Big Time Gaming created Megaways and built a catalogue around changing reel heights, cascading wins and choices before a bonus begins. Its games also include expanding White Rabbit reels, dividing Megaclusters symbols and TapCards with no spinning reels. Knowing the format helps you follow a result. A shared mechanic does not give every title the same payout rules.
The Sydney studio and its ownership
BTG started in 2011 and is based in Surry Hills, Sydney. Nik Robinson founded the business, with Huw McIntosh leading its technical work and Ian Schmidt its creative direction. Robinson’s earlier company New Tech Media dates from 1996; that is a separate history, rather than BTG’s founding year.
Dragon Born introduced Megaways. BTG’s historical account places its launch at the end of 2015, while Bonanza brought the mechanic wider recognition in December 2016. Evolution announced the acquisition on 12 April 2021 and completed it on 30 June. The agreed maximum consideration was €450 million, including contingent payments. BTG continues as a game brand alongside NetEnt and Red Tiger within the group.
How the Megaways counter works
A common layout has six reels, each showing between two and seven symbols. Multiply their heights to calculate the available ways. Reels displaying 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 symbols give 5,040 ways. Six reels with seven symbols each give 7 × 7 × 7 × 7 × 7 × 7 = 117,649.
Those are possible paths, rather than 117,649 paid combinations. Matching symbols must continue across consecutive reels from the left, according to the paytable. They can sit at different heights because a fixed horizontal payline is unnecessary. Two matching symbols on the first reel and three on the next create several arrangements, but the required continuation still has to land.
BTG licenses Megaways to other studios, including Blueprint Gaming. The mechanic’s name therefore does not identify a game’s developer. Blueprint’s Fishin’ Frenzy Megaways has up to 15,625 ways. The familiar 117,649 figure describes a particular reel layout, rather than a mandatory setting for every licensed title.
Bonanza and its Dual Reaction cascades
The mining-themed Bonanza combines changing reel heights with Dual Reaction. Winning symbols give way to replacements, creating another opportunity within the same paid spin. Its main reels and extra row move in different directions, which makes a single round look like a longer sequence of events.
A continuing cascade does not charge another stake for that round. Wait for the chain’s total before treating an individual win animation as the final result. A fresh spin after settlement is a new wager. BTG publishes 96.00% RTP and up to 117,649 ways for the original Bonanza.
White Rabbit: expanding reels and Feature Drop
White Rabbit offers up to 16,807 ways in the base game and 248,832 during its feature. Cakes add two symbols to reels in free spins. The larger figure belongs to that expanded feature layout, rather than every ordinary spin.
Feature Drop offers a direct purchase at the displayed price. BTG coins reduce that price during play. Collecting them still takes paid spins: a €2 discount achieved after €5 of stakes with no return increases the combined expense by €3. The cheaper purchase label alone does not show the total cost of reaching it.
White Rabbit 2 adds Megapots and Hold and Spin. Its separate purchase options are Hold and Spin for 35 stakes or 12 free spins for 100 stakes. These are sequel features, rather than additions you can assume are available in the first White Rabbit.
Extra Chilli and the free spins gamble
Extra Chilli includes Feature Drop and a wheel that can increase the allocation to 24 free spins. Earlier gamble steps can cost the spins you already hold. BTG describes the original first gamble as 50/50, with later steps at 60/40 in the player’s favour and a protected allocation at the penultimate stage.
A favourable individual step is not the same as completing the whole sequence. For an illustrative pair of independent successful steps at 50% and 60%, the calculation is 0.5 × 0.6 = 30%. Reading a 60% chance as a 60% chance of reaching the largest package would miss the earlier hurdle. The choice concerns an existing allocation and a possible increase, with a possible loss between them.
Win Exchange spends an existing payout
Win Exchange trades a payout for a feature or a chance to trigger it. In Golden Catch, a win between 25 and 100 stakes can be exchanged in full for a chance of 10 free spins. A win of at least 100 stakes allows an exchange of 100 stakes for those 10 spins. The amount above that exchange price is outside the trade.
| Result | Choice and cost |
|---|---|
| 60× = €12 | Trade €12 for a chance of 10 spins; entry is not guaranteed |
| 150× = €30 | Trade €20 for 10 spins; €10 remains above the price |
| Direct purchase | €20 for 10 spins without a previous win |
The traded money is the cost of the decision, even when it has just appeared as a win. With a €12 payout, collecting it and putting it on a wheel are different outcomes for your balance. Any free spins received after the exchange still have to produce their own result. Ten spins do not mean that the exchange price has been recovered.
Thresholds differ between titles. Sanctuary begins its exchange range at 25 stakes and offers a guaranteed entry to seven spins for 80 stakes. Golden Catch’s 100× threshold should not be applied to the entire BTG catalogue.
Enhanced Free Spins and Megascatter
Max Megaways has ordinary and Enhanced Free Spins. Ordinary entry lets you reveal two upgrade doors; Enhanced entry lets you reveal three. Options include faster multiplier growth, duplicating Wilds, easier retriggers, more symbols and removal of lower symbols. A gold Megascatter among the triggering symbols opens the enhanced version.
The two direct prices are also different: 75 stakes for 10 ordinary spins and 200 for 10 enhanced spins. At €0.20 they cost €15 and €40. An equal spin count can conceal a very different expense and set of changes. The useful comparison is what the upgrades do and how much they cost, rather than the word Enhanced on its own.
Bonanza Falls and Megadozer coins
Bonanza Falls adds Megadozer to the familiar reels. Coins above the grid fall in to reveal improvements: Wild multipliers up to 5×, individual symbol multipliers up to 10×, additional free spins or a higher overall feature multiplier. This is a separate feature set from the original Bonanza.
In Bonanza Falls, GOLD triggers 12 free spins, while a direct purchase of 12 costs 100 stakes. A modifier coin is not necessarily a cash payout. Its effect has to apply to the relevant winning combination, and the settled round total shows the resulting paid wins.
Megaclusters grids and TapCards
Star Clusters uses Megaclusters rather than variable reel heights. Winning groups divide to create a denser grid. The format develops from 4 × 4 to 8 × 8 in the base game and up to 16 × 16 in free spins. That final size means 256 symbols on screen, rather than 256 paylines.
TapCards reveals a card result instead of spinning reels. The series includes Bonanza, Millionaire, Extra Chilli and Big Bucks Deluxe. Three, four or five matching symbols anywhere on the card can pay, with seven to 16 reveal positions. Wilds also substitute for Tap Pot symbols. Five Tap Pots award the advertised 25,000× Maxi prize.
A TapCards edition cannot be assessed using the Megaways count from its namesake slot. Bonanza supplies a familiar theme, but the way wins are formed has changed. Compare the price of the complete card with its payable matches; counting screen taps does not tell you the cost of a game.
What newer titles add
Extra Chilli More Chilli adds four modifiers: duplicating Wilds, more reel symbols, a double multiplier and green chillies becoming bonus Wilds. Three HOT Scatters start 10 free spins with one modifier. Extra Scatters add further modifiers, up to all four. This feature differs from gambling the spin allocation in the original Extra Chilli.
Monster Quest combines Megaways with Hold and Spin. A Knight alongside at least five Monsters or Dragons starts a battle with three lives. Victories raise the Knight’s value and restore lives. Power Play guarantees a minimum of 10,000 ways per spin, rather than a paid outcome: suitable symbols and the round’s subsequent events still determine the result.
RTP belongs to a specific game version
BTG has no single portfolio RTP. The percentage belongs to a game and its settings. A shared maximum of 117,649 ways cannot establish that percentage: games can still use different bonuses, symbol frequencies and paytables.
| Game | RTP | Grid or ways |
|---|---|---|
| Bonanza | 96.00% | Up to 117,649 |
| Danger High Voltage | 95.67% | 4,096 |
| White Rabbit | 96.42% | 16,807 base; 248,832 feature |
| Extra Chilli | 96.15–96.41% | Up to 117,649 |
| Star Clusters | 96.54% | Clusters; up to a 16 × 16 grid |
| Extra Chilli More Chilli | 96.39–96.45% | Up to 117,649 |
Extra Chilli has differing official specifications. BTG’s game listing gives the range above; Evolution’s product brochure gives 96.30–96.63%, very high volatility and a maximum of 24,236 stakes. The older 96.82% figure does not describe every available edition. Combining numbers from different releases would create a misleading specification. The version running a cash round uses its own mathematics.
RTP is the long-term relationship between returns and turnover. On an illustrative €100 of turnover, 96% gives a theoretical €4 difference. This is a large-sample average, rather than a promised balance after spending €100. Reusing winnings increases turnover, so the total wagered can exceed the original deposit.
Danger High Voltage offers a different choice
Danger High Voltage has a fixed 4,096 ways. Its choice concerns two bonus modes, rather than a changing height for every reel. One of its features selects a random symbol to act as a sticky Wild during the bonus. Choosing a mode changes how free spins operate without making their final payout predictable.
Mobile play, demos and missing buttons
BTG’s main titles use HTML5 for mobile and desktop; they do not require Flash. On a small screen, the round total and a purchase confirmation deserve particular attention. A small base stake can sit beside a feature button that charges dozens or hundreds of stakes in one action.
A demo uses a virtual balance to demonstrate these actions. Its result does not create a cash withdrawal or transfer into a casino account. To understand a mode, follow the amount deducted, the way the feature starts and the point at which the full round settles.
British versions do not offer bonus purchases after the UKGC required operators to remove such features. A missing Bonus Buy button can therefore reflect the market rather than a broken game. Changing the interface language does not change regional rules. Finding BTG among a casino’s suppliers also does not establish that it offers every title and paid mode in the portfolio.
