ReelWise › Megaways
Reel Mechanics
Megaways Slots Explained — How the Ways-to-Win Math Works
Megaways is a licensed slot mechanic created by Big Time Gaming (BTG). Since its introduction around 2016, it has been licensed to dozens of studios and become one of the most recognisable mechanical innovations in video slots. Many players encounter Megaways games regularly without fully understanding what the mechanic actually does — and why it produces the volatile, high-potential gameplay it's known for.
The core innovation: dynamic reel heights
In a conventional slot, each reel has a fixed number of visible positions. A 5×3 grid shows exactly 3 symbols per reel, every spin. The number of active symbols is always 15.
Megaways works differently. Each spin, the number of symbols shown on each reel is determined randomly, independently per reel. On a 6-reel Megaways game, each reel might display anywhere from 2 to 7 symbols per spin. On one spin reel 1 shows 3 symbols, reel 2 shows 7, reel 3 shows 4, and so on. On the next spin, the heights change again.
This variable reel height is the defining feature of Megaways. Everything else — the way count, the visual look, the volatility — follows from this one mechanical property.
How the way count is calculated
In a standard "ways to win" game, the way count is the product of the number of symbol positions on each reel. For a fixed 5×3 game: 3 × 3 × 3 × 3 × 3 = 243 ways.
For Megaways, the calculation is the same — but because reel heights change each spin, the product changes each spin too.
The maximum way count for the standard 6-reel Megaways configuration (2–7 symbols per reel) is: 7 × 7 × 7 × 7 × 7 × 7 = 117,649 ways.
The minimum, when all reels show only 2 symbols: 2 × 2 × 2 × 2 × 2 × 2 = 64 ways.
Each spin, the actual way count is somewhere between these extremes — and the game typically displays the current way count prominently on screen (this is part of the Megaways presentation). Spins where all reels are tall (showing 7 symbols) give you maximum coverage; spins where reels are short give you fewer ways.
Important: A higher way count on a given spin does not directly mean a larger win. It means more possible winning combinations are active. A win still requires matching symbols on adjacent reels from left to right — the higher way count just creates more simultaneous potential paths for that to happen.
The horizontal reel strip
Many Megaways implementations include a horizontal reel strip above or below the main grid — typically a 4-symbol reel that spins independently. Symbols on this strip contribute to wins in the main game, effectively adding to the way count further. The exact mechanic varies by game — always check the paytable for how the horizontal reel's symbols participate in wins.
Why Megaways games tend to be high volatility
The dynamic way count creates an interesting mathematical structure. Consider a high-value symbol win: to get 6-of-a-kind on a 6-reel game, that symbol must appear on every reel. With only 2 positions per reel at minimum height, the probability of the same symbol landing on all 6 reels is relatively lower than on a fixed-height game where more positions per reel are always visible.
The Megaways mechanic's value is concentrated in the combination of:
- High-position spins (all reels near maximum height) where many symbols are visible and many combinations can form simultaneously.
- Cascading mechanics, which most Megaways games include, enabling multiplier chains.
- Free-spins features that typically run with unlimited cascades and escalating multipliers.
Most individual base-game spins on a typical Megaways game are unexceptional — moderate way counts, no chain cascades. The extreme payouts come from the rare intersection of high way count + cascade chain + feature multiplier, which can produce very large returns but requires many factors to align. This inherently produces high volatility.
Megaways free spins: the mechanic's home
Virtually every Megaways game concentrates the majority of its expected value in the free-spins bonus round. The typical structure:
- Free spins are triggered by landing scatter symbols (usually 3–5 across the reels).
- During free spins, a multiplier increments with every cascade (e.g. +1× per cascade, with no cap or a high cap).
- Because cascades continue until no win forms, and the multiplier keeps increasing throughout the entire free-spins round, a session with many cascades per free spin can result in very large total payouts.
- Retriggering free spins (by landing more scatters during the feature) extends the session further.
The unlimited multiplier growth during free spins is the primary mechanism behind Megaways games' high max-win caps (commonly 20,000–50,000× stake or more). It requires an extended cascade chain late in the free-spins session when the multiplier is already large — statistically rare, but mathematically possible and certified.
Licensing: why there are so many Megaways games
Big Time Gaming patents the Megaways mechanic and licenses it to other studios. This is why you'll see games from Pragmatic Play, Red Tiger, Blueprint Gaming, iSoftBet, and many others all carrying the Megaways name — they've all licensed the mechanic from BTG and built their own games using it.
BTG also produces original Megaways games. Licensed implementations can vary in specific details (how the horizontal reel works, exact free-spins structure, cascade mechanic) while retaining the core dynamic-reel-height feature that defines Megaways.
Megaways vs other high-way-count mechanics
Megaways is not the only mechanic producing large way counts. Some alternatives:
| Mechanic | Way count | Key feature |
|---|---|---|
| Megaways (standard) | Up to 117,649 | Dynamic reel heights each spin |
| Fixed 1,024 ways | 1,024 (fixed) | 4 rows × 4 rows × 4 rows × 4 rows × 4 rows |
| MegaCluster | Varies | Large-grid cluster pays, not ways-based |
| InfiniReels | Theoretically unlimited | Reels can add columns when certain symbols land |
| All ways | Fixed large number | Non-dynamic fixed maximum ways (varies by grid size) |
Frequently asked questions
A higher way count increases the number of possible winning combinations that can be active simultaneously — so more matches can occur at once. However, winning still requires matching symbols to land on adjacent reels. A very high way count doesn't guarantee a win; it just means more paths exist for winning symbols to register.
The standard Megaways implementation uses 6 reels, each displaying 2–7 symbols. The maximum way count is 76 (7 raised to the power of 6) = 117,649. This represents every reel simultaneously displaying its maximum 7 symbols and every position counting independently toward ways.
No. Megaways is a licensed mechanic with many implementations. The core dynamic-reel-height feature is consistent, but each studio designs its own paytable, free-spins structure, cascade multiplier progression, and special features. The result is significant variety in how individual Megaways games play — RTP, volatility, and feature behaviour all differ across titles.
The combination of unlimited or high-ceiling cascade multipliers during free spins, combined with the high maximum way count (up to 117,649), enables very large wins when multiple factors align — a long cascade chain at a high multiplier during a max-ways spin. These events are rare by design, but the math supports them, which is why max wins of 20,000–50,000× stake are common in certified Megaways games.
[OPERATOR ACTION REQUIRED] Top Megaways game recommendations and casinos go here once affiliate agreements are active.