Bonanza Megapays
Whether you are a veteran Bonanza miner or new to the series, Bonanza Megaways offers a boost of motivation to chase wins in four progressive pots bet thanks to its unique engine. While the potential of landing big wins is satisfying, a significant chunk of the RTP is allocated to the jackpot feature, so the main round gameplay is not as standard as the original. Even so, the 96.4% is impressive compared to other progressive slots.
Bonanza Megapays Slot Review
Bonanza is Big Time Gaming’s highest-scoring pokie to date that helped revolutionize the Megaways engine popularity. The slot was such a high moment for the studio that it was almost impossible to envision them improving on it. Well, the Australian software developer did just that by ramming a progressive jackpot into the engine and releasing it in the trademarked pokie Bonanza Megapays. Just like Megaways, this new system has the potential to roll out in big casinos and drop massive wins for lucky winners every other week. Beyond the potential to collect one of four pooled pots, Bonanza Megapays only adds a few minor changes to the masterpiece that was the original.
Nice to know
| Launched | 7th June 2021 |
| RTP | 96.0% - 96.4% |
| Volatility | High |
| Software | Big Time Gaming |
| Features | Wild, bonus reel, reaction feature, free spins, infinite multiplier |
| Theme | Mining, gems |
| Paylines | Up to 117,649 win ways |
| Grid Layout | 6 reels |
| Min. bet/line | $0.20 |
| Max win | 17,926x the bet |
| Jackpot | Four progressive jackpots |
Positive points
- ✅ There are four progressive jackpots
- ✅ Four extra tiles atop the 2nd through 5th reels
- ✅ The free spins play with a progressive multiplier
Negative points
- ❌ The bets go up to $30 only
- ❌ Symbol wins are capped at 50x
Bonansa Megapays – The Same Relaxing Creek
At first glance, Bonanza Megapays does not look like it has changed much from the original. The graphics are slightly improved to make them more high-definition, the grass is greener, the rocks more detailed, and the yellow and blue flowers more vibrant. A big MEGAPAYS notice sits atop the waterfall to the right of the 6-reel playtable, so players know the version they are playing. Also, four jackpots are tracked at the top of the screen, with their advertised prizes changing in real-time. The grid remains untouched in Bonanza Megapays, which means the same six dynamic reels are used with four extra positions placed above the second through fifth reels. The epic banjo twang playing in the original remains intact and goes into full swing when the reels are in motion.
Pokie Playability
Bonanza Megapays online pokies offers a broader bet range than the Megaways version, starting at $0.10 and going up to $30 per spin. A portion of each stake goes towards feeding the pooled prizes. The buttons beneath the rocky grid conduct the gameplay procedure, and they each function as follows:
- STAKE – features toggle keys to adjust bet values between $0.10 and $30
- Play button – spins the grid one round at a time
- Curved arrows – activates up to 100 autoplay spins. It also sets loss and single win limits
- Three-line button – opens the information page
While Bonanza Megaways awards winnings randomly, bet choice is important; the higher the selected wager, the better the chances at activating the jackpot feature. Regardless, the jackpot prizes remain the same and can be won despite the stake size.
Symbol Winnings
Bonanza Megapays features the same paytable and symbol payout mechanic as the original. The royals 9 to A offer the low pays while the gems pay the highest. On each round, the number of icons that appear on the playtable changes since each reel can display two to seven characters. This creates up to 117,649 ways to win. Combination wins pay when three to six icons align from the leftmost reel. The diamond is the only icon that pays for as little as two of a kind, and the combo is worth 2x the bet.
The Bonanza Megapays paytable is static, meaning it does not change despite the placed stake. Instead, the symbol values are multiplied by the current bet once triggered. Below is a breakdown of how each combination pays:
| Icon | Wins for Three | For Four | For Five | For Six |
| 9 | 0.15 | 0.25 | 0.5 | 1 |
| 10 | 0.15 | 0.25 | 0.5 | 1 |
| J | 0.2 | 0.3 | 0.6 | 1.2 |
| Q | 0.2 | 0.3 | 0.6 | 1.2 |
| K | 0.25 | 0.4 | 0.7 | 1.75 |
| A | 0.25 | 0.4 | 0.7 | 1.75 |
| Green gem | 0.3 | 0.5 | 1 | 2 |
| Blue gem | 0.4 | 1 | 1.5 | 2.5 |
| Red gem | 1 | 2 | 2.5 | 7.5 |
| Diamond | 5 | 10 | 25 | 50 |
Slot Bonuses
Bonanza Megapays Slot has some sizzling additions that drive up the winning potential of each round beyond combination payouts, and they include;
- Reaction feature
Like its predecessor, Bonanza Megapays eliminates any characters included in a winning combination, allowing others to cover the spaces left behind and new ones to enter the screen. This creates the potential for more paying combos. The cascades continue until no more winning clusters are formed.
- Wild
The dynamite symbol reprises its role as the wild, and it can only appear in the carts above the grid. This means that it is only valuable as part of another character’s combination.
- Scatters
The scatter characters appear as the letters G, O, L, D and trigger 12 free spins when they all come into view. The freebies have a progressive win multiplier that starts at x1 and grows by +1 infinitely with every reaction. The game awards 5 or 10 more bonus spins when three or four scatters appear in the carts.
- Megapays
The new bit in this Bonanza pokie is the Megapays feature with four progressive jackpots. The bonus triggers randomly on any spin and redirects the slot action from the mining field to a luxurious hotel. One character is chosen randomly, and each time it appears on a 6×7 playtable, it is collected at the bottom, and another round plays. The spins stop if no more Megapays icons appear. The jackpots are awarded as follows if 4 or more of these icons are collected:
| Number of Icons | Awarded Jackpot | Jackpot Seed Value |
| 4 – 7 | Mini | $100 |
| 8 – 11 | Midi | $1,500 |
| 12 – 14 | Major | $20,000 |
| 15+ | Mega | $300,000 |
Payout Metrics
Bonanza Megapays Slot features an RTP rate that changes according to the bet placed. The bigger the wager, the higher the percentage, moving from 96% to 96.40%. This change makes room for the jackpot payouts. The accompanying variance is high, as is expected of a pokie with massive wins.
Closing Thoughts
The core of Bonanza Megapays Slot is similar to the original pokie, and the addition of the Megapays jackpot engine makes it easily one of the greatest titles ever. Only a few pokies can brag about the possibility of triggering wins as high as 3,000,000x the stake. The bonus landmarks, like Megaways and free spins with an infinite multiplier, make it relevant beyond the jackpot winnings.
