Megaways Slots and their Pros and Cons

The world of online slots has seen incredible innovation in recent years through the rise of Megaways slots. Pioneered by Big Time Gaming and now licensed to many providers, Megaways completely reinvents the traditional slot format for vastly expanded ways to win. With up to 117,649 paylines and hundreds of thousands of expansion options, Megaways brings volatility, big payout potential, and serious entertainment value.
But Megaways slots, like those at ZotaBet, also come with their share of risks and downsides. Understanding the pros and cons can help you maximize the exciting potential for big wins while minimizing the ability for these slots to quickly drain your bankroll. This guide explores everything you need to know about playing Megaways slots to optimize the experience.
What Are Megaways Slots and How Do They Work?
Megaways slots derive their name from the “Megaways” game mechanic that allows for an unbelievable number of payline combinations. Traditional slots typically have 20, 50, or maybe a couple of hundred paylines along fixed reels. Megaways completely reinvents this by using expanding reels with 2 to 7 symbols each and paylines that pay both left to right and right to left.
This combination of factors leads to a minimum of 117,649 ways to win! And many Megaways slots have even more possible paylines through additional mechanics as reaction wins.
In addition to the expanding reels, Megaways slots incorporate other features like cascading wins and increasing multipliers. These mechanics combine to create high volatility and the potential for some truly staggering payouts. Let’s explore exactly how they work:
Expanding Reels
The expanding reels are the core of the Megaways mechanic. Rather than fixed reels, Megaways uses reels that change in size with every spin. The size of the reels is determined randomly, with each reel able to fit between 2 and 7 symbols. Having 6 reels with 2 to 7 positions makes for a vast number of potential symbol arrangements.
Feature | Value |
Minimum Symbol Positions | 2 |
Maximum Symbol Positions | 7 |
Number of Reels | 6 |
Minimum Paylines | 117,649 |
More reel positions means more payline possibilities. And with paylines paying both left to right and right to left, the payout potential grows exponentially.
Cascading Wins
On top of the Megaways mechanic, many slots add extra payout potential through cascading wins. This feature causes winning symbols to disappear and be replaced with new symbols, allowing for additional wins from a single spin.
As the new symbols fall into place, they can create new line wins and continue the payout cascade. Some slots allow for unlimited cascades in a single spin, leading to truly monumental payouts.
Increasing Multipliers
For even more winning potential, Megaways slots often use increasing multipliers during cascading wins. Every time a cascade occurs, a multiplier will increase by 1x or more. This multiplier applies to all wins during that spin.
So if you trigger a long cascade with a starting 1x multiplier, it can quickly escalate up to 10x or more. Combined with the Megaways and cascading wins, the multipliers introduce even higher volatility and payout ceilings.
Key Pros of Playing Megaways Slots
Now that you understand how Megaways slots work, let’s explore some of the biggest benefits they offer:
Exciting Gameplay and Engagement
First and foremost, Megaways slots provide an extremely entertaining gaming experience. The expanding reels and reaction mechanics like cascading wins lead to great anticipation about what will happen with each spin. You never know when one spin might unleash a long cascade and huge payout.
This dynamic gameplay keeps you engaged and makes playing Megaways slots anything but boring. You constantly feel like you’re one spin away from that monster win.
Potential for Huge Payouts
We’ve touched on how the various Megaways mechanics combine to enable some truly staggering payouts. The numerous paylines, reaction wins, and increasing multipliers provide frequent small hits along with the real possibility of 1000x+ wins in a single spin.
Wins over 10,000x your bet are not unheard of! While you may experience some volatility, the payout potential is astronomical compared to traditional slots.
Wide Selection of Themes & Providers
While Big Time Gaming created the original Megaways slots, the mechanic has become so popular that many providers now use it under license. You can find Megaways editions of classic slot themes ranging from Irish lore to Asian culture and everything in between.
No matter your personal tastes or preferences, there is likely a Megaways slot that will appeal to you. And with entries from major providers like Pragmatic Play, Red Tiger, and Blueprint Gaming, the quality and entertainment value stay high.
Key Cons to Understand
Of course, Megaways slots aren’t all upside down. There are some definite drawbacks and risks to understand before playing:
High Variance Leads to Losses
The exceptional payout potential comes with a cost – significantly higher variance. The volatility level on Megaways slots is through the roof. While this variance enables those big wins, it can also quickly drain your bankroll through numerous small losses.
Don’t underestimate the risk of losing your entire bankroll without some very nice hits along the way. Bankroll management is crucial when facing the volatility of Megaways slots.
Harder to Learn Optimal Play
Given the random expanding reels and cascading reaction mechanics, optimal play on Megaways slots involves a higher degree of randomness and less control than classic slots. You can’t just memorize the best play for each symbol arrangement.
As such, it takes longer to master Megaways slots and understand how to maximize payouts over the long run. And with so many variables in play, you may never feel like you fully grasp the optimal approach.
Potential for Fake Wins
One controversial downside of Megaways is the notion of “fake wins.” This refers to landing a big win that seems astonishing at first. However, when combined with the bet level and multiplier at that point, the actual payout is small or moderate.
These near misses or fake outs can be frustrating. You see the screen light up with what seems like an epic win, only to realize it pays less than your last few spins.
Tips for Playing Megaways Slots
Now let’s explore some strategy advice for maximizing your success and enjoyment of Megaways slots:
Tip 1: Have a Large Bankroll
We’ve hammered home the extreme variance of Megaways slots. To withstand the dry spells and losing runs, you need a sufficient bankroll. Unless betting tiny amounts per spin, you should have at least several hundred dollars and ideally over $1,000 bankrolled for these slots. This allows you to endure the volatility without busting out quickly.
Tip 2: Pay Attention to Bet Sizing
With multipliers reaching 10x or higher, having too large a per-spin bet can be dangerous. When those multipliers hit, you don’t want single spins costing you hundreds or thousands of dollars. Pay close attention to your bet sizing in relation to volatility and multipliers.
Tip 3: Learn the Bonus Features
While Megaways has enough excitement on its own, most titles in the series include bonus games and features. These can range from free spins through pick-em bonuses to wheel spins. Learn how to trigger and optimize play in the various bonuses. This is where you stand to win those 5 and 6-figure jackpots.
Tip 4: Have Fun!
At the end of the day, the number one priority with Megaways slots should be enjoying yourself. The gameplay is so lively and engaging, that you don’t want to lose sight of the entertainment value. So kick back and bask in those big win reactions when they come!
Conclusion
Megaways slots represent the cutting edge in casino currencies game innovation and entertainment. The expanding reels provide an incredible number of paylines, and special features like cascading wins enable legendary payouts. You’ll have a blast playing titles in this series.
Just be warned – the downside of the exceptional payout ceiling is teeth-grinding variance. Make sure your bankroll can weather dry spells between the storming wins. But if so, Megaways offers perhaps the most dynamic and electric experience available at online casinos today. The future is bright and full of payout potential!