What are Megaways slots and how do they work?

What are Megaways slots and how do they work? - Banner
Sam Gascoyne
by Sam Gascoyne Last updated:

Your guide to Megaways slot games

We know players are always on the hunt for the very best no wagering slots that promise the biggest payouts, so we're going to help make you some money! Here at No Wagering, it's our job to point you in the direction of the very best titles at the very best online casinos, where better to start than with Megaways™ games?

What are Megaways™ slots?

Megaways slots are a unique brand of slot game developed by renowned Australian developers Big Time Gaming that give players a great opportunity to win potentially life-changing sums of money. In 2015 the company introduced the world to Megaways slot and the rest is history.

The company has enjoyed multiple awards and continued growth over the last few years since releasing Megaways, and it comes as absolutely no surprise that they've explored other avenues with innovative game mechanics since. 

On average most standard online slot games have 20 win lines, however, the majority of Megaways slot games have an incredible 117,649 ways to win, which of course is a huge incentive for absolutely anyone looking for a new slot game that could land them some big wins.

The success of the Megaways mechanic is incredible with countless online slot developers have licensed the Megaways mechanics to add to their own games, giving old favourites a whole new lease of life, and new games an extra element over other releases.

Whilst, Big Time Gaming are the original inventors of the Megaways slot game, other developers can be licensed to develop new titles featuring the iconic Megaways mechanic, this is why you'll often see these games from a number of different developers, including:

  • Red Tiger Gaming
  • Blueprint Gaming
  • Scientific Games
  • iSoftbet
  • Relax Gaming

How do Megaways slots work?

Players that are new to this unique brand of slot game can often find it confusing to start off with, however, within a few spins, the mechanics become second nature and easy to follow!

Each reel on a Megaways game could contain a completely random number of symbols, it could be 2 or it could be as many as 7. The number of reels on Megaways titles also vary, you may even find that some games have an additional reel, that brings up to four extra symbols into play, usually on the middle reels.

To put it simply, the game plays exactly the same way as a normal slot game would, except that it features a larger number of symbols across a larger number of reels!

Which Megaways games should I play? 

With so many Megaways titles from a number of different developers it can be tricky to pick which one to play, however, here are just a few suggestions based on our experience playing them. 

Bonanza Megaways

Bonanza Megaways is one of the very first Megaways slots to be launched and has proven a huge hit ever since. On top of its Megaways mechanics, whenever a symbol is removed from the reel, a new one will fall into place, replacing the old one giving players another chance to win. There are expanding win multipliers and a generous free spins feature that'll easily get you up to the maximum win of 10,000x your stake.

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Who wants to be a Millionaire Megaways

This world-famous game show has been re-imagined as a Megaways title, and it's brilliant! As well as the 117,649 ways to win, you'll find exciting bonus features that closely mimic the show in Who Wants to be a Millionaire Megaways. This slot mimics the show with the Hot Seat Free Spins and even has an amazing maximum win of 50,000x your stake.

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Mystery Reels Megaways

Red Tiger Gaming's attempt at a Megaways game has proven to be another huge hit for the popular developer, as Mystery Reels Megaways takes all the best bits from a number of well-loved original Megaways titles. The classic, yet colourful, slot machine theme is a real blast from the past that makes this game an instant winner in our eyes. It also helps that this slot has an incredible RTP of 98.06% and a wonderous maximum win of 10,000x your stake!

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the Megaways mechanic?

    Megaways is a random reel modifier that changes the number of active paylines and symbols that appear on the reel on each and every spin. This means that there are potentially hundreds of thousands of different ways to win. 

  • Who created the Megaways slot mechanic?

    The Megaways slot mechanic was created by Australian online slot developers Big Time Gaming in 2015, it was first used in an online slot called Dragon Born.
  • How many paylines do Megaways slots have?

    On average Megaways slots have 117,649 paylines (also known as ways to win), however, this may differ from game to game depending on the developer. Some may have more paylines, some may have less.

  • Which Megaways slot has the most ways to win?

    Currently, the Megaways slot that has the most ways to win is 1 Million Megaways BC by Iron Dog Studios. This slot has a maximum of 1,058,841 ways to win.