Lines, ways and Megaways
In a classic slot, wins are calculated based on paylines — predetermined paths (e.g., 10 or 20). A matching combination must land exactly on a payline.
The "ways" mechanic (e.g., 243 ways) removes paylines: the only requirement is that matching symbols appear on adjacent reels from left to right, in any row. The number of ways is the product of the reel heights.
Megaways are "ways" with variable height. If each of the 6 reels shows 7 symbols, the number of ways is 7×7×7×7×7×7 = 117,649. If the heights are 3-4-5-4-3-4, the number of ways is 3·4·5·4·3·4 = 2,880. The ways counter in the game recalculates every spin.
How winnings are calculated
Win for a symbol = (number of "ways" through all positions of that symbol on adjacent reels to the left) × payout for the series length. The wild symbol substitutes for regular symbols, increasing the number of ways.
That’s why a single lucky spin in Megaways can trigger thousands of simultaneous ways — resulting in spectacular big wins that made this mechanic so popular.
RTP and volatility
Megaways itself does not set the RTP — it defines the payout structure. The target return is calibrated using reel strip weights and the paytable. In our implementation, the mathematical core is calibrated via a simulation of 1 million spins to achieve the target RTP with a tolerance of ±1.5 p.p.
Volatility in Megaways is usually high: many small spins without a win are compensated by rare big ones — this should be considered in promo design and player expectations.