Quick answer
Megaways is a licensed reel mechanic where each reel holds a random number of symbols on every spin, so the number of paylines changes spin to spin. Six reels with up to seven symbols each creates a maximum of 117,649 ways to win, and wins pay for matching symbols on adjacent reels from the left.
The mechanic in one paragraph
On a conventional slot, a reel is a fixed strip and a payline is a fixed path. Megaways slots are different: each reel expands or contracts on every spin, and the number of ways to win is the product of the symbol counts across the reels. Six reels with seven symbols each gives 7 × 7 × 7 × 7 × 7 × 7 = 117,649 ways.
Because there are no paylines, matching symbols only need to sit on adjacent reels starting from the leftmost reel. That makes wins more frequent in structure, but it does not make the game kinder — the maths model adjusts.
Why Megaways is popular in New Zealand
The format solved a real problem: it made slots feel bigger without making the interface more complicated. A Megaways spin visibly changes size, which is satisfying, and the cascading versions (tumbling reels) can chain several wins from one spin.
The licensed versions come from studios that hold the Megaways rights, notably Big Time Gaming as the creator, with Red Tiger, Pragmatic Play and others producing licensed titles. That is why you see the mechanic across many studios rather than from one developer.
What Megaways does not do
- It does not improve RTP. Megaways slots sit in the same 94–96.5% range as everything else.
- It does not reduce volatility. Many Megaways titles are high or very high volatility.
- The maximum number of ways is rarely hit, and it is not a target.
A common complaint is that Megaways slots feel like they pay less often than they look like they should. That is deliberate design: the expanded reel set creates more structural combinations, and the maths model balances the paytable accordingly.
Megaways slots worth knowing
| Slot | Provider | Volatility | Why it stands out |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Dog House Megaways | Pragmatic Play | High | Two free-spins modes: sticky wilds or raining wilds |
| Gonzo's Quest Megaways | Red Tiger | High | The avalanche original rebuilt with variable reels |
| 5 Lions Megaways | Pragmatic Play | High | Four free-spins options with different volatility |
| Buffalo King Megaways | Pragmatic Play | High | Expanding wilds with a wild multiplier |
| Great Rhino Megaways | Pragmatic Play | High | Three free-spins choices, strong base game |
| Return of Kong Megaways | Blueprint Gaming | High | Cascading wins into a Kong wild |
| Dragon's Fire Megaways | Red Tiger | High | Dragons breathe expanding wilds across the grid |
How to play them sensibly
- Check the volatility rating in the game's info screen. Megaways is not a volatility label.
- Budget for longer droughts than a fixed-reel slot with the same stake.
- Read the free-spins options carefully. Several Megaways titles let you choose between
more spins with lower multipliers and fewer spins with higher ones. The choice changes the maths of the round.
- Ignore "ways" as a quality signal. 117,649 ways is a ceiling, not a promise.
Megaways and bonuses
If you are clearing a bonus, Megaways slots normally count 100% towards wagering, which is in their favour. But high volatility plus a deadline plus (sometimes) a maximum-win cap is the combination to avoid. If a bonus has a cap, play something steadier to clear it.
The bottom line
Megaways is a genuinely good mechanic that adds variety to a spin and, in the cascading versions, some of the most satisfying streaks in the genre. It is not a shortcut to a better return. Choose Megaways because you enjoy the format, size your stake for high volatility, and verify the RTP on the game's own information screen.