The variable-reel mechanic
Standard 5x3 slots have 5 reels, each with 3 visible symbols, producing 5^3 = 125 possible payline combinations (with traditional left-to-right paylines drawing through specific positions). Megaways changes this in two ways: first, there are 6 reels (sometimes 7); second, each reel can show a variable number of symbols per spin, anywhere from 2 to 7.
The "ways to win" calculation is the product of symbol counts across all reels. With 6 reels each showing between 2 and 7 symbols, the maximum is 7^6 = 117,649 ways. The minimum is 2^6 = 64 ways. Each spin recalculates the symbol count on each reel independently, so most spins produce something in the middle band — typically 1,000 to 30,000 ways.
A "way to win" pays whenever you land matching symbols on consecutive reels left-to-right, regardless of position within the reel. So a six-symbol Wild combination across all 6 reels with 7 symbols each pays 7^6 = 117,649 instances of the same combination, multiplied by the symbol payout. The headline-friendly outcomes are precisely this case.
Why the mechanic took over
Two reasons. First, Megaways produces naturally high volatility — the variable ways count means each spin’s payout potential varies dramatically, which keeps the variance distribution wide without requiring exotic bonus mechanics. The base game alone is interesting; the bonus round is even more interesting.
Second, Big Time Gaming offered the mechanic for licensing. Studios pay BTG a per-game licensing fee to ship Megaways adaptations. Blueprint Gaming holds the largest license catalog (50+ Megaways titles), with NetEnt, Pragmatic Play, Red Tiger, Yggdrasil, and many smaller studios shipping at least a handful each. The combined Megaways catalog is around 1,000 active titles.
For players, this is mostly a good thing — Megaways math is well-understood and consistently delivers on the variable-reel promise. For the slot industry, it is an extraordinary case of a single patented mechanic dominating a decade of new releases. The patent expires in 2035, after which the mechanic enters public domain.
Bonus rounds in Megaways slots
Megaways bonus rounds typically introduce two further mechanics on top of variable reels: an unlimited multiplier (which increases by 1 with each tumble in the bonus, never resetting), and tumbling reels (winning symbols disappear and new symbols drop in, allowing chain wins on a single spin).
The combination is mathematically powerful. A single bonus round can produce a long tumble chain that builds the multiplier from 1x to 50x or higher, then connect with a high-paying symbol combination at maximum reel width — generating wins that easily reach 1,000x to 5,000x bet on a single chain. The headline 50,000x+ wins on Megaways slots almost always come from single bonus rounds where the multiplier built and a max-reel combination hit at the right moment.
Most modern Megaways slots offer Free Spins purchase (Bonus Buy) at typically 100x bet for 12 free spins, or sometimes a "Bonus Bet" mode that doubles base spin cost in exchange for double bonus trigger frequency. Both options compress variance and let players target the bonus directly.
The best Megaways slots in the catalog
Bonanza Megaways (BTG, 2016) — the original. Still one of the best-balanced Megaways slots on the market. 96% RTP, High volatility, 12,000x max win. The math has aged well; the gold-mining theme has become iconic.
Extra Chilli Megaways (BTG, 2018) — the second BTG title and the first to introduce the Bonus Buy mechanic. 96.82% RTP, Very High volatility, 20,000x max win. The "gamble the free spins" feature is unique — you can risk your free spins count for a chance at more.
Bonanza Billion Megaways (BGaming, 2022) — BGaming’s well-regarded adaptation of the Bonanza template. Same theme family, modernized math, 96% RTP, 10,000x max win.
Buffalo Rising Megaways (Blueprint, 2018) — Blueprint’s most-played Megaways title. 96.5% RTP, High volatility, 10,000x max win. Solid, conservative math; a good entry point for new Megaways players.
Reactoonz Megaways (Play’n GO, 2023) — Play’n GO’s adaptation of their iconic Reactoonz template into Megaways. 96.2% RTP, Very High volatility, 5,000x max win. Lower top-end but very playable variance.
Use the Mechanic filter set to "megaways" on the slot database to see every Megaways title in the catalog with full RTP and max win data.
The downsides of Megaways
Megaways math has matured to the point where many releases feel formulaic. The variable-reel + tumble + multiplier formula is well-established; new entries often vary the theme more than the math. Players who have logged hours on the original Bonanza Megaways will find most subsequent titles deliver a similar experience.
The variance can also feel deceptive. The 117,649 ways figure is the maximum possible per-spin combinations, not the expected. Most spins produce far fewer ways. Players new to Megaways often expect more frequent big hits than the math actually delivers, since the headline figure is the upper bound, not the typical outcome.
And the licensing cost shows up in slot design. Studios shipping Megaways adaptations sometimes ship them as derivatives of existing titles (NetEnt’s Gonzo’s Quest Megaways, Play’n GO’s Reactoonz Megaways), where the math is recognizably the original game with the variable-reel layer added on top. These are sometimes more interesting than they sound, sometimes less.
How Megaways compares to other modern mechanics
Cluster pays (Hacksaw Gaming, Push Gaming): symbols pay when they form connected groups of 5+ on the grid, regardless of paylines. Mathematically more flexible than ways-to-win, often produces higher max win caps.
xWays family (Nolimit City): reel transformations that split, nudge, or convert symbols mid-spin. Highest theoretical max wins in the industry (Tombstone R.I.P. caps at 300,000x bet).
Tumble + multiplier (Pragmatic Play): winning symbols disappear, new ones drop, multipliers stack. Produces high variance but with smaller max wins than xWays or extreme cluster mechanics. The Sweet Bonanza / Gates of Olympus signature.
Megaways sits in the middle of all of these — high enough variance for streamer interest, conservative enough math for casual players, well-licensed enough to be available in nearly every modern slot catalog. It is not the most extreme math on the market, but it is the most consistently good.