Here's the short answer: Megaways is a slot engine that throws away fixed paylines and gives you a different number of ways to win on every single spin — anywhere from a few dozen up to a headline 117,649. The grid literally reshapes itself before each spin, so no two spins look quite the same. It was invented by Australian studio Big Time Gaming (BTG) back in 2015, and it went properly mainstream with *Bonanza Megaways* the same year. Today the mechanic is licensed out to dozens of studios and powers hundreds of titles you'll spot across our slots library. In this guide I'll explain — as a dealer who likes things explained simply — exactly how the reels work, where that famous 117,649 number comes from, how wins are actually paid, what cascades do, and why Megaways tends to run high volatility. Quick reminder before we start: on JeromeIbiza everything is free-to-play with virtual points, no real money, 18+ — so think of this as learning the mechanic, not chasing it.
What "Megaways" actually means
Megaways is not a single game — it's a reel mechanic (a game engine) that studios bolt onto a slot. The defining trick: instead of a fixed grid with set paylines, the number of symbols on each reel changes every spin.
A standard Megaways layout has six reels, and each reel can show between 2 and 7 symbols on any given spin. Land tall reels and you've got loads of ways to win; land short ones and you've got far fewer. You never know which you'll get until the reels stop.
That's the headline difference from a classic 5-reel slot with, say, 20 or 25 fixed paylines. Here the board is alive — it breathes a different shape on every spin. If you're brand new to slots in general, our games hub and the glossary are good first stops.
Where the 117,649 ways come from
This is the bit everyone wants explained, and the maths is genuinely simple. To find the ways to win on a spin, you multiply the number of symbols on each reel together.
Six reels, all showing the maximum 7 symbols:
- 7 × 7 × 7 × 7 × 7 × 7 = 117,649
That's just 7 to the power of 6. It's the absolute ceiling, and you'll only hit it when all six reels happen to land at full height on the same spin.
Most spins land somewhere below that. If your reels came in at 4, 5, 7, 6, 3, 2 symbols, you'd have 4×5×7×6×3×2 = 5,040 ways that spin. Drop to all twos and you're down to a humble 64 ways (2 to the power of 6).
And 117,649 isn't a magic universal number — it depends on the reel heights a studio allows. *Fishin' Frenzy Megaways*, for instance, caps lower at 15,625 ways. The headline figure is simply the maximum that particular game can produce.
The extra reel and variable symbols
Many Megaways titles add one more clever piece: a horizontal reel running along the top (sometimes the bottom) of the main grid. This extra strip adds one symbol to several reels at once, which is how some games push their ways-count even higher.
Because symbol counts shift constantly, Megaways games lean heavily on special symbols to keep things lively:
- Mystery symbols — blank tiles that reveal a single random symbol once the reels settle, sometimes turning a near-miss into a chunky win.
- Expanding wilds and stacked wilds that stretch across a reel.
- Scatters that trigger the free-spins round.
The variable layout is exactly why two spins almost never look identical — and why the mechanic feels so different to a fixed-grid slot.
How wins are actually paid
Megaways uses a "ways" pay system, not paylines. The rule is refreshingly clean:
- You win by landing matching symbols on adjacent reels, starting from the leftmost reel and moving right.
- The symbol's position on the reel doesn't matter — only that a matching symbol appears somewhere on each consecutive reel.
So a win on reels 1-2-3 counts regardless of whether the symbols are top, middle or bottom. Because every matching symbol on a reel can connect to every matching symbol on the next, a single spin can pay the same combination many times over — that's the upside of having thousands of ways.
Minimum wins usually need a match across three adjacent reels (sometimes two for premium symbols). Want the basics of value behind any payout? Our piece on what RTP is and the RTP glossary entry explain how returns are modelled over the long run.
Cascades, tumbles and unlimited multipliers
Most Megaways slots pair the mechanic with a cascade feature — also called tumbles, avalanches or reactions depending on the studio. Here's the loop:
- You land a winning combination.
- Those winning symbols are removed from the grid.
- New symbols drop down to fill the gaps.
- If that creates a fresh win, it pays — and the cascade repeats.
Each cascade can re-roll the reel heights, so a single paid spin can chain into several consecutive wins. It's a big part of why a quiet Megaways game can suddenly erupt.
The real fireworks live in the free-spins round, where many Megaways titles use an unlimited (or progressive) win multiplier. Every cascade bumps the multiplier up — ×2, ×3, ×4 — and crucially it doesn't reset between spins during the feature. That stacking multiplier is where the headline max-win potential usually comes from. There's more on these mechanics in our volatility glossary entry and the free-spins term.
Why Megaways runs high volatility
Megaways games sit firmly at the **high-volatility** end of the spectrum, and the maths explains why. Tens of thousands of possible ways sound generous, but the bigger wins are gated behind the free-spins round and that stacking multiplier — so the base game can stay quiet for long stretches.
In plain terms:
- Long runs between meaningful wins are normal.
- When a win does land — especially in the bonus — it can be large.
- Sessions swing hard. This is a thrill format, not a steady grind.
On the returns side, Megaways RTP sits broadly in line with the wider market. A figure around 96% is a typical, illustrative ballpark for many titles — but always check the specific game's info screen, because operators sometimes run different RTP versions of the same slot. Our volatility deep-dive unpacks how variance shapes a session, and our bonus-buy guide covers the bonus-buy feature some Megaways games offer (where it's permitted).
The BTG licence angle — and who makes them
Megaways is trademarked and licensed by Big Time Gaming. Other studios don't reinvent it; they pay to use BTG's engine and then build their own themes and features on top. That licence is why the mechanic looks consistent across very different-looking games.
Licensees you'll recognise include Blueprint Gaming, Pragmatic Play, Red Tiger, NetEnt and many more — you can browse studios on our providers page. It also means a Megaways slot from a reputable studio has typically been tested and certified, often under a regulator such as the UK Gambling Commission.
A few regulatory notes worth knowing, since they shape how these games behave in regulated markets:
- Stake caps per spin in some jurisdictions.
- Bonus-buy features disabled in markets like the UK.
- Autoplay limits and reality-check prompts.
None of that applies to free-to-play points here, but it's useful context for understanding the real-money versions.
How to approach Megaways sensibly
If you're trying Megaways for the first time, a few honest pointers:
- Expect droughts. High volatility means quiet patches are the norm, not a glitch. The grid isn't "cold" — it's just doing what high-variance maths does.
- The bonus is the point. Most of the win potential lives in the free-spins round with its building multiplier, so the base game is mostly the wait.
- Set limits and stick to them. Even with virtual points, practising good habits — session limits, walking away, not chasing — builds the right reflexes.
- Read the info screen. Ways-count, RTP and feature rules vary game to game.
Want to compare it to a fixed-grid, skill-led game? Try blackjack basic strategy for a totally different rhythm, or explore the wider rewards side of the site. And whatever you play, 18+, for fun, and gamble responsibly — any affiliate links we show are clearly disclosed.
FAQ
For fun, with virtual points — no real money on this site. Affiliate links may earn us a commission. 18+ · Play responsibly.