Should you play a Megaways Slot?

Online slot enthusiasts and novices alike are sure to have played a Megaways slot at one time or another, or at least heard of them. But the question is how well do you know how Megaways works? And what makes Megaways slots so special?

First hitting the gaming scene in 2016, these slots came to the market thanks to Big Time Gaming, the Australian games developer. Since then, Megaways slots have only grown in popularity. You can now find Megaways slots on most of the best slot sites and online casinos, including well known names like All British Casino and Betfred, with Megaways versions of your favourite slot games also on offer.

As some of the most exciting and sought-after slots available today, you might have some questions on what makes them so special and whether you should be playing a Megaways version of a game. This guide will walk you through everything you need to know on this innovative type of slot.

How do Megaways slots work?

The average slot game typically has 3-5 reels, each with 3 rows. This means you’re usually playing with a maximum number of 243 paylines, or ways to win. Megaways slots on the other hand, can have hundreds of thousands of ways to win! Some, like King Kong Megaways, have 117,649 paylines, while Gorilla Gold Megaways has a whopping 470,596 ways to win!

Megaways slots can have such a high number of paylines thanks to Big Time Gaming’s random reel modifier. This changes the number of rows and reels you’re playing with as it spins. Sometimes you’ll spin and end up with 5 reels, other times the game will expand and you’ll have more reels. You’ll never know how many reels or paylines you’re playing with until you spin!

How do you win on a Megaways slot?

With the number of paylines possible in a Megaways slot, you might be feeling overwhelmed and confused on how you actually win. Don’t worry, it’s very simple. Rather than complicated patterns for the paylines, all you have to do to win is land at least three identical symbols on adjacent reels from left to right. The symbols themselves don’t even need to be adjacent, so there’s more chance to win!

But, how do you know how many paylines you’re playing with? It’s rather easy. If a Megaways slot is offering hundreds of thousands of ways to win, the slot may expand to have 6 or 7 reels, or even more! You can work out how many paylines you’re working with by multiplying the number of symbols on each reel together.

For example, if you have six reels with seven symbols you’ll do the following calculation: 7 x 7 x 7 x 7 x 7 x 7. So you’d have 117,649 paylines!

How to choose the best Megaways slot

With more Megaways slot titles being released all the time, choosing the best Megaways slot can be confusing. It’s always best to prioritise first a slot that appeals to you. If the graphics and theme suit you, then you’re probably going to enjoy that title the most.

You can also check for special features such as increasing, wilds, multipliers, and cascading reel features. You may also want to check the RTP (Return-to-Player) of the slot before you start playing. 

Additionally, you might want to check the slot volatility before playing. You may prefer a slot that has a medium to high volatility over a low volatility. 

Some Megaways slots even have jackpots, so you might prefer these for the chance to win big. Jackpot slots give you the option of big wins in a single spin, so these can be really thrilling! 

Most importantly though, you want to make sure that you’re playing at a safe and reputable online casino site. This will ensure that you and your money are kept safe. 

Why should you play a Megaways slot?

Megaways slots can provide a lot more excitement to your gameplay, because of the increased number of paylines, and the ever changing number of reels. You’ll constantly be kept on your toes when you play a Megaways slot. But some people will still prefer the regular slot to this special version, and this could be for a variety of reasons.

Megaways slots generally have a slightly lower RTP than the standard version of the slot, though the difference is usually rather marginal. For example Fishin’ Frenzy has an RTP of 96.12% while the Megaways version has an RTP of 96.10%. Similarly, Eye of Horus has an RTP of 96.31% and its Megaways counterpart has an RTP of 95.49%.

The Megaways slot versions also generally pay out less per symbol than their standard counterparts. On average, you need 6 symbols in the Megaways version to equal the payout of 5 symbols on the regular slot. Sometimes, even with 6 symbols, the Megaways version will still pay out less than 5 symbols in the regular version.

Don’t let this put you off though. When you’re spinning the reels of a Megaways slot you don’t have to have adjacent symbols to make a win, you just need the same symbol to appear on adjacent reels. In the regular version you would need to have three or more adjacent symbols. So, while there might be a lower payout on the Megaways slot for the same symbols, it’s easier to get a win, and easier again to get multiple wins in one spin! 

Now you’re up to speed on Megaways slots, you can go ahead and have fun spinning the reels!