm how common this is with a regulator or with Big Time Gaming itself. So do not trust an RTP copied from a review or a list. Check the figure in the game you actually open, at the casino where you open it.

Budget tips for fast, swingy games

• Decide your budget before you start, and treat it as money already spent on entertainment.
• Use only money you can afford to lose. Never use money for rent, bills or food.
• Work out how many spins your budget gives you. At 1 unit per spin, 100 units is 100 spins. At 2 units per spin it is 50 spins.
• Set a time limit as well. Cascades and quick spins can make time pass fast.
• Do not raise your stake to win back a loss. Losses stay losses.
• Take breaks. Stop when you reach your limit, win or lose.

In short

1. Megaways changes the number of symbols on each reel every spin. Ways to win are found by multiplying those numbers.
2. 117,649 (7 to the power of 6) is the usual maximum for six reels.
3. Cascades can chain several wins from one paid spin.
4. These games tend to be swingy, with quiet stretches.
5. More ways does not mean better odds or a lower house edge.
6. Read the RTP in the game's own rules before you play.

Play with care

Gambling is for adults aged 18 and over. It is entertainment, not a way to earn money, and it can be addictive. Play only with money you can afford to lose. Set a deposit limit and a time limit before you start, and stop when you reach them. If gambling stops being fun, talk to someone you trust. Organisations such as GambleAware offer free, confidential help (GambleAware serves people in Great Britain, so look for a service in your own country). Gambling rules and what is allowed differ by country. Check the law where you live before you play.

Related

• RTP vs volatility explained
• Slots and games
• Responsible gambling