Everything You Need to Know About Playing MegaWays Slots Online
MegaWays slot games can be found in virtually any and every online casino. These games have become so popular that almost every software provider (there are a few exceptions) has developed at least one for their portfolio. Why, though? What is it about MegaWays slots that people love, and why have they proven so popular with crypto and FIAT casino gamblers?
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What Are MegaWays Slots?
MegaWays is the brainchild of BTG (Big Time Gaming), an Australian casino software provider. They developed the engine and mechanic for their Bonanza slot and a few other titles, such as Extra Chilli. Despite the game only being a so-so effort, the mechanic proved immediately popular. Before too long, BTG realized that they could make much more money leaving the mechanic and engine to rival software providers than they could from their own game. The spread of MegaWays slots began from there.
Today, there are over a hundred MegaWays slots, with virtually every developer having one or two in their library. Some, such as Blueprint Gaming, have developed dozens of titles using the engine. What exactly do MegaWays slots bring to the table, though?
How Do MegaWays Slots Work?
MegaWays slots get their name because of the number of “ways to win” there are. There can be up to 117,649 paylines chosen at random on each spin. Sometimes more, sometimes a smaller number. Either way, the games provide symbols of all different sizes; they may include a horizontal reel to trigger features and come with other goodies – for instance, cascading wins are common.
MegaWays slots use a cascading reels engine. This means that whenever a winning combination appears, the symbols will be removed from the reels, and new ones will take their place. Sometimes, this will result in progressive multipliers being applied to successive wins you chain together. This may occur in the base game, the free spin bonus, both, or neither.
Perks to MegaWays Slot Games
Such an engine hasn’t become popular for no reason. Here are two reasons why MegaWays slots have gone on to be such a success:
There Are More Ways to Win for Less
Despite the sheer number of ways to win, MegaWays slots are as cheap as chips to play. They can often feature wagers costing the equivalent of $0.10 or $0.20. Playing with thirty lines in most conventional slots will often cost more than that.
You Don’t Need to Worry About Payline Congestion
In 25 or 30-line slots, we sometimes worry about “junk symbols” taking up space on the reels, stopping us from landing pay-line combos. That isn’t the case when you play with MegaWays. Payline congestion is low, and the number of ways to win ensures that.
The Downsides of MegaWays Slots
Not everything is rosy with MegaWays games. Here are two things we’re not huge fans of relating to these games:
A Very Samey Design
MegaWays games aren’t just everywhere – they are the same. Many contain the same features, down to a tee. It is only the paint job that is different. Of course, there are a few unique MegaWays games, but most are annoyingly similar.
They Are Highly Volatile Games
There may be many more ways to win than in a conventional slot, but MegaWays games are also notable for being highly volatile most of the time. Did we say highly volatile? We mean, really highly volatile. In short, you won’t win often at all (despite the number of lines). However, when you do win, the wins tend to be nothing short of epic in value.
How to Find the Best MegaWays Slot Games Online
Now that you know a bit about MegaWays slot games, perhaps it is time to have a crack at them. There are all sorts of MegaWays games you can choose to play. As we’ve said, almost every developer has a few under their belt, so you won’t have to look hard to find somewhere supporting them. Even so, we’d recommend you scroll up and check out our selection of top MegaWays casinos. You can even play a few of these games for free, too.
FAQS: We Answer Your MegaWays Slot Questions
Do all developers produce MegaWays slots?
No, but pretty much all have done. IGT, NetEnt, and a few other developers haven’t bothered. However, the list of providers who don’t have MegaWays titles is a lot shorter than those who have developed such games.
Can I play MegaWays slots with crypto bets?
Yes. Many of the internet’s most popular MegaWays games can be played with cryptocurrency stakes. There’s no issue there at all.
Do MegaWays slots offer progressive jackpots?
Some of them can do it. While it is not impossible to find progressive jackpot prizes in MegaWays games, we will freely admit that most of them do not support such jackpots.
Are there more than 117,649 ways to win?
There can be. Sometimes there can even be less. The lowest number of lines we’ve seen was about twenty thousand or so. The most ways to win in a MegaWays slot was well over a million – mind-boggling stuff.
Why hasn’t NetEnt produced MegaWays slots?
NetEnt has its own rival to MegaWays, called Cluster Pays. They use no paylines. Instead, a cluster of symbols denotes a win. It is true that NetEnt’s Gonzo’s Quest has got a sequel with the MegaWays mechanic, but that was developed by Red Tiger Gaming, not NetEnt themselves.