Megaways slots are games built on a licensed reel engine that changes the number of symbols on each reel every single spin, creating a variable number of ways to win that can reach 117,649 at its peak. Instead of fixed paylines, you win whenever matching symbols land on adjacent reels from the left, and that number of ways resets on the next spin.
A normal slot has a fixed grid, say 5 reels of 3 symbols, with set paylines. A Megaways slot lets each reel show a different number of symbols (usually 2 to 7) on every spin. Multiply those counts together and you get the "ways to win" for that spin, up to a famous maximum of 117,649. More symbols stacked on the reels means more ways, which is why the headline number shifts spin to spin.
- Where Megaways came from
- How the mechanic works
- Common extra features
- How they feel to play
- Try a Megaways demo
18+ only (19+ in some regions). This explainer uses free play demos only. The slots described run on play money with no real money, no deposits, and no prizes. It exists to explain how the mechanic works, not to encourage real money play. If gambling stops being fun, free support is available at BeGambleAware.
Where Megaways came from
The Megaways engine was created by the studio Big Time Gaming and first appeared in their game Bonanza, which is still the title most people picture when they hear the name. The mechanic proved so popular that Big Time Gaming licenses it to dozens of other studios, including Pragmatic Play, which is why you will see "Megaways" attached to so many different slot brands today. When you play one of our Bonanza Megaways demos, you are spinning the engine that started the whole category.
How the Megaways mechanic works
On a standard six-reel Megaways slot, each reel can display between two and seven symbols on a given spin. To find the ways to win, you multiply the symbol counts of all six reels together. If every reel happens to land seven symbols, that is 7 × 7 × 7 × 7 × 7 × 7, which equals 117,649 ways, the maximum the engine allows. On a quieter spin you might see far fewer symbols and only a few hundred ways. There are no traditional paylines at all: a win simply needs matching symbols on consecutive reels starting from the leftmost one, regardless of their row.
Common extra features
Megaways games are rarely just the reel engine on its own. Two features show up again and again because they pair so naturally with the system.
- Cascading (tumbling) reels. Winning symbols are removed and new ones drop in to fill the gaps, so a single spin can chain into several wins in a row before it ends.
- Unlimited win multipliers in free spins. Many Megaways bonus rounds raise a multiplier with every cascade and never reset it during the feature, which is where the biggest payouts come from.
You will also often find an extra horizontal reel above the main grid that adds symbols to the reels below it, plus the familiar scatter symbols that trigger the free spins round.
How Megaways slots feel to play
Because the ways to win swing so widely from spin to spin, Megaways games tend to be high volatility, meaning long quiet stretches punctuated by the occasional big burst. If that idea is new to you, our explainer on slot volatility breaks down what high variance means for your session. The RTP varies by title and is usually in the mid-90s, similar to other modern slots, so the Megaways label tells you about the mechanic and feel, not about generosity on its own. For the bigger picture on returns, see what is RTP in slots.
Razor Shark is a good example of how the style plays out in practice. It is not a true Megaways game, but its tumbling reels and rising multipliers create the same kind of slow build into a sudden spike, and you can feel that rhythm on our Razor Shark demo.
Try a Megaways demo for free
The fastest way to understand all of this is to watch the ways-to-win counter move while you spin. Open the Bonanza Megaways demo and keep an eye on the top of the screen as the symbol counts change each spin. When you want to compare it to other mechanics, browse the full set of free slot demos, or if you are brand new to spinning, start with how to play online slots first. Slots are 18+ entertainment (19+ in some regions), demos pay no real prizes, and help is always available at BeGambleAware.