Games
What Are Megaways Slots? Changing Ways to Win
Megaways slots are video slots where each reel shows a random number of symbols on every spin, so the number of ways to win changes from one spin to the next, up to 117,649 in the classic six-reel layout. The mechanic was created by Big Time Gaming (BTG), and other studios release Megaways titles under agreements with BTG. This guide explains how the ways count is worked out, how a win is counted, how Megaways differs from paylines, and what to check in a game's info page.
How the ways count works
A Megaways game pays like any "ways" slot: matching symbols on adjacent reels, starting from the leftmost reel, form a win no matter which row they sit on. The difference is that the height of each reel changes on every spin. In the classic layout there are six reels and each one shows between 2 and 7 symbols.
To get the number of ways for a spin, multiply the number of symbols showing on each reel:
| Spin | Symbols on reels 1 to 6 | Ways to win |
|---|---|---|
| A | 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 | 2 × 3 × 4 × 5 × 6 × 7 = 5,040 |
| B | 7, 7, 7, 7, 7, 7 | 7 × 7 × 7 × 7 × 7 × 7 = 117,649 |
| C | 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2 | 2 × 2 × 2 × 2 × 2 × 2 = 64 |
Many games show the current number of ways above the reels on every spin. Some titles add a horizontal reel above the middle reels, which puts one extra symbol on those reels, so their maximum can differ from 117,649. The game's info page states its own maximum.
How a Megaways win is counted
Say a game pays three or more matching symbols from the leftmost reel, and one spin lands the crown symbol like this:
- Reel 1: 2 crowns
- Reel 2: 1 crown
- Reel 3: 3 crowns
- Reel 4: no crown
The crowns connect across reels 1 to 3, so the spin pays "3 crowns" on 2 × 1 × 3 = 6 ways. Each way is paid at the three-crown value in the paytable. If reel 4 had shown a crown as well, the win would become "4 crowns" on 2 × 1 × 3 × 1 = 6 ways at the higher four-crown value.
Megaways vs paylines and other win systems
| Win system | How a win forms | Number of ways or lines |
|---|---|---|
| Fixed paylines | Symbols must sit on one of the drawn lines | Set by the game, for example 20 lines |
| Fixed ways | Matching symbols on adjacent reels from the left, any row | Fixed, for example 243 (3 rows × 5 reels) or 1,024 (4 rows × 5 reels) |
| Megaways | Same as fixed ways, but reel heights change each spin | Changes every spin, up to 117,649 in the classic layout |
| Pay anywhere | Enough matching symbols anywhere on the grid | No lines or ways at all |
Pay anywhere is a different system again: the guide on pay anywhere slots explains how those wins are counted.
Features often paired with Megaways
Megaways only decides the reel heights and the ways count. Many games combine it with other features:
- Cascading (tumbling) reels: winning symbols disappear and new ones drop in during the same paid spin.
- Rising multipliers: a multiplier that grows during a bonus round, often with each cascade.
- Reel modifiers: mystery symbols, extra wilds or reels that are locked at full height during a bonus round.
Because the ways count swings from spin to spin, Megaways titles often sit at the higher end of volatility. The guide on slot RTP and volatility explains what those two numbers mean, and each game's info page states its own figures.
How to check a Megaways game
- Open the game's info or paytable screen before you spin.
- Check the number of reels, the smallest and largest number of symbols per reel and the maximum ways.
- See whether there is a horizontal top reel and which reels it covers.
- Read how many matching reels are needed for a win, usually three from the left.
- Read the bonus round section: many Megaways games change reel heights or add multipliers there.
Megaways slots on Go2win
Go2win's online slots page brings together 31 game providers, including PP, PG, JILI, HACKSAW, REDTIGER and RELAX. This guide does not list individual titles; for which Megaways games are in the lobby, log in at go2win.bet, then check with live chat: what live chat confirms is what applies.
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FAQ
What does Megaways mean in slots? Megaways is a slot mechanic in which every reel shows a random number of symbols on each spin, so the number of ways to win changes from spin to spin. It was created by Big Time Gaming (BTG). In the classic layout there are six reels, and each one shows between 2 and 7 symbols.
What is the maximum number of Megaways? In the classic layout of six reels with up to 7 symbols each, the maximum is 7 × 7 × 7 × 7 × 7 × 7 = 117,649 ways. Games with an extra top reel or a different number of reels can have a different maximum. The game's info page states its own maximum.
Is Megaways the same as paylines? No, Megaways is not the same as paylines. Paylines are fixed lines on the grid, for example 20 lines set by the game. Megaways counts matching symbols on adjacent reels from the left in any row, and the number of ways changes on every spin.
Does a spin with more ways pay more? No, a spin with more ways does not pay more by itself. More ways means more combinations can connect on that spin, but what a win pays still comes from the paytable, and the game's RTP stays the same. Each way in a win is paid at the symbol value listed in the paytable.