Megaways Slots Explained: How Up to 117,649 Ways to Win Work

Few slot mechanics have spread across the industry as quickly as Megaways. The name appears on dozens of titles from many studios, the number 117,649 is printed on game tiles everywhere, and yet a lot of players are not sure what it actually means. Is it a jackpot? A payout? A promise? It is none of those. It is a count of the ways a winning combination can form on a single spin, and understanding how that count is generated tells you a great deal about how these games feel, how they pay and how much money you should be prepared to move through them.

This guide explains the mechanic from the ground up: where it came from, how the reels change shape on every spin, what the extra reel and cascading wins do, why free spins with rising multipliers are the heart of most Megaways games, and what high volatility means for your bankroll. We also cover RTP versions, feature-buy options and a few practical habits that keep the experience enjoyable. Nothing here promises winnings. A slot is an entertainment product with a built-in house edge, and Megaways games are no exception.

What Megaways actually is

Megaways is a slot engine invented by Big Time Gaming, the Australian studio usually shortened to BTG. It debuted with Bonanza, a mining-themed game that quickly became one of the most copied slots ever made. Instead of a fixed grid in which every reel shows the same number of symbols, the engine lets each reel show a different number of symbols on every spin. The number of possible winning paths is then the product of the heights of all the reels.

Because the mechanic is a licensed technology rather than a single game, you will find it in titles from many different developers. Big Time Gaming itself kept making Megaways games, and other studios licensed the engine to build their own versions, often by reworking an existing hit into a Megaways edition. Pragmatic Play, Red Tiger, Blueprint Gaming, iSoftBet and others have all released games under the label. You can browse the original studio on our Big Time Gaming page, and the wider catalogue lives in our slots hub.

It is worth separating the brand from the maths. “Megaways” is a trademarked name that signals the variable-reel engine. Inside the label, games differ a lot: some use six reels with a horizontal extra reel on top, some change the symbol set, some add different bonus rounds. The shared core, though, is always the same idea of a changing number of rows per reel.

How the numbers work: from 2 to 7 symbols per reel

In the classic layout a Megaways slot has six reels. On each spin, every reel randomly shows between two and seven symbols. Wins are not paid on fixed paylines. Instead the game uses an “ways to win” system: a combination pays when matching symbols land on adjacent reels starting from the leftmost reel, regardless of which row they sit in. Typically you need at least three matching symbols on consecutive reels from the left, though the exact rule is shown in each game’s paytable.

The total number of ways is simply the heights multiplied together. If the six reels show 3, 5, 4, 6, 2 and 7 symbols, the game has 3 × 5 × 4 × 6 × 2 × 7 = 5,040 ways on that spin. Change the heights and you change the number of ways. The theoretical maximum arises when every reel shows seven symbols: 7 × 7 × 7 × 7 × 7 × 7 = 117,649. That is where the famous figure comes from. It is not a prize, and it is not a typical spin. It is the ceiling of the geometry.

How often do you see the maximum?

Not often. Since each reel picks a height at random, most spins land somewhere in the low thousands or tens of thousands of ways. A spin with all six reels at full height is a rare event. Many players see a high ways count and expect a win, but ways and wins are different things. More ways raises the chance that matching symbols line up somewhere, yet the symbols that fill the extra positions are random, and the game’s maths are tuned so that the long-run return stays at the published RTP regardless of how often big grids appear.

A simple example

Imagine a spin with reel heights of 4, 4, 5, 3, 6 and 2. That is 4 × 4 × 5 × 3 × 6 × 2 = 2,880 ways. Suppose a high-paying symbol appears three times on reel one, twice on reel two and once on reel three. The number of winning combinations for that symbol is 3 × 2 × 1 = 6 combinations, each paid separately and added together. This is why a single spin can show a surprisingly large win even when few symbols seem to match: the ways multiply.

The extra reel and reel modifiers

Many Megaways games add a horizontal reel above the main grid. This top reel shows its own set of symbols, usually between two and four, and those symbols apply to the reels beneath them. A symbol on the top reel acts as an extra row on the matching vertical reel, and in many titles it can be the same size as the reel below it. This adds more ways beyond the 117,649 baseline, which is why some games advertise numbers well above it. Whether the top reel counts toward the figure depends on the game, so always check the rules rather than assuming.

The top reel is also where many games place special effects. Depending on the title, it may carry wild symbols, boosters that give extra functions to the reel below or additional symbol drops. Other games use different reel modifiers: a random reel may be turned fully wild, a reel may be expanded, or a spin may trigger a mystery transformation. These mechanics change from one game to another and are what separates a forgettable Megaways clone from a memorable one.

The practical lesson is that the base mechanic is only a framework. Always open the info screen before you play. It lists the rules for the top reel, the minimum number of matching symbols and the maximum win cap, which is the single most important number to know before you start.

Cascading wins: why one spin can pay several times

Almost every Megaways game pairs the variable reels with a cascading mechanic, also called tumbling or avalanche reels. After a win, the winning symbols disappear and the symbols above drop down to fill the gaps. New symbols enter from the top, and the game checks again for winning combinations. If another win forms, the process repeats. A single paid spin can therefore turn into a chain of wins, ending only when a cascade produces no new combination.

Cascades matter for two reasons. First, they make wins feel more frequent and varied, because a chain of small payouts can add up. Second, and more importantly, they are the engine that drives multipliers. In many games the multiplier increases by one step with every cascade in a chain, so a long chain pays far more than the same symbols would on a single spin.

Here is a point that regularly confuses newcomers. A cascade does not mean you are “due” another win, and a chain that just ended does not mean the game is “cold”. Each reel drop is determined by independent random outcomes. Cascades produce the feeling of momentum, but momentum is not a feature of the random number generator.

Free spins and rising multipliers

The base game of a Megaways slot is often modest. The real action, and most of the long-term variance, sits in the free spins round. You normally trigger it by landing a set number of scatter symbols, typically three or four, on one spin. Landing more scatters usually awards more free spins.

The signature feature of the free spins is the progressive multiplier. In the style BTG made famous, the multiplier starts at x1 and rises with each cascade. Crucially, in many games it does not reset between spins during the round. It carries over, so by the later free spins the multiplier may be at levels that turn even a modest cascade into a large payout. Some games cap this multiplier. Some famously do not. Whether there is a ceiling on the multiplier is something the game’s rules state, and it is worth reading.

This design creates a distinctive pattern. Many free spins rounds end with a payout that is small or only a few times your bet, because the multiplier never got going. A few rounds end with large wins because a long cascade chain collided with a high multiplier. The long-term average is set by the RTP, but the distribution is very uneven.

Other bonus features you will meet

• Retriggers: extra scatters during free spins add more spins to the round.
• Mystery or random wild reels: a reel may transform into wilds or into a single symbol.
• Expanding or unlimited multipliers: the multiplier rises without a stated ceiling in some titles, but the game still has a maximum win cap.
• Symbol upgrades: low-paying symbols may be removed or converted into higher ones during bonus rounds.

Volatility: what “high” means in practice

Most Megaways slots sit in the high-volatility category. Volatility, sometimes called variance, describes how unevenly a slot returns money. A low-volatility game pays small wins often. A high-volatility game pays smaller wins less often and relies on rare big hits to reach its RTP. Megaways games lean high because ways to win, cascades and rising multipliers combine so that most of the return is concentrated in a small number of extreme outcomes.

If you want a fuller treatment of the concepts, our guide on RTP, volatility and house edge walks through the numbers in detail. For this article, the key practical points are these:

• Long dry spells are normal. A session of a hundred spins with no memorable win is not a sign that something is broken.
• Short sessions are a lottery. RTP is measured over millions of spins. In a single evening the result can be far above or far below the average.
• Bonus rounds drive the result. If you never trigger free spins, you may spend your entire budget on the base game.
• Win distribution is skewed. The average return includes very rare, very large payouts that most players will never see.

Bankroll and bet size

The most useful habit with a high-volatility slot is to pick a bet size that fits your budget before you start. A common rule of thumb is to make sure your session budget covers a large number of spins at your chosen bet, so one unlucky stretch does not end the session after a few minutes. If a spin costs 1 €, a budget of 20 € buys just twenty spins, which is a very short sample for a game built around rare bonuses. Lowering the bet to 0,20 € stretches the same budget to a hundred spins and gives the maths a little more room to operate. It does not change the house edge, but it changes the experience.

Decide in advance how much you are willing to lose, treat it as the cost of entertainment, and stop when it is gone. Chasing losses by raising the bet is the single most common way a Megaways session turns unpleasant.

RTP: the published number and the version you actually get

Return to player is the share of all wagered money a slot is designed to pay back over a very large number of spins. A game with an RTP of 96 % returns 96 € per 100 € wagered on average, and keeps 4 € as the house edge. For Megaways games, published RTPs commonly fall in the mid-nineties, but this varies between titles and you should not assume a figure.

There is an important wrinkle. Many studios, including those that make Megaways games, supply the same game in several RTP configurations. The operator chooses which configuration to run. This means that the same game can have a higher RTP at one casino and a lower one at another. The difference can be a percentage point or more, which adds up over many spins. Players rarely notice because the game looks identical.

How do you check? Most good casinos show the RTP in the game’s info or help panel, and the version should be stated there. If the information is missing, or the number is lower than the figure you have seen elsewhere, that is worth knowing before you play. It is also another reason to choose operators carefully. Our guide on how to choose a safe online casino covers licences, terms and the red flags worth watching for.

Also remember that RTP is a long-run average that applies to the game as a whole, including the bonus rounds. It says nothing about how any particular session will go.

Feature buy: paying to skip to the bonus

Many modern Megaways titles offer a feature buy option, also called bonus buy. Instead of waiting to land scatters, you pay a fixed multiple of your bet, often many times the base bet, and the game starts the free spins immediately. Some versions offer several tiers with different free spin counts or starting multipliers.

Feature buy sounds appealing, but there are good reasons for caution:

• It concentrates risk. You pay a large amount up front for one outcome with a very uneven result. A bought bonus can easily return less than its price.
• RTP can differ. The return on bought features is sometimes slightly different from the base game, and the figure is usually listed in the info panel.
• It can interact with bonus terms. Casino promotions often restrict or ban feature buy while you are working through a bonus, and bets above a stated limit can void winnings. See our guide on how to read a casino bonus before you combine the two.
• Availability varies. Some regulated markets prohibit the feature entirely, so the same title may appear in a version without it depending on where you play.

Used sparingly and with money you can afford to lose, feature buy is simply a faster route to the part of the game where the variance lives. Used habitually, it makes bankroll depletion very fast, because each bought bonus costs dozens of normal spins.

Well-known Megaways titles to look for

If you want to see the mechanic in action, a few titles are widely regarded as reference points. Bonanza Megaways, from Big Time Gaming, is where it all started and remains the clearest example of the original design. Extra Chilli, also from BTG, is a popular follow-up with its own bonus features. White Rabbit is another BTG title that builds on the engine in its own way.

Other studios have produced their own takes. Pragmatic Play has released several Megaways versions of its popular games, including Great Rhino Megaways and Buffalo King Megaways, and Red Tiger adapted Gonzo’s Quest into a Megaways edition. These games differ in theme, bonus structure and maximum win, so treat them as separate products rather than interchangeable skins. For a look at what has just been released across the industry, our September 2026 new slots roundup is a good starting point.

When you try a new Megaways game, check three things on the info screen: the RTP, the maximum win cap and whether the free spins multiplier is capped. Those three facts tell you more than the artwork ever will.

Playing sensibly: a short checklist

1. Read the paytable and rules before your first spin.
2. Choose a bet that gives you at least a hundred spins from your budget.
3. Check which RTP version the casino runs.
4. Avoid feature buy while a bonus with wagering is active unless the terms clearly allow it.
5. Set a loss limit and a time limit, and stick to them.
6. Never treat a big win or a cold streak as a pattern you can read.

If gambling stops being fun, or you find yourself chasing losses, take a break and use the limit and self-exclusion tools that licensed casinos provide. In Finland, free confidential support is available through the national helpline, and you can always contact it if you are worried about your play. Only play with money you can afford to lose, and only if you are 18 or older.

FAQ

Does 117,649 ways to win mean I can win 117,649 times my bet?

No. The number is the maximum count of possible winning paths on a spin when every reel shows seven symbols. It describes the layout, not the prize. The maximum payout of a Megaways game is a separate figure, listed in the game rules as the maximum win cap.

Who invented Megaways?

Big Time Gaming created the engine and introduced it with Bonanza. The mechanic was later licensed to other studios, which is why Megaways titles now come from many different developers.

Are Megaways slots always high volatility?

Most are, but not all. The combination of changing ways, cascades and growing multipliers pushes the typical game toward high volatility, yet individual titles vary. Check the volatility rating in the game’s info screen or in a review before you play.

Can the same Megaways game have different RTPs at different casinos?

Yes. Studios often provide several RTP configurations, and each operator chooses one. The difference can be small but real, so check the figure in the game’s help section at the casino where you play.

Is feature buy a good idea?

It is a faster way to reach the bonus round, not a better way to win. It costs a large multiple of your bet, the outcome is highly uneven and it is often restricted under bonus terms. Use it only with an amount you are comfortable losing.

Do bigger grids win more often?

More ways increases the chance that symbols match somewhere, but the game’s maths are balanced so that the long-run return stays at the published RTP. A tall grid is not a signal that a win is coming, and a short grid is not a signal that you are losing.