Megaways describes a changing number of ways to form symbol combinations. The number shown above the reels counts available routes through the layout; it does not count guaranteed wins or state the chance of winning. To read a result correctly, separate the reel layout, the matching symbols and any later cascade.
How a Megaways count is calculated
In a simplified six-reel example, suppose the reels show 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 usable symbol positions. Multiplying those counts gives 2 × 3 × 4 × 5 × 6 × 7 = 5,040 ways. The calculation describes possible routes through that particular layout, before checking which symbols actually landed.
This is an editorial example, not Bonanza’s paytable. Games can have special positions, separate reels or other evaluation rules, so use the game’s displayed count and help screen rather than inferring every detail from its artwork.
Available ways and winning combinations are different
Now suppose a symbol that pays from the first reel appears twice on reel 1, once on reel 2 and three times on reel 3. If the rules pay a three-reel match from the left, that symbol has 2 × 1 × 3 = 6 matching combinations across those reels. It does not receive 5,040 awards merely because the overall display says 5,040 ways.
Next check the required consecutive reels, the minimum match length, wild substitutions and the relevant payout unit. A symbol on a later reel cannot repair a gap unless a specific rule permits it. If longer matches are present, follow the paytable’s rule for evaluating them; do not add every shorter prefix as another win by assumption.
A Megaways cascade starts another evaluation
When a game removes winning symbols and fills the spaces, the replacement layout needs its own evaluation. Treat it as a sequence: settle the first result, apply the stated removal or replacement rule, then evaluate the new symbols. A continuing animation is not evidence that every drop pays.
Bonanza’s official page identifies Megaways and Dual Reaction. Other Megaways titles layer their own features onto the format. For example, Relax Gaming’s Medallion description connects avalanches with a progressive multiplier. The shared ways system does not make their multiplier timing or reset rules interchangeable.
What the headline number cannot tell you
A maximum ways figure does not reveal symbol frequencies, feature-entry odds, volatility or your likely session result. Even two layouts with the same ways count can show completely different symbols. More routes also do not establish a larger payout for every matching result.
Use this reading order: confirm the version, identify the pay direction, calculate the available routes, count actual matches, and only then apply cascades or modifiers. For the broader distinction between lines, ways and respins, see our mechanics comparison. Keep the game’s own rules beside this rules-reading checklist.
Sources and scope
Manufacturer references checked November 2, 2026. This is an editorial rules overview, not a record of hands-on play.
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