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Let There be Megaways

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The Megaways mechanic was invented by the software company Big Time Gaming. The Australian company was looking for a way to spice up the conventional slot mechanics, which is why they came up with their own. Big Time Gaming developed the Megaways technology in 2017 to use it for its slot called Dragon Born Megaways.

The fantasy slot was an instant success and players fell in love with its creative gameplay. Perhaps Big Time Gaming didn’t expect the interest it received from not only players, but also other software developers.

We will explain in detail how the mechanic works and we will also give you our recommendations on which Megaways slots you should try out.

What Exactly is the Megaways technology

The Megaways technology is based on a complex mathematical model, which can generate thousands of outcomes every time. The first you will notice about a Megaways slot is the high number of paylines, which consequently translate to a high number of possible outcomes with every spin.

While a typical slot might have 10 or 15 paylines, the number of paylines in a Megaways slot is often in the 6-digit territory. Another unique feature of a Megaways slot is that the paylines are not fixed.

If you see something like “this slot has 117,649 paylines” (the most common amount), this means the slot in question has up to 117,649 paylines, but their number is constantly changing with each spin having a varying number of paylines.

Another thing, which differs from earlier standard slots is the way you make a winning combination. Slots with fixed paylines require the player to score a winning combination along the set lines. Megaways slots allow for more flexibility as you only need to land 3 or more matching symbols on adjacent reels.

Other Signature Megaways Features

The previous section discussed what the Megaways model is, while this one will talk about signature features of Megaways slots, which don’t necessary appear in each Megaways slot, but are very common.

One of the most common and beloved features of Megaways slots is the cascading reels mechanic. In such games, a single spin can generate more than one winning combination. This is because when you score a win, the symbols, which triggered the win disappear or cascade and new ones fall in their place. No wonder why people love it!

Another feature of Megaways slots, which was showcased in the first Megaways slot, Dragon Born, is the Full Reel Wild. It means exactly what you think it does – a symbol covers a whole reel, which increases your winning potential. You can usually have multiple Full Reel Wilds in a game.

Megaways slots, most often than not, have bonus rounds. This could be the free spins game or another type of bonus game. In some cases, there are even multiple bonus rounds to choose from, which most usually have more paylines and other lucrative features such as the unlimited win multiplier!

Nowadays, you can see slots offering you to buy this bonus rather than wait for the game to give it to for free. However, keep in mind that the bonus buy feature tends to be expensive, sometimes equating to your stake multiplied by 20 or even 100.

Due to the many features packed in each Megaways slot, the payouts are usually not grand, but this balances the game since you have many more winning opportunities.

Favourite Megaways Slots

If you can’t wait to try out the Megaways slots for yourself, take a look below to see which slots we picked for you!

Big Time Gaming Megaways Slots

We should start with the slots belonging to the company that invented the Megaways mechanic. Here are our favourite Big Time Gaming Megaways slots:

  • Dragon Born Megaways –95.0% RTP; 117, 649 paylines; 5,000x max prize
  • Survivor Megaways – 96.47% RTP; 100, 842 paylines; 44,000x max prize
  • White Rabbit Megaways – 97.72% RTP; 248,832 paylines; 16,807x max prize
  • Extra Chilli Megaways – 96.15%-96.82% RTP, 117, 649 paylines; 20,000x max prize
  • Bonanza Megaways– 96.0% RTP; 117, 649 paylines; 10,000x max prize
  • Royal Mint Megaways – 96.48% RTP; 117, 649 paylines; 40,000x max prize
  • Kingmaker Megaways – 96.65% RTP; 16,807 paylines; 10,000x max prize

Megaways Slot by Other Companies

As previously said, other software developers took note when Big Time Gaming introduced the Megaways mechanic and they started making their own Megaways slots. All of these companies are licensed by Big Time Gaming to use their technology. Here are the best Megaways slots they produced:

  • Piggy Riches Megaways (Red Tiger Gaming) – 95.71% RTP; 117, 649 paylines; 10,000x max prize
  • Stargate Megaways (SG Digital) – 94.1% RTP; 117, 649 paylines; 114,947x max prize
  • Big Bad Wolf Megaways (Quickspin) – 90.19-96.05% RTP, 117, 649 paylines; 30,540x max prize
  • Wild Hammer Megaways (iSoftBet) – 95.78% RTP, 117, 649 paylines; 50,000x max prize
  • 4 Diamond Blues Megaways (Buck Stakes Ent.) – 92.0-96.4% RTP; 117, 649 paylines; 29,000x max prize
  • Amazon Island Megaways (Max Win Gaming) – 96.07% RTP, 117, 649 paylines; 10,918x max prize
  • Black Gold 2 Megaways (Stakelogic) – 92.01-96.01% RTP, 117, 649 paylines; 21,195x max prize