What is Bonanza Megaways?
Bonanza Megaways is a slot machine built by Big Time Gaming. It runs on a variable reel height: each of six reels can show two to seven symbols per spin, so the number of ways to win changes with every spin. At full height it reaches up to 117,649 ways to win, all from matching symbols left to right rather than fixed paylines.
The theme is a gold-mining setup: pickaxes, gold nuggets, dynamite and a handful of mining-camp characters sit on the reels. That part is ordinary. What made this specific cabinet matter is the engine underneath it, not the artwork.
The machine that started Megaways
Before 2016, "ways to win" slots existed, but none scaled the reel height on every spin. Big Time Gaming built that idea into Bonanza Megaways and then licensed the mechanic to other studios. That's why the word "Megaways" now shows up on titles from Pragmatic Play, Blueprint Gaming and a dozen others: they're all running a version of what this machine introduced.
Big Time Gaming later released Bonanza Gold, a sequel built around a collecting-symbols format layered onto the same reel logic. It's a different game with a different bonus round. Worth knowing if you come across it, but it isn't the machine this page is about.
How the reels and 117,649 ways work
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Studio | Big Time Gaming |
| Reels | 6, variable height 2 to 7 rows |
| Maximum ways to win | 117,649 |
| Win direction | Left to right, adjacent reels |
| Tumble feature | Winning symbols removed, new ones drop in |
| Franchise sequel | Bonanza Gold (different bonus format) |
Each win removes the matched symbols and drops new ones into the gaps, a tumble mechanic borrowed from cluster-pay slots. A single spin can chain several wins in a row if the drops keep landing, which is part of why the base game feels busier than a standard 20-line slot even before the bonus triggers.
The free spins feature and unlimited multiplier
Four or more scatter symbols trigger free spins. The number awarded depends on how many scatters landed. Inside the round, every tumble adds to a multiplier that keeps climbing for the whole feature. It doesn't reset between tumbles the way some other bonus rounds do, and it doesn't cap out at a fixed ceiling either. That's why a short-looking bonus round can still turn into a large payout: the multiplier does the work, not the number of spins.
Volatility: what to expect between hits
This is a high-volatility machine. The base game pays often in small amounts, and most of the return sits inside the free spins feature. Dry spells between bonus rounds are normal, not a sign the machine is behaving oddly. Anyone budgeting for a session should plan around the bonus showing up rarely and paying out unevenly when it does.
Bonanza Megaways RTP: why there's no single number
There's no one RTP figure for Bonanza Megaways. Land-based cabinets can be set within a range by the operator or venue running them, and the online version follows the same principle: the number shown depends on which configuration the site you're playing on has chosen. Quoting a single percentage here would flatten a detail that actually matters.
The way to check it properly is on the machine or game itself. Land-based cabinets carry the RTP in the help or info screen, and online versions show it in the paytable or rules panel. That's the number that applies to the spin in front of you, not an average pulled from somewhere else.
Playing Bonanza Megaways slot online in the UK
The online version of Bonanza Megaways exists, and it runs at UKGC-licensed casinos. That's a different set of sites from the ones covered on this page. We don't currently review an operator that carries this exact title, so we can't give you its verification steps, payout speed or deposit limits here, because we haven't checked them ourselves.
What we can offer instead: the same Megaways engine, built by studios working under licence from Big Time Gaming, running at operators we do cover. The list below pulls from our own catalogue rather than pointing you somewhere we haven't reviewed.
Free play: is there a demo version?
The land-based cabinet takes coins or notes only; there's no free mode on the machine itself. Online, demo play is common practice across the industry for Megaways titles, and most licensed operators let you try a slot before you register. We haven't tested demo access for Bonanza Megaways specifically on any site we cover, so treat that as something to confirm on whichever operator you choose, not a guaranteed feature.
Is there a Bonanza Megaways app?
No. There's no standalone app for this title. If you play it online, it sits inside whichever casino's own site or app you're using, alongside the rest of that operator's slot library. The same is true for the Megaways alternatives listed on this page: you reach them through the casino, not through a separate download.
How to approach stakes and sessions
Nothing here changes what a spin pays out. That's fixed by the game's math, not by how you bet. What you control is exposure:
- Decide the total you're willing to spend on the session before you start, not after a bonus round has already run.
- Check the stake range. Some Megaways slots need a minimum bet to unlock the full reel height or multiplier.
- If a demo mode is on offer, use it first to see the tumble and multiplier mechanics without spending anything.
- Note the maximum bet allowed if you're playing through a bonus with wagering attached elsewhere. That figure matters more than the headline stake.
- Set a stopping point for losses and for wins alike, and treat both as the end of the session.
Megaways slots you can play in our library
The machine itself isn't in our reviewed lineup, but the mechanic is. Other studios built games on the same licensed engine, with their own themes and bonus structures layered on top of the same variable reel height. The list below draws from operators we cover and games we can actually point you to.