Big Time Gaming slots are the games from the Sydney studio that created Megaways, the reel system where every spin changes how many symbols each reel shows. This guide covers who owns BTG, the checked RTP and max win of its best-known titles, how the ways maths works and what the games cost to play in the UK.
Founded in Sydney in 2011, BTG has been part of Evolution since a deal announced in April 2021.
Its Megaways reels give up to 117,649 ways on six reels because 7 × 7 × 7 × 7 × 7 × 7 = 117,649.
Checked RTPs for BTG titles sit between about 96% and 97.24%, so the average cost is roughly 3p to 4p per £1 staked.
Most BTG games are high or medium–high volatility: long losing runs are normal and the max win is rare.
British players get no feature buy, so quoted RTPs that include a bonus buy do not apply in Great Britain.
Founded
2011
Headquarters
Sydney, Australia
Parent
Evolution (deal announced April 2021)
Best known for
Megaways
Other mechanics
Megaclusters, Megapays
Checked RTP range
96.00%–97.24% across listed titles
Who makes Big Time Gaming slots?
Big Time Gaming, usually shortened to BTG, is an Australian slot studio founded in 2011 and based in Sydney. Nik Robinson is named as its chief executive. In April 2021 a deal was announced for Evolution, the live casino group, to take the studio over. BTG still releases games under its own name, and you will see its logo on the loading screen of each title.
The studio is small compared with the giants on our slot providers list, but its influence is out of proportion to its size. BTG created the Megaways reel system and then licensed it to other developers, which is why you now see the word on games from many studios. It has also built two follow-up mechanics, Megaclusters and Megapays.
Like every studio, BTG writes the software and a casino decides which of its games to offer. The casino holds the operating licence that protects you; the studio supplies games that must meet the Gambling Commission's technical standards before British players can use them. If you want the background on how that works, our page on what a game provider is explains the split.
Megaways: the mechanic behind Big Time Gaming slots
Megaways is a random reel modifier. On a standard ways-to-win slot each reel shows the same number of symbols on every spin. On a Megaways slot the height of each reel is drawn afresh, so one reel might show two symbols and the next seven. The number of ways to win is simply the number of symbols on each reel multiplied together.
The first Megaways game was Dragon Born. Sources disagree on the exact launch date: one 2018 report puts it more than two years earlier, another more than three, so it came out around 2015–16. Bonanza followed in December 2016 and became the title most players associate with the mechanic.
The last row is Kingmaker, which uses five reels of up to seven symbols. More ways do not mean a higher return: the pay table is built around the ways, so a 117,649-way spin pays small amounts per way. Our guide comparing Megaways and classic slots goes through that trade-off.
Big Time Gaming slots compared: RTP, volatility and max win
The table lists the BTG titles with checked specifications on our site. Where a figure is missing, published sources either disagree or we could not verify it, so check the game's help screen at your casino.
Danger! High Voltage 2 (2024) is also on file, with up to 117,649 ways and a listed max win of 52,980× stake, but we have no checked RTP for it, so look in the game's rules before you play.
Big Time Gaming RTP in the UK: why some figures do not apply
Extra Chilli is the clearest example of an RTP that changes in Britain. The 96.82% figure you will see quoted elsewhere includes Feature Drop, a paid route into the free spins. Since a Gambling Commission warning in January 2020, feature buy-ins are not offered to British players, so the version you meet at a UK casino returns up to 96.41%, and some versions sit as low as 96.15%.
The Commission's games warning for online operators (opens in a new tab) said feature buy-ins risked breaching its standards on clear game rules and on not encouraging players to chase losses. Our page on feature buys in the UK has the detail. The practical point is simple: when you compare BTG games, use the RTP the help screen shows, not a figure from a non-UK listing.
Bonanza is a second case. Some casinos run a lower-RTP version (95.98% is one figure shown), so two sites can host the same game at slightly different returns. Our question page on why slot RTPs differ between casinos explains how studios supply several settings.
What Big Time Gaming slots cost: a £20 budget worked through
RTP is a long-run average, so the expected cost of a spin is the stake multiplied by the part the game keeps (100% minus the RTP). On Bonanza at 96.00% that is 4% of each stake; on White Rabbit at 97.24% it is 2.76%.
Average cost of a £20 budget staked once through
Stake per spin
Spins from £20
Bonanza (4.00% kept)
White Rabbit (2.76% kept)
10p
200
80p
55p
50p
40
80p
55p
£1
20
80p
55p
The average is the same 80p whatever the stake because you are putting £20 through the reels each time. What changes is the swing. At £1 a spin you get 20 goes, and on a high-volatility game many of those will return nothing, so it is common to lose the full £20 quickly. At 10p you get 200 goes and a better chance of seeing a free spins round, but no more value on average.
Time matters too. UK rules require at least 2.5 seconds per slot spin, which caps play at 1,440 spins an hour (3,600 ÷ 2.5). At £1 a spin on Bonanza that is an average cost of up to £57.60 an hour (1,440 × £1 × 4%). Few people spin that fast, but at 600 spins an hour it is still about £24. Our cost per hour guide shows the same sum for other games.
Volatility in BTG games: what high really means
Almost every BTG title on file is rated high or medium–high volatility. That means most of the return is held back for rare, large wins inside the bonus rounds. A 72,310× max win on Millionaire Megaways shows how the maths works: a tiny chance of a very large payout has to be paid for by many small or empty spins.
To put max wins in pounds, multiply by the stake. At 20p, 20,000× on Extra Chilli is £4,000; at £1 it is £20,000. These are ceilings, not targets, and the studio does not publish how often they land. We do not quote bonus trigger rates from third-party listings because they are estimates, not developer figures.
How to pick a Big Time Gaming slot at a UK casino
Open the game and find the help or paytable screen before you stake anything.
Read the RTP shown there and compare it with the figures in our table; a lower number means a different version.
Check the volatility description and the maximum win, and work out what that means at your stake.
Set a deposit limit and a session budget in your casino account before the first spin.
Choose a stake that gives you enough spins for the time you want to play, then stop when the budget is used.
The session budget calculator can do the arithmetic in step five for you, and our slots strategy page covers sensible stake choices without any claim that a method improves the odds.
Speed: at least 2.5 seconds between spins, with no turbo or slam-stop.
No autoplay on any online casino game, so each spin needs a fresh press.
No celebrating a return that is equal to or less than your stake.
Your net position and time played must be shown during play.
No feature buy for British players, which removes Feature Drop and similar options.
These rules apply whichever casino you use and whichever studio made the game. The full set is on our UK game design rules page.
Megaways myths and facts
Advantages
Fact: the ways count changes every spin because the reel heights are random.
Fact: a cascade can turn one stake into several wins within the same spin.
Fact: the long-run return is fixed by the RTP, whatever the ways count.
Drawbacks
Myth: a spin with 117,649 ways is more likely to pay well. The pay table is scaled to the ways.
Myth: a game that has not paid for a while is due. Each spin is independent.
Myth: a bigger stake buys a better RTP. On most slots the percentage is the same at any stake; the help screen will say if it is not.
The gambler's fallacy page goes further into why past spins tell you nothing about the next one.
Where to play Big Time Gaming slots in the UK
Our partner offers are slot offers, but none of them names a Big Time Gaming game, so check each casino's game lobby to see which BTG titles it carries. Coral's app store listing mentions Megaways slots, though not which studio's. All offers are for new customers aged 18+ and terms apply.
PlayOJO: 80 free spins on Big Bass Bonanza (a Reel Kingdom game, not BTG) with a first deposit of £10 or more; spins are 10p each and winnings are paid in cash with no wagering. Excludes Northern Ireland.
Coral: bet £10 on slots to get 100 free spins on selected games, 10p each, accepted within 48 hours and valid for 7 days, with no wagering on winnings. Some payment methods, including PayPal and Skrill, do not qualify.
Ladbrokes: spend £10 on slots to get 50 free spins a day for 10 days (up to 500), 10p each on selected games, valid for 7 days with no wagering. Some deposit methods do not qualify.
Coral and Ladbrokes are run by the same company, so you may not be able to open new accounts at both. Free spin winnings still depend on the game's RTP, and the house edge applies to any money you stake afterwards.
Coral and Ladbrokes are both run by LC International Limited (Entain). If you already hold an account with one Entain brand, you may not be able to open another; check the terms first.
Significant terms: 18+. New UK customers (excluding Northern Ireland). First deposit only. Minimum deposit £10. 80 free spins on Big Bass Bonanza, £0.10 each. No wagering requirements; winnings paid in cash. Cannot be used with any other offer. Only available to players who arrive through the designated offer link. Full T&Cs apply. GamCare.org.uk
Read our PlayOJO reviewLicence: Skill On Net Limited, Gambling Commission account 39326. Offer checked 5 October 2026.
Significant terms: 18+. New players only. Offer runs 01/10/2026 to 01/02/2027. Deposit (certain types excluded) and bet £10+ on slot games to get 100 free spins (selected games, £0.10 each, 48 hrs to accept, valid 7 days). No wagering on free spin winnings. Deposits by Neteller, PayPal, Paysafe, Skrill, prepaid cards and certain debit cards do not qualify. Restrictions and T&Cs apply. GamCare.org.uk
Read our Coral reviewLicence: LC International Limited, Gambling Commission account 54743. Offer checked 5 October 2026.
Time limitClaim daily for 10 days; each batch valid 7 days
Worked valueUp to 500 spins at £0.10 (up to £50 in spins)
Significant terms: 18+. New customers only, from 14/11/25 until further notice. Certain deposit methods excluded. Deposit and spend £10+ on slots for 50 free spins a day during the first 10 days after first deposit and registration (max 500, £0.10 each, selected games, claim before 23:59 each day, valid 7 days). No wagering. Prepaid cards, PayPal, Paysafe, Neteller, Skrill and Moneybookers deposits do not qualify. Restrictions and T&Cs apply. GamCare.org.uk
Read our Ladbrokes reviewLicence: LC International Limited, Gambling Commission account 54743. Offer checked 5 October 2026.
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.
Frequently asked questions
Who owns Big Time Gaming?
Evolution owns Big Time Gaming, after a deal announced in April 2021. The studio was founded in Sydney, Australia, in 2011 and still releases games under its own name, as part of the wider Evolution group. Ownership does not change how a game pays: the RTP and rules are set in the game's maths and checked against Gambling Commission standards. Our slot providers hub lists the other studios and their parent groups, and the what is a game provider page explains how studios and casinos divide responsibilities.
Did Big Time Gaming invent Megaways?
Yes, Big Time Gaming created Megaways and licenses it to other developers. The first game was Dragon Born, released around 2015–16 (reports differ on the date), and Bonanza followed in December 2016. Blueprint Gaming became the first licensee in May 2018 with Diamond Mine, and Red Tiger signed later that year. That is why other studios' Megaways games carry a licence line. Our Megaways explainer shows how the random reel heights work, and Diamond Mine Megaways is the first licensed example on our site.
What is the RTP of Big Time Gaming slots?
Checked RTPs for Big Time Gaming slots run from 96.00% on Bonanza Megaways to 97.24% on White Rabbit Megaways. Most titles sit between 96.2% and 96.7%. That means the game keeps about 3p to 4p of every £1 staked over the long run, though any single session can be far better or worse. Casinos can run lower-RTP versions, so always read the figure in the help screen. Our RTP guide explains the maths, and the White Rabbit Megaways review covers the highest-RTP title on file.
How many ways does a Megaways slot have?
A six-reel Megaways slot like Bonanza has between 64 and 117,649 ways, depending on how many symbols land on each reel. You multiply the reel heights together: six reels of two symbols give 64, six reels of seven give 117,649. Games with different reel counts or extra rows have different ceilings; White Rabbit reaches 248,832 because its reels expand in free spins. More ways do not raise the return. See ways to win for the counting method and Bonanza Megaways for the original example.
Can I buy the bonus on Big Time Gaming slots in the UK?
No, British players cannot buy bonus rounds on Big Time Gaming slots. Since a Gambling Commission warning in January 2020, feature buy-ins are not offered to British players, which removes options such as Feature Drop on Extra Chilli. This also changes the RTP: the GB version of Extra Chilli returns up to 96.41%, not the 96.82% quoted with Feature Drop. Our feature buy rules page sets out the background, and can you buy bonus rounds on UK slots answers the wider question.
What is the biggest max win on a Big Time Gaming slot?
Among the BTG titles we have checked, Millionaire Megaways has the largest listed max win at 72,310 times the stake. Danger! High Voltage 2 is listed at 52,980 times, and Holy Diver at 23,306 times. These are rare ceilings, not likely results, and at a 20p stake 72,310× would be £14,462. Some games, including Bonanza, have conflicting published figures, so we do not state one. Our max win explainer puts these numbers in context, and Millionaire Megaways has the full specification.
Are Big Time Gaming slots high volatility?
Most Big Time Gaming slots are high or medium–high volatility. Bonanza, Extra Chilli and Lil Devil are listed as high; Kingmaker, Millionaire Megaways and Danger High Voltage as medium–high. In practice this means many spins return little or nothing and a large share of the return comes from bonus rounds that may not appear in a short session. Holy Diver has several levels with different volatility. Our volatility guide explains what that does to a budget, and high versus low volatility compares the two styles.
What are Megaclusters and Megapays?
Megaclusters and Megapays are two later Big Time Gaming mechanics built on the Megaways idea. Star Clusters Megaclusters starts on a 4×4 grid that expands as symbols split, with wins paid for clusters rather than ways. Megapays is listed as another BTG mechanic, but we hold no checked game data for it, so read the individual game's rules for how it works. Neither changes the basic fact that the RTP sets the long-run return. Read the Star Clusters Megaclusters review and our cluster pays guide for more.
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