Best Megaways Slots: How Megaways Works and Top Games

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Quick answer: Megaways slots change the number of symbols on every reel with each spin, giving up to 117,649 ways to win, and in some games over 200,000. The mechanic was invented by Big Time Gaming and is now licensed to many other studios. Top picks include Bonanza Megaways (96% RTP), Extra Chilli (up to 96.82%, 20,000x max win) and The Dog House Megaways (96.55%). Below: how Megaways works and nine of the best, with fact-checked RTP, volatility and max wins.

Our casino pick for Megaways slots

For real-money Megaways games, we recommend 1win, given its 9.9/10 rating from us and a crypto payout that reached our wallet in 15 minutes during our June 2026 test.

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Best Megaways slots at a glance

SlotProviderTop RTPMax win
Bonanza MegawaysBig Time Gaming96%12,000x–26,000x
Extra ChilliBig Time Gaming96.15%–96.82%20,000x
The Dog House MegawaysPragmatic Play96.55%12,305x
Great Rhino MegawaysPragmatic Play96.58%20,000x
Buffalo King MegawaysPragmatic Play96.52%5,000x
Madame Destiny MegawaysPragmatic PlayAbout 96.5%5,000x
Big Bad Wolf MegawaysQuickspin96.05%30,540x
Big Bass Bonanza MegawaysPragmatic Play96.7%4,000x
Gonzo’s Quest MegawaysRed TigerAbout 95.77%About 21,000x

We checked every figure against at least two independent sources, listed under How we checked this below, and say so where they disagree. Casinos can run lower RTP versions of some games, so check the info screen before you play.

Megaways slots: rows of slot machines in a casino
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What are Megaways slots?

Megaways is a reel mechanic created by Big Time Gaming (BTG), which holds the patent and trademark and licenses it to other providers such as Blueprint Gaming and Red Tiger. The first Megaways slot was BTG’s Dragon Born in 2016, but Bonanza, released later that year, made the mechanic a hit.

How Megaways works

  • Changing reels: on each spin, every reel shows a random number of symbols, usually from 2 to 7.
  • Ways to win: wins pay for matching symbols on adjacent reels from left to right. With 6 reels of 7 symbols, that is 7×7×7×7×7×7 = 117,649 ways.
  • Top reel: many Megaways games add a horizontal reel above the middle reels, adding extra symbols. Some Pragmatic Play titles reach 200,704 ways this way, including the festive Christmas Carol Megaways.
  • Cascades: most Megaways games remove winning symbols and drop new ones in, often with a multiplier that grows during free spins.

The best Megaways slots online

1. Bonanza Megaways (Big Time Gaming, 2016)

RTP96%
VolatilitySources differ: medium-high to high
WaysUp to 117,649
Max winSources differ: 12,000x to 26,000x

The game that made Megaways famous. Spell G-O-L-D with scatters for 12 free spins, plus 5 more for each extra scatter, and the win multiplier rises by 1 with every cascade with no upper limit. Read our Bonanza Megaways review.

2. Extra Chilli Megaways (Big Time Gaming)

RTPSources differ: 96.15% to 96.82%
VolatilityHigh in most sources
WaysUp to 117,649
Max win20,000x

Bonanza’s spicy follow-up. H-O-T scatters give 8 free spins, and you can gamble them for up to 24. As in Bonanza, the multiplier rises by 1 with every cascade with no cap.

3. The Dog House Megaways (Pragmatic Play)

RTP96.55% (95.53% and 94.55% versions exist)
VolatilityHigh to very high
WaysUp to 117,649
Max win12,305x

Before free spins start you choose Sticky Wilds (7 to 20 spins) or Raining Wilds (15 to 30 spins). Wilds carry 2x or 3x multipliers. Read our The Dog House Megaways review.

4. Great Rhino Megaways (Pragmatic Play)

RTP96.58% (some sources list 96.50%)
VolatilityHigh
WaysUp to 200,704
Max win20,000x

In free spins you pick your own balance of spins and multiplier: 15 spins at x1, 10 at x5, 5 at x10, or a mystery option. The multiplier then rises by 1 with every tumble. Read our Great Rhino Megaways review.

5. Buffalo King Megaways (Pragmatic Play)

RTP96.52%
VolatilityHigh
WaysUp to 200,704
Max win5,000x

Four or more scatters give 12, 17 or 22 free spins, where wilds carry x2, x3 or x5 multipliers. Read our Buffalo King Megaways review or the original Buffalo King.

6. Madame Destiny Megaways (Pragmatic Play)

RTPAbout 96.5%
VolatilityHigh to very high
WaysUp to 200,704
Max win5,000x

A Wheel of Fortune decides how many free spins you get and the multiplier, from 2x to 25x. Read our Madame Destiny Megaways review.

7. Big Bad Wolf Megaways (Quickspin, 2021)

RTP96.05%
VolatilityHigh
WaysUp to 117,649
Max win30,540x

Free spins start with a 1x multiplier that grows with every win or tumble and never resets, which is how the max win climbs past 30,000x. Read our Big Bad Wolf Megaways review.

8. Big Bass Bonanza Megaways (Pragmatic Play)

RTP96.7%
WaysUp to 46,656 (one source lists 117,649)
Max win4,000x

The Megaways version of the fishing favourite, with tumbling wins and free spins that start with up to 25 spins and multipliers of up to 10x. Read our Big Bass Bonanza Megaways review.

9. Gonzo’s Quest Megaways (Red Tiger)

RTPAbout 95.77% (some sources say 96%)
VolatilityMedium to medium-high
WaysUp to 117,649
Max winAbout 21,000x

Red Tiger’s Megaways take on the NetEnt classic. Avalanche multipliers step up from x3 to x15 in the Free Fall bonus. See our original Gonzo’s Quest review.

Also worth a look: From Pragmatic Play, Pompeii Megareels Megaways grows its reels mid-tumble, Rocket Blast Megaways turns rockets into sliding wilds and Fury of Odin Megaways adds wild respins with a 15,000x max win. Spartacus Megaways from WMS (now Light & Wonder) has up to 1,000,000 ways, a 96.32% RTP and a 12,500x max win. 5 Lions Megaways from Pragmatic Play has a 96.50% RTP, wild multipliers up to 40x and a choice of seven free spins options. Four more Pragmatic Play Megaways games we have reviewed: Wild West Gold Megaways (wild multipliers that multiply together), Chilli Heat Megaways (up to 200,704 ways and Money Respins), Power of Thor Megaways (a free spins multiplier that never resets) and Extra Juicy Megaways (x3 to x15 diamond multipliers). Two newer ones are Wild Wild Riches Megaways (a pot-of-gold collect with jackpots up to 250x) and Buffalo King Untamed Megaways (up to 86,436 ways and a free spins wild multiplier that keeps growing). For fishing fans, Big Bass Hold & Spinner Megaways has up to 147,456 ways, a Hold & Spinner respin and a 20,000x cap, and Floating Dragon Megaways pairs a Hold and Spin with fish-collect free spins for the same 20,000x cap. For a horror theme, Curse of the Werewolf Megaways (up to 46,656 ways and a 40,976x max win) turns villagers into werewolves during free spins. From other studios, White Rabbit (Big Time Gaming, reels that grow to 248,832 ways in free spins), Extra Chilli Megaways (the Bonanza follow-up, with a free spins gamble) and Temple Tumble Megaways (Relax Gaming, stone blocks that unlock free spins) are worth a try too. Big Time Gaming’s Who Wants to Be a Millionaire Megaways (a free spins multiplier with no cap and the Hot Seat quiz) and Gold Megaways (up to 1,000,000 ways in free spins) follow the same pattern, and Pragmatic’s Muertos Multiplier Megaways and Mammoth Gold Megaways share one engine with wild multipliers that multiply each other. Big Time Gaming’s Monopoly Megaways moves Mr Monopoly around a board as you win, building houses that become free spins multipliers, with a 96.50% RTP and a 14,700x max win.

How to choose a Megaways slot

  • Biggest win potential: Big Bad Wolf Megaways (30,540x) or Bonanza and Gonzo’s Quest Megaways.
  • Choose your own bonus: Great Rhino Megaways and The Dog House Megaways let you pick the free spins style.
  • Highest RTP: Big Bass Bonanza Megaways (96.7%) and Great Rhino Megaways (96.58%).
  • Expect swings: almost every Megaways slot is high volatility, so use small stakes and set a budget.

New to RTP and volatility? See our highest RTP slots guide, and our 5-reel slots guide compares paylines, ways and Megaways. Many Megaways games offer a bonus buy; our bonus buy slots guide explains how it works and where it is restricted.

Where to play Megaways slots

For Megaways play, 1win (9.9/10) is our pick, and it processed our June 2026 crypto withdrawal in 15 minutes; new players can use promo code Ultragambler (see our 1win promo code page). iWild (9.8/10) has a 7,000+ game library. Game libraries vary by country, so search the lobby for the titles above.

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How we checked this

Last checked: 13 October 2026, when we checked each figure on this page against at least two independent sources. Casinos can run lower RTP versions of some games, so check the game’s info screen before you play.

Megaways slots FAQs

What does Megaways mean?

A reel mechanic where each reel shows a different number of symbols on every spin, changing the number of ways to win. Standard 6-reel Megaways games have up to 117,649 ways.

Who invented Megaways?

Big Time Gaming, which licenses the mechanic to other providers.

What was the first Megaways slot?

Dragon Born by Big Time Gaming, released in 2016. Bonanza followed later that year and made the mechanic popular.

Which Megaways slot has the biggest max win?

Of the nine in our list, Big Bad Wolf Megaways at 30,540x. Some sources list Bonanza Megaways at up to 26,000x. Of the other games mentioned on this page, Curse of the Werewolf Megaways goes higher, at 40,976x.

Are Megaways slots high volatility?

Most are. Expect long spells without big wins, with most of the value in free spins.


Important: check your local laws before you play

Online gambling laws differ from country to country, and in some places it is restricted or not permitted at all. Check that online gambling is legal where you live and that the casino accepts players from your country. You must be 18 or older (or the legal gambling age in your country, if higher). Only gamble with money you can afford to lose.

About the author: Jason Thompson

Jason Thompson is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of UltraGambler. He has more than 20 years' experience in bookmaking and the casino industry, and has spent the last 7 years reviewing online casinos. Jason oversees every review and rating on the site, and has run real-money payout tests at 1win, iWild, FortuneJack, Tsars and Casoo.

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