If you have followed trends in the online casino industry over the last couple of years, then you will be acutely aware that “Megaways” has been one of the most important buzzwords around. The brain-child of Australian developer, Big Time Gaming (BTG), Megaways is a design concept that offers 1000s of activated paylines for each spin. It’s become hugely popular, with players attracted by the big win potential of having so many paylines (it’s possible to have 117,649 in a single spin). Although, we should add that the games are somewhat volatile.

Nevertheless, BTG, knowing that it had a game-changing concept on its hands, decided to license out the technology of Megaways to rival developers. It was an unprecedented move, but one that should benefit players, ultimately. It means that developers like NetEnt, Blueprint Gaming, iSoftBet, Bally and several other developers can put their considerable talents to producing Megaways games. As a consequence, if you are playing slots online in Canada, the US, the UK or anywhere else, you will have a massive choice of Megaways games at most casinos.

Around 140 Megaways title now online

Indeed, we have clocked that there are now over 140 Megaways branded titles available online. It’s quite the achievement given that nobody had heard of the concept a couple of years ago. Indeed, the number of Megaways games by far exceeds that of the entire collection of BTG games available online.

So, why all the fuss? If you haven’t experienced a Megaways game, we can provide a description of the standard model most follow. They are presented as six reel slots, with the rows of symbols on each reel changing with each spin, from a minimum of two symbols per reel to a maximum of seven. If each row has the maximum of seven symbols, then there are 117,649 (7x7x7x7x7x7) possible winning combinations on that spin.

Obviously, it’s not feasible to have a separate line bet for each of those theoretical paylines, so the game is played with a total bet that covers all those possibilities. That’s key to understanding the popularity of Megaways, as each spin can be played for as little as $0.10 or $0.20 (depending on the title). The low bet and thousands of paylines ensure that the games have a high win potential, and that seems to be the main attraction for players.

Rick and Morty among most popular titles

As for popular titles, we can take a brief look at some of the most prominent games. To start, there is BTG’s Bonanza Megaways, which is really the title that propelled the genre to the top. Players also seem to love Rick and Morty Megaways from Blueprint Gaming. It’s based on the cult cartoon series, and features three unique free spins features.

Several classic slot games have also got a Megaways makeover. Most notably, Gonzo’s Quest – one of NetEnt’s most popular games – has been released as Megaways game. It was one of the first titles to emerge after NetEnt’s new partnership with Red Tiger Gaming. Ted Megaways, another branded game based on Seth MacFarlane’s creations, has also been released as a sequel to Blueprint’s original, Ted.

We should question, of course, whether software developers have jumped the gun somewhat; after all, there is a flood of Megaways titles on the market right now. Is it possible that we can talk about saturation? Could players grow tired of the concept? It’s hard to say, but it doesn’t look likely. If you look at the homepage of any major online casino right now, Megaways games are placed front and center. Operators and developers are reacting to demand in the marketplace, and the appetite from players shows no signs of abating.