Megaways Slots – Worth a Shot?

Any player who has spent any time playing slots at any of the best online casinos would have clocked quite a lot of Megaways slots.

What are Megaways slots, and how do they differ from other online gaming slots available? 

What are Megaways Slot Games?

Perhaps the very best thing about slot play is the games. Perennial classics, relentlessly innovative advances, and software that puts you right at the centre of the action. Literally thousands of games and a huge variety of themes, and some seriously exciting features to experience.

And then you add in Megaways slots giving you more ways to play than anyone had thought possible with an online slots experience.

Megaways slots use a game engine called Megaways, which is fundamentally a random reel modifier mechanic in which the number of rows on each of the reels (ranging from anything between two and seven) will be set at random on each spin, determining the number of paylines offered with each spin.

Alongside the reel modifier parachute mechanic, Megaways spinners come with a number of other adornments – usually:

• Cascading Symbols – If you win, the winning symbols are destroyed and replaced by new symbols, and if you get another line match without pushing the spin button, your line is paid out again.
• Extra Top Row feature – In many games, there is a top row that you rarely see in other slots, which adds an extra layer of symbols to help you win more frequently.
• Unlimited Multipliers – Lots of Megaways games offer an unlimited multiplier during free spins.
• Free Spins and other Bonus Features – Need we say more?

How Do Megaways Slots Work?

Like any slot machine, your winning combinations can pay out with matching symbols across your reels; the more symbols you land on your reel, the more valuable those symbols can be; the more of your bet you put on each line, the more potential success you could have. With Megaways, the number of reels you play on is randomised: there are up to 20 in the middle reel and 12 in the outer reels.

In most Megaways slots, you typically have to land three or more adjacent matching symbols to win. The first symbol has to land on the leftmost reel on your first spin (and the other matching symbols have to land on reels directly to its right), but the symbols generally do not have to be on the same row.

But rather than each of the six reels having the same number of rows every time, as they do with the old land-based pokies, on a Megaways slot, the number of rows on each of the six reels changes with every single spin – the number of symbols on each of the reels usually being between two and seven, and so being potentially different every single time you click the reels.

How Many Paylines Do Megaways Slots Have?

A payline is a pattern you must match your symbols across adjoining reels to win in a particular slot.

With the exception of a couple of games, in virtually all Megaways slots, your matching symbols on a payline need to be on adjacent reels from left to right to form a win; they don’t need to ‘touch’ along a horizontal or diagonal line, just on the same row.

All Megaways slots feature six reels, but each of those reels can hold two to seven symbols, all chosen at random. If a player lands a spin with two symbol positions on each reel, they have 64 paylines; if, a player lands all seven rows on every reel, that’s 117,649 paylines.

Winning Symbols

Every Megaways slot will have a host of symbols. Inevitably, there will be your low- and high-value base symbols. And you’ll typically have some sort of bonus symbol as well:

• Wild Symbols – Take the place of any other symbol, helping you land winning paylines.
• Scatter Symbols – Trigger a win if the stated number occupies a position anywhere on the reels and often unlock bonus features and games.

Wins on Megaways Slots

Wins on Megaways slots are usually awarded in line with the following rules:

How much won will depend on:

Conclusion

If you love slot games and fancy trying something different, Megaways slots are a good option. With options such as Fishing Frenzy Megaways, Gonzo’s Quest Megaways, and so many more – there’s something for many players.