Megaways is the most successful licensed mechanic in slot history — one Australian studio’s patented idea, rented out across the entire industry. Big Time Gaming shipped the first Megaways slot, Dragon Born, in 2015; Bonanza made it a phenomenon in 2016; and a decade later dozens of studios pay to build on it. But the quality gap between licensees is enormous, and that’s what this page ranks: which providers actually make Megaways games worth playing, from the inventor down through the licensees — including three studios newly reviewed on this site.
Where to Play Megaways Slots
What Megaways Actually Is
Megaways replaces fixed paylines with a reel engine where each of the six reels shows between two and seven symbols on every spin, changing the number of ways to win spin by spin — up to the famous maximum of 117,649. Big Time Gaming patented the mechanic, which created an unusual market: rather than cloning it, rival studios license it, paying BTG (owned by Evolution since 2021) for the right to build their own Megaways titles. That’s why the Megaways badge appears on games from studios that otherwise have nothing to do with each other — and why the badge alone tells you nothing about quality. The engine is licensed; the maths, art and bonus design around it are each studio’s own work.
Megaways Providers, Ranked
Every studio below has a full review on this site — scores and RTP notes come from those reviews.
#1 Big Time Gaming — the inventor
Nobody else’s Megaways games feel quite like the originals. Bonanza remains the reference point a decade on, Extra Chilli and White Rabbit are landmarks, and White Rabbit’s 97.72% feature-drop figure is still among the most generous published RTPs in mainstream slots. If you want to understand why the mechanic conquered the industry, start where it started. Full Big Time Gaming review →
#2 Blueprint Gaming — the volume champion
No licensee has done more with the mechanic. Blueprint bolted Megaways onto Britain’s best-loved slot brands — Fishin’ Frenzy Megaways is arguably the most-played Megaways title in UK lobbies — and built a whole portfolio around the engine. Familiar themes, dependable execution, everywhere you look. Full Blueprint Gaming review →
#3 Iron Dog Studio — the branded specialist
1X2 Network’s studio carved out its own corner with Branded Megaways — licensed-property Megaways titles built for operators — making the mechanic its house speciality rather than a side project. Full Iron Dog Studio review →
#4 Gameburger Studios — jackpot franchises, Megaways engine
Newly reviewed on this site: the Games Global studio crossed its biggest franchises with the licensed engine — 9 Pots of Gold Megaways, Hyper Strike Cash Megaways and Mega Moolah Megaways, the last pairing the mechanic with the industry’s most famous progressive jackpot brand. Full Gameburger Studios review →
#5 Triple Edge Studios — Cash ‘N Riches
Gameburger’s sibling studio brings Cash ‘N Riches Megaways, one of the stronger Games Global entries on the engine, alongside its licensed-IP catalogue. Full Triple Edge Studios review →
#6 Prospect Gaming — the transparency pick
Also newly reviewed: 1X2 Network’s second studio publishes exact RTP variants for every build of its Megaways titles — Prospector Wilds Megaways carries a 25,000x ceiling and Arriba Heat Megaways a 20,000x one, with the actual configured RTP checkable before you spin. Full Prospect Gaming review →
Also licensed: Pragmatic Play and Red Tiger
Both major studios hold Megaways licences and have produced solid entries (Pragmatic’s Great Rhino Megaways is the best known), though for both the mechanic is a side project rather than a speciality — their defining work uses their own engines. Pragmatic Play review · Red Tiger review
Megaways Providers: Comparison Table
| Provider | Relationship to Megaways | Essential title | Review score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Big Time Gaming | Inventor and patent holder (via Evolution) | Bonanza | 9/10 |
| Blueprint Gaming | Licensee — largest Megaways portfolio | Fishin’ Frenzy Megaways | 8/10 |
| Iron Dog Studio | Licensee — Branded Megaways specialist | Branded Megaways series | 7/10 |
| Gameburger Studios | Licensee — franchise crossovers | 9 Pots of Gold Megaways | 7/10 |
| Triple Edge Studios | Licensee | Cash ‘N Riches Megaways | 7/10 |
| Prospect Gaming | Licensee — publishes all RTP variants | Prospector Wilds Megaways | 7/10 |
| Pragmatic Play | Licensee — occasional entries | Great Rhino Megaways | 8.5/10 |
| Red Tiger | Licensee — occasional entries | Piggy Riches Megaways | 8/10 |
Scores are each studio’s overall review score, not a Megaways-only rating. Blueprint’s Fishin’ Frenzy Megaways builds vary by operator — see the RTP note below.
The Megaways RTP Problem
Megaways titles are among the worst offenders for reduced-RTP builds. Because the games are so widely distributed, operators frequently run configurations well below the headline figure — Fishin’ Frenzy Megaways in particular circulates in several builds. The licensing structure makes this worse, not better: BTG licenses the engine, but each studio sets its own maths, and each operator picks which build to run. The only defence is the same one this site repeats everywhere: open the paytable at your casino and check the RTP printed there before playing. Prospect Gaming deserves credit as the exception — it publishes every variant openly on its spec sheets.
Megaways Providers: FAQs
Who invented Megaways?
Big Time Gaming, the Sydney studio founded by Nik Robinson. The first Megaways slot, Dragon Born, launched in 2015, and Bonanza (2016) made the mechanic famous. BTG has been owned by Evolution since 2021.
What does Megaways actually mean?
A licensed reel engine where each reel shows between two and seven symbols per spin, so the number of ways to win changes every spin — up to a maximum of 117,649.
Which provider makes the best Megaways slots?
Big Time Gaming’s originals remain the benchmark — Bonanza, Extra Chilli and White Rabbit. Among licensees, Blueprint Gaming has the deepest portfolio and Fishin’ Frenzy Megaways is the UK’s most-played licensee title.
Why do different studios all have Megaways games?
The mechanic is patented and licensed — studios pay Big Time Gaming (now Evolution) for the right to build on the engine, then design their own games around it.
Are Megaways slots high volatility?
Usually, though it varies by studio. The shifting reel counts naturally produce spiky maths, and most flagship Megaways titles (Bonanza especially) sit firmly in high-volatility territory.
Do Megaways slots have good RTP?
The headline figures are usually competitive (Bonanza publishes 96%, White Rabbit’s feature-drop reaches 97.72%), but Megaways titles circulate in more reduced-RTP builds than almost any other game type — always check the in-game paytable at your casino.
Which new studios make Megaways games?
From this site’s 2026 intake: Gameburger Studios (9 Pots of Gold Megaways, Mega Moolah Megaways), Triple Edge Studios (Cash ‘N Riches Megaways) and Prospect Gaming (Prospector Wilds Megaways, Arriba Heat Megaways).
Jack spent years in slot QA and platform integration before turning reviewer — reading studios’ maths sheets and RTP configurations was literally his job. Every fact on this page is checked against the studios’ own published data and our full standalone reviews. More about Jack →