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What is Megaways – An Overview of a Popular Category of Online Slots
16/02/23
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NetEnt Editorial Team
You might already know, but at NetEnt, we really enjoy online slots. They are the most accessible and fun type of online casino game on the market. In this overview, we will answer the question of what is Megaways and how these slots work. Stick with us and discover if these games are according to your taste.
What are the Megaways Slots?
The Megaways slot machines are a unique category of online slots that use a random reel modifier mechanic. The Megaways random reel modifier was developed in 2017 by a big brand in the world of online casino software, a company named Big Time Gaming (BTG).
Thanks to Megaways, players can enjoy up to 117,649 ways to win playing these slots. This is an astonishing number of winning possibilities. There are cases where you can find fewer ways to win, such as 16,807.
Due to the high popularity of these slots, many developers have adopted this mechanic and have created their own Megaways titles. NetEnt has also adopted these mechanics and have given them our own unique flavour. This allowed us to make some of the best Megaways titles on the market.
How do Megaways Slots Work – Overview of the Mechanics
As we mentioned earlier, the Megaways slots differ a lot from the standard online slot games on the market. While the many ways to win can be the most prominent factor differentiating Megaways games from others, the mechanic itself is more than that. There are two key features that we would like to mention below.
The number of paylines changes on every spin – While standard online slots have a fixed number of symbols on their reels, the Megaways slots have a random number of symbols on their reels with each spin. This means that the ways to win are fixed on standard slots, while with Megaways games, the ways to win are different each round. There can be up to a maximum of seven symbols on each Megaways slot reel.
Different win requirements – When you are playing standard online slots, you will have to line up symbols along the fixed paylines to score a win. In the case of Megaways slots, a winning round will require you to land the same symbols on adjacent reels. You will have to land the same symbols on at least three reels.
You can see that although there are two key differences between the two categories of online slots, these differences play a major role in the outcomes. Overall, Megaways slots offer such a different experience that they are considered a category of their own thanks to this amazing innovation from BTG.
Calculating the Number of Ways to Win on Megaways Slots
You might be wondering how the developers have come up with such high numbers when it comes to the ways to win. Well, it is not as complicated as it may seem. Punters placing wagers on horse racing have a similar approach when calculating their lines in a wager.
In order to figure out how many ways to win there are in a certain round of a Megaways slot machine, you will have to take the number of visible symbols on the first reel and multiply them by the number of visible symbols on the second reel.
After you have made that calculation, you will have to multiply the result by the number of visible symbols on the third reel. Then, you move on and take that result and multiply again by the visible symbols on the fourth reel.
You can use the same approach for the fifth and sixth reels. The final result will show you the final number of ways to win. Of course, alternatively, you can just look in the box at the top of the screen where the online slot will calculate it for you.
Megaways Slots RTP Percentage
A big factor that nearly all players take into consideration before playing a slot game is its RTP. The Return to Player (RTP) percentage is a rough estimation of what part of the wagers will be returned to the players over a long period of time or rounds.
According to the company that created this category of slots, Big Time Gaming, the average RTP of Megaways titles is 96.22%. Of course, the statistic will change according to which title we are talking about, as some have a bit less and others have more. A great example is the White Rabbit Megaways slot which has the highest RTP of 97.77%.
The 10 Best Megaways Games
In this section of our overview, we would like to share with you what are the best Megaways slots. Of course, different people will consider various titles the best based on their preferences. That is why we will rank them based on an important statistic for everyone – RTP. Here are the top 10:
| Slot Title | RTP |
| Blood Suckers Megaways | 97.66% |
| Dazzle Me Megaways | 96.10% |
| Divine Fortune Megaways | 96.09% |
| Fruit Shop Megaways | 96.06% |
| TwinSpin Megaways | 96.04% |
| 10,001 Nights Megaways | 96.00% |
| Doggy Riches Megaways | 96.00% |
| Risque Megaways | 95.73% |
| Jingle Ways Megaways | 96.69% |
| Athens Megaways | 95.68% |
While we could’ve made our top list based on other factors, such as the most ways to win or how volatile a slot is, we decided that the RTP percentage is the best option. In the end, every player wants to know roughly how much they can expect in return while they play a particular slot.
NetEnt Megaways Slots
As we mentioned earlier in our guide on what is Megaways, other iGaming developers adopted the innovative mechanics that BTG created for Megaways slots. Needless to say, there are a bunch of Megaways slots that we at NetEnt have developed. Here they are:
- Dazzle Me Megaways (99,225 ways to win)
- Divine Fortune Megaways (117,649 ways to win)
- Fruit Shop Megaways (117,649 ways to win)
- Twin Spin Megaways (117,649 ways to win)
- Starburst Megaways (TBA)
Of course, you can partake in Megaways free play on our website. We have available demos for all of our titles where you do not need to spend any real money. You can try out each title, even the Megaways ones, and see if you will enjoy it before spending any money on it.
Where to Play Megaways Slots
You could already be itching to go on a reel adventure and experience Big Time Gaming’s innovative gameplay mechanics. Well, you can enjoy these great titles at any online casino with games provided by an iGaming software developer that features Megaways slots. You can also try them out for free on our website.
What is important to note here is that we do not recommend playing Megaways slots at just any online casino. Our reader’s safety is our prime concern, and we would like to share with you how to find a legit operator that will not risk any of your personal or banking data.
The first step is to confirm that an operator is licensed and regulated by a reputable government authority, such as the UK Gambling Commission or Malta Gaming Authority. If such an organisation licences an online casino, it will feature its logo as a stamp of approval at the bottom of its website.
If you’re gaming from the US, you can still confirm the legality of an operator in the same manner. If online gambling is legal in your state, then a government body acts as a regulator and licence issuer for gambling operators. You can also find their stamp of approval at the bottom of the casino website.
While the stamp is not a fool-proof way of vetting an operator, it is a great way to weed out the bad ones.
Conclusion: Megaways Slots Are Exciting
We have gone over what are the Megaways slots, explained how they worked and even shared with you some great titles. We hope that our guide answered the question of what are Megaways slots. As our final thoughts, we would like to say that Megaways games are very exciting and bring an experience that few other online slots can match.
Frequently Asked Questions
Two unique mechanics separate standard online slots and Megaways slots. When you play Megaways games, the number of paylines changes with every spin, as there are a different number of symbols on each reel every round. You also have to land symbols on at least three adjacent reels in order to win instead of landing the symbols along a pre-determined payline.
While it depends on the player you are, Megaways slots are excellent in most cases. They offer great rewards, up to 117,649 ways to win on most titles and give you an experience that is different from other slots.
In order to win at Megaways slots, you will need to land winning symbols on at least three adjacent reels. Of course, you can do that on all six reels and receive high rewards. This is the main difference between standard slots and Megaways. This way, you have up to 117,649 ways to win.
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