All You Need to Know About Megaways Slots

Megaways: The slot machine's cooler, crazier cousin. You've probably seen these games sitting pretty in online casinos and land-based casinos, flaunting phrases like "117,649 ways to win" as if it's just another Tuesday. 

But what is a Megaways slot? Saddle up, bud, because we're about to tell you. 

What is Megaways? 

One of the biggest slot innovations of the last decade, Megaways is a slot mechanic developed by the bright sparks at Australian game developer, Big Time Gaming (BTG), back in 2015. 

BTG wanted to pack even more thrills into the classic slot game experience. But forget just adding extra bonus rounds or slot symbols. BTG stripped the experience of playing slots back to basics. 

See, the real reason folks love playing slot games is the anticipation of the unknown! Enter the Megaways mechanic. 

Unlike traditional video slots with a fixed number of paylines, games featuring the Megaways mechanic boast a random reel modifier. That means that the number of positions on each reel changes with every spin, creating an epic number of ways to win. The more positions on a reel, the more chances there are to scoop a prize. 

In a traditional slot, you might have 20 or 25 paylines. In a Megaways slot? Think bigger. 

Thanks to the Megaways random reel modifier mechanic, you could have up to 117,649 ways to win in a single spin. It's a slot machine on a serious caffeine binge – faster, wilder and packed with thrills.

How do Megaways slots work? 

Megaways slot machines act like the regular slot games y'all know and love, just with the addition of the awesome random reel modifier that shakes up the number of paylines available. 

The exact number of positions available on each slot reel will be randomly decided during every spin, so there's no way of predicting how many will appear until the reels come to a stop. 

For players keen to know how many paylines they are playing with, calculating the exact number available is simple. Just multiply the number of symbols on each reel by the total number of reels currently shown. 

Take a slot with five reels and four positions per reel as an example. The math would work out as 4x4x4x4x4 – that's 1,024 paylines. But Megaways can boast much more than 1,024 paylines. 

Most Megaways slot games will offer six reels, with the potential for up to seven positions to land on each reel. That means y'all could play with an incredible 117,649 paylines! And some Megaways games go even higher, with rumours of up to 248,832 paylines being available to discover. 

How to play Megaways games 

Paylines aside, playing Megaways slots is simple. It's just like playing regular online slot games, with some more fun.

Match symbols from left to right across adjacent reels to form a winning combination, while keeping watch for super cool slot symbols like Wilds, Bonuses and Scatters. 

These special slot symbols can unlock extra bonus features for even more excitement – and chances to score some bucks. We're talking cascading reels, free spins bonuses, multipliers and more. You can even play for progressive jackpot prizes, with Jackpot King spin-offs available. 

For the exact rules on how to play a particular Megaways title, swing by the in-game 'how to play' table. Or, for a slice of the American-style customer service found in our casinos Stateside, ask our professional live hosts – they're always on-hand to help. 

The best Megaways games to play 

Now you know all about how Megaways slots work, let's dive into which are the best Megaways games in town. 

Here at Bally Casino, we think Megaways slots are awesome. That's why you can find an entire collection of Megaways titles available to play at our online casino in the UK. 

Here are some of our favourites currently sitting in the Bally Casino Hall of Fame: 

Bonanza Megaways 

The OG: Bonanza Megaways kicked off the fun as the one of the first slot games to boast the Megaways mechanic. 

A gold mine-themed slot game packed with cascading wins, free spins, and random paylines. If you're new to Megaways games, then we recommend taking this classic Vegas slot for a spin. 

Extra Chilli Megaways 

Imagine your regular online slot, but spicier. Now say hello to Extra Chilli Megaways. 

Set in the dazzling streets of Mexico, this slot offers bright graphics, high energy soundtracks and plenty of Megaways action. 

Secrets of the Phoenix Megaways 

Dive into a mystical world with up to 117,649 ways to win, fiery Phoenix Wild symbols, and chances to land free spins – all set against a cool backdrop taken straight from Central America.