Big Time Gaming Slots: Megaways, RTPs and Features
Big Time Gaming (BTG) is the Sydney studio that created the Megaways mechanic, with up to 117,649 ways to win per spin. Founded in 2011 by Nik Robinson, it agreed to a sale to Evolution in 2021 for up to EUR 450 million. Bonanza (2016, 96.00% RTP) is its best-known game. 3 casinos reviewed on BetsAuthority list BTG.
Big Time Gaming at a Glance
Big Time Gaming is one of the few online slot studios headquartered in Australia; its contact address is in Surry Hills, Sydney. Founder Nik Robinson had earlier founded New Tech Media in 1996. BTG launched in 2011 and became known worldwide after Bonanza, the first big hit built on its Megaways engine, launched in 2016. In April 2021 Evolution AB agreed to buy Big Time Gaming Pty Ltd for up to EUR 450 million, of which EUR 220 million was paid up front and the rest tied to earn-outs. BTG now sits in the Evolution group next to NetEnt, Red Tiger and Nolimit City.
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2011, by Nik Robinson |
| Headquarters | Surry Hills, Sydney, New South Wales |
| Owner | Evolution AB (agreement April 2021, up to EUR 450 million) |
| Key mechanic | Megaways, licensed to other studios |
| Best-known game | Bonanza (2016) |
| Casinos on BetsAuthority carrying it | 3 |
How Megaways Works
A Megaways slot changes the height of each reel on every spin. In the classic layout, six reels each show between 2 and 7 symbols. The number of ways to win is the product of the reel heights: 2x2x2x2x2x2 gives 64 ways, while 7x7x7x7x7x7 gives 117,649. Bonanza adds a horizontal reel above reels 2–5 that contributes extra symbols. Wins pay left to right on adjacent reels, regardless of row.
Most Megaways games pair the engine with cascading wins (BTG calls them Reactions): winning symbols are removed and new ones drop in, so one paid spin can produce several wins. In Bonanza’s free spins, every Reaction adds +1 to a multiplier that has no upper limit and does not reset during the round. That combination is why Megaways games are high volatility: most spins land few ways, and the large results come from tall reels lining up during a long chain of Reactions with a high multiplier.
BTG has licensed Megaways to numerous other developers, so many Megaways titles in casino lobbies are not BTG games. Licensed studios include Blueprint Gaming and Red Tiger. Our Megaways guide covers the mechanic across studios, and the Megaways casinos page lists sites that stock them.
Notable Releases
| Game | Release | Layout | RTP | Volatility |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bonanza Megaways | 2016 | 6 reels, 2–7 symbols, plus a horizontal reel; up to 117,649 ways | 96.00% | High |
Other BTG titles that remain in many lobbies are White Rabbit, Extra Chilli and Danger High Voltage. BTG’s own game pages publish the RTP but, in Bonanza’s case, not a maximum win, so our review does not quote one. Where a casino lists a “Bonanza” with a different RTP, it is either a different configuration or a licensed Megaways game from another studio; check the provider name in the game’s info screen.
RTP and Volatility Profile
BTG games typically run at about 96% RTP and are high volatility. With a 96.00% RTP, the expected loss on A$1,000 of total stakes is A$40. In practice, short sessions on Bonanza vary far more than that figure suggests: the free spins can pay little when Reactions stop early, or several hundred times the stake when the multiplier climbs. Read the volatility guide before setting a session budget.
Demo Play and Real-Money Access from Australia
BTG’s website does not embed open demos. Its “Play for fun” link leads to Big Time Vegas, a social-casino portal that requires signing in with a Facebook or Google account, which is why our Bonanza review does not embed a demo. Although BTG is based in Sydney, the Interactive Gambling Act prohibits offering online casino games to people in Australia, and BTG titles appear at only 3 of the offshore casinos we review: Spin Samurai, Wild Tornado and Cosmobet. Evolution-owned NetEnt is restricted for Australia at the same group of casinos, so check that BTG games actually load at your chosen casino before you deposit. The current list is on the Big Time Gaming casinos page.
Checking You Are Playing the Original
Because Megaways is licensed widely, lobbies often show several “Bonanza”-style or “Megaways” titles from different studios. Open the game’s info screen: BTG games state Big Time Gaming as the supplier and list the RTP (96.00% for Bonanza). If the provider field shows another studio, the maths, features and RTP are that studio’s.
How BTG Compares
Megaways itself is now common: Relax Gaming‘s Temple Tumble Megaways (up to 46,656 ways) uses it under licence. What remains specific to BTG is the original game design around it, such as the unlimited free spins multiplier in Bonanza, and the studio’s Australian origin.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Megaways is BTG’s mechanic, and the studio licenses it to other developers. Up to 117,649 ways are possible on a six-reel layout with seven symbols per reel.
BTG was founded in 2011 and is based in Surry Hills, Sydney. Evolution AB agreed to acquire it in 2021.
96.00%, according to Big Time Gaming’s game page.
BTG’s own free play runs on the Big Time Vegas social portal, which requires a Facebook or Google sign-in. There is no open demo on its website.
Only 3 of the offshore casinos we review list BTG. It belongs to the Evolution group, whose NetEnt brand is restricted for Australia at these casinos.
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