What are Megaways?
Megaways is a slot format that allows for up to 117,649 ways to win. Slot machines featuring this function have 6 reels and up to 7 positions per reel. With each spin of the reels, the number of symbol positions on a reel is randomly determined, resulting in the total number of ways to win changing with every spin. Typically, the current number is displayed somewhere on the slot machine. The varying number of Megaways is achieved through symbols of different sizes.
How do Megaways work?
This is how the Megaways are created.
The concept of Megaways is quite straightforward. Essentially, wins are determined based on ways to win, rather than traditional paylines. In this system, all you need is a minimum number of identical symbols starting from the first reel and appearing on consecutive reels. The position of the symbol on the reels doesn't matter at all.
In the world of Megaways, the number of symbols per reel is not set in stone. The size of the symbols that appear changes with every spin, allowing anywhere from two to seven symbols per reel. So, with each rotation, the number of symbols per reel is in a constant state of flux.
The number of ways to win on a single spin is typically displayed on slot machines. However, you can also easily determine them yourself by multiplying the number of symbols on each reel together - this will give you the current total number of ways to win.
Number of Megaways
The classic format for Megaways is a game board that is 6x7 in size. However, there are also some slots that only use five reels, resulting in 16,807 ways to win. On the other hand, there are also slots with even more Megaways. In the free spin round of Big Time Gaming's White Rabbit, for instance, the reel on which a cupcake symbol lands expands by one symbol position. This can create up to 12 positions per reel, resulting in a total of 248,832 ways to win.
Origin of the Megaways
Big Time Gaming is the game provider responsible for introducing the Megaways feature into the gaming world. The initial slots to incorporate this function were Bonanza, Extra Chilli, and White Rabbit. As the feature gained popularity, BTG started licensing it to other game developers. Consequently, you can now enjoy playing and winning real money on games like Gonzo's Quest and Piggy Riches from NetEnt, as well as Mystery Reels from Play'n GO, all equipped with the Megaways feature.