What is a Megaways slot?

Cartoon coin character sitting on a pile of coins beside a slot reel displaying a winning 777
2 min read

A Megaways slot uses dynamic reels, which means a different number of symbols can land on each reel on every spin, creating between 64 and 117,649 ways to win. Each reel can roll in between 2 and 7 symbols, meaning the number of ways to win is always dynamically adjusted. This is also where Megaways have earned the nickname shapeshifters.

The format was first created by Big Time Gaming and has since been licensed out to many other software providers.

Megaways slots typically feature 6 reels, but some can also come with a seventh horizontal reel. On a 6-reel Megaways slot game, here are some examples of how many ways to win you can land:

  • 2 – 2 – 2 – 2 – 2 – 2 symbols per reel = 64 ways to win
  • 6 – 6 – 6 – 6 – 6 – 6 symbols per reel = 117,649 ways to win

They are also known as no-payline slots because they do not use paylines; instead, they utilize a feature called adjacent reels.

The adjacent reel feature means that a symbol can land anywhere on any of the reels, and as long as a matching symbol is anywhere on the adjacent reel, a symbol combination can be formed. For example, if you land the same symbol on reels 1-2-3, regardless of the position of those symbols on their respective reels, that is a three-symbol paying combination.

Here are some examples of how Megaways slots line up symbol combination wins:

  • 3 Symbol Win = Matching symbol on reels 1-2-3
  • 4 Symbol Win = Matching symbol on reels 1-2-3-4
  • 5 Symbol Win = Matching symbol on reels 1-2-3-4-5
  • 6 Symbol Win = Matching symbol on reels 1-2-3-4-5-6

Popular features you will find in most Megaways slots include our multipliers and cascading reels. To see this mechanic in action, try a few Megaways slots online.

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