What is the Megaways engine?

Megaways is Big Time Gaming's patented ways-to-win engine. Each spin, each of the six reels can display between 2 and 7 symbols, producing up to 117,649 unique winning combinations per spin. Licensed Megaways pokies from other studios use the same underlying mechanic.

How was Bonanza Megaways historically important?

Released in 2016, Bonanza Megaways was the first pokie to use the Megaways engine. BTG subsequently licensed the mechanic to dozens of other studios, making Megaways one of the most-imitated pokie formats of the late 2010s and early 2020s.

Bonanza Megaways — The Pokie That Started the Megaways Revolution

Q: What is the RTP of Bonanza Megaways?

Bonanza Megaways runs at 96.00% RTP on Big Time Gaming's standard build — the reference figure for the Megaways engine and widely replicated across licensed Megaways pokies.

Bonanza Megaways pokie by Big Time Gaming — mining reels with 117,649 Megaways

Bonanza Megaways is the pokie Big Time Gaming released in 2016 that invented one of the most widely-licensed mechanics in online gambling. Before Bonanza, pokie reels had fixed heights — usually 3 or 4 rows per reel, producing predictable ways-to-win counts. Bonanza's Megaways engine changed that: each of the six reels can display between 2 and 7 symbols on any given spin, and the total ways-to-win fluctuates from 324 at minimum to 117,649 at full expansion. The variable-geometry grid became so popular that BTG licensed it to dozens of studios over the following years — Pragmatic Play, Blueprint Gaming, Red Tiger, iSoftBet have all released licensed Megaways versions of their popular pokies.

The theme is mining — gold-rush imagery, pickaxes, dynamite, mine carts rolling along the top of the reels as a horizontal scatter strip. Cascading wins pair naturally with the variable ways-to-win format: as winning symbols clear, new ones drop into place, and the ways-to-win count recalculates for each cascade. A single spin can therefore see the ways count climb from a modest base-game figure into the tens of thousands as cascades chain and the reel heights re-expand. 96.00% RTP is a notable reference figure — most licensed Megaways pokies target the same number.

At a glance

The original Megaways pokie. Variable-height reels producing up to 117,649 ways per spin. Cascading wins combine naturally with Megaways to produce extended feature sessions. 96% RTP is the standard. Historically important — the reference point for an entire sub-genre of modern pokies.

How Bonanza Megaways plays

Six reels with variable heights (2-7 rows per reel) plus a separate horizontal cart-row running across the top of the grid. Matches form on adjacent reels from the leftmost column; the ways-to-win count recalculates every cascade. The paytable leads with five gem symbols — diamond, sapphire, emerald, ruby, amethyst — followed by 9-to-A royals shaped as wooden signs. The top cart-row can carry additional symbols, including scatters and extra regulars that influence match counts.

Bet range runs A$0.20 to A$20 per spin. Lower maximum than many modern pokies but consistent with BTG's conventions.

Bonus features

Megaways reels (variable) — each of the 6 reels can show 2-7 symbols per spin. Minimum ways = 324; maximum = 117,649 (7 × 7 × 7 × 7 × 7 × 7).
Reactions (cascading wins) — winning symbols disappear; new ones cascade down to fill gaps, potentially chaining further wins from one initial spin. Ways-to-win recalculates for each cascade.
Horizontal cart-row — 4 additional symbols scroll along a separate top row. Can contribute extra match symbols and participate in feature triggers.
Free Spins trigger — four Gold Bar scatters (including the top row) trigger 12 free spins initially.
Unlimited win multiplier (free spins) — starts at 1× and increments with each cascade during the feature. Doesn't reset between spins — only when the feature ends. Accumulated multipliers can escalate dramatically over extended cascade chains.
Retriggers — four more Gold Bar scatters during free spins award another 5 free spins. Multiplier carries over.

Theme, graphics and sound

Deep mine-shaft palette — browns and bronzes with gold-nugget accents. The reel frame is carved wooden beams and rusted rail tracks. The horizontal cart-row is animated continuously — mine carts roll across the top of the grid with their contents visible. Sound design uses country/bluegrass guitars and harmonica for the base game, escalating to a more driving banjo arrangement during free spins. Distinctive theme execution for its era.

Mobile play

HTML5 build runs well on mobile. Variable reel heights adapt cleanly to both orientations; cart-row animation remains readable. The multiplier indicator during free spins is clearly displayed. Autoplay includes configurable win/loss limits.

Where to play Bonanza Megaways with PayID

Bonanza Megaways has broad distribution — Big Time Gaming content is available at most major AU-facing operators. Current PayID-friendly picks:

SkyCrownUp to A$8,000 + 400 free spinsPlay
SpinjoUp to A$5,000 + 300 FSPlay
HellSpinUp to A$5,200 + 150 FSPlay
CrownPlay250% up to A$4,500 + 350 FSPlay
FortunePlayUp to A$5,000 + 300 FSPlay

Many licensed Megaways variants exist of pokies that already had non-Megaways versions (Buffalo King Megaways, Sugar Rush Megaways, Gates of Olympus Megaways). Worth exploring if you enjoy the Megaways engine but want different thematic styling.

Similar pokies worth trying

FAQ

What is the RTP of Bonanza Megaways?

96.00% on BTG's standard build. Licensed Megaways pokies from other studios may target different RTPs — always check the specific title's game info panel.

Why are ways-to-win counts so high?

Megaways multiplies symbol counts across each reel. At maximum 7 rows per reel on all six reels, total ways = 7×7×7×7×7×7 = 117,649. The arithmetic is straightforward; the mechanical innovation is making the reel heights variable on every spin.

Is Bonanza Megaways low variance or high variance?

High variance. Base-game sessions often produce modest wins, with the free spin feature and its unlimited win multiplier producing most session highlights. Bonus buy isn't standard on this title — all features trigger organically.

What's the biggest documented win?

10,000× stake is the published max win ceiling. Multiple players have approached that cap during extended free-spin sessions with high-multiplier cascade chains. Rare but well-documented.

Back to the PayID pokies Australia guide or browse the full pokies list.