The Megaways slot revolution has taken the online gambling industry by storm since its inception less than a decade ago. With an ingenious, innovative format that provides players with thousands – sometimes even millions – of ways to win on every spin, Megaways titles have become some of the most popular slots at online casinos across the globe. But what exactly caused this new breed of slot to shatter popularity records virtually overnight? Let’s analyze the meteoric rise of Megaways slots and how they’ve conquered the internet gambling sphere.
Revolutionary New Format
The first-ever Megaways slot – Bonanza – was released in 2016 by Australian casino game developer Big Time Gaming. Up until that point, online slots had been following more or less the same formula; fixed paylines and reels that severely limited the number of possible winning combinations.
Megaways slots on such sites as casino Casiny turned this concept on its head through the ingenious use of cascading symbols and an ever-changing number of symbols per reel:
| Mechanic | Explanation |
| Cascading Symbols | Winning symbols disappear and are immediately replaced by new ones for extra winning chances |
| Expanding Reels | The reels can expand to add more symbol positions, massively increasing the ways to win |
| Up To 117,649 Ways To Win | Every spin can offer up to 117,649 different winning combinations depending on the game |
This groundbreaking format provided an exponentially higher ceiling for big wins compared to regular online slots, while retaining an engaging gameplay dynamic that left players glued to their screens.
The seed was planted – Megaways was born.
Spreading Like Wildfire
Soon after the pioneering Bonanza release, multiple rival game studios jumped aboard the Megaways train, striking licensing deals with Big Time Gaming to integrate the format into their own slots. Major names like NetEnt, Blueprint Gaming, Relax Gaming and countless others leveraged the huge appeal of Megaways to produce their own twists on the formula.
And the players couldn’t get enough. Megaways slots boasted sky-high payout percentages north of 96% – significantly higher than the average slot – keeping players entertained for longer and giving them a better shot at hitting a big win. By 2018, Megaways slots accounted for a double-digit share of the total slots market – a staggering rise in two short years.
Key Attributes Fuelling The Surge in Popularity
Several key traits inherent in Megaways slots have contributed heavily to their rapid proliferation and popularity explosion:
- Insatiable Player Appeal – The sheer variety and innovative cascading format keeps gameplay feeling fresh. No two spins play out the same way.
- Sky-High Maximum Wins – The highest recorded Megaways win sits at £17.5 million! These astronomically high ceilings for maximum payouts keep players chasing that ever-elusive big win.
- Higher Payout Percentages – With average RTP hovering around 96%, Megaways slots pay back more to players over time than regular slots. This encourages extended, exciting play sessions.
- Massive Potential for Big Wins – 117,649 ways to win transforms every spin into a heart-stopping experience. Adrenaline levels peak with each cascade as the potential for big wins builds.
- Mainstream Accessibility – Despite the complex mechanics running under the hood, Megaways slots retain an intuitive, accessible user experience that appeals to the mass market.
The runaway success of the Megaways phenomenon has exceeded the expectations of even its pioneers at Big Time Gaming. An ingenious slots format, amplified by rapid adoption across the industry, has cemented Megaways as one of the most important innovations in online gambling history. Its popularity shows no signs of waning as players continue to chase those highly coveted monster payouts in games with names like Fishin’ Frenzy Megaways, Gonzo’s Quest Megaways and Bonanza 2 Megaways.
Viva la Megaways revolution!