Megaways

Megaways Slots are slots that utilise a dynamic number of paylines, with the number of them across the reels changing from spin to spin. The number of ways to win can change dramatically with each play.

What is a Megaways Slot?

A Megaways Slot uses paylines to determine the winnings from each spin, but the paylines are not predetermined, despite this being the case with many other slots. Each spin will produce reels with a random number of rows, meaning that the total number of paylines can vary drastically between spins.

The way that the number of paylines increases or decreases in Megaways Slots is through a changing number of symbols on each reel. This means that every reel produces a random number of rows on each spin. The more total rows that there are, the more paylines are created, meaning that there are more ways for the player to win.

Example of a Megaways Slot

The Dog House Megaways is a very popular Megaways slot, produced by game provider Pragmatic Play. Its features include wilds, scatter symbols, multipliers, free spins as well as the megaways reels. Compared to standard slots, including the original The Dog House, it has a massively increased number of paylines on offer, given the number of symbols.

To work out the total number of paylines on offer, you multiply the number of symbols on every reel together. With six reels offering a maximum of seven symbols, The Dog House Megaways contains a total of 117,649 paylines.

The Dog House Megaways Gameplay

Why Play Megaways Slots?

Megaways slots have multiple advantages over standard slots. Many contain cascading reel dynamics, meaning that winning symbols are replaced by new ones, offering the chance of consecutive wins. Also, the increased number of paylines gives players the potential for bigger wins. That being said, slot payouts are ultimately determined by their Return to Player (RTP).

Megaways Slots vs Standard Slots - What's the Difference?

Although both megaways slots and standard slots use paylines to determine player wins, this is also the way in which they differ the most. Whereas standard slots have a set number of rows, symbols and paylines, these all vary with every spin on a megaways slot. With an elevated number of paylines, megaways slots tend to offer more ways to win compared to standard slots.

Megaways slots also often combine with other features, such as cascading reels, to increase a player's chance of bigger, consecutive wins. This means that standard slots generally put more emphasis on bonus rounds and features than megaways slots.

Temple of Treasure Megaways Slot
Slot ExampleReelsRowsPaylines
Fire Joker335
Temple of Treasure Megaways62-7117,649
Dead or Alive539
White Rabbit Megaways52-12248,832
100 Zombies54100

Megaways (Slots) FAQs

Do megaways slots pay out more?

Megaways slots don't necessarily pay out more, as this is determined by the RTP of a slot. However, they do offer a lot more paylines than standard slots, giving the chance for bigger wins with each spin.

What is the best megaways slot?

There is no set "best megaways slot," as this is down to many different factors, including user preference. Click here for PokerNews' comprehensive slot reviews to find out more about different megaways slots.

How do megaways slots work?

Megaways slots work by randomising the number of rows on any given reel, increasing the number of paylines on the slot. This gives the player more ways to win per spin.

What's the difference between megaways slots and cascading reel slots?

Megaways slots still use paylines to determine payouts for each spin, but they vary the number of total rows with each spin. Cascading reels remove symbols that make up winning combinations and replace them with new ones. Many slots combine both of these features together.

What casino is best for megaways slots?

Many online casinos offer a wide range of megaways slots. For more information about what's on offer at different online casinos, click here.