In a megaways vs ways to win comparison, 243 ways to win slots use a fixed grid, so every spin gives you exactly 243 combinations. In a standard six-reel Megaways layout with two to seven symbols per reel, the count can range from 64 to 117,649. Individual titles may use different reel structures or feature-round expansions. Same maths, different inputs. The bigger number does not mean bigger payouts.
What Is the Difference Between Megaways and Ways to Win?
The megaways vs ways to win question starts with one thing they share. Neither uses fixed paylines.
In an old-style slot, symbols had to land on a set path drawn across the reels. Miss the path, no win. Both systems here throw that out. A win forms when matching symbols land on adjacent reels, starting from the left. Where they sit vertically does not matter.
So the shared idea is the same. What separates them is whether the grid holds still.
A 243-ways slot keeps the same grid layout on every spin. Megaways does not. The reel heights change each time you press spin, and the ways count changes with them.
That single difference drives everything else in the megaways vs ways to win comparison. Our guide to Megaways casino slots covers the wider mechanic if you want the full picture.
Where Does the Number 243 Come From?
It is not a marketing figure. It is a multiplication.
Take a slot with five reels and three symbols on each. Multiply the symbol count across every reel:
3 x 3 x 3 x 3 x 3 = 243
That is the whole calculation. Every possible route through the grid, counted.
Change the grid and the number changes with it:
| Layout | Calculation | Ways to win |
| 5 reels, 3 rows | 3 x 3 x 3 x 3 x 3 | 243 |
| 5 reels, 4 rows | 4 x 4 x 4 x 4 x 4 | 1,024 |
| 6 reels, 4 rows | 4 x 4 x 4 x 4 x 4 x 4 | 4,096 |
So 1024 ways slots are not a different system. They are the same system on a taller grid, and the same is true of 243 ways to win slots on a shorter one.
Microgaming popularised the format in the early 2000s, and it is still in wide use. The appeal was simple. No paylines to track, no wondering whether a near-miss counted.
How Megaways Turns 243 Into 117,649
Megaways takes that same sum and stops fixing the inputs.
A reel modifier sets the symbol count on each reel before the spin resolves.In many standard Megaways games, each reel can display two to seven symbols, and it re-rolls every time. Reel one might come up with three. Reel two with seven. Reel three with two. The grid looks different on every spin.
Run the maths at the maximum:
7 x 7 x 7 x 7 x 7 x 7 = 117,649
Six reels, seven symbols on each. That is where the famous number comes from.
But 117,649 is the ceiling for that standard setup, not the number on every spin. If all six reels show two symbols, the calculation is 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 = 64 ways. Individual Megaways titles can use smaller or larger reel configurations, and bonus rounds may expand the grid further.
Some titles never reach 117,649 at all. Fishin’ Frenzy Megaways caps at 15,625 ways on its smaller reel structure. Others push the other way. Several modern releases pass 200,000 ways, and Wheel of Fortune Megaways reaches up to 1,000,000 ways during free spins, when expanding reels can push the grid beyond the standard 117,649-way base-game maximum.
Most Megaways titles also use cascading reels. Winning symbols clear and new ones drop in. That is a separate mechanic, and our comparison of cascading and standard reels covers it.
Which Pays More Often, Megaways or 243 Ways?
Fixed 243-ways games are often designed to feel steadier than many Megaways titles, but hit frequency and payout size are determined by each game’s maths model, not the ways system alone.
The reason sits in the grid. A fixed layout keeps the number of possible winning routes constant. The game’s published hit frequency, however, still depends on its underlying reel and paytable design. Small wins mostly, but regular ones.
A low-ways Megaways spin offers fewer visible symbol combinations than a high-ways spin. Its exact effect on the chance of a win depends on the individual game’s reel strips and symbol distribution. String a few together and the balance drains fast. Then a spin lands at 60,000 ways and the picture changes.
Megaways is commonly used in medium-high and high-volatility games, but volatility is set title by title. A 243- or 1,024-ways slot can also be high volatility. We cover high and low volatility in Megaways slots separately if that side interests you.
Minimum bets are set by the individual game and casino, not by whether a slot uses fixed ways or Megaways. Check the bet menu before playing and set a stake that fits a pre-set entertainment budget.
Megaways vs Ways to Win: Side by Side
Every practical difference between the two systems, in one place.
| Factor | Fixed ways-to-win slot | Megaways slot |
| Grid | Fixed for that game | Variable; reel heights can change each spin |
| Reels | Often five, but varies by game | Often six, but varies by title |
| Symbols per reel | Fixed for that game, often three or four | Variable in many titles; a common setup is two to seven |
| Ways per spin | Constant, such as 243 or 1,024 | Variable; a standard six-reel, 2–7 layout ranges from 64 to 117,649 |
| Win direction | Usually adjacent reels from left to right, subject to the game rules | Usually adjacent reels from left to right, subject to the game rules |
| Fixed paylines | Usually none | Usually none |
| Hit frequency | Set by the individual game’s maths model | Set by the individual game’s maths model |
| Volatility | Can range from low to high | Often medium-high or high, but title-specific |
| Cascading reels | Optional | Common, but not universal |
| Minimum bet | Set by the title and casino | Set by the title and casino |
Does a Bigger Way Number Mean Bigger Wins?
No, and this is the most common misread of the whole format.
The way count tells you how many routes exist for symbols to connect. It says nothing about what those connections pay. That comes from the paytable, the symbol values, and whatever multipliers the game applies.
A slot with 117,649 ways and a thin paytable can pay less than a 243-ways game with a generous one. The count is the number of doors. The paytable decides what sits behind them.
The same applies to the maximum win. A 1024 ways slot and a Megaways title can carry identical max win caps, because the cap is set by the studio rather than derived from the grid.
Read the paytable alongside the RTP, volatility rating, hit frequency where published, feature rules, and maximum-win figure.
Which Format Suits Your Session?
The better choice depends on the individual game, not only on whether it uses fixed ways or Megaways.
A 243-ways or 1,024-ways slot may appeal if you prefer a grid that looks the same on every spin. Because the number of available ways stays constant, the game structure can be easier to follow.
Megaways may appeal if you enjoy a changing reel layout and watching the number of available ways rise and fall. A taller grid creates more potential routes for matching symbols, but it does not guarantee a win, a larger payout, or a higher RTP.
Neither is better on paper. The megaways vs ways to win choice is one win system running at two settings. Which setting suits you comes down to session length and how much swing you can sit through. Our guide to bankroll management covers the sizing side.
Responsible Gambling Notice: For players 18+ (or 21+ where required). More ways to win does not mean better odds. The house edge is set by the paytable and RTP, not by the number of combinations on screen. If gambling stops being enjoyable, support is available at BeGambleAware.org or the National Problem Gambling Helpline on 1-800-MY-RESET.
One Sum, Two Settings
Strip away the branding and the megaways vs ways to win question gets small.
Both count routes across adjacent reels. Both use a ways-to-win structure instead of traditional fixed paylines. One holds the grid steady so the count never moves. The other re-rolls it every spin so the count swings from tens to tens of thousands.
That is the whole difference. That one choice changes how the grid looks and how many potential symbol combinations are available on each spin. It can shape the feel of play, but it does not determine hit frequency, volatility, RTP, payout size, or maximum win by itself. Those depend on the individual game’s maths model.
So pick on how you want to play, not on which number looks larger in the lobby.
