Megaways Slots: How the Mechanic Works and Popular Games

Megaways is a slot mechanic in which the number of symbols on each reel changes on every spin, so the number of ways to win changes too. In the classic layout of six reels, each showing between two and seven symbols, a spin can offer anything from a few hundred to 117,649 ways, the figure on our 5 Lions Megaways spec card. The mechanic was created by Big Time Gaming and is licensed to many other studios, which is why Megaways games come from so many providers.

Megaways slots, like other slot-style games, are offered in South Africa by some provincially licensed bookmakers, not by licensed online casinos, which do not exist in the country. Their legal status is disputed: provincial regulators such as the Western Cape board permit them for their licensees, while the National Gambling Board disputes this. You must be 18 or older to play for money.

How Megaways reels work

On a standard slot, a win needs matching symbols on a fixed payline. Megaways games use "ways" instead: matching symbols on adjacent reels from left to right pay, wherever they sit on each reel. The number of ways is the number of symbols on each reel multiplied together.

Some games add an extra horizontal reel above the main grid, which can push the figure higher; one review source puts the maximum for 5 Lions Megaways at 200,704. The ways figure shown on screen changes every spin, but it is not the same thing as your chance of winning: many ways can still produce small or no wins.

Features found in most Megaways games

• Tumbling or cascading reels. Winning symbols disappear and new ones drop in, so one paid spin can produce several wins in a row.
• Free spins with multipliers. Scatter symbols trigger free spins, often with a multiplier that grows with each tumble.
• Choice of free-spin modes. Some games let you trade the number of spins against the size of wild multipliers. 5 Lions Megaways offers a choice of seven modifiers, from 6 spins with 15x to 40x wilds to 25 spins with 2x to 5x wilds.
• Bonus buy. Some versions let you pay a fixed multiple of the stake to start free spins straight away, where the bookmaker allows it.

Megaways volatility and RTP

Megaways games tend to be high volatility: long runs of small or no wins, broken by rare large ones during free spins. 5 Lions Megaways, for example, is rated high volatility with an RTP of 96.50% and a maximum win of 5,000 times the stake. As with any slot, providers often release several RTP versions of the same game, and the bookmaker decides which one it runs. Searches for Gonzo's Quest Megaways RTP are a good example: the Megaways version is a separate game from the original Gonzo's Quest, with its own figures, so read the information panel inside the game rather than relying on the original's spec card.

Popular Megaways slots

These are the Megaways titles South Africans search for most. Spec cards are published only where the provider's figures have been checked, so for the others look at the game's own help screen.

5 Lions Megaways and other Pragmatic Play titles

Pragmatic Play is the provider most often listed by South African bookmakers, and it has a long Megaways catalogue: 5 Lions Megaways, 5 Lions Gold Megaways, Buffalo King Megaways, Floating Dragon Megaways, Wild West Gold Megaways, Wild Wild Riches Megaways and Muertos Multiplier Megaways among them. Betfred names Extra Juicy Megaways among the titles in its lobby.

Megaways remakes of classic slots

Several studios have rebuilt older hits on the Megaways engine, including Gonzo's Quest Megaways, Divine Fortune Megaways, Twin Spin Megaways and Blood Suckers Megaways. They keep the theme and characters of the original but change the maths, so expect different volatility.

Other Megaways titles

White Rabbit Megaways comes from Big Time Gaming itself. Ancient Fortunes: Poseidon Megaways, Eastern Emeralds Megaways, Medusa Megaways and Reel King Megaways show how far the licence has spread across studios.

Where Megaways games are listed

Licensed bookmakers that publish Pragmatic Play in their game lobbies include Betshezi, Scorebet, Sportingbet, World Sports Betting, Gbets, PlayBet, Betfred and YesPlay, and these are the lobbies where Megaways titles are most likely to appear. Lobbies change regularly and not every title is carried everywhere, so search the bookmaker's lobby for the exact game first. Other Pragmatic games are on the Pragmatic Play slots page.

Megaways free play and demo mode

Searches for Megaways slots free play or a Buffalo Megaways free version usually mean demo mode. SlotsReviews does not host demos. Providers such as Pragmatic Play publish official demos on their own sites, and some licensed bookmakers show a demo option in the lobby. A demo is a good way to see how volatile a Megaways game feels before staking money.

"Megaways free spins no deposit" offers, on the other hand, are mostly advertised by online casinos without a South African licence. At licensed bookmakers, free spins come as part of a published promotion with named games and turnover rules.

Keeping Megaways sessions in proportion

High volatility and fast tumbles make Megaways games easy to overspend on, especially when chasing free spins. Fix your stake and session budget before you start and avoid bonus buys if you are on a tight budget. The National Responsible Gambling Programme offers free counselling on 0800 006 008, and our responsible gambling page explains limits and self-exclusion.