Bonanza Megaways is the 2016 Big Time Gaming slot that launched the Megaways mechanic. Six reels change height on every spin, giving up to 117,649 ways to win, and cascading reels let wins chain together. In free spins a multiplier grows with every cascade and never resets. The maximum win is 26,000x. It suits you if you want to try the game that shaped a whole category of modern slots.
How does Bonanza Megaways work?
Each of the six reels shows between two and seven symbols at random, so the number of ways to win changes from spin to spin, from 324 up to 117,649. A horizontal Extra Reel above reels two to five adds one more symbol to those reels.
Winning symbols explode and new ones fall in from above, a cascade system BTG calls Reactions. One paid spin can therefore produce several wins in a row, and every cascade is a fresh chance to land more matching symbols across the changing reel heights.
What are the Bonanza Megaways bonus features?
Free spins trigger when the letters G, O, L and D all land as scatters. You receive 12 free spins, plus five more for each additional scatter.
During free spins the win multiplier rises by one after every cascade and does not reset between spins, which is how large wins build up late in a long round. Landing scatters again during the feature awards extra spins. The game predates bonus buys, and the sources we checked do not list one.
Is Bonanza Megaways worth playing? RTP and volatility explained
The RTP is 96.00%, and sources indicate this is the only setting for the game. That is in line with the industry average and higher than the reduced versions some newer slots run.
Volatility is high. Base game wins are mostly modest, and the bulk of the potential lies in long free spins rounds where the multiplier keeps climbing. The 26,000x figure reflects the remastered version; the original cap was 10,000x.
An RTP of 96% is a long-run average measured over millions of spins. In theory about 96 units come back for every 100 wagered, but a single session can end far above or below that. Volatility describes how those returns are spread out, and at high volatility you should expect fewer wins, longer losing runs and a bigger share of the return concentrated in rare large hits.
Tips before you play Bonanza Megaways
- Check the bet limits at your casino, as maximum stakes for this game vary by market.
- Long free spins rounds matter more than the trigger itself, because the multiplier needs time to grow.
- Try the demo to see how quickly the ways count changes between spins.
- Set a deposit or loss limit in your casino account before you start, and stop when you reach it.