How Megaways works
On each spin, every reel lands with a random height. Multiply the heights together and you get the number of ways to win, which in many games can reach six figures on a single spin. Wins pay left to right on adjacent reels.
What it doesn't change
More ways sounds like better odds. It isn't. Ways mechanics are built into the game's math, so more ways on a spin doesn't mean a better average return. Check the info panel for the game's RTP. The mechanic changes how wins look, not how much you'll get back on average.
Read a Megaways screen
- Find the ways counter, usually above the reels.
- Note the reel heights for that spin.
- Check the paytable for the minimum symbols needed.
- Watch for cascades, which some Megaways games add.
Megaways from other studios
See Dog House Megaways from Pragmatic, or the providers overview for other studios.
A Megaways spin, worked through
Imagine six reels. On one spin, they land with heights of 3, 5, 7, 4, 6 and 2 symbols. Multiply them together and that spin has 3 x 5 x 7 x 4 x 6 x 2 ways to win, or 5,040. A symbol pays if it appears on adjacent reels from the left, anywhere on each reel. On the next spin the heights change again, so the count jumps around. This is an example. Each game sets its own reel heights and maximum, so read the paytable.
Many Megaways games add a horizontal reel above the main ones, which adds one more symbol to some reels. Many also add cascades, so winners disappear and new symbols fall in, giving another chance to win on the same spin.
Why the ways count is misleading
A spin showing a huge ways count looks exciting, and it does make wins more likely on that spin. But the game is balanced across all possible spins. The paytable values are set low enough that the RTP stays the same whatever ways you see. Think of it as presentation. It changes the look and rhythm of a session, not the average return.
What makes Megaways games swing
Volatility comes from what sits on top of the mechanic: free spins with growing multipliers, unlimited multipliers on cascades, or sticky wilds. Two Megaways games can feel completely different because of those extras. That's why we review Dog House Megaways on its own, rather than lumping it with every other Megaways title.
Big Time Gaming's own titles
Big Time Gaming has its own catalog of Megaways and non-Megaways games, and you can see what Stake lists by filtering the lobby by studio. We haven't reviewed an individual BTG game yet. If you open one, check the RTP line and any max-win cap in the info panel first, as with any slot.
Who Megaways suits
If you like a busy screen with a lot happening on each spin, Megaways is fun to watch. If you find changing reel heights confusing, a fixed grid like Book of Dead or a cluster game like Fruit Party may be easier to follow. Compare the studios on the providers overview, and set a budget before you start. A higher ways count is not a better chance of finishing ahead.
Megaways and cascades together
Many Megaways games pair the mechanic with cascades. When you win, winners vanish and new symbols drop in, and the reel heights can stay the same for that chain. In free spins, some games add a multiplier that grows with each cascade, sometimes without a top limit. That's where the volatility rises. The ways count gives you more small wins, and the growing multiplier gives you the rare big one.
Checking a Megaways game before you play
Open the info panel and read the RTP for the version Stake runs, the max win, and whether the free spins multiplier resets between spins or keeps growing. That last detail changes a game's feel more than anything else. A multiplier that keeps growing makes a round swing much harder than one that resets each spin.
The mechanic in other studios' games
Because Megaways is licensed to other studios, you'll find it in games from many studios, including Pragmatic Play. The core idea is the same everywhere, but each studio adds its own features. Read the rules page rather than assuming a Megaways game from one studio plays like another.
Megaways on a phone
Megaways screens get busy, especially when the reels are tall. On a phone, turn the device sideways if the game supports it, and use the paytable to learn the symbol values before you play. If the screen feels like noise, that's a fair reason to pick a simpler game.
Before you play
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FAQ
Did Big Time Gaming invent Megaways?
It's widely credited with creating it, and other studios release Megaways games under licence.
Are Megaways slots high volatility?
Many are, but it varies by game.
Is more ways better for me?
Not as a rule. The game's info panel shows its RTP.
Is a 100,000-ways spin more likely to win?
That spin has more ways, but the game's paytable is balanced so the average return doesn't change.
Do all Megaways games have cascades?
No. Many do, but it depends on the game. Read the rules page.