Megaways and Other Variable-Reel Slots

Since Big Time Gaming introduced the mechanic in 2016 and later licensed it widely, “Megaways” has become one of the most recognisable words in online slots. The format is now used by dozens of studios, and its variable-reel idea has spawned a family of similar systems. Here’s what’s actually going on.

The core mechanic

A standard slot has a fixed grid — say five reels of three symbols. A Megaways slot has six reels (sometimes five or seven), and the number of symbols on each reel changes on every spin, typically between two and seven.

Because wins are counted as “ways” (matching symbols on adjacent reels from the left, regardless of position), the number of ways changes too. Six reels each showing seven symbols gives 7⁶ = 117,649 ways, the figure most Megaways games advertise. A spin with two symbols on each reel gives just 64 ways. The reel configuration is random and independent of what you bet.

Cascading reels

Almost all Megaways games pair the mechanic with cascades (also called tumbles or avalanches). Winning symbols are removed and new ones fall into the gaps, potentially forming new wins from the same spin. Cascades often continue until no new win appears, and many games attach an unlimited progressive multiplier to consecutive cascades during free spins — the main source of the format’s big wins.

What it does to volatility

The variability of the reel count adds a layer of variance on top of the usual symbol randomness. Spins with few ways rarely pay; spins with many ways pay often. Combined with unlimited multipliers, this makes most Megaways titles medium-high to very high volatility, with maximum wins typically in the 10,000x–50,000x range. Some studios offer lower-volatility versions, but the format leans towards long dry spells and rare large hits.

Related systems

• Infinity Reels / InfiniReels: reels are added to the right after each win, indefinitely, rather than rows changing.
• Cluster grids with expanding areas: the playable area grows as wins accumulate.
• Dual-reel and split-symbol systems: symbols divide to increase ways.

They share the principle of a grid that isn’t fixed, and most share the high-volatility profile.

Reading a Megaways pay table

Because ways change, symbol values are usually expressed per way as a multiple of total stake. A symbol paying 1x for six-of-a-kind may sound low, but 30 ways of the same symbol pay 30x. Check the stake basis — some games quote per “line bet” as if there were 20 lines — and check the maximum win, which caps total payout per spin regardless of multipliers.

Practical points

• Budget as for a high-volatility game: at least 200 spins.
• Bonus rounds are where the maths lives; the base game is often thin.
• Many Megaways titles offer a bonus buy at 100x stake — a separate decision with its own RTP, and one to approach with caution.
• RTPs range from about 94% to 96.5% depending on the studio and version; check the info panel.

Why it’s popular

The format produces spins that develop — cascades, growing multipliers, reels filling with symbols — in a way that fixed grids don’t. That sense of momentum is engaging, which is precisely why the session budget should be set before the first spin.

Megaways games can burn through a balance quickly. Stake small relative to your budget and set a loss limit in advance.