The Megaways system arrived in 2015 through Big Time Gaming, an Australian studio based in Sydney. Many Kiwi players first met this format on sites like OnlySpins casino online https://onlyspins.com/nz/ with a separate page for Megaways titles in its New Zealand-facing section. The format takes the standard reel layout and replaces it with a shifting grid that produces a different number of ways to match symbols on every spin. The figure 117,649 appears often in reviews because it represents the maximum number of winning combinations across six reels.
Where the system came from
Big Time Gaming built the original engine and patented it under the Megaways name in 2016. The first title to use the format was Dragon Born, followed shortly by the better-known Bonanza in late 2016. Studios such as Blueprint Gaming, Pragmatic Play, and Red Tiger later licensed the engine for their own releases. By 2024, more than 200 titles carried the Megaways branding across several studios worldwide.
The reel layout in detail
A standard Megaways slot uses six vertical reels, each capable of showing between two and seven symbols at any given spin. The symbol count changes at random, which means the total number of paylines shifts from one round to the next. Matches occur when identical symbols land on adjacent reels from left to right, regardless of their vertical position on the reel.
Variable symbol counts
The randomized symbol count gives each spin a different shape on the screen. A spin with four symbols on every reel produces 4,096 ways to match. A spin with the maximum seven symbols on all reels reaches the much-quoted 117,649 figure.
The horizontal row
Some Megaways titles add a horizontal row of four extra symbols above reels two through five. This row spins together with the main grid and contributes to the matching pattern on each round. Bonanza was the first title to popularise this addition.
Features often paired with the mechanic
The system rarely appears on its own. Studios usually attach extra features to keep the gameplay varied. The most frequent additions include:
- Cascading reels, where matched symbols vanish, and new ones drop into place.
- Free spin rounds with multipliers that climb after each cascade.
- Mystery symbols that reveal themselves once the reels stop.
- Bonus buy options that trigger free spins directly for a fixed amount.
These features extend the average session length and add small differences between titles. Each studio tends to mix and match according to its own house style.
Numbers worth keeping in mind
The volatility of Megaways titles sits on the higher end of the scale. Return-to-player values across most releases in a casino online catalog fall between 94% and 96.5%. Bonanza, for example, lists an RTP of 96%, while Extra Chili Megaways sits at 96.82%. The maximum payout often reaches between 10,000x and 50,000x the stake, depending on the title chosen.
The Megaways grid changed the look of slot reels in a casino online catalog more than any other mechanic from the past decade. The shifting layout keeps each round visually different, which suits players who prefer variety over fixed paylines.