Megaways is a slot mechanic built around changing reel heights. Instead of showing the same number of symbol positions on every reel for every spin, a Megaways game can display a different number of symbols on each reel. Because the reel heights change, the number of possible ways to form a winning combination changes too.
Big Time Gaming created the Megaways mechanic, and Evolution’s current Big Time Gaming brand page describes the classic format as using dynamic reels with two to seven symbols per reel and up to 117,649 ways to win. That maximum is recognizable, but it should not be treated as a promise that every Megaways title or every spin uses exactly that number.
Why the number of ways changes
In a typical six-reel Megaways layout, the game counts the active symbol positions on each reel. Multiplying those reel heights gives the number of symbol paths available for that spin under the game’s ways system.
Read diagram text
- Megaways: Variable Reel Heights
- Illustrative ways
- 3 × 5 × 2 × 6 × 4 × 7
- = 5,040
- Reel heights can change
- again on the next spin.
- Illustrative example • Rules can vary by game or sportsbook • 21+
Practical Example
Imagine the six reels show these heights:
3 × 5 × 2 × 6 × 4 × 7
Multiplying them gives 5,040 possible reel-position combinations for that illustrative spin.
On the next spin the reel heights might be:
7 × 7 × 7 × 7 × 7 × 7
That produces 117,649 combinations in the classic six-reel format.
The key idea is not the headline maximum. It is that the geometry of the reels changes before the game evaluates the result.
Ways to win still have rules
Megaways usually uses a left-to-right ways structure. A matching symbol generally needs to appear on consecutive reels starting from the first reel, regardless of its row. However, individual games can add extra reels, special symbols, modifiers, or feature-specific rules.
Players should therefore check three things:
| Check | What it tells you |
|---|---|
| Reel heights | How many symbol positions are active |
| Ways rule | How matching symbols must connect across reels |
| Feature rules | Whether cascades, wilds, multipliers, or extra reels change the evaluation |
A high number of ways does not mean every symbol combination pays. The symbol still needs to satisfy the game’s paytable and connection rules.
Megaways vs ordinary ways-to-win slots
Both systems can ignore fixed paylines, but Megaways adds a dynamic reel-modifier layer.
A standard ways slot might always show five reels with four positions each. The number of ways remains fixed. A Megaways title can change each reel’s height from one spin to the next, so the available paths change continuously.
That dynamic layout is the defining feature—not simply having “many ways.”
Why cascades are common in Megaways games
Many Megaways titles pair the variable reels with cascades or reactions. After a winning combination is paid, the winning symbols may disappear and new symbols drop in. Features may add multipliers or other modifiers.
Cascades are common because they work naturally with a large, flexible reel layout, but they are not the definition of Megaways. The trademarked mechanic is the dynamic reel system.
What 117,649 actually means
The familiar number comes from six reels each showing seven positions:
7 × 7 × 7 × 7 × 7 × 7 = 117,649.
This is a count of possible position paths across the reels under that structure. It does not mean 117,649 winning combinations appear on a spin. It also does not describe the probability of winning, the RTP, or the volatility.
Some modern titles can exceed that number through extra reels or special feature states. Others use lower maxima. The game information screen is the right source for the exact title.
Megaways and volatility are separate concepts
A Megaways label does not automatically tell you whether a game is low, medium, or high volatility. Big Time Gaming has published high-volatility Megaways titles, but volatility is a separate mathematical characteristic.
Two Megaways games can share the same maximum ways count while having different symbol values, feature frequencies, multipliers, RTP settings, and max-win structures.
For that reason, players should not use “117,649 ways” as a shortcut for risk level.
How scatters and free spins fit in
Many Megaways games use scatter symbols to trigger bonus features. The exact number of scatters, free-spin count, retrigger rule, and feature modifiers vary.
A common design is to increase a win multiplier during consecutive reactions in free spins. Another title may expand reels, add wilds, or unlock a feature only after a particular symbol lands.
The Megaways mechanic tells you how the reels can change. It does not standardize every bonus feature.
Reading the game screen efficiently
When opening a Megaways game, look for:
- the current ways counter, if displayed;
- reel-height indicators;
- the normal paytable;
- scatter and bonus rules;
- reaction or cascade rules;
- whether a multiplier resets between spins;
- the published RTP and volatility for the specific version.
If the game displays a large ways number near the reels, read it as a description of the current layout—not as a prediction of a win.
Common mistakes
“More ways means higher RTP.” Not necessarily. RTP is calculated from the game’s overall mathematical model.
“117,649 ways is always active.” No. In a variable-reel system, the number can change by spin.
“Megaways is a provider.” Megaways is a mechanic created by Big Time Gaming and licensed across many developers.
“Every Megaways game is the same.” The reel idea may be shared, but features, paytables, volatility, and bonus rules differ.
“The next spin is more likely after a low-ways spin.” A low ways count on one spin does not establish what the next spin will show.
Megaways vs Cluster Pays
These two modern slot formats are often confused.
Megaways normally creates a variable number of left-to-right ways across changing reel heights. Cluster Pays evaluates connected groups on a grid. A game can combine unusual mechanics, but the core logic is different.
If you are unsure, ask one question: does the game care about adjacent reels, or does it care about symbols touching on a grid? That usually identifies the payout system.
Quick Reader Checklist
Before leaving the guide, a reader should be able to answer three questions without opening another page: what creates a qualifying result, what changes from game to game, and what information on the screen is descriptive rather than predictive. If any of those points is unclear, use the game’s information panel before staking real money.
For slot mechanics, visual design can make two games look similar even when their mathematics are different. A familiar star, crown, WILD badge, meter, or multiplier should be treated as a label until the paytable explains its function.
Related ScatterPanalo Reading
A second example: why the same symbol can feel different
Imagine two spins using the same six-reel game. Spin A shows reel heights of 2-2-3-3-4-4. Spin B shows 6-7-7-5-6-7. Spin B has far more position paths, but the actual result still depends on which symbols land and whether they connect under the paytable. A high ways count can therefore produce no qualifying combination, while a much lower count can still produce a win.
This is useful for readers because it separates screen size from result quality. The ways counter describes the current layout. It is not a probability meter that rises toward a guaranteed payout. If a game also uses cascades, the counter can change again during the same paid sequence, adding another visual layer without changing the need to check the actual winning symbols.
When comparing two Megaways titles, look beyond the headline maximum. Check the base reel range, whether there is an extra top reel, the scatter trigger, reaction rules, free-spin multiplier behavior, RTP configuration, and volatility. Those details explain the playing experience more accurately than the word Megaways by itself.
Key takeaway
Megaways is best understood as dynamic reel geometry feeding a ways-to-win system. The number of positions on each reel changes, so the available paths change. The paytable, RTP, volatility, cascades, multipliers, and bonus features are separate parts of the game and should be checked individually.
FAQs
Who created Megaways?
Big Time Gaming created the Megaways mechanic.
Why is 117,649 associated with Megaways?
In the classic six-reel structure, seven active positions on each reel multiply to 117,649 ways.
Does every Megaways spin have 117,649 ways?
No. The reel heights can change, so the current ways count can be lower.
Is Megaways the same as cascading reels?
No. Cascades describe what happens after a win; Megaways describes the variable reel structure.
Are Megaways slots automatically high volatility?
No. Volatility depends on the specific game model.
Responsible Play
Slot outcomes are uncertain. Mechanics, meters, multipliers, and previous results do not create a guaranteed next outcome. Set a spending and time limit before play. 21+ only.
Sources
- Evolution: Big Time Gaming brand page
- Big Time Gaming official game information pages
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