Bonanza Megapays slot review
Based on the highly popular Bonanza Megaways game, Bonanza Megapays comes equipped with four progressive jackpots, high volatility, and an RTP of 96.40%.
Developed by Big Time Gaming (BTG) in 2021, the slot borrows a similar framework to the original game, featuring multipliers and cascading wins with six reels on an asymmetric grid layout. However, aside from the inclusion of jackpot prizes, there are a few minor tweaks that you should take note of before diving in.
Highlights
RTP 96.4%
Volatility High
Stakes range 30
Max win 17926x
Number of reels 6
Number of paylines 117649-
Jackpots No -
Slot type Slots -
Slot theme Lifestyle -
Software provider Big Time Gaming -
Launch date 04/03/2021
78/ 100
75% Playscore based on 4 critics
Bonanza Megapays review summary
Bonanza Megapays builds on the success of BTG’s Megaways technology, offering 117,649 ways to win while adding four progressive jackpots.
Aside from the jackpots, you can expect much of the same design, features, and mechanics seen on Bonanza Megaways, including cascading wins. The Free Spins round also returns, with an unlimited Win Multiplier increasing by one with every cascade.
Geared toward jackpot hunters, the game still offers a surprisingly high overall RTP score of 96.40%, sitting just above the 96% industry average. While the paytable remains largely the same as the original, some base game payouts have been adjusted to accommodate the jackpot feature.
Pros
4 progressive jackpots
High RTP for a jackpot slot
Megapays feature adds excitement
Cons
Lacks variety among low-paying icons
Very similar to the original game
Quickspin and turbo mode unavailable
Bonanza Megapays comprehensive review
In this comprehensive Bonanza Megapays review, I take a closer look at the slot’s jackpot mechanics, including how they are presented to the player. I also cover RTP, volatility, the Free Spins round, and overall gameplay.
RTP and volatility
With high volatility, the Bonanza Megapays RTP sits at 96.40%. However, 9.44% of that expected return is tied to its four progressive jackpots (MINI, MIDI, MAJOR, and MEGA).
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| RTP | 96.40% |
| Maximum win | 17,926x |
| Number of paylines | Up to 117,649 |
| Volatility | High |
After a jackpot win, the value resets at $100 for MINI, $1,500 for MIDI, $20,000 for MAJOR, and $300,000 for MEGA. The following percentages represent the portion of players’ bets added to each jackpot.
- MINI: 1.50%
- MIDI: 1.30%
- MAJOR: 1.20%
- MEGA: 1.10%
I’ve grown so used to seeing progressive jackpot slots with RTPs well below the industry average 96%. With this in mind, it came as a nice surprise to see Bonanza Megapays score an expected return of 96.40%.
For instance, jackpot slots by Games Global, like The Finer Reels of Life WOWPOT and Queen of Alexandria WOWPOT, have RTPs of 92.01% and 92.05% respectively when their jackpots are taken into account.
However, it’s important to note that both those titles reserve just 5.3% of their RTP toward the jackpots, while Bonanza Megapays has nearly 10% of its RTP tied to its jackpots. This means that its base game RTP sits at 86.96% when jackpots aren’t included.
Alexander Teoli
Bonus features
The game is built around tumbling reels, where winning symbols are removed and replaced by new ones. This allows for multiple wins to occur before your next spin, with the process repeating itself until no further combinations can be formed.
Available in the base game and Free Spins round, the slot’s Wild icon is represented by sticks of dynamite and substitutes for all other symbols except for Scatters. Dynamite Wilds can appear on any reel as well as in the carts above them.
The Scatter symbol consists of single letter blocks which together spell out the word GOLD. Landing all four letters in any position will trigger the Free Spins round. Scatter symbols do not appear in the carts.
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Bonus features | Wilds, Scatters, Free spins, Respins, Multipliers |
| Top features | Megapays |
| Jackpot | Mini, Midi, Major, Mega |
Free Spins round
You initially start the round with 12 free spins, but separate Free Spin Scatter symbols in the carts above the reels can award additional spins. Depicted as gold-filled crates, landing three of them will award five extra spins, while four will award 10 extra spins.
Plus, before the round even begins, you’ll be given a Win Multiplier of 1x. Every winning combination increases your Win Multiplier with no fixed upper limit.
Megapays feature
Key to winning one of the jackpot prizes, the Megapays feature can trigger randomly at any time during the base game. However, a higher bet per spin will increase your chances.
Once activated, the grid is momentarily replaced by a single-reel slot, where one of the low-paying card icons (9, 10, J, Q, K, or A) will be revealed as the Megapays symbols.
After this, the grid returns to normal. However, when a Megapays symbol lands, it drops down to the bottom of the reels and locks into place, triggering a respin. Additional Megapays symbols can stack up on top of each other.
Landing four Megapays symbols unlocks the MINI jackpot prize, eight awards the MIDI, 12 to 14 MAJOR, while anything above that gets you the MEGA prize. However, if a Megapays symbol fails to land after a respin, the feature ends. A tracker to the side of the reels helps keep count of your total.
I really enjoyed how the Megapays feature presents its jackpots. While it doesn’t guarantee a win, the single-reel slot and tracker still felt like a refreshing change from standard jackpot wheels seen in Mega Moolah and many other titles.
However, aside from this, the bonus mechanics in Bonanza Megapays are virtually identical to Bonanza Megaways. This includes cascading reels, Wilds, as well as the Free Spins round.
Both versions also feature unlimited Win Multipliers during the Free Spins round. While I can’t really complain, it would have been cool to see a bigger increase per cascade, or some kind of early multiplier boost, just to give this version that extra edge over the original.
Alexander Teoli
Symbols and paytable
Excluding the MEGA jackpot prize, Bonanza Megapays has a maximum win potential of 17,926x your bet. This would most likely require a combination of cascading wins and high Win Multipliers in the Free Spins round.
When it comes to symbol values, the game is home to 11 pay symbols split into six low-paying card icons (A, K, Q, J, 10, and 9) and four high-paying gems or stones.
The highest-paying symbol is the diamond, awarding 50x your bet for six matches. Five diamonds pay 25x, while four, three, and two diamonds return 10x, 5x, and 2x respectively.
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Theme | Mining |
| Reel layout | Six reels on asymetric grid |
| Highest paying symbol | Six diamonds |
| Adjustable paylines | Available |
| Visuals | Good |
| Sound | Good |
| Mobile quality | Very good |
Next in line is the red gem, which awards 7.5x your bet for six matches. After that, the blue and green gems award payouts of 2.5x and 2x your bet respectively for six matches.
Low-paying cards can be grouped into pairs, with each pair sharing identical payout tiers. A and K award 1.75x for six matches, while Q and J return 1.2x, and 10 and 9 pay 1x.
BTG aren’t shy about reusing the Bonanza Megaways paytable across multiple titles, with this one being no exception. Aside from a few very minor tweaks to account for the jackpots, the payouts are virtually identical to the original game.
When excluding the jackpots, the win potential is lower than the original, going from 26,000x down to 17,926x. However, this is still actually very strong, especially for a progressive jackpot slot.
For comparison, Extra Chilli is another BTG slot with a maximum win potential of 16,877x. While still pretty good, unlike Bonanza Megapays, Extra Chill is not a jackpot slot.
Alexander Teoli
How to play Bonanza Megapays
Use the arrow keys next to your displayed stake to increase or decrease your wager. Bonanza Megapays comes with a bet range of $0.20 up to $30 per spin.
Once you are satisfied with your bet per spin, select the play button with the green background to start spinning the reels. Turbo mode, or quickspin, for faster gameplay is not available.
Beside the spin button, you’ll find the autoplay button marked with two circular arrows. Selecting this will open up an autoplay menu, allowing you to choose between five, 10, 25, or 100 autospins. To end autospins, you can also set a loss limit and a single win limit.
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Min bet | $0.20 |
| Max bet | $30 |
| Autoplay | Available |
| Turbo mode | N/A |
| Game history | N/A |
While still on the autoplay menu, you can navigate to different tabs to access additional options such as Pays, Options, and Help. Alternatively, selecting the hamburger icon will direct you to the Pays section, allowing you to view the paytable and game mechanics.
The Options tab will allow you to mute and unmute game sounds, while the Help tab will give you a more in-depth breakdown of the game mechanics. You can also select the i button which will direct you to a new page detailing how the game works, including RTP and jackpots.
Casinos where to play Bonanza Megapays
BTG slots are best known for their Megaways technology and high-volatility gameplay. You’ll find their games, including Bonanza Megapays, across many top-performing online casinos:
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Expert verdict
The addition of four progressive jackpots on top of the Megaways technology feels like an absolute no-brainer. Sure, it’s essentially the same game as Bonanza Megaways, but the jackpots add some real weight to base gameplay.
Plus, the way the Megapays feature is presented adds to the engagement. Granted, you’re not guaranteed a jackpot at this stage, but I feel like more often than not, you’ll at least land the MINI prize, which makes the feature feel rewarding.
One of my biggest issues is that the Free Spins round remains unchanged from the original. The low-paying card icons lack variety, and the absence of a turbo or quickspin options felt strange.
That said, I still think the game works as a solid follow-up to Bonanza Megaways. The bump in RTP, minor tweaks to mid-tier symbols, and the Megapays feature give it enough to stand out on its own.
FAQs
What is the RTP of Bonanza Megapays?
Bonanza Megapays has an overall RTP rating of 96.40%. However, 9.44% of that expected return is tied to its jackpots.
Does Bonanza Megapays have jackpots?
Yes, Bonanza Megapays comes with four progressive jackpot prizes: MINI, MIDI, MAJOR, and MEGA. To be in with a shot of landing one of them, the Megapays feature must trigger randomly during the base game.
Does Bonanza Megapays have free spins?
Yes, landing four Scatter symbols in Bonanza Megapays will trigger the Free Spins round, awarding 12 free spins with an unlimited Win Multiplier that increases with every cascade.
What is the maximum win potential of Bonanza Megapays?
When excluding progressive jackpot prizes, Bonanza Megapays has a maximum win potential of 17,926x your bet.
What is the volatility of Bonanza Megapays?
Bonanza Megapays is a high-volatility slot, meaning wins are less frequent but can be significantly larger when they do land, especially when the features are triggered.
