The Vegas strip is known to house several hundreds of casinos, all being frequented by flocks of players daily. While everyone might have a particular favourite casino game, every casino goer is familiar with the ever-so-simple slot machine.
It’s been decades since the first slot machine was introduced and not much has changed in its working. All players have to do is spin the reels and hope tiles align to trigger winning combinations. Sounds pretty straightforward, doesn’t it?
Big Time Gaming, a leading name in the world of online gambling, introduced a more exciting take on the classic game. In 2015, they introduced the Megaways mechanic.
What Inspired Megaways Slots?
The idea behind a random reel modifier, unlimited paylines, and greater chances of winning came from Big Time Gaming’s desire to create exciting, innovative, and viable online casino games. The developing firm wanted to venture outside of the usual slot game mechanics, while still holding onto the core concept behind them.
However, Nik Robinson, the CEO of Big Time Gaming admitted to initially having doubts about whether the mechanic would be well-received by the mass population or not. On one hand, Megaways gave users more chances of winning, but on the other it was somewhat more complicated than traditional slot games.
This coupled with the fact that many players liked the idea of big, flashy symbols displayed on their screen and Megaways was anything except big and flashy.
Hence, when Big Time Gaming first introduced a game featuring the Megaways mechanic, Dragon Born, it failed to achieve as much of a buzz as the Australian company had hoped for. It wasn’t until 2016, exactly a year later, that Bonanza featured the mechanic and propelled Megaways into mainstream fame.
How Does a Megaways Slot Differ From a Regular One?
Megaways slots feature random reel modifiers that alter the number of paylines with every spin. Most traditional slot games feature a set number of paylines and predetermined winning combinations. Megaways slots, on the other hand, feature random winning combinations across six-by-seven reels.
To simplify, Megaways slots offer players greater chances of triggering winning combinations because these combinations are not predetermined. There are literally hundreds and thousands of ways to win - over 117,000 ways to be exact.
Contrary to popular belief, Megaways slots aren’t complicated. There’s a fixed maximum, but the exact number may vary from 2 to 7 during each spin. Additionally, the number of paylines on every reel is ascertained individually.
To summarize:
| Features | Megaways Slots | Regular Slots |
| Paylines | Over 117,000 | Average 250 |
| Number of Reels | 6-7 | 5 |
| Cascading Mechanics | Usually Present | Usually Absent |
| Symbol Sizes | Variable | Uniform |
| Scatters to Trigger Wins | 2-7 | 3-4 |
| Random Reel Modifier | Always Present | Usually Absent |
How Does a Megaways Slot Work?
When Big Time Gaming introduced their Megaways mechanic they came up with 117,649 different ways to trigger wins. This meant that a user had over a million ways to land money wins from free online slots no deposit.
Big Time Gaming continues to partner up with various software providers and online casinos to use their registered mechanic. In fact, Megaways received mainstream recognition through the Australian software firms partnership with developers such as Red Tiger Gaming.
The number of paylines, therefore, varies based on the game developer Big Time Gaming has partnered with. For example; some games have 15,625 winnable paylines and others have over 248,832 ways to win. The number of wins may increase significantly if you trigger predetermined bonuses in the game.
Megaways slot games feature six reels and up to seven symbols can show up on each reel. The random reel modifier alternates between the number of symbols that are to be displayed per each reel per each spin.
A common question people often ask is, ‘How did Big Time Gaming come up with the number 117,649?’ The answer requires simple mathematics. If each of the six reels features the maximum number of symbols i.e., seven then the maximum can be calculated as follows:
7x7x7x7x7x7 which comes up to 117,649.
Most Megaways slots display how many paylines are applicable in winning in a small box located in the uppermost part of the screen. Your winnings are calculated based on both the number of combinations you land and the number of bonuses that are applicable for that game. Check out the bonus features that you are likely to find on Megaways slots here.
How Can You Calculate Your Winnings on Megaways Slot Games?
While Megaways slots received widespread acclaim for being easy to play, exciting, and viable for winning, the fact of the matter is that you’re playing for actual money. Calculating your winnings therefore becomes more important than calculating the probability of you winning.
Your winnings are dependent upon several factors:
- The value of the symbol,
- The multipliers that are applicable for that round,
- Special symbols,
- Size of bet, and
- Number of winning lines
The formula therefore becomes:
Number of Winning Lines x Size of Bet x Value of Symbols
Where Can You Play Megaways Slots Online?
Megaways slots have come a long way from when they were first introduced; several developers have come out with their own versions of the mechanic and hundreds of slot games have been released by then, operating with Megaways.
These games are available to play for real monetary value on Wizard Slots. Online casino goers can choose from between 68 playable Megaways games on Wizard Slots!
Popular Megaways Slots on Wizard Slots include:
- 1 Million Megaways B.C.
- 5 Lions Megaways
- Astro Newts Megaways
- Christmas Carol Megaways
- Atlantis Megaways
Players will receive up to 500 Free Spins if they choose to upon completing registration and first time deposit (Full T&C’s Apply).
Before playing, users are required to either login to their existing account on Wizard Slots or set up a new one:
- Provide basic information (demographics: name, age, etc)
- Provide a valid email address, and
- Link your account to any one of our many payment options. This includes PayPal, Visa, Maestro, MasterCard, PaySafeCard, and Pay-By-Mobile.
Alternatively, you could register via your PayPal account for a much more swift registering process. A short five minutes later and you’re all set up to play Megaways Slot games plus a whole lot of other games on Wizard Slots!
Popular Games Featuring Megaway Slots
| Popular Megaways Slot Games | ||
| Game | Features | |
| Bonanza Megaways | RTP | 96.0% |
| Volatility | Medium | |
| Paylines | 117,649 | |
| Rainbow Riches Megaways | RTP | 95.9% |
| Volatility | Medium | |
| Paylines | 117,649 | |
| Genie Jackpots Megaways | RTP | 96.52% |
| Volatility | Medium | |
| Paylines | 117,649 | |
| Wheel of Fortune | RTP | 96.46% |
| Volatility | High | |
| Paylines | 117,649 | |
| Dragon Watch | RTP | 95.9% |
| Volatility | High | |
| Paylines | 117,649 | |
| 1 Million Megaways B.C. | RTP | 96.2% |
| Volatility | High | |
| Paylines | 105,884 | |
| 5 Lions Megaways | RTP | 96.50% |
| Volatility | High | |
| Paylines | 200,704 | |
| Astro Newts Megaways | RTP | 95.9% |
| Volatility | High | |
| Paylines | 235,298 | |
| Christmas Carol Megaways | RTP | 96.5% |
| Volatility | High | |
| Paylines | 200,704 | |
| Atlantis Megaways | RTP | 96.4% |
| Volatility | Medium | |
| Paylines | 117,649 | |
*All values are subject to change.
The Future of Megaways Slot Games
Megaways Slots have come a long way from 2005. Big Time Gaming was the first company that introduced the Megaways Slots and featured them in popular games such as Dragon Born and Bonanza.
More and more casino developers have come up with their own trademarked versions of Megaways slots:
- Blueprint Gaming
- Fantasma
- iSoftbet
- Kalamba
- Merkur Gaming
- Red Tiger Gaming
- Relax Gaming
- Scientific Games
- Storm Gaming
2020 has so far been a roaring success as far as the Megaways brand is concerned. These video slots have come a long way, with numerous titles now available.
The plus point to having competition among developers is that it pushes each one of them to probe for new ways to improve upon their software technology. This will most likely result in the provision of an ultimate gaming experience to the public.
Is There Anything Megaways Slots Can Improve Upon?
It’s been over a decade since Megaways mechanics were introduced. Suffice to say this multiplier, random reel modifier, and numerous paylines have revolutionized slot games.
With that being said, there are a few ways Megaway Slots can better their format and mechanics:
- Making the winning combinations and paylines more understandable to novice players
- Summarized pay tables with and without special bonuses for the game and indicating Megaways benefits to the game, and
- Featuring homogeneity at least in games featuring Megaways slots that are a part of a series
To summarize, Big Time Gaming has changed the way we see slot games although they’ve retained the core concept of the popular game. Megaways slots are interesting, fun, and they give players actual viable winnings.
Any Free Spins/Welcome Bonuses References are subject to the following: NEW PLAYERS ONLY, MIN DEPOSIT £10, MAX BONUS EQUAL TO LIFETIME DEPOSITS (UP TO £250), 65X WAGERING REQUIREMENTS AND FULL T&CS APPLY.
All values (Bet Levels, Maximum Win, etc.) mentioned about these slot games are subject to change at any time.
