Megaways vs cluster pays slots

Megaways vs cluster pays: the core difference

Every slot needs a rule for deciding which symbols count as a win. Old games used fixed paylines; later came ways to win, which pay any matching symbols on neighbouring reels. Megaways is a ways system whose reel heights change on every spin. Cluster pays throws out reels as a counting tool altogether and looks for clumps of identical symbols.

The online guide at casinos.com's slot features page (opens in a new tab) describes cluster pays in the same terms: a group of identical symbols clustered together on the grid pays instead of a line. Our feature pages on Megaways and cluster pays cover each system on its own.

How Megaways ways are counted, with worked examples

A Megaways spin multiplies together the number of symbols showing on each reel. On the classic six-reel layout, each reel shows between two and seven symbols, so the count runs from 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 = 64 ways up to 7 x 7 x 7 x 7 x 7 x 7 = 117,649 ways.

Not every Megaways slot reaches 117,649. Games with fewer symbols per reel have lower caps: Primal Megaways (2 to 6 symbols) tops out at 46,656, and Eye of Horus Megaways (2 to 5) at 15,625. In Bonanza Megaways, the 2016 game that made the format famous, a horizontal reel above reels two to five adds one more symbol to each of those reels.

More ways doesn't mean better odds. A spin showing 117,649 ways often has more low-paying symbols on screen, and the game's maths is set so that the RTP is the same whatever the ways count on a given spin.

How cluster pays wins are counted

In a cluster pays slot, the game looks for groups of the same symbol that touch. In Nolimit City's The Border, for example, symbols must touch vertically or horizontally, and five or more are needed to pay, as its launch report (opens in a new tab) explains. Diagonal contact and minimum sizes differ by game, so read the rules.

Bigger clusters pay more, and the paytable usually lists prizes by cluster size (5, 6, 7 and so on up to a top band). Grid size changes the feel: a 7x7 grid has 49 positions and an 8x8 grid has 64, so larger clusters are more achievable on the bigger board, though symbol weightings decide how often.

Cascading reels in Megaways and cluster pays slots

Most games in both families use cascading reels: winning symbols vanish, the rest drop down, and new symbols fall in from above. One paid stake can then produce a chain of wins. Developers brand this differently, and many add a multiplier that climbs with each cascade in a chain.

Cascades matter more to cluster pays. Because a cluster grid doesn't change shape, the chain of refills is where most of the action happens, and features such as Sugar Rush Xmas's persistent multiplier spots build on it. In Megaways games, cascades also reshuffle the reel heights, so the ways count can change mid-chain.

Megaways slots: RTP, volatility and max win

Big Time Gaming created Megaways and has licensed it widely; Blueprint Gaming's licence was announced on 1 May 2018, as CasinoBeats reported (opens in a new tab). That's why the same mechanic appears across so many studios. See our Big Time Gaming page for the original catalogue.

Megaways vs cluster pays RTP and volatility compared

Put the two tables together and the overlap is plain. The Megaways games above run from 95.77% to 97.24%; the cluster games from 96.11% to 96.83%. Most titles in both families are rated high volatility, with a few medium options on each side (Gemix among cluster games, White Rabbit Megaways at medium-high).

In pounds, a 96.5% RTP means an average cost of £3.50 for every £100 staked, whichever format pays it. The format changes how the losses and wins arrive. Megaways spins swing between narrow, low-ways screens and wide ones; cluster grids tend to deliver lots of small cluster wins punctuated by long cascade chains. Over a short session either can finish far from the average.

Our guides to volatility and RTP explain why two games with the same average can feel so different.

Common myths about Megaways and cluster pays

• Myth: 117,649 ways means more chances to win money. The ways count is part of how the game is drawn, and the RTP is fixed in its maths. More ways usually means more low symbols on screen.
• Myth: a grid that's been quiet is due a big cluster. Each spin is independent; the game has no memory of recent results.
• Myth: cluster games are lower risk because they pay often. Many small wins can still sit inside a high-volatility game; check the rating in the help screen.
• Myth: cascades are a free extra. They're how the stated RTP is paid out, not an addition to it.

For more on why patterns don't help, see the gambler's fallacy and independent events.

UK rules for Megaways and cluster pays slots

Both formats are online slots under British rules, so the same limits apply. Stakes are capped at £5 per game cycle for players aged 25 and over and £2 for 18 to 24-year-olds, as set out in the Gambling Commission's stake limit guidance (opens in a new tab). A full cascade chain is part of one game cycle.

Since 31 October 2021, UK slots have no autoplay, no turbo or slam-stop, and at least 2.5 seconds per spin, and they can't celebrate a return that's no more than your stake. Since a Gambling Commission warning in January 2020, feature buy-ins are not offered to British players, which is why some games run a different RTP here; Extra Chilli Megaways, for example, quotes up to 96.41% without its Feature Drop. Our game design rules page explains each rule.

How to choose between a Megaways and a cluster pays slot

1. Decide how you like a session to feel: swingy reels (Megaways) or a busy grid of small connections (cluster pays).
2. Open the help screen and confirm the RTP version your casino runs.
3. Check the volatility rating and the max win; a larger cap usually means harsher ordinary play.
4. For cluster games, note the minimum cluster size and whether diagonals count.
5. Pick a stake that gives you at least 100 spins from your budget, within the UK stake limit.
6. Set a loss limit and a time reminder before you start, and stop when either is reached.

Verdict: Megaways or cluster pays for each type of player

Neither format beats the other on value. Choose the one you enjoy, check the game's RTP and volatility, and keep stakes small enough that a losing run doesn't matter. Our Megaways vs classic slots comparison helps if you're weighing reels against older formats too.

Where to play Megaways and cluster pays slots

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18+. Every casino game has a built-in house edge, so over time you should expect to lose what you stake. Set a budget before you play and stop when it’s gone: safer gambling tools and support. Free, confidential help: National Gambling Helpline 0808 8020 133.